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Distinct, Memorable and Instantly Brand-Identifiable Compact Pedal Enclosures Part 2 - Trade Dress Edition

Alexander PedalsAnimals PedalBJFEBlackhawk AmplifiersColortone PedalsDeath By AudioDemedash EffectsDiamond PedalsEarthQuaker DevicesFlower PedalsGuitar Gear Improvements and PrototypesGuitar Gear ResourcesGuitar Pedal 101GuitarSystemsIconic GearJackson AudioJAM PedalsJHS PedalsMu-TronOrigin EffectsPettyjohn ElectronicsSitek Guitar ElectronicsSpaceman EffectsTanabeTru-Fi Guitar EffectsVFE PedalsWalrus AudioZander CircuitryZvex+-
2023-GPX-Compact-Pedal-Shapes-PT2-700.jpg

So this is the second of this series - where the first was more about the uniqueness of the enclosure shape - more structural really - covering the overall form factor. While this edition is more about ’Trade Dress’ or the Memorability of the Aesthetics - style of graphics, consistency of theme, and consistency of control topology - doing something in a consistently measurable way that makes that pedal instantly recognisable from afar as belonging to a certain single brand.

 

So this one is ...

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28 of the Best Enhanced and Extended Range Compact Tube Screamer Style Overdrives

AudiostormBecos FXBig Tone Music BreweryBoostBoost and OverdriveChellee EffectsChirality AudioCornerstone Music GearEarthQuaker DevicesFoxpedalJackson AudioJAM PedalsJHS PedalsKartakou AmplificationKHDKKing Tone EffectsKuro Custom AudioMI AudioNOC3 EffectsOrigin EffectsOverdrivePLBR EffectsPolarbear EffectsSeymour DuncanTate FXTone InkTubescreamer Style OverdriveVemuramVFE PedalsWalrus AudioWamplerWay Huge EffectsXotic Effects+-
2022-GPX-28-Best-Compact-Screamers-700-V2.jpg

So the recent launch of Origin Effects’ Halcyon enhanced TS808 type screamer prompted me to refresh my memory on what the competition to that was - and if the Halcyon was quite as appealing as it appeared to be. So I’ve trawled through all my usual resources, including my own memory banks - and come up with this list of 28 suitable candidates.

 

This list is specifically on enhanced / evolved Compact enclosure Tube Screamer types - so I exclude hybrids - such as Matthews Effects The Broker (...

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DOD250-style Capsule Collection about to reach Lucky 7!

Big Tone Music BreweryBoost and OverdriveDemiurge InstrumentsDistortionDOD EffectsDual-DriveGear AntJHS PedalsLoophole PedalsOverdrivePelican NoiseworksPreAmpVFE Pedals+-
2022GPXDOD250Alternatives700V2.jpg

When I initially shared my DOD250 type collection I owned just 4 - the BTMB Gray Box Overdrive, Loophole Pedals Grey Matter, Pelican Noiseworks 50/50 Double OD, and VFE Distortion 3. Next my good friend Joseph Maxwell made the compact BrainBox EQD Gray Channel clone which was number 5, and recently I added the JHS Overdrive Preamp as number 6 and kind of considered it job done then! 

 

At one stage I was looking to get either a Grey Box original DOD250 or a very early Yellow Box edition which...

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4 Great Extended-Range DOD250 Style Overdrives

Big Tone Music BreweryBoostBoost and OverdriveDistortionDOD EffectsDriveDual-DriveLoophole PedalsMulti-DriveOverdrivePelican NoiseworksVFE Pedals+-
2021GPXDOD250Alternatives700.jpg

This article really speaks to my own personal preferences in pedal-acquisitions, and how I’m always somewhat more drawn towards extended-range - and typically enhanced and evolved editions over and above the stock originals.

 

In many cases those more versatile editions are even rarer than the classic vintage originals. Meaning I always try to secure those more difficult-to-find examples first. On this occasion I still intend to grab a LM741 opamp early grey or yellow variety ...

