Today we’re taking a nostalgic step back with the Behringer TO100 Tube Overdrive, a pedal that, for better or worse, was the gateway drug into the world of effects for me at very least.
My own first foray into pedals came courtesy of Behringer’s gloriously affordable plastic boxes. I was in a band at the time, and the other guitarist had a Boss BCB-60 absolutely chock full of Boss pedals. Naturally, I wanted to follow suit. The only problem was that he was deep into his apprenticeship years and pulling in actual money, while I was a skint student. A board full of Boss pedals was pure fantasy, but scraping together enough cash for a few £15 plastic alternatives? That I could manage.
One of the very first pedals in that budget collection was the Tube Overdrive. And I’ll be honest — when I first plugged it in, I wasn’t impressed. My teenage idea of good tone was simple: more gain, everything on maximum. How could less possibly be more? More is more (Yngwie, is that you?). Even with the gain dimed, the Tube Overdrive just wasn’t enough for my under-developed ears. I was, of course, completely wrong.
Fast forward a good few years, and it’s worth revisiting this pedal with a much more experienced — and slightly more sensible — set of ears.
The general consensus is that the TO100 is heavily “inspired” by the Ibanez TS9, and it behaves exactly as you’d expect from a Tube Screamer-style circuit. It’s a single-coil player’s best friend, filling out that naturally scooped midrange and adding a lovely sense of weight and chonk to the tone. It also excels at the classic Screamer job of pushing an already driven amp, tightening up the low end and adding a bit of grit and growl to a cooking sound.
Of course, the big complaint that oh so many had was about the plastic enclosure. To keep costs as low as possible, Behringer opted for plastic rather than metal, and at the time the internet was full of horror stories about switches collapsing under a heavy foot mid-gig.
Here’s my real-world experience: I’ve had this pedal since I was about 19, and this exact unit endured roughly two years of weekly gigs and numerous rehearsals. On top of that, it’s spent the last decade being stored… let’s say not carefully. And yet, it still works absolutely fine. No drama, no failures, no sudden structural collapse under a Chuck Taylor. Blokes on the internet not knowing what they're talking about? Funny that...
I will concede that the pots feel a bit cheap, and if anything were to give up the ghost, I’d expect it to be one of those. But functionally? It’s as solid today as the day I bought it — or more accurately, the day it was bought for me. And for the £15 it cost at the time, it doesn’t owe me a single thing.
The Behringer TO100 might not be glamorous, and it might not win any awards for build materials, but as a no-nonsense Tube Screamer-style overdrive, it absolutely does the job. Looking back, I wasn’t unimpressed because it was bad — I was unimpressed because I was bad. It's ok, my ears got better.
Today, we continue with the next instalment in the long-running series titled “Behringer’s lawyers are certainly earning their keep.”
This time, we’re looking at the Behringer Dual Phase — formerly known as the Bi-Phase — a pedal that is very clearly, ahem, “heavily inspired” by the legendary Mu-Tron Bi-Phase. And when I say inspired, I mean lovingly, meticulously, and with an eye on exactly how far one can push things before legal letters start arriving.
Behringer are more than happy to tell you that this pedal contains 12 opto-couplers, which I’m assured is very important if you want to recreate the wild, swirling madness of the original. Somewhere along the line, however, someone in a suit must have cleared their throat, because the name quietly shifted from Bi-Phase to Dual Phase. Much like the saga with the mythical horse-themed overdrive that eventually became the Zentara, Behringer have a habit of colouring just inside the lines… until someone reminds them where the lines actually are.
Now, onto the pedal itself.
You do not accidentally buy a Dual Phase.
First of all, it is absolutely enormous. It is, without exaggeration, about the size of a fully grown human face. I even took a photo of it next to my own head, and it pretty much eclipsed the lot. Choosing this pedal means committing a serious amount of pedalboard real estate. This is not a casual “I’ll just pop a phaser on the end” kind of decision.
Then there’s the power draw. Those opto-couplers don’t come cheap — electrically speaking. This thing demands a whopping 700mA. Not asks. Demands! So not only does it take up half your board, it also insists on the finest quality current you can provide. You’re not choosing this pedal by mistake. This is a deliberate, intentional life choice.
If you’ve got the relevant cajones (or cajonas — I am definitely inclusive 😂) to make this your modulation of choice, there is an absurd amount going on under the hood. With more knobs and switches than a small aircraft cockpit, this is a long way from your set-and-forget Phase 90.
The left side handles what you might consider the “business end” of the operation. You’ve got rate, depth, and feedback — everything you need to sculpt your phaser from a gentle, shimmery swirl to a thick, chewy warble. The feedback control lets you tiptoe right into those glorious 1950s B-movie sci-fi laser sounds too, which is always a bonus. You can also switch between sine and square waveforms, adding either smooth movement or a more abrupt, choppy modulation feel.
The right side, however… this is where things go completely off the rails.
Alongside similar controls, you get access to Sweep Generator 2, which fundamentally changes the voicing of the phaser. Sweep Generator 1 is the “normal” phaser — lush, musical, and familiar. Sweep Generator 2 is its unhinged cousin. It leans hard into weirdness, chaos, and full-on sci-fi nonsense. If the left side is business, the right side is very much the party. It takes the logic of the humble mullet.
And of course, being called the Dual Phase, you’re not expected to keep these two worlds separate. Engaging both sides at once is not only possible — it’s actively encouraged. This is where the pedal truly earns its place, unlocking sounds you probably didn’t even know you wanted, and finally justifying why you’ve dedicated half your board and most of your power supply to a single modulation effect.
Is it practical?
Absolutely not.
Is it for everyone?
Definitely not.
Is it huge fun?
Without question — and with an emphasis on huge.
It’s also still far cheaper (and likely far more reliable) than hunting down an original Mu-Tron on the used market. If you’ve ever wanted to dive headfirst into the deep end of phaser madness, the Behringer Dual Phase might just be the most gloriously excessive way to do it.
The Boss DS-1 is a rite of passage for most guitarists. It’s the pedal that sits in that perfect sweet spot between being affordable, available everywhere, and making a massive difference to your sound the very first time you stomp on it. I’m genuinely not exaggerating when I say that probably 60% of the people reading this bought a DS-1 as their first pedal — or at least within the first handful of pedals they ever owned.
But the DS-1 is also a victim of its own success. Because it’s our first pedal, we’re usually not as, shall we say, refined with how we use the controls. Who knew that putting everything on 10 wasn’t the secret to perfect tone? So we end up carrying this idea that the DS-1 is a blunt instrument: fun, loud, chaotic, but not exactly subtle. As we improve as players, we start chasing more boutique tools to shape our sound, and the humble orange box gets shoved aside.
But in the immortal, unavoidable words of Taylor Swift: “It’s me, hi, I’m the problem, it’s me.”
The DS-1 was never the issue.
The tone control is a perfect example. I remembered it as being mush at one end, fizzy at the other, with a tiny sliver of sweetness in between. But sitting down with it again, there’s actually a lot of colour in the sweep — almost like it shifts where the midrange sits in the EQ. Sure, the top of the dial can be a little spiky, but there’s far more nuance than most of us gave it credit for back in our teenage bedroom-rock days.
