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As hinted at on this very site - Fulltone is officially fully back now - with some very significant help from Jackson Audio

BoostBoost and OverdriveFulltone EffectsJackson AudioOCD Style OverdriveOverdrive+-
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Most everyone knows the Fulltone story by now - and how that brand sort of came a-cropper during the BLM movement - getting removed from sale at Guitar Centre, Reverb.com and several major dealers - on account of some very ill-chosen words. Yet I’ve forever had mixed feelings about the brand - as I’ve always separated out the figurehead and his utterances from those mostly excellent pedals he designed. And I of course do have several Fulltone pedals in my reference collection which I really ...

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End of Year Pedal-Chain Update - Final Formation - Class of 2023

ALABS AudioAmbient EffectsAnasoundsBig Muff Style FuzzBispell AudioBitcrushing and Lo-FiBixonicBlues Driver Style OverdriveBoostBoost and OverdriveBossBrown Sound DistortionChase Bliss AudioChorus and VibratoCompressorCoppersoundDecibelicsDelayDelay WorkstationDigital DelayDigital ReverbDistortionDouble TrackingDriveDrive WorkstationDual-DriveEchoverbElectric LoveEmpress EffectsEnvelope Filter and Auto WahEQEventideFjord FuzzFlangerFortin AmpsFuzzFuzz Face Style FuzzFuzz-Drive and FuzzstortionGated and Velcro FuzzGermanium FuzzGlitchGuitar Synth and SequencerHello Sailor EffectsHologram ElectronicsIntensive Care AudioJackson AudioJAM PedalsKernomKeyztoneKlone and Transparent OverdriveLo-Fi DelayLooperMaestro Style FuzzMarshall Style DistortionMessiah GuitarsMetal DistortionModulated FuzzModulationModulation WorkstationMulti-DriveMulti-FXNoise GateOctave FuzzOctaverOddball DelayOddball FuzzOddball ModulationOpAmp FuzzOscillating FuzzOverdrivePalmer Custom FXPastFXPedal ChainPedalPalFXPickup ModellerPitch-ShiftingPlate ReverbPoly EffectsPreAmpRack Style ReverbRainger FXReverb WorkstationReverse DelayReverse ReverbRing ModulationRotary SpeakerShimmer ReverbSilicon FuzzSpacey ReverbSpring ReverbStrymonSuper-Fuzz StyleSwellTape DelayTark AudioTC ElectronicThorpyFXTone Bender Style FuzzTremoloTubescreamer Style OverdriveTubesteaderTweed Style OverdriveUtilityVox Style Distortion+-
2023-GPX-Pedal-Chain-Update-Class-of-2023-700.jpg

The final arrangement for the year - all the pedals that impressed the most!

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2023 Guitar Pedals of the Year - The Best of the Best

ALABS AudioAmbient EffectsAmp and Cab IR SimAnalog DelayBest in ClassBig Muff Style FuzzBitcrushing and Lo-FiBlues Driver Style OverdriveBoostBoost and OverdriveBossChase Bliss AudioChorus and VibratoCollision DevicesDelayDelay WorkstationDigital DelayDigital ReverbDistortionDouble TrackingDriveDual-DriveEchoverbElectric LoveFjord FuzzFlangerFlower PedalsFuzzFuzz Face Style FuzzFuzz-Drive and FuzzstortionGated and Velcro FuzzGermanium FuzzGranular DelayHello Sailor EffectsHologram ElectronicsJackson AudioJAM PedalsKernomKeyztoneLo-Fi DelayMaestro Style FuzzMarshall Style DistortionMeris EffectsMessiah GuitarsModulated FuzzModulationModulation WorkstationMulti-DriveMulti-FXOctave FuzzOddball DelayOddball FuzzOpAmp FuzzOscillating FuzzOverdrivePalmer Custom FXPastFXPickup ModellerPlate ReverbPoly EffectsRack Style ReverbRainger FXReverbReverb WorkstationReverse DelayReverse ReverbShimmer ReverbSilicon FuzzSpacey ReverbSpring ReverbStrymonSuper-Fuzz StyleTark AudioTC ElectronicTremoloUtility+-
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So we featured 120 pedals across the 5 Genre categories this year - as you’ve witnessed over the last 5 days, and those have been whittled and distilled down to these 27 Magnificent and Exceedingly Flavoursome candidates.

 

Picking out the very best of those is obviously a slightly subjective exercise while based on a series of exacting criteria - including innovation, versatility, practicality, variability, playability, quality of manufacture, quality of output and sheer enjoyment.

 

Here ...

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2023 Best of New Modutility Pedals of the Year

ALABS AudioAlexander PedalsAll-PedalAmbient EffectsAmp and Cab IR SimAmpliTubeBeetronics FXBest in ClassBitcrushing and Lo-FiBondi EffectsBossChase Bliss AudioChorus and VibratoCompressorCrazy Tube CircuitsDeath By AudioDr ScientistDrunk BeaverFjord FuzzFlangerFormula BGuitar Synth and SequencerHarmonizerHologram ElectronicsJackson AudioJAM PedalsKeyztoneLooperModulationModulation WorkstationMulti-FXOctaverPastFXPeterson TunersPhaserPickup ModellerPitchPitch-ShiftingRainger FXRed Witch EffectsRing ModulationRotary SpeakerSubdecay EffectsSwellThorpyFXTremoloTru-Fi Guitar EffectsTunersUni-Vibe and VibeUtility+-
2023-GPX-Best-of-Modutility-Pedals-700-.jpg

The Modutility roundup combines Modulation, Utility and Pitch type pedals - it also includes Multi-FX and Multi-Modulation pedals of course. Some years this selection is relatively sparse - while this year it’s totally chock-a-block! In fact it was a struggle to whittle the Longlist down - and inevitably some pedals I wanted to feature did not make the cut - including the Endorphin.es Ghost Pedal Multi-FX and Subdecay Prometheus 3 Dual Super Filter.