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12 Degrees of Saturation : 2020 Key Distortion Categories Edition

12 Degrees of SaturationAmptweakerAMT EffectsAnarchy AudioBearfoot FXBig Ear PedalsBig Tone Music BreweryBlackhawk AmplifiersBossBrown Sound DistortionBYOCCarcharias EffectsCatalinbreadCoda EffectsDanelectroDecibelicsDigiTechDistortionDOD EffectsDr ScientistDriveDrunk BeaverDual-DriveDunwich AmplificationEarthbound AudioEarthQuaker DevicesFeaturedFree Fall DiverFriedman EffectsFunction F(X)Fuzz-Drive and FuzzstortionJackson AudioJAM PedalsJohn K Vintage GuitarsKeeley EngineeringLawrence Petross DesignLoop Hole PedalsMarshall Style DistortionMenatoneMetal DistortionMI EffectsMidValleyFXMooerMulti-DriveMXROneControlOpAmp FuzzPelican NoiseworksPepers' PedalsRat Style FuzzRedbeard EffectsReuss EffectsREVV AmplificationSinvertekSuhrThorpyFXVFE PedalsVox Style DistortionWamplerXIX Tech FXXotic Effects+-
2020GPX12DgreesSaturationDistortionEdition700V2.jpg

This edition comes rather hot on the heels of the recent 12 Degrees of Overdrive version as many readers’ inquiries questioned a couple of missing categories there - which I explained would rather figure within the Distortion contingent which is present here in all its glory!

 

As always, these is some considerable amount of grey science at play here - best typified by the Big Muff and Rat circuits - which are both very much distortions as well as fuzz varieties. I have 3 x 12 ...

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12 Degrees of Saturation : 2020 Key Overdrive Categories Edition

12 Degrees of SaturationAion ElectronicsAnalog.ManBarber ElectronicsBearfoot FXBJFEBlues Breaker Style OverdriveBlues Driver Style OverdriveBO EffectsBogner AmplificationBoost and OverdriveBosscmatmodsCrowther AudioCustom TonesDanDrive PedalDecibelicsDemon PedalsDumble Style OverdriveFeaturedFoxpedalF-PedalsFree The ToneFulltone EffectsFunction F(X)Greer AmpsHamstead SoundworksHot Cake Style OverdriveJ RockettJackson AudioJetter GearJHS PedalsJoyo EffectsKeeley EngineeringKlone and Transparent OverdriveKuro Custom AudioLovepedalMad Professor EffectsMenatoneMI EffectsMontreal AssemblyMooerMXRMythos PedalsNobelsNordland ElectronicsOCD Style OverdriveODR Style OverdriveOverdrivePaul CochranePedal DiggersPickdropperSarno Music SolutionsSnouse Electric CompanySpaceman EffectsThorpyFXTimmyTrue North PedalsTsakalis Audio WorksTubescreamer Style OverdriveTweed Style OverdriveVemuramVFE PedalsVick AudioWamplerWay Huge Effects+-
2020GPX12DegreesOverdriveEdition700V2.jpg

So this is one of most significant works in a while, and carries on the legacy of two of my most popular all-time articles on the 12 Degrees of Saturation - the Original that evolved in the early months of 2017, and the follow-up which materialised in September of 2018.

 

I obviously deal with a lot of reader inquiries pretty much on a daily basis, and one of the more popular lines of inquiry has been about overdrives. And while Josh Scott attests to the fact that there are only 5 core ...

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24 of the Best Compact Enclosure Bluesbreaker-style Overdrive Pedals - 2020 Ultimate Selection

Aion ElectronicsAnalog.ManBest in ClassBlues Breaker Style OverdriveBondi EffectsBoost and OverdriveChicago StompworkscmatmodsFredric EffectsGoudie FXJ RockettJackson AudioJHS PedalsKeeley EngineeringKlonz LabsMojo Hand FXMythos PedalsOhmless PedalsPedal MonsterRockBoxSiren PedalsSnouse Electric CompanyTorino AudioTsakalis Audio WorksVFE PedalsVick AudioVS AudioWampler+-
2020GPX24BluesBreakers700V2.jpg

It’s been a couple of years since I last did one of these particular genre roundups and this year has seen a number of new entrants into this category which really makes this worth visiting again right now. I’ve already done a feature on the larger dual-channel Bluesbreaker style pedals this year - KOT etc. While the Fredric Effects Blue Monarch, Jackson Audio Golden Boy and Siren Pedals Juneau are the newbies for 2020.