The gain control is the real surprise, though. We often treat the DS-1 as the “Kurt Cobain pedal” and assume it only does that one saturated grunge tone. But there is so much light and shade through the whole range. On a Strat neck pickup, low gain almost acts like a treble-boosted push — bright, dynamic, and touch-sensitive. Around a third of the way up, you get a gritty breakup that responds beautifully when you dig in. And yes, cranked all the way, you get that classic saturated roar, but even then it’s more “amp on the edge” than people remember.
Of course, this design dates back to the late ’70s, and it’s not flawless. The noise floor is noticeably higher than modern distortion pedals, especially at higher gain. The old-school side-mounted jacks aren’t exactly pedalboard-friendly either, now that most new pedals are going top-mounted. But for something you can pick up used any day of the week for a very reasonable price, the DS-1 still holds up shockingly well.
It deserves its place in the pedal history books — and honestly, it might just deserve another spot on your board.
Today we’re taking a look at a head-to-head battle between two of the most popular fuzz pedals ever to appear on the channel: the TC Electronic Rusty Fuzz and the Behringer Fuzz Bender.
Between them, these two budget-friendly fuzz boxes have racked up around 80,000 views here alone — they’ve been absolute monsters for the channel. And honestly, it makes sense. Unlike overdrives or boosts, cheap fuzz is notoriously unpredictable. Sometimes you strike gold… sometimes you get a fizzy cardboard box pretending to be a pedal. Both of these, thankfully, fall firmly into the “gold” category. They’re both vintage-leaning, silicon-style fuzzes trying to capture that classic 60s/70s fuzz attitude — but they take very different routes to get there.
TC Electronic Rusty Fuzz
The Rusty Fuzz is built around a classic three-knob layout: Fuzz, Volume, and Tone. That Tone control is a huge plus — lots of old-school fuzzes don’t bother with any EQ shaping, which makes the Rusty a bit more flexible right out of the gate.
The fuzz sweep is genuinely usable from bottom to top. You don’t run into that classic “nothing… nothing… OH NO TOO MUCH” problem. And one of its biggest strengths is how well it works into a clean amp. If you’re running a pristine platform and want to add some vintage rasp on top, the Rusty does that beautifully.
Behringer Fuzz Bender
The Fuzz Bender takes a much more stripped-back approach. Just two knobs and a mode switch — the infamous “goose mode,” as we jokingly called it in the original demo. For fairness, we kept things in standard mode today. No geese were harmed in the making of this video.
Now, the Fuzz Bender is a bit temperamental at low settings. Until you really push the fuzz knob, it gives you a starved, underpowered splutter — like the transistors are begging for electricity. Very authentic to vintage behaviour… but not exactly versatile. Once you crank it, though, it hits that snarling Tone Bender-style voice it’s going for, and that’s where it really shines.
This is a pedal that rewards playing dynamics, guitar volume roll-offs, and intentional tone control use. It doesn’t do everything — but the one thing it does do, it does very well. And just like the originals, it absolutely comes alive when you push it into an already breaking-up amp.
So which one wins?
Both pedals are fantastic in their own lanes. The Rusty Fuzz gives you flexibility, usability, and a more controlled take on vintage fuzz. The Fuzz Bender is pure attitude, raw edge, and classic Tone Bender chaos — but with the quirks that come with it.
As always, the point of these Versus videos isn’t for me to crown a winner — it’s for you to decide.
So head over to the Community tab on YouTube and cast your vote. Let everyone know which fuzz takes the crown for you.
The Affordaboard 800 is the latest in a long line of pedals aiming to capture the magic of one of the most iconic amps ever made. If there’s a single circuit that has inspired the most “amp-in-a-box” efforts over the years, the JCM800 has to be right up there. I’m not going to pretend I’ve done the hard maths, but it certainly feels like every second drive pedal released in the last two decades has tried to bottle that unmistakable roar. And for good reason — the JCM800 defined an era. It became the sound of hard rock and cemented Marshall’s reputation as the go-to brand for big, authoritative tone.
Now, let’s not talk about some of Marshall’s more questionable modern decisions… that’s a discussion for another day.
The issue with many older “Marshall-in-a-box” pedals is how one-dimensional they can be. They often fixate on the high-gain side of the amp, giving you that saturated, mid-pushed crunch but not much else. The less refined ones also tend to rely heavily on compression and sheer saturation, which can sound fun in isolation but leaves you buried in a live mix.
The Affordaboard 800 takes a different, far more refined approach. Rather than jumping straight to the high-gain party, the focus here is on the pushed clean tones and low-gain growl that made early Marshall tones so expressive.
Across the gain sweep, the dynamics stay impressively intact. At lower settings you get that classic jangly, slightly gritty Marshall push that responds beautifully to pick attack. Increase the gain and it transitions into a muscular crunch — proper classic rock territory. Max it out and you’re right into hot-rodded NWOBHM tones, with shades of Maiden and Priest baked right in. It’s the sort of gain that feels big but never messy.
The tone control is dialled in exceptionally well. Lower settings give you a satisfyingly thick low-end that supports the gain without becoming flabby, while higher settings introduce a crisp top-end that cuts without ever getting shrill. That balance is harder to nail than people think, and Affordaboard have absolutely found the sweet spot.
At around £80, the 800 is extremely easy on the wallet — especially considering it’s handmade in the UK. The enclosures are printed in the UK too, meaning the pedal supports two small British businesses in one go. For a boutique-leaning, hand-built pedal, that’s a seriously impressive price point.
Affordaboard launched with the Supersonic and the Filthy Rat, and both of those came out swinging. The 800 keeps that momentum going, and based on the trajectory so far, it doesn’t look like the brand plans on slowing down any time soon. They’re very much one to watch.
The Walrus Fundamental series is something I’ve been aware of for a while, but I’ve not really paid much attention to Walrus pedals as a whole. Not because they lack impact or quality — far from it — but simply because they tend to sit outside my usual budget-pedal playground. They’ve built a devoted fanbase and consistently release excellent gear. I just let them go about their boutique business while I rummage around in the bargain bins.
That changed when Walrus announced the Fundamental Series, their take on the stripped-back, affordable format (as was the style at the time, in glorious Abe Simpson voice). This was, of course, made popular when JHS dropped the 3 Series . Wampler soon followed with the Collective Series. Suddenly, “budget-friendly but properly designed” became a trend — and Walrus jumped in with their own signature twist.
The most immediately noticeable difference?
Sliders instead of knobs.
It seems minor, but it’s actually the first clue that Walrus weren’t content to just make a cheaper line of pedals. The sliders give it a studio rack-style vibe and hint at the thoughtful engineering lurking inside. It’s a tiny detail, but it foreshadows the surprising level of care they’ve put into the Fundamentals despite their more than reasonable price point.
And that brings us to today’s pedal: the Walrus Fundamental Ambient Reverb.
With a name like “Ambient,” you’d expect big, atmospheric trails and modulated texture — not usually my realm. I’m a subtle reverb kind of person. A little space, a little sparkle, and I’m good. Big ambient washes don’t tend to get me all that excited.
So my excitement levels were running low when I first went to plug this one in.
And I was completely wrong.
This thing is fantastic.
Deep Mode
The first mode I tried was Deep, going in completely blind with no manual reading, no prep. As I mentioned before, I wasn't really vastly excited so I had a bit of apathy going on, but also I do like to respond to the pedal naturally instead of having a preconceived idea of how I should be playing it.
