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Distinct, Memorable and Instantly Brand-Identifiable Compact Pedal Enclosures

AmptweakerAnasoundsAudiostormBeetronics FXBixonicBossCarl MartinChase Bliss AudioDanelectroDigiTechExpandora PedalsFjord FuzzFoxrox ElectronicsGuitar Gear Improvements and PrototypesGuitar Gear ResourcesGuitar Pedal 101GuyatoneHardWire EffectsIbanezIconic GearJ RockettJRADKing Tone EffectsLine 6TC ElectronicThorpyFXVemuram+-
2023-GPX-Compact-Pedal-Shapes-700.jpg

This episode is a little more esoteric and preferential than most - and involves identifying the most notable and easily recognisable ’Pedal Shapes and Formats’ essentially. Of course there is some subjective preference here - while I will try to explain objectively how I came to this exact 25 pedal selection - some of these are very obvious - others are slightly more idiosyncratic choices - while there are obviously some brands that are particularly good at coming up with memorable enclosure ...

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Full Metal Racket! - 32 of the Best Compact High Gain Metal Distortion Pedals - 2022 Ultimate Selection

Abasi ConceptsAbominable ElectronicsAleks K ProductionAmptweakerAMT EffectsAnarchy AudioAura AmpsBardic Audio DevicesBest in ClassBlackhawk AmplifiersBossBrown Sound DistortionDistortionDOD EffectsDriveDrive WorkstationDual-DriveFriedman EffectsHardWire EffectsKeeley EngineeringKlirrton ManufakturKMA AudioMarshall Style DistortionMetal DistortionMidValleyFXMulti-DriveRedbeard EffectsREVV AmplificationSinvertekSolar GuitarsSolar PedalsSoldanoTone InkVictory AmpsWamplerWestminster EffectsXIX Tech FX+-
2022-GPX-32-Best-Metal-Distortions-V6-700.jpg

This article has been such a long time coming - I last did a compact high gain distortion pedal roundup all the way back in 2019 - where only 24 featured. This time around I was determined to have it as comprehensive as possible, and like the recent 32 Overdrive and 32 Mini Fuzz selections - I was determined to have all in my reference collection.

 

I’ve long been a fan of heavier / metal textures and tones, and have always had certain pedal-chain slots dedicated to high gain pedals - in ...

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2022 September Pedal-Chain Update - Episode IX - a Ramble Through History

All-PedalAmptweakerAnasoundsBig Muff Style FuzzBlues Breaker Style OverdriveBoostBrown Sound DistortionChorus and VibratoColortone PedalsDelayDelay WorkstationDigital DelayDistortionDouble TrackingDriveDrive WorkstationDual-DriveDumble Style OverdriveEchoverbEnvelope Filter and Auto WahFjord FuzzFlangerFuzzFuzz Face Style FuzzFuzz-Drive and FuzzstortionFX TeacherGermanium FuzzGoosoniqueworxGranular DelayKlone and Transparent OverdriveKuro Custom AudioLo-Fi DelayMarshall Style DistortionMeris EffectsMetal DistortionModulationMulti-DriveOCD Style OverdriveOddball DelayOpAmp FuzzOverdrivePastFXPedal ChainRamble FXReverse DelayRitual DevicesSilicon FuzzSuproTape DelayTone Bender Style Fuzz+-
2022-GPX-Pedal-Chain-Update-September-700.jpg

What a hectic but great month September has been overall - still beset with all manner of challenges - pedals getting delayed, lost in the post and being held up in customs. In fact had everything landed that was due this month - it would have been the biggest bumper month of all time - while as things turned out - there were some really close shaves!

 

The Fjord Fuzz Berserk II literally just arrived yesterday afternoon - and I was able to fully test and write that up in record time - ...

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Alpha Distribution Showcases Revamped Amptweaker Range following its Takeover of James Brown's Pedal Brand

AmptweakerBlues Breaker Style OverdriveBoostBoost and OverdriveBrown Sound DistortionDistortionDriveEffects Pedal MakersMarshall Style DistortionMetal DistortionOCD Style OverdriveOverdriveTimmy+-
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As reported on this site a couple of times already - James Brown, celebrated 5150 amp engineer and circuit designer extraordinaire, sold his Amptweaker brand to Alpha Distribution earlier this year after he accepted a new post at Fender’s EVH Gear Division, Amp Department specifically.

 

Amptweaker has been best known for its high gain pedals - in particular the FatMetal and TightMetal series - but also the TightDrive and TightRock / BigRock Overdrives. The range had sprawled into ...