 

I still feel that this selection of 26 is...

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2023-GPX-Jackson-Audio-Hourglass-700.jpg

So Jackson Audio has a second compressor on its roster - Dual OTA variant, versus the flagship LA-2A style Optical Bloom Compressor. Readers will know that the Bloom is a long-term favourite of mine, and one of my permanent board residents alongside the Jackson Audio Prism. Actually - it seems that their New Wave Chorus is becoming semi-permanent too!

 

In any case here we have the slightly more compacted enclosure (which they called Mini at one stage) featuring two side-by-side Analog OTA ...

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12 Degrees of Saturation 2023 Compact Edition

12 Degrees of SaturationAll-PedalAudiostormBardic Audio DevicesBig Muff Style FuzzBispell AudioBixonicBlackhawk AmplifiersBogner AmplificationBoostBoost and OverdriveBossBrown Sound DistortionChase Bliss AudioCKK ElectronicsCustom TonesDemon PedalsDistortionDr ScientistDriveDrive WorkstationDrunk BeaverDryBell EffectsDual-DriveEmpress EffectsFeaturedFoxpedalFriedman EffectsFuzzFuzz Face Style FuzzFuzz-Drive and FuzzstortionGermanium FuzzGreer AmpsHamstead SoundworksJ RockettJackson AudioJHS PedalsJRADKMA AudioMarshall Style DistortionMenatoneMessiah GuitarsMetal DistortionMI EffectsMidValleyFXMulti-DriveNordland ElectronicsOhmless PedalsOpAmp FuzzOrigin EffectsOverdrivePettyjohn ElectronicsRedbeard EffectsREVV AmplificationSilicon FuzzSinvertekSnouse Electric CompanySpaceman EffectsSuhrThorpyFXTone Bender Style FuzzTone InkTsakalis Audio WorksVictory Amps+-
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This article has been a long time coming - where I originally started this ahead of the Mini Edition - which went live on January 24th. I was waiting for a couple of new pedals to be released - while the article has been iterated around 20 times now with a number of recent additions.

 

And the pedal I was waiting to launch still hasn’t quite happened, while the builder has authorised me to tease it in advance of its official release. And if I were to do the same exercise tomorrow - no doubt ...

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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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Jackson Audio shrink down and streamline their Golden Boy Overdrive into a Mini Edition - still with 3-Band Active EQ

Blues Breaker Style OverdriveBoostBoost and OverdriveJackson AudioOverdrive+-
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I’ve always liked the Jackson Audio Golden Boy take on the Blues Breaker / King of Tone format - which original full-fat pedal has 4 clipping options on the Overdrive side and 4 different Boost EQ options on the other side.

 

In making a smaller and more stripped down, lower cost edition they’ve still retained the 3-Band Active EQ, and core Volume and Gain controls. In place of the many smart footswitchable playback options we have a simple 2-way Clipping switch which gives you access to two ...

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2023 Compact Chorus Pedal Capsule Collection

Alexander PedalsBeetronics FXBossChase Bliss AudioChorus and VibratoDemedash EffectsDemiurge InstrumentsDigiTechDrunk BeaverFlangerHungry Robot EffectsJackson AudioModulationParadox EffectsPastFXRotary SpeakerTC ElectronicVS AudioWalrus AudioZvex+-
2023-GPX-Capsule-Chorus-Collection-V3-700.jpg

To many commentators - ’2023’ has sort of been the ’Year of Chorus’ so far - while overall I’m not sure there have been enough releases to fully justify the label. While at the same time my own collection of compact chorus pedals has reached a very decent 21. I also have the larger format ThorpyFX Deep Oggin, and recent TC Electronic SCF reissue. So really not short of options for that style of Modulation!

 

This year has seen a number of recent additions - including most recently the ...

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2023 March Pedal-Chain Update - Episode III - ChoraKlonik Flux

Beetronics FXBig Muff Style FuzzBispell AudioBondi EffectsBoostBoost and OverdriveChorus and VibratoDecibelicsDistortionDriveDrunk BeaverFarmer Factory EffectsFlangerFuzzFuzz Face Style FuzzFuzz-Drive and FuzzstortionGermanium FuzzGreat Eastern FX Co.HarmonizerJ RockettJackson AudioJRADKlone and Transparent OverdriveKMA AudioLeqtiqueMaestro Style FuzzModulationMulti-DriveOverdrivePedal ChainPitchRainger FXRat Style FuzzRedbeard EffectsRotary SpeakerSilicon FuzzTone Bender Style Fuzz+-
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The title here is just an odd confection to represent that the most significant additions to the chain this month were Choruses, Clones and Fuzzes. All-in-all a really special month - with my properly hooking up with hitherto correspondent pal Paulo De Gregorio - of Delicious Audio and Stompbox Exhibit fame. He was in London coordinating his first ever London Synth and Pedal Expo - and I was proud to be a Media Partner for that event. I feel Paulo and I are 2 of the biggest parts of the pedal ...

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