Deep mode is huge. Thick. Cavernous. There’s an ominous low-end presence that immediately transforms your guitar into something vast and cinematic. It feels like you’re playing in some ancient underground cathedral.
Only after checking the manual did I realise why: there’s a low octave subtly blended into the reverb trail, adding that subterranean rumble without overwhelming your actual tone.
It’s clever. It’s tasteful. And it sounds gorgeous straight out of the gate.
Lush Mode
Where Deep is dark and brooding, Lush is the complete opposite — airy, breathy, bright.
There’s a synth-like, pad-like quality to this mode that feels weightless. Subtle use gives you a really smooth, expanded everyday reverb, but push the mix and it becomes a full-on feature of your tone. This is proper cinematic ambience, with the top end shimmering beautifully instead of getting icy or artificial.
It’s incredibly musical and very easy to lose yourself in. In fact, this mode was the one we opted for recently over on Pedalboards of Doom when doing a live stream. Absolutely blooming glorious tone it was, worth checking out at least.
Haze Mode
At first, Haze seems like the more neutral of the three — not as cavernous as Deep, not as ethereal as Lush. But the longer you play with it, the more the subtle grit and texture reveal themselves.
A quick glance at the manual confirms it: Haze is a lo-fi reverb with reduced sample rate and added crispy grit.
It’s a character verb through and through — slightly degraded, slightly warped, beautifully imperfect. Pair it with a vibrato pedal and you can get a deliciously warped-vinyl sheen to your playing.
Final Thoughts
I genuinely wasn’t expecting to enjoy this pedal as much as I did. I walked into this review thinking it would be just another day at the office, but the tones are so well-crafted that they forced me to take notice.
What impressed me most was the subtlety. Plenty of budget brands throw in modulation or pitch effects, but they’re usually blunt tools — incredibly noticeable. Here, the low octave in Deep mode was so well-integrated that I only realised what was happening after reading the manual. It enhances the reverb without taking over, and that level of finesse is what sets Walrus apart.
The Fundamental series could easily have been generic circuits with minor tweaks and a Walrus badge slapped on. They’d still have sold well. But Walrus clearly aren’t about that life. They’ve put real thought, engineering, and musicality into these pedals, giving the Fundamentals the same care and attention as their flagship line.
It’s a smart move — because if the budget pedals sound this good, what’s the main line going to be like?
Walrus, you have my attention now.
I suspect I’ll be picking up a few more Fundamentals before long.
If you'd like one of your own and also to support the channel whilst doing so, consider my affiliate link below: https://thmn.to/thoprod/588240?offid=1&affid=2735
The Joyo R-Series has always impressed me. I’ve tried a few on the channel — from the Klon-inspired Tauren to the fire-breathing Uzi — and they’ve all punched well above their weight in terms of tone and build quality. So, when Joyo got in touch and asked if I wanted to try out the Baatsin, I jumped at the chance.
As a bonus, a few of you in the comments had already been recommending it, while others were asking when I’d be getting around to it — so this one was definitely for the fans (and a little bit for me too, I do love a good overdrive).
The big draw of the Baatsin is its 8-way rotary control, which lets you flick through eight different overdrive voices. It’s essentially a tour through some of the most iconic drive circuits ever made — from Tube Screamer and Timmy territory to heavier hitters like the Riot and OCD.
Rather than give a blow-by-blow on every mode, I’ll focus on a few highlights that really stood out.
8 Drives in One Box
T.OD – Timmy Territory The T.OD mode is based on the Paul Cochrane Timmy, and although it lacks the original’s two-band EQ and toggle switch, it’s probably the most versatile mode on the pedal.
You can take it from a barely-there, gritty boost to a thick, saturated crunch that feels dynamic and touch responsive. The single tone control is voiced beautifully — it never gets mushy at the low end, nor does it stray into harsh, ice-pick territory when pushed. It’s just right.
B.Boost – Clean, Clear, and Pushing Hard
If you want to use the Baatsin purely as a clean boost, this is your mode. B.Boost strips back most of the clipping, giving you more headroom and a noticeable increase in volume.
It’s perfect for slamming the front of your favourite overdrive or amp — pushing a crunchy clean into that glorious edge-of-breakup zone without colouring your tone too much. You can also use it to push an already pretty cooking tone up to eleven. It’s a very usable and versatile boost.
Overdrive 1 – Classic Rock Energy
The Overdrive 1 mode has a gain structure that stands out from the rest. The user manual subtlety (ha!) hints at it's Boss origins and this one just has a different kind of vibe to the rest. The grit was a bit more raw and raucous, less of that typical overdrive mid-range character . For me, this one ended up being a personal favourite.
Rioter – Suhr Sound Without the Price
The Rioter mode, as the name suggests, draws from the Suhr Riot, and it does it surprisingly well. Many Riot clones tend to overdo the saturation and compression, which can make them great for sustaining lead tones but lacking the definition for any rhythm work.
The Baatsin’s take keeps enough aggression for singing leads but still retains the note clarity and definition needed to not get lost in a mix.
Not Just Another Bonsai Clone
When I first saw the Baatsin, I immediately thought of the JHS Bonsai — another multi-overdrive pedal that serves as a “greatest hits” collection of classic circuits.
To Joyo’s credit, they didn’t just lift the idea wholesale. They took the concept and went their own way with it, choosing a solid mix of mainstream favourites rather than diving into the more obscure options that the Bonsai features. That feels pretty on-brand for Joyo — reliable, accessible tones that don’t break the bank. Likewise, the Bonsai is very much aiming at those more niche tones that Josh Scott loves to share with us all. Kudos to Joyo for not just straight ripping off and kudos to JHS too, props where props are due.
Style, Substance, and Serious Value
Add in the sleek, Tron-like aesthetic of the R-series — complete with the soft-glow LED surround — and the Baatsin becomes a genuinely useful addition to almost any pedalboard. It’s like having a Swiss Army knife of tone under your foot, ready to cover everything from transparent boost to full-blown rock gain.
It might be green, but don’t be fooled — this isn’t just another Tube Screamer. The Baatsin is proof that Joyo knows exactly how to balance variety, tone, and affordability.
Saturday, November 1, 2025
Digitech Grunge – Teenage Dreams and Distorted Realities
I’ve been on a bit of a nostalgia kick lately with the old Digitech pedals — it all started when I plugged in the Screamin’ Blues. I’ve covered the Bad Monkey before (I was a fan before the wild frenzy our Josh Scott whipped up), but I’ve always had a soft spot for this entire series. They might have been marketed as budget-friendly stompboxes, but the two-band EQ they all share makes them far more useful than a lot of the single-tone-knob pedals they were clearly inspired by.
After revisiting the Screamin’ Blues and then the Hot Head, I realised I was slowly rebuilding the collection I had in my younger years — and honestly, it felt great. Even though I didn’t rate the Hot Head quite as highly as the others, I still found it an improvement over the pedal that clearly inspired it. So, I decided to complete the set and track down the two I’d never properly owned: the Grunge and the Death Metal.