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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+-
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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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28 of the Best Compact Enclosure EVH Brown Sound Distortion Capable Pedals - 2020 Ultimate Selection

AmptweakerAMT EffectsBearfoot FXBest in ClassBogner AmplificationBossBrown Sound DistortionCarl MartinCatalinbreadDawner Prince EffectsDistortionDriveDual-DriveFriedman EffectsJackson AudioJHS PedalsLawrence Petross DesignMad Professor EffectsMarshall Style DistortionMenatoneMetal DistortionMI EffectsMulti-DriveMXROneControlPettyjohn ElectronicsREVV AmplificationSinvertekSitek Guitar ElectronicsSuhrThorpyFXWampler+-
2020GPX28JCM800700V2.jpg

In my recent coverage of Eddie Van Halen’s Signature Pedals I indicated that I had none of the usual suspects Overdrives/Distortions - or namely MXR EVH 5150, Wampler Pinnacle Deluxe and Seymour Duncan Diamondhead. While in fact I have well over 20 Brown Sound Style variants in my collection of various different sizes - with the vast majority being compact enclosures as featured here. I make no secret of the fact that the compact size format is my faourite and particularly for these sorts of ...

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Best of High Gain and Metal Distortion Pedals Mini Focus and Final Roundup

Airis EffectsAleks K ProductionAmptweakerAMT EffectsAMT ElectronicsBlackhawk AmplifiersBogner AmplificationBossBrown Sound DistortionDecibelicsDistortionDual-DriveEmpress EffectsFriedman EffectsGoosoniqueworxHorizon DevicesIbanezKeeley EngineeringKlirrton ManufakturKMA AudioKSR AmplificationLone Wolf AudioMarshall Style DistortionMetal DistortionMI EffectsMooerMulti-DriveOneControlPushking PedalsRedbeard EffectsREVV AmplificationRock Fabrik EffectsSTL TonesSuhrTWA EffectsWamplerXvive Audio+-
2019GPXPersonalFavouriteHighGainPedals700.jpg

So I thought I would combine the Mini Pedal selection with the final overall category roundup featuring my current favourites and forthcoming/future acquisition targets. The above visual may be somewhat convoluted, but it well illustrates the trade off in footprint and practicality/utility you get across the different enclosure form factors.

 

I’ve stated before that I’ve largely moved away from the larger styles of enclosures in favour of more pedals of a more compact nature - which means ...

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24 of the Best Compact High Gain and Metal Style Distortion Pedals - Updated 2019 Edition

Abasi ConceptsAiris EffectsAleks K ProductionAmptweakerAMT ElectronicsAnarchy AudioBlackhawk AmplifiersBossDistortionDOD EffectsFriedman EffectsKeeley EngineeringKHDKLone Wolf AudioMESA/BoogieMetal DistortionRedbeard EffectsREVV AmplificationThropyFXWamplerWeehboXIX Tech FX+-
2019GPX24CompactMetalDistortionsNovember700V2.jpg

This is an update to the feature I wrote back in March of this year. I now have more of this selection in my collection - 18 of these 24, and there are 3 pedals that are new to this updated roundup - the Airis Effects Nemesis PreAmp, Blackhawk Amplifiers Balrog Distortion V3, and of course the Redbeard Effects Red Mist MKIV.

 

The 6 here that I’ve yet to acquire for my collection but which are of course all on the wishlist are the aforementioned Airis Effects Nemesis PreAmp and ...

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9 of the Best Large Format High Gain Metal Distortion Pedals

AmptweakerBogner AmplificationBrown Sound DistortionDiezel AmplificationDistortionDriveDual-DriveFriedman EffectsKlirrton ManufakturKSR AmplificationMarshall Style DistortionMESA/BoogieMetal DistortionMulti-DriveSeymour Duncan+-
2019GPX9LargeMetalPedals.jpg

This is probably the penultimate article in this series for the year - actually I might do another with my own personal favourites from all of these selections. Next up will of course be compact enclosure variants, but here we are at the other end of the scale with the Big Boxes of Metal! A reader asked me why I had not included the Friedman BE-OD Deluxe in the previous category - Horizontal Medium Enclosure - and the fact is that it’s just a touch too large. I have my own system of pedal...

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9 of the Best Vertical Medium Enclosure High Gain Metal Distortion Pedals

AmptweakerDistortionEmma ElectronicsKMA AudioLone Wolf AudioMetal DistortionOKKO FXPushking PedalsRock Fabrik EffectsSTL TonesWampler+-
2019GPXVerticalMediaMetalDistortions700.jpg

This article was sparked by the recent launch of the Andy James Signature Revenant Distortion Pedal - made by STL Tones - which are an outfit best known for their digital apps and plugins - this is their first hardware effect and is excellent regardless of a first attempt. It uses all-analogue components to recreate the Andy James tone that STL previously generated via software and DSP means.

 

Most of the other pedals here have been listed and featured before on this side - and besides ...

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