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2026-GPX-OPFXS-Gain-Box-SK-Main-700.jpg

The Gain Box was very evidently designed for the 4 Channels / Voices to be stacked, each individual voice isn’t particularly strong on its own, but gains significant potency when combined with one or two or all of the others.

 

I would really have preferred a little more output volume, and probably a Tilt EQ vs the current LPF style Filter for more overall oomph! I started with all dials at Noon, and then added or subtracted as appropriate - adding Presets and Combinations as I progressed ...

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2026-GPX-Holy-Island-Audio-Angel-Teeth-700.jpg

I can’t explain why I’m so late to the Angel Teeth - it’s been on my wishlist for a while (years!). I actively collect evolved and extended range DOD250’s - so this one was always going to be a perfect fit for me. And indeed - I have been meaning to get it for a while - I always expected to pick one of these up at one of the guitar shows - but Gwion’s batch schedule didn’t seem to sync up with my specific pedal-chasing needs.

 

I was expecting to review the Spectral Fire and Micro Mountain ...

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2026 May Pedal-Chain Update - Episode V - Giga-Hoard Modulated Fuzz'n'Drive Board

Asheville Music ToolsBig Muff Style FuzzBlack MountainBlues Breaker Style OverdriveBoostBoost and OverdriveCaroline Guitar CompanyChorus and VibratoColortone PedalsDelayDigital DelayDigital ReverbDistortionDriveDual-DriveDumble Style OverdriveEmpress EffectsEventideExpressionFuzzFuzz Face Style FuzzFuzz-Drive and FuzzstortionGamechanger AudioGigaheartsGranular DelayHarmonic OverdriveHoly Island AudioHungry Robot EffectsJSA EffectsKlone and Transparent OverdriveMarshall Style DistortionMetal DistortionModulated FuzzModulationModulation WorkstationMulti-DriveMulti-FXMulti-GainOCD Style OverdriveOctave FuzzOctaverOddball DelayOddball FuzzOddball ModulationODR Style OverdriveOpAmp FuzzOscillating FuzzOverdriveOverkill EffectsPedal ChainPhaserPitch-ShiftingPreAmpReverbReverse DelayRockwrightRotary SpeakerSilicon FuzzSuper-Fuzz StyleSwellThorpyFXTimmyTremoloTubescreamer Style OverdriveTweed Style OverdriveUni-Vibe and VibeUtility+-
2026-May--Pedal-Chain-700.jpg

May has been a little bit of strange month - lots of delays really, and waiting for pedals to land.

As inevitably happens most months - much was delayed this month, and I was unable to complete some of the larger articles - they will need to wait until next month, there’s certainly lots of projects in progress. Where new and imminent arrivals kind of scuppered several intended projects - hopefully they can be completed in June.

The first event I’m attending this month is tomorrow - as a micropub ...

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2026-GPX-OPFXS-Gain-Box-Main-700.jpg

I’m known for my love of Multi-Gain boxes - and this is another great innovation in that area - a really smartly engineered gain machine - with all-analog sound generation and signal routing, but with some digital controls, and 3 Presets onboard.

 

You have two main Operational Modes - Series and Parallel, where the Series Mode is essentially Dry + Overdrive into Fuzz + Distortion, and Parallel is each of them piled on top of the other!

 

Controls - Level [digital], Filter : 1k > 16k [...

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Empress Effects' new Amp-Like Drive Pedal is a super-versatile Extended Gain-Range Active-EQ Saturator with Pre or Post Boost, and a built-in Noise Gate

Blues Breaker Style OverdriveBoostBoost and OverdriveDriveDrive WorkstationEmpress EffectsHarmonic OverdriveMulti-DriveMulti-GainOverdrivePreAmpTweed Style Overdrive+-
2026-GPX-Empress-Drive-Main-700.jpg

I really rate both the Empress Germ Drive and Multidrive pedals, and have had both Heavy and Heavy Menace pedals from the start. According to the Empress Drive introduction the development path for this new Drive pedal started with patching a Germ Drive into the middle of a Heavy Menace circuit!

 

Furthermore, on first glance - there seem to be some parallels to the ParaEQ II too, and indeed Zak tells me that the ParaEQ was an inspiration also - and was in fact used to help set the core ...