The Hunt for the Forgotten One
Now, I’ve never been a fan of Reverb (the site, not the effect). I know myself too well — I’ve got an addictive personality and a weakness for a bargain — so I stick to eBay. It’s a little more of a free-for-all, but that usually means better deals if you’re patient.
I started my search not long after uploading my last video, with some gentle encouragement from the premiere chat (you lot are a bad influence). Straight away, I noticed something odd: the Death Metal had suddenly become weirdly expensive. £60 and up, routinely. I vaguely remembered Ola Englund doing a video on it, and let’s face it — he probably has about as much sway in the metal community as Josh Scott does in the rest of the pedal world.
The Grunge, though? Totally forgotten. No hype, no inflated prices. Just sitting there, gathering digital dust, waiting for a nostalgic fool like me to come along. I found one boxed, at a good price, and pulled the trigger.
Loud, Grunge, and… Confused
The Grunge follows the same format as the rest of the Digitech budget-yet-refined-classics line — four knobs, solid enclosure, familiar layout. But instead of the usual Level, Gain, Low, and High, we’ve got Loud and Grunge. How very late-’90s.
I couldn’t help but feel a strange sense of déjà vu when I saw those control names. They reminded me of the BB Blaster, one of those cheap, plasticky practice amps that haunted bedrooms everywhere back in the day. The ones with “edgy” control labels like Beef, Tweak, and Enjoy. The controls were names were a perfect metaphor for the amp itself; confusing and difficult to work, with no real payoff. Those amps littered bedrooms across the nation and were often the perfect partner to a not-quite-branded Strat copy. Those amps were probably responsible for putting more people off realising their rock and roll dreams than any other piece of musical equipment out there. Now this reminiscence might seem like an odd tangent, but dear reader let me tell you, this is what we call foreshadowing....
When I Was a Teenage Dirtbag…
I actually remember this pedal vividly from my early gig-going years. There was a local band of Nirvana-wannabes — flannel shirts, unwashed hair in their eyes, the whole lot — and their singer/guitarist had one of these lilac Digitech Grunge boxes strewn haphazardly on the stage in front of him (pedalboards weren't rock and roll, clearly - Kurt didn't have one). Back then, my ear wasn’t exactly refined; louder and angrier was better. I remember seeing him stomp on that thing and feeling like the heavens had opened.
Fast forward a couple of decades, and I plug mine in for the first time…
Well. Let’s just say nostalgia can be a liar.
Tone? What Tone?
I'm not going to sugar coat things here, this pedal sucks. It’s absolutely drenched in compression from the word go, with a wall of noise that only gets worse as you push the gain. The EQ section — normally the saving grace of this series — does its best to help, but there’s only so much it can do.
Pulling the Highs back cuts the clarity completely, leaving you with a nasal, almost transistor-radio tone. Pushing it up doesn't yield harsh, fizzy tones but it doesn't exactly fix it either. The Lows are equally unruly: dial them back, and the sound collapses into thin, cardboard mush; push them up, and you get this overblown thump that sounds like your speakers are about to file for early retirement. It is the first pedal I have demo'd that has actually pushed hard against the limiter I use. I have it in the chain exactly for this reason as not to experience horrible digital distortion when recording, but the bass on this almost managed that even with the limiter on. Yes, the bass control is entirely too much!
The Grunge doesn’t really have sweet spots — it has less awful spots. The other Digitech drives, like the Screamin’ Blues and Bad Monkey, feel responsive and musical. The Grunge feels like the controls are clinging on for dear life, trying (and failing) to rein in chaos.
But… I Don’t Regret It
Here’s the thing, though: I don’t regret picking it up for a second. It might be a sonic disaster, but it’s my sonic disaster. It reminds me of those early years discovering local bands, figuring out tones, and getting properly obsessed with guitar gear for the first time.
It’s not a pedal I’ll be plugging in again any time soon — unless I’m doing a demo on “how not to EQ a distortion pedal” — but it’s found a permanent place in my collection as a little nostalgic relic. A reminder of how far I’ve come since those early days of chasing noise for noise’s sake.
Sometimes a bad pedal can still be a good memory.
Final Thoughts
The Digitech Grunge might have been designed to capture the spirit of the ‘90s — loud, brash, and unapologetically messy — but it ends up more “BB Blaster practice amp” than “Bleach-era Nirvana.”
Still, for those of us who grew up during that era, it’s hard not to feel a bit sentimental about it. It’s a product of its time — and that time just happened to be one of experimentation, distortion, and questionable tone decisions.
If you find one cheap and you’re feeling nostalgic, go for it. Just don’t expect to be blown away. Unless, of course, you accidentally leave the Lows turned up too high.
Warm Audio have been steadily building a reputation for creating incredibly faithful recreations of classic circuits — usually with a twist or two that modern players will appreciate. The Tube Squealer is their take on the Tube Screamer legacy, but instead of copying just one of the many famous versions, they’ve decided to include all the greatest hits in one pedal.
On the front panel, you’ll find a small toggle switch that lets you move between the TS808, TS9, and TS10 variants.
TS808 Mode gives you the open, slightly less compressed tone of the original late-’70s Screamer. It’s smooth, warm, and dynamic — perfect for players like to maintain all of the feel whilst getting some Screamer goodness.
TS9 Mode adds that classic mid-push and extra compression that so many guitarists associate with the definitive ‘80s overdrive sound. It’s punchy and focused — ideal for solos or tightening up heavy rhythms.
TS10 Mode, the softest of the three, gives a gentler, more transparent character that works beautifully for blues or edge-of-breakup tones - there is a reason this version is favoured by SRV (and John Mayer).
Each version has its own unique voice, and switching between them feels like swapping entire pedals on your board.
Extra Features That Make Sense
Warm Audio didn’t stop at the circuit voicing — they’ve added a handful of clever, practical upgrades that make this one of the most flexible Tube Screamer-style pedals on the market.
Right up top, you’ll notice another toggle switch marked Buffer / True Bypass. Some players swear by the sound of a good buffer at the start of their signal chain, while others need that versatility as not to anger the impedance-fussy fuzz in the chain. With this switch, you get to decide what works best for your rig — a small touch that makes a big difference.
Then there’s that fourth knob. Most drive pedals stick to the classic trio of Drive, Tone, and Level, but Warm Audio have added a Clean Blend control. This one’s a game-changer. It lets you mix your clean signal back in with the overdriven tone, which not only restores clarity but also enhances pick attack and articulation. If you’ve ever wished your Tube Screamer gave you a little more sparkle or a touch more definition, this control is your new best friend.
There’s also a Single Coil / Humbucker switch, which subtly shifts the EQ profile to better suit your guitar. In Single Coil mode, you get the traditional Screamer midrange. In Humbucker mode, the mid-push moves slightly higher in the frequency spectrum — think of it as leaning a little closer to a Blues Driver or Klon-style EQ. It’s a thoughtful tweak that actually works in practice, not just on paper.
And then there’s the feature hidden round the back — a Voltage Boost switch. When engaged, it bumps the internal voltage from 9V up to 18V, giving you more headroom and preserving your dynamics even when the gain is cranked. Best of all, it still runs off a standard 9V input, so there’s no need for a special power supply.
