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2023 Best New Boost & Overdrive Pedals of the Year

Acorn AmpsAnasoundsBeetronics FXBest in ClassBispell AudioBlues Driver Style OverdriveBoostBoost and OverdriveBossCKK ElectronicsCrazy Tube CircuitsDecibelicsDriveDumble Style OverdriveElectric LoveFormula B PedalsGecko PedalsHello Sailor EffectsIntensive Care AudioJ RockettJHS PedalsKeeley EngineeringKlone and Transparent OverdriveMarshall Style DistortionMuir Audio DesignNordland ElectronicsODR Style OverdriveOhmless PedalsOPFXSOrigin EffectsOverdrivePoly EffectsREVV AmplificationTark AudioThorpyFXTone For PunkTubescreamer Style OverdriveTubesteaderTweed Style OverdriveWalrus Audio+-
2023-GPX-Best-Boost-and-Overdrives-700.jpg

And so to my roundup of the best gear of the year - apologies of course if I’ve overlooked one of your favourites - and note again that this year I’ve split out Boost & Overdrive - and Distortion separately - as there are so many new pedals that it’s tough to fit them all into a single summary overview. Some of these pedals are incredibly extended range - and if I’ve used them more on the distortion side - you will find those listed in the very next Distortion Rundown article - like say the...

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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+-
2023-12-Degrees-Compact-Edition-700.jpg

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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World Championship of Heavyweight HM-2 Heavy Metal Brawlers

DistortionElectro-HarmonixKlirrton ManufakturKMA AudioMetal DistortionREVV Amplification+-
2023-GPX-Heavy-Metal-Heavy-Weight-Champions-700.jpg

My mood is one of bemusement on considering this matchup - and you will note that I did not feature the REVV Northern Mauler when it was launched last November - as I considered it a slightly lesser rip-off of the Klirrton Grindstein, and now EHX has launched the Hell Melter - a slightly lesser equivalent to the KMA Guardian of the Wurm - all 4 are pictured above, and at the start of this overview I must say I’m somewhat overwhelmingly biased in favour of my own king-sized reigning champions of...

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2023-GPX-REVV-Tilt-Boost-700.jpg

Lots of us liked much about the recent Shawn Tubbs Signature Tilt Overdrive - but overall the pedal was a touch large, and the Drive side possibly somewhat indistinctive.

 

Most of us loved the smart Boost Side of the pedal - with the titular Tilt EQ function and smart 3-way EQ enhance section. For the Tilt Boost REVV have added a further ’Drive’ toggle-switch which renders core Boost, and a new Drive clipping voicing. REVV describe this as :

 

"A new Drive Switch allows you to engage a fat...

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2022 Best New Boost & Overdrive Pedals of the Year

29 Pedals3rd Power Amps3RD Power ElectronicsAll-PedalAnalog.ManBest in ClassBlues Breaker Style OverdriveBlues Driver Style OverdriveBoostBoost and OverdriveCKK ElectronicsColortone PedalsCrazy Tube CircuitsDaredevil PedalsDeath By AudioDecibelicsDrunk BeaverDSM & HumboldtDumble Style OverdriveEarthQuaker DevicesGreat Eastern FX Co.Hamstead SoundworksHorrothia EffectsHot Cake Style OverdriveJ RockettJHS PedalsKernomKing Tone EffectsKlone and Transparent OverdriveMissing Link AudioMXRNordland ElectronicsOCD Style OverdriveODR Style OverdriveOKKO FXOneControlOrigin EffectsOverdrivePastFXPRSREVV AmplificationSource AudioSpaceman EffectsThorpyFXTimmyTubescreamer Style OverdriveTweed Style OverdriveVictory AmpsVS AudioWamplerWay Huge Effects+-
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So it’s that time of year again when I trawl through the releases over these past 12 months or so and endeavour to extract the pedal highlights of the year. This exercise is all about drawing a line in the sand and figuring out which pedals deserve to be on the notable side of the line.

 

Of course everything I publish on Guitar Pedal X is highly curated - those are my own particular preferences and choices, and those are the pedals that I like the look of. So everything that appears on ...

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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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Shawn Tubbs teams up with REVV Amps for Signature Vintage Style Tilt Overdrive + Boost Pedal

BoostBoost and OverdriveDriveDual-DriveOverdriveREVV AmplificationShawn Tubbs+-
2022GPXREVVShawnTubbsTilt700.jpg

Veteran AAA Nashville Session Player Shawn Tubbs is a Tone Hero to so many of us - where I’ve actually always associated him most with Steven Pettyjohn’s Pedals - like the Chime Overdrive. For his typical Amp Selection he tends to favour Suhr, REVV and Friedman Amps - so the REVV connection is not unexpected - just that I typically associate him rather more with Pettyjohn on the pedal front.

 

The Blurb reads that this Overdrive is inspired by Shawn’s favourite Vintage style Tube Amp Head, ...

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2022 January Pedal-Chain Update - Episode I - New Beginnings

Big Muff Style FuzzBitcrushing and Lo-FiBlack Arts ToneworksBlack Mass ElectronicsBoostBoost and OverdriveChorus and VibratoDigiTechDistortionFjord FuzzFlangerFuzzFuzz Face Style FuzzFuzz-Drive and FuzzstortionGermanium FuzzGreat Eastern FX Co.Hungry Robot EffectsJAM PedalsMaestro Style FuzzMagnetic EffectsMetal DistortionModulationOctave FuzzOpAmp FuzzOverdrivePastFXPedal ChainPitchPitch-ShiftingPreAmpREVV AmplificationSilicon FuzzThermionTremolo+-
2022GPXSKPedalChainUpdateJanuaryl700.jpg

Another year cycles around again - while it seems to be much of a muchness with 2021 - with parts supply issues, logistics problems and extensive delays very much still in evidence. That said, we have though had a number of interesting and intriguing launches already - with an equal quantity running late and materialising quite a bit later than planned / originally advertised!

 

Last year I hit 215 new pedals over those 12 months - which to be fair was a touch excessive - and the plan this ...

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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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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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