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2026 April Pedal-Chain Update - Episode IV - Blizzard of Fuzz

Big Muff Style FuzzBJFEBoostBoost and OverdriveCoppersoundCrazy Tube CircuitsDistortionElectronic Audio ExperimentsFredric EffectsFuzzFuzz Face Style FuzzFuzz-Drive and FuzzstortionGigaheartsHarmonic OverdriveJHS PedalsKlone and Transparent OverdriveModulated FuzzModulationMoth ElectricMulti-GainOctave FuzzOddball FuzzOverdrivePedal ChainPower SuppliesPreAmpShift LineSilicon FuzzSpaceman EffectsThorn SoundlabsTone Bender Style FuzzTremoloVahlbruch FXWilson Effects+-
2026-April--Pedal-Chain-700.jpg

A slightly uneventful month in many ways - just the one event - the excellent sophomore Leeds Pedal Show - where I ended up picking up 3 pedals.

 

Some killer releases during the month, with a strong final flurry to make up the 10 notable article highlights. I’ve been very busy all month - and plenty of work has gone into this as usual, while there was somehow fewer large-scale rundowns and marquee features - more of that next month for sure.

HIGHLIGHTS for APRIL :

 

[Click on Images for ...

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2026-GPX-Buzzing-Bugs-Bolster-700.jpg

The Bolster Dual Fuzz consists of a 3 x 2N5088 Transistor Tone Bender MKII adjacent High Gain Fuzz on one side, and a single knob OpAmp Speaker-destroying Fuzz on the other side. The 5-knob Transistor Fuzz has an enormous gain range from drive and fuzzy-drive through to fairly searing high gain fuzz - and then when you add the More Fuzz in - you kind of blow the doors off - in the best possible sense.

 

All the finesse is on the first channel, while the More Channel - comes in somewhat high-...

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8 Monster Gain Machine Pedals

Best in ClassBig Muff Style FuzzBoostBoost and OverdriveBrown Sound DistortionChase Bliss AudioDazatronyxDistortionDriveDrive WorkstationDual-DriveElektronFuzzFuzz Face Style FuzzFuzz-Drive and FuzzstortionGated and Velcro FuzzKernomMaestro Style FuzzMarshall Style DistortionMetal DistortionMulti-DriveMulti-GainOctave FuzzOpAmp FuzzOrigin EffectsOverdriveSilicon FuzzSuper-Fuzz StyleTeaching MachinesTone Bender Style FuzzTubesteaderVox Style Distortion+-
2026-GPX-Large-Maximalist-Multi-Gain-Pedals-700.jpg

I thought I should focus on my large format heavy-hitters for a change - where these 8 are some of my largest, most potent, and best favoured gain pedals. They are arranged here in alphabetical order, while they were released in the below chronological order. All 8 have featured heavily in my rig at different times - and all 8 are still very valid award winners and still in rotation. While the enormous girth of the Elektron Analog Drive means that is gets somewhat less of a rotation nowadays - ...

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2026 February Pedal-Chain Update - Episode II - Steady Progress

BoostBoost and OverdriveBrelliottDelayDiamond PedalsDigital DelayDistortionDriveDrunk BeaverFuzzHarmonic OverdriveHarmonizerHorrothia EffectsiStingorKlowraKMA AudioMarshall Style DistortionMulti-DriveMulti-GainNoise Maker MarketOctave FuzzOctaverOverdrivePedal ChainPitchRat Style FuzzRhPf ElectronicsSinvertekTape DelayTone Bender Style FuzzWampler+-
2026-February--Pedal-Chain-700.jpg

February is always something of a lull - particularly after the hyper busy NAMM-inflected January. This month is the doldrums of the calendar where not much gets releases. I did though manage to land a decent selection of a dozen pedals - obviously some from the previous year. With the Sinvertek MGAT-1 EVO being the standout pedal landed - where the Klowra Gnash and Wampler Golden Jubilee were pretty spectacular too. 3 x Klowra pedals on the board this month - all excellent!

 

Of course there...

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Does it Doom? Pedals are now available at Andertons!

DistortionDoes it Doom?DriveDual-DriveFuzzFuzz-Drive and FuzzstortionHarmonic OverdriveMetal DistortionMulti-DriveMulti-GainOctave FuzzOverdriveRat Style FuzzSilicon Fuzz+-
2026-GPX-Does-It-Doom-x-Andertons-700.jpg

Andertons have just recently landed 7 of the 13 Does it Doom? pedal range. Per their moniker - these are mostly higher gain stoner, doom and sludge varieties - including a couple that lean intro Black Sabbath tones.

 

Andertons are still quite adventurous in seeking out new pedal brans - and it’s good to see them give so many brands a fair shake.

 

I’ve not fully processed this series yet to decide which ones are priorities for me - while a cursory glance would indicate that there are ...

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