Warm Audio Means Business
Warm Audio could have easily stopped at making a single, well-built TS-style pedal and called it a day. But the Tube Squealer feels like a product designed by people who really understand guitar players. It’s versatile enough to cover everything from vintage blues tones to modern high-gain tightening duties, and all the little usability touches — like the buffer toggle and clean blend — make it more practical than the originals it’s based on.
Yes, it’s technically above the “budget” line, coming in at just over the £100 mark. But considering it gives you three Tube Screamers in one plus a clean blend, selectable buffering, EQ tailoring for pickups, and internal voltage doubling — it’s actually excellent value.
The original Ibanez TS808 costs more than this on its own, and it only does one thing. The Tube Squealer does them all, and then some.
Final Thoughts
At its heart, the Tube Squealer is still a Tube Screamer — and that’s a good thing. It’s got the familiar warmth, compression, and mid-push that made the circuit famous, but with modern flexibility that lets you tailor it perfectly to your guitar, your amp, and your playing style.
If you’ve ever agonised over whether you’re a TS808, TS9, or TS10 person… now you don’t have to choose. Warm Audio have bundled them all together, sprinkled in a few smart upgrades, and wrapped it up in a tank-tough enclosure.
It might not be the cheapest overdrive on the shelf, but for what it offers, the Tube Squealer is arguably one of the best value Screamers you can buy right now. If you'd like one of your very own, consider using my affiliate link:
https://thmn.to/thoprod/627945?offid=1&affid=2735
Saturday, October 18, 2025
Digitech Hot Head – Reunited with an Old Flame
I’ve been on a bit of a Digitech kick lately — probably triggered by the renewed attention Josh Scott gave the Bad Monkey a few years back. That video seemed to single-handedly pull the old Digitech drives out of obscurity, and it reminded me just how much fun those pedals were.
A couple of weeks ago, I revisited the Screamin’ Blues — a pedal that’s often described as a BD-2 with a two-band EQ. Well, I enjoyed it. I enjoyed it a lot. It nails those classic Blues Driver tones and then goes even further, reaching into territory that even the Boss can’t quite manage. More than that though, it stirred up something even more powerful than great tone: nostalgia.
Back in my formative guitar years, I bought three of these Digitech pedals — the Bad Monkey, Screamin’ Blues, and one more mysterious third pedal. Over time, I convinced myself I’d outgrown them. They got shelved, forgotten and one got traded away in the endless cycle of gear acquisition. But after finishing the Screamin’ Blues demo, I realised how wrong I’d been to underestimate them. I jumped straight onto eBay to see if I could reunite the trio. A few bids later, the orange box — the Hot Head — was on its way to me.
There’s a little twist to that story, but we’ll come back to that later.
Orange Means Distortion
The Hot Head is Digitech’s orange overdrive, and let’s be honest — when we see an orange drive pedal, our minds immediately jump to one thing: the Boss DS-1. Much like green being the official colour of a mid-hump overdrive - It’s the benchmark, the reference point, the orange distortion pedal. Whether the Hot Head is based directly on the DS-1 circuit or not, I can’t say for sure, but it definitely shares some DNA. And, like the Screamin’ Blues compared to the BD-2, it also fixes a few of the shortcomings.
The DS-1 has been the first “real” pedal for countless players. It’s cheap, it’s everywhere, and when you stomp on it for the first time, it makes a very noticeable difference to your tone. But by today’s standards, it’s not exactly a refined circuit. The tone control, in particular, is famously limited — turn it one way, and you get mush; turn it the other, and it’s fizzy bees in a tin can. There’s a narrow sweet spot in the middle, and that’s about it.
The Hot Head solves that problem neatly with a two-band EQ. The bass control gives you proper tonal flexibility — roll it back for a nasal, almost megaphone-like drive tone, or crank it up for thick, fuzzy bottom-end saturation. The treble control acts more like a global tone knob, but even when rolled right back, it doesn’t get overly dull or woolly. It’s a massive improvement over the single, uninspiring DS-1 tone control.
Gain for Days
The gain range on the Hot Head is excellent — from a gritty, pushed-clean edge all the way to a full, raging distortion. To be fair, the DS-1 can do this too, and it often gets unfairly dismissed as a one-trick pony. There’s actually a lot of subtlety hiding in that circuit if you take the time to explore it.
Now, I’ll be honest — when I was shooting the demo for this one, I wasn’t quite feeling it at first. I’ve never been a huge distortion guy. I tend to prefer more natural, amp-like overdrive tones. That compressed mid-range of most distortion sounds don’t quite hit the same as they did when I was a spotty teenager, plugged into a practice amp alone in my room. Hey, I call that some personal growth 😂
But when I listened back to the recording… I started to get it. There’s something really satisfying about the tone of this pedal. It’s aggressive without being brittle, and it has a lively, responsive feel that keeps it fun to play. I genuinely think the Hot Head might be one of those hidden classics forgotten to the sands of time.
A Strange Twist of Fate
Right, so about that little behind-the-scenes story I mentioned earlier.
When I first started my channel, I actually had a Hot Head. It was one of the pedals I used to keep the weekly demos flowing, but back then, Digitech pedals were completely out of favour and worth next to nothing. I ended up trading it away to fund something new — which seemed like a great idea at the time.
That old Hot Head had a distinctive little chip in the paint, just above the controls on the top-left corner. Small, barely noticeable, but quite unique in its own way.
Fast forward to a couple of weeks ago, when I jumped on eBay to find the cheapest Hot Head I could. I threw in a few bids without thinking too much about it, and one of them won. After the listing ended, I took a closer look at the photos… and there it was. That exact same chip, in the exact same place.
Surely not?
When it arrived, I pulled it out of the box and inspected it. Now, I can’t say with absolute certainty that it’s the same pedal — but it looks identical. I’m pretty convinced I’ve been reunited with my original Hot Head after all these years. A proper full-circle moment.
Now, of course, I’m on the lookout for the rest of the series. I have no real logical reason to for this, but who doesn't like a collection, eh?
Final Thoughts
I’m not going to tell you the Hot Head is a forgotten masterpiece that deserves a place alongside a Klon or a King of Tone. But it is a solid, versatile drive pedal and a very worthy alternative to the DS-1 for anyone chasing those classic distortion tones.
If I had to rank the Digitech drives I’ve covered so far, it would probably go:
Screamin’ Blues > Bad Monkey > Hot Head.
That’s not to say the Hot Head is bad — not at all. The other two just edge it for me personally. But who knows? Maybe you’ll plug one in and find your own bit of 2000s magic inside that bright orange box.
When I first started playing guitar, reverb was something you had to be very intentional about. Dedicated reverb pedals were complex bits of tech, and because of that, they were expensive. For most players, you simply used whatever reverb was built into your amp — job done.
Then came the likes of Mooer, who brought reverb (and other effects) to the masses at a much more accessible price point. Those early budget reverbs were functional, but they were basic — think of them more as a polite nod to ambience rather than the swirling, immersive soundscapes we know today. Then Strymon showed up and changed the game entirely for portable effects. Their lush, expansive, and textural reverbs turned the effect from background decoration into a defining part of your tone.
In more recent years, we’ve seen some of the budget pedal brands step up to that challenge, aiming to capture that same lush, “studio in a box” sound for a fraction of the price. We recently looked at the rather impressive Gokko Divine Shimmer Verb, and now we have another contender: the Lekato Space Studio Reverb. From what I understand, it shares quite a few similarities with the M-Vave Mini Universe... I'm not making any claims here, but let's just say certain Chinese companies have been known to 'share' their circuits in the past. Say no more.