 

Moreover - the much loved Bondi Effects Del Mar has been reissued in ...

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28 of the Best Compact Enclosure Phaser Pedals - 2020 Ultimate Selection

Alexander PedalsAnasoundsBest in ClassBossChase Bliss AudioCrazy Tube CircuitsDOD EffectsEarthQuaker DevicesElectro-HarmonixFlattley Guitar PedalsGreenhouse EffectsJ RockettJAM PedalsJRADKeeley EngineeringMad Professor EffectsModulationMu-TronMXRNative AudioOld Blood Noise EndeavorsPhaserRetro-SonicSkreddy PedalsSolidGoldFXSubdecay EffectsTC ElectronicVahlbruch FXVein TapVFE PedalsWalrus AudioZvex+-
2020GPX28CompactPhasers700.jpg

This post actually came about in a rather random roundabout fashion while I’m still waiting for my Buffalo FX Flanger to arrive. The only one of my analog modulation pedals I haven’t rotated recently as such is my Chase Bliss Audio Wombtone MKII Analog Phaser. So I got to thinking if there was something in that area I might look towards - considering I had fairly recently updated all the other analog modulation slots.

 

I have 5 phasers already - including 3 from the top row of the visual - ...

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28 of the Best Compact Enclosure Chorus Pedals - 2020 Ultimate Selection

Adventure AudioAnalog.ManArionBest in ClassBossCarl MartinCatalinbreadChase Bliss AudioChorus and VibratoDawner Prince EffectsDigiTechDryBell EffectsEarthQuaker DevicesElectro-HarmonixGreenhouse EffectsJAM PedalsJHS PedalsLichtlaerm AudioMad Professor EffectsModulationMXRNeunaberOld Blood Noise EndeavorsParadox EffectsProvidence PedalsSource AudioTC ElectronicVFE PedalsVS AudioWalrus AudioWay Huge EffectsZvex+-
2020GPX28BestCompactChorusPedals700V2.jpg

This article was another triggered by a number of recent ’Best Chorus Pedals’ posts out on other sites - which I didn’t feel adequately covered this category. Initially I didn’t used to be that much into Chorus - but being a huge Prince, Nirvana, The Police and The Cure fan amongst others - the Chorus was always going to feature there in the tonal reference library - and besides, I soon discovered how to do all kinds of other cool things with Chorus - for instance just adding a touch of sparkle...

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28 of the Best Compact Rat-Style Fuzz/Distortion Pedals - 2020 Ultimate Selection

Acid Age ElectronicsAion ElectronicsAnimals PedalBasic AudioBBE SoundBest in ClassBig Ear PedalsBig Tone Music BreweryBigToneMusicBreweryBYOCCatalinbreadChicago StompworkscmatmodsDistortionDr ScientistEarthbound AudioElectro-HarmonixFoxpedalFreakshow EffectsFuzzFuzz-Drive and FuzzstortionGreer AmpsIbanezJAM PedalsJHS PedalsJohn LandgraffMagnetic EffectsMojo Hand FXOpAmp FuzzPettyjohn ElectronicsRat Style FuzzReuss EffectsStomp Under FootThorpyFXVFE PedalsWalrus Audio+-
2020GPX28CompactRats700V2.jpg

Most should know by now that I’m a huge Rat aficionado - and for me Rat doesn’t just mean those original ProCo Rat varieties but all the different derivatives - direct and indirect - old and new, classics, rarities and outliers. This category is titled ’Rat-Style’ so there’s a few Rat-adjacent pedals here too which share some of the core fundamentals and bring to mind some key associations with that well-known highly textured frequency profile.

 

For me at a fundamental level there are 3 ...

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