Rather than dissect every single mode individually, it’s easier to split the Space Studio into two distinct categories: the everyday reverbs and the special effects reverbs.
Everyday Reverbs
The first group is made up of the usual suspects — Room, Hall, Plate, and Spring. These are your bread-and-butter reverb types, and they actually offer more flexibility than you might expect. Each one has a much longer available decay time than the typical “amp reverb,” meaning you can easily go from subtle space to cinematic wash just by tweaking the decay and mix controls.
The one misstep here, though, is the Spring. Despite the label, it doesn’t really behave like a true spring reverb. There’s no splash, no drip, none of that vintage tank character you might expect. It’s not bad-sounding at all — it’s just misnamed. Think of it more as a smooth room reverb with a bit of midrange colour rather than a surf-ready spring.
Special Reverbs
Then we come to the weird and wonderful side of the pedal. This is where things get interesting. Of course, it includes a Shimmer mode — it wouldn’t be a modern reverb pedal without one — but it also adds some more adventurous flavours like Cloud (which I can only assume is inspired by the Strymon Cloud algorithm) and, right at the end of the dial, the absolute wild card: Lo-Fi.
That Lo-Fi mode might be one of the most unusual reverbs I’ve ever heard. It transforms your sound into something reminiscent of a dying 8-bit console — glitchy, crunchy, and full of nostalgic chaos. I’m definitely not the target audience for that kind of sound, but I can easily see experimental players and ambient noise artists falling in love with it.
The Shimmer, by contrast, is genuinely impressive for a pedal at this price point. It’s surprisingly easy to dial in a tone that blends tastefully with your playing rather than sitting awkwardly on top of it — a rare feat for cheaper shimmer verbs.
Parameter Controls
Much like the Caline Mariana Reverb, the Lekato Space Studio features three parameter knobs that change their function depending on which mode you’re in.
For most modes, you get High Pass, Low Pass, and Drift controls. The Drift control adds a subtle modulation to the tail of the reverb, giving it a slight tape-like wobble. Used sparingly, it adds a lovely sense of movement and character. Crank it too high, and things start to get a little seasick — but hey, maybe that’s your vibe.
In Shimmer mode, the parameters change to control the mix of the octave effect and the pitch. This is absolutely essential for getting the shimmer effect to sit correctly in your mix — it lets you balance how present the upper octave is and how high it’s pitched.
For Lo-Fi, things get even more interesting. The parameters control the amount of white noise in the effect and the sample rate. That gives you real creative power to shape the chaos. I can see more experimental players actually using these controls to “play” the pedal almost like an extension of your instrument, riding the controls for expressive, glitchy textures.
Final Thoughts
I really appreciate what Lekato are going for here. No, it’s not the most polished or refined reverb pedal on the market — but that’s not the point. The Space Studio offers an ambitious range of sounds that stretch far beyond the typical “budget reverb” box. Most of its modes are not just usable, but genuinely fun and inspiring to play with.
If you just want a straightforward, subtle reverb for adding a touch of ambience, you might find better options elsewhere — something like the Mosky Spring or Sonicake Levitate Spring would probably get you closer to a traditional sound. But buying this pedal just for its basic reverbs would be missing the point entirely.
This is a pedal designed for getting lost in soundscapes. Crank the decay, turn up the mix, and let it saturate your tone until you’re swimming in ambience. For players who want a taste of those lush, Strymon-style reverbs without the premium price tag, the Lekato Space Studio Reverb is a seriously tempting little box.
Tone City Model M V1 – Rediscovering a Forgotten Gem
Around five or so years ago, the Tone City Golden Plexi was making waves. It started popping up on budget boards everywhere, gaining a reputation as the “must-have” mini pedal of the moment. Naturally, I had to try one. To be honest, though, I walked away a little underwhelmed. It wasn’t bad, but the gain knob seemed to start off too dirty and just got dirtier from there, without much room for subtlety. Add in a touch of background noise, and the whole thing just didn’t click for me. It found its way onto the “to sell” pile pretty quickly.
Fast-forward a few years, and I spotted that Tone City had updated the formula with the Model M. This new version promised dual gain controls and even included a built-in boost. That sounded like exactly what the Golden Plexi had been missing, so I snapped one up on the used market at a decent price. When it arrived, I plugged it in for a quick test drive… and felt the same shrug I’d experienced with the Golden Plexi. So, into the cupboard it went, gathering dust among the forgotten toys.
Then came a late “spring clean” in September. I unearthed the Model M, plugged it back in, and — well — I must have been having a bad day the first time, because this time the pedal absolutely sang. What came out of my amp was the gritty, dynamic, amp-like drive tone I’d been chasing all those years ago. There was this beautiful fuzzy edge, a responsiveness to my playing, and suddenly it clicked. I was wrong about this pedal, plain and simple.
The Gain Section – Crunch vs High Gain
One of the most interesting features of the Model M is the dual gain setup. Instead of one generic gain control, you get two: Crunch and High Gain. A little toggle switch decides which mode you’re in, and the corresponding knob becomes active.
In Crunch mode, you can roll the gain almost all the way back, giving you that slightly pushed-clean tone with just a hint of grit. Dial it up, and you’ll find classic British-style crunch that works beautifully for blues, classic rock, and anything that needs an “amp just starting to sweat” vibe.
Flick over to High Gain mode, and things get rowdy. This setting picks up roughly where Crunch leaves off, delivering a more saturated, aggressive tone. It’s not modern metal levels of gain, but it’s got that modded JCM800-at-full-tilt energy. Think classic hard rock, early heavy metal, and fat, roaring leads.
If there’s a small downside, it’s that the mode switch is a toggle rather than a footswitch. You can’t switch between Crunch and High Gain mid-song without bending down. That said, the pedal has a trick up its sleeve that makes up for it.
The Built-In Boost
The second footswitch on the Model M engages the Boost mode. This is a simple one-knob affair that always runs before the drive section. It’s not designed to give you an independent clean boost or EQ tweak; its job is singular — push the amp circuit harder.
The boost itself is pretty transparent, but as you turn it up, it slams into the drive section with more intensity, essentially giving you a “second channel.” It’s like going from crunchy rhythm to searing lead at the tap of a switch. For all intents and purposes, the pedal becomes a two-channel Plexi-in-a-box.
Would it be more versatile if you could choose to run the boost after the drive, adding volume instead of gain? Probably. But honestly, that’s not the spirit of this pedal. The Model M is all about unapologetically British, amp-style drive, and the boost being pre-gain plays into that beautifully. It’s Nigel Tufnel territory — when you need that extra push over the cliff, the boost takes you straight to eleven.
Tone and Noise
If there’s one part of the pedal that doesn’t quite keep up, it’s the tone control. At the lowest setting, things can get a bit woolly before it starts to clear up. From there, though, it does a solid job, never getting too piercing at the top end and keeping things smooth.
The other slight nit-pick is noise. Push the gain hard, and you’ll notice a bit of background hiss — which, to be fair, is par for the course with mid-heavy British-voiced drives. According to Tone City’s website, the Model M V2 addresses some of these issues, which makes me think this V1 review might just be the first chapter in a two-part story.
A story of redemption
The Tone City Model M V1 is a great example of a pedal that deserves a second chance. On first impression, it might not blow you away, but give it time and it can reveal itself as a dynamic, amp-like drive with real character. Between the dual gain modes and the built-in boost, it offers plenty of flexibility for players looking for that classic British roar without the volume of a half-stack.
Sure, it’s not perfect — the toggle switch instead of a footswitch limits on-the-fly versatility, and the tone knob could be a little more refined. But overall, this is a pedal that captures the magic of cranked British amps in a compact, affordable format.
If the V1 was this good once I gave it another shot, I can only imagine how much further Tone City took it with the V2. Maybe that’s a story for another day.
The V1 doesn't exist anymore, but the V2 is available and for sale here (affiliate link): https://thmn.to/thoprod/540179?offid=1&affid=2735
Sunday, September 28, 2025
Digitech Screamin’ Blues – An Overlooked Late ‘90s Gem
Ain’t nothing more late-90s/early-2000s ‘tude than spelling a pedal name Screamin’ instead of Screaming. From the name, to the whacky, cartoonish font, this thing just oozes 90's nostalgia. Today we’re diving into one of the often-overlooked pedals from exactly that era: the Digitech Screamin’ Blues.
The one I demoed recently is actually my original unit from back in the day. True to form, I picked it up at the tail end of its production run when the prices had dropped — always on the hunt for those budget bargains. At the time, I really bought into this run of Digitech pedals. Over the years I owned both the Bad Monkey and the Hot Head, and they always felt sturdier than the Behringer offerings of the time while costing less than the Boss alternatives. What I didn’t realise back then was that many of these weren’t just cheaper — in some ways, they were improvements on the circuits they were inspired by.
The secret weapon? That extra Low control.
The EQ Advantage
At a glance, the Screamin’ Blues looks like it’s ditched the traditional tone knob in favour of a simple two-band EQ. But this is where the magic lies.
The High control (in the way I see it, at least) acts much like a standard tone knob, letting you tame brightness or push it forward. The Low knob, however, is a “fatness” control that gives the pedal a ton of flexibility. Many classic circuits — including the ones these pedals were clearly based on — shave off some low end by default. That makes sense if you’re running chunky humbuckers and need to tighten up your sound for clarity, but it’s not always what you want with bright, jangly single coils.
With the Screamin’ Blues, you can dial that low end right back in, giving single-coil guitars more chunk and girth. Push it to extremes and you get a big, woofy bloom of bass, even that small-combo-speaker-struggling kind of sound if that’s your flavour. The EQ here makes the pedal far more versatile than many of the drives it was competing with at the time.
Two Runs, Subtle Differences
Here’s a fun bit of trivia: the Digitech line actually came in two distinct runs. On the surface they look identical, but there’s one key difference: weight.
The early versions feel like you’re trying to lift Mjolnir itself, while the later run is closer to the weight of a typical guitar pedal. Is there any tonal difference between the two? Hard to say without a proper A/B test — maybe that’s something I’ll do in a future video if enough people are interested. But it’s one of those quirks collectors and long-time users love to point out.
The Shadow of the Bad Monkey
Of course, we can’t talk about the Screamin’ Blues without mentioning its more famous sibling: the Bad Monkey. That pedal got a massive second life when Josh Scott of JHS Pedals did a video showing just how good it was. In that video, the Bad Monkey held its own against a whole range of drives, including — somewhat shockingly — an original Klon. The takeaway? Its powerful EQ made it ridiculously versatile.
The other pedals in the series got passing mentions, but the spotlight was firmly on the Bad Monkey. And if you’ve been paying attention to the gear market over the past decade, you’ll know what happens when Josh Scott shines a light on a forgotten pedal. Prices shoot up overnight, sometimes tenfold, and what was once a £10 bargain suddenly becomes a collector’s item.
We saw it happen with the plastic-housed Behringer pedals, we saw it with the Bad Monkey, and part of me is really hoping Josh never decides to do a feature on the Screamin’ Blues or the Hot Head. Some pedals are better left as affordable hidden gems rather than skyrocketing into “vintage collectible” territory. If he decides to, however, I may be sitting on a gold-mine...
Gone but not forgotten
The Screamin’ Blues might not have the meme-level fame of the Bad Monkey, but it has a lot going for it. With its two-band EQ, solid build, and late-‘90s charm, it’s one of those pedals that quietly punches above its weight. Whether you’re using it to add girth to single coils, tighten up humbuckers, or just push your amp into crunchy territory, it’s got more flexibility than most people give it credit for. With the recent leaks of the Badder Monkey, I'm quietly hoping to see a resurgence of this line - but for that, I guess only time will tell.
So my advice is, if you stumble across one in the wild at a decent price, grab it. Just don’t tell Josh Scott.
Sonicake Matribox II Pro Update – Now with NAM Profiling
The latest update to the Sonicake Matribox II Pro has quietly turned an already capable unit into something much more powerful. The big news is that it can now load .nam profiles, which puts it into the same conversation as some very high-end amp modelling units.
For those not familiar, nam profiling is similar in concept to Kemper modelling. You can capture a “snapshot” of an amp and turn it into a digital file. That snapshot can be just the preamp, the preamp and power amp together, or even a full rig including cab. Better still, you can profile an amp with your favourite drive pedal in front of it, meaning you can bake in that pushed high-gain sound as a single file. Once loaded into the Matribox II Pro, you can still adjust the amp’s EQ, gain, and volume, and—most importantly—it reacts dynamically to your playing. Just like with a real amp, rolling back your guitar’s volume or changing your pick attack gives you different tonal responses.
Nam profiling is still relatively young compared to Kemper or Neural DSP’s Quad Cortex, but it’s evolving fast. The community around it is growing, meaning more and more free profiles are available every week, and the tech itself is constantly being refined by a few dedicated developers. That makes this update a very exciting development for the Matribox II Pro, especially for players who want to get in on the ground floor of something new.
Why Now?
The timing of this update is interesting. Sonicake recently released the Pocket Master, a portable multi-FX unit in a mini format, and one of the first compact devices to offer nam profiling. Not long after, Valeton launched the GP-5, another portable modeller with similar functionality. In response, Sonicake pushed an update to the Matribox II to include a nam loader. What they didn’t make especially clear was that the update also applies to the Matribox II Pro—and that’s where things get very exciting.
The Matribox II Pro Was Already Strong
Even before this update, the Matribox II Pro was punching above its weight. One of its best features is the fully customisable signal chain. With many budget multi-FX units (including earlier versions of the Matribox), you’re stuck with a semi-fixed path: an amp block is always an amp, the EQ is always an EQ, and so on. You might get a handful of free-floating effects you can position pre or post amp, but flexibility is limited.
Higher-end units, like the Line 6 Helix, give you the freedom to build your signal chain however you want. You can load blocks in any order, experiment with strange placements, and really shape your sound. The Matribox II Pro gives you that same kind of flexibility. The only real limitation is DSP power, and that’s a fair trade for the price point.
For example, in the sound demos I put together, I used a cleaner Fender-style nam profile paired with one of the built-in drive pedals, a spring reverb up front, and then finished the chain with a studio compressor and subtle room reverb. That last touch adds a polish that feels like a “recorded” guitar tone, and it’s a trick I picked up from Mr Lamby over on YouTube. The end result was dynamic, characterful, and surprisingly refined.
Final Thoughts
The Matribox II Pro was already a hit here at Budget Pedal Chap. It offered flexibility, solid tones, and features you’d normally expect from pricier units. With the addition of nam profiling, Sonicake have taken things to another level.
This wasn’t an update anyone was clamouring for, but now that it’s here, it feels like an upgrade we didn’t even know we needed. Whether you’re already a Matribox II Pro owner or just looking for a budget-friendly way into the world of amp profiling, this update makes the unit far more appealing.
It’s another sign that Sonicake aren’t just keeping pace with the competition—they’re quietly raising the bar in the budget multi-FX world.
Sonicake Source Compressor Review – Studio Sheen at a Budget Price
Compression is one of those effects that divides guitarists. Some players swear by it, others avoid it completely, and many don’t fully understand what it does. When you think of guitar compression, chances are your mind goes to the MXR DynaComp or something similar: a pedal that gives you that iconic squishy, “pop and snap” tone. It’s a sound that has found a home in genres like country, funk, and pop, and while it has its place, it can feel limiting if that’s your only experience of compression.
But compression can be so much more. At its best, it’s not just a special effect—it’s a studio tool that enhances your playing without getting in the way. A good compressor should give you sustain, consistency, and polish. It should make you sound like the best version of yourself, even when you’re just plugged straight into a clean amp.
That’s where the Sonicake Source Compressor comes in. Inspired by the legendary 1176 studio compressor, this little pedal aims to deliver the same kind of studio sheen in a compact, affordable stompbox. And it might just change the way you think about compression.
Not Just Another Squishy Comp
The 1176 is one of the most famous studio compressors of all time. Unlike guitar-focused comps that give you a very obvious “squash,” the 1176 was designed to be transparent, musical, and versatile. It can be pushed into dramatic territory, but most of the time it works behind the scenes—lifting the quieter notes, taming the louder peaks, and giving everything a consistent, professional sheen.
That’s the design philosophy behind the Source Compressor. Yes, you can dial in a squishy, funky snap if you want, but more importantly, you can get that “always-on” sparkle that enhances your tone without shouting about it. For me, that’s the real magic of compression. The best compressors are the ones you forget you’re using—until you switch them off and suddenly feel like your tone has lost something.
A Clever LED
One of the neatest features on the Source Compressor is easy to overlook at first: the LED indicator. Normally, this just tells you if a pedal is on or off. But here, it also changes colour depending on whether the compressor is actively working.
When the LED turns from green to red, you can see the exact moments when the compressor is clamping down on your signal. For compression, that’s incredibly useful. Why? Because the golden rule of compression is that if you can obviously hear it working, you’re probably using too much. A good comp should be felt more than heard, and having that visual feedback helps you set the controls without overdoing it.
It’s a simple addition, but one that makes this pedal stand out.
Controls – Simple but Powerful
The Source Compressor has three controls you need to pay attention to; they’re cleverly chosen and give you more flexibility than you might expect.
In – This is essentially your input control. Push it higher and you’re hitting the compressor harder, which results in a more obvious squish and sustain. Pull it back and you get a subtler, more transparent effect. This is the control that determines whether you’re in “DynaComp country snap” mode or “1176 studio sheen” mode.
Dry and Out – Dry blends in your clean, uncompressed guitar signal - Out blends in the compressed signal. Parallel compression is a studio trick that mixes the original with the processed tone, and having this on a pedal is fantastic. It means you can keep all the attack and character of your natural playing while still benefitting from the sustain and polish of compression.
Between these three knobs, you can dial in anything from a very transparent, invisible polish to a more aggressive, characterful squash. It also has the expected attack, release and ratio controls you'd expect if you've ever used a comp in your DAW or in a studio. Between these controls, there isn't many comp sounds you can't get.
The Feel of Compression
Describing compression is always tricky because, unlike delay or distortion, it’s not an effect you necessarily want to hear. It’s about feel.
When set right, the Source Compressor makes your guitar feel more controlled, more confident. Notes sustain for longer. The volume between your hardest strums and your softest touches feels more consistent. Chords sound fuller, single notes sound more expressive, and everything just feels glued together.
This subtlety is the exact reason why I really hate demoing compressors on the channel. I absolutely love them to play, but unlike a distortion pedal where you can clearly hear a difference, a comp is a much more subtle beast. Add to that the compression and tonal discrepancies you get by uploading to YouTube itself, it can be very difficult to get across the virtues of a good compressor in a tone only demo. This is my cross to bare, however. I love my job here at BPC, so having to make a convincing compressor demo every once in a while is a small price to pay.
Spend Some Time With It
This isn’t the kind of pedal you can just plug in, twist a knob, and immediately get everything it has to offer. The Source Compressor rewards time spent tweaking and listening. Because compression is so dependent on your guitar, your playing style, and your amp setup, you’ll need to find the sweet spots that work for you.
But once you do, you’ll realise just how versatile it is. Want subtle sustain for clean picking? It can do that. Want a classic country snap? No problem. Want to push your solos forward without changing your tone? Easy.
It’s the kind of pedal that grows with you, and once you’ve learned how to get the most from it, you’ll wonder why you didn’t use one sooner.
Is It for Everyone?
If you’ve never used compression before, the Source Compressor might surprise you. It won’t wow you with dramatic tones the way a fuzz or delay might. Instead, it will quietly improve everything you play. For beginners, that can be hard to appreciate at first.
For more experienced players, especially those who want that polished, studio-like feel, this pedal makes a lot of sense. It’s also small, affordable, and solidly built, making it easy to add to any pedalboard.
I was watching an interview with the king of livestreams, The Lamb, and he put it in a fantastic way. I'll paraphrase him here for the lack of having the actual wording he used, but what he said essentially was that the guitar tones we all know and love were never direct. They were flavoured with the microphone used to mic the cab, the room they were recorded in, the console that it was all running into and almost certainly a bunch of studio compression used on individual tracks AND the master tracks too.
We are striving to attain those iconic guitar tones we have heard on records throughout the years, so doesn't it make sense that we should pepper in a bit of studio style compression every now and then too?
If you’re into subtlety and refinement, you’ll love it. If you’re only into wild, obvious effects, it might feel underwhelming. But remember: compression is one of those “secret weapon” effects. Once you get used to playing with it, it’s hard to go back.
When you think about it...
The Sonicake Source Compressor isn’t about flashy tones or gimmicks. It’s about delivering a studio-grade feel in a simple, affordable pedal. With its clever LED, flexible controls, and inspiration from the legendary 1176, it offers far more than most budget compressors.
It’s not an instant-gratification pedal—you’ll need to spend time with it to really unlock its potential. But once you do, you’ll have a versatile, always-on tool that makes you sound more polished, more consistent, and more confident as a player.
If you’re curious about compression or looking for an upgrade from the more one-dimensional options out there, the Source Compressor is a fantastic place to start. It’s proof that even budget pedals can deliver professional-level results when they’re designed with care.
If you'd like one of your own and you'd like to support what we do here, consider using this affiliate link (use code: budgetpedalchap for money off too) https://www.sonicake.com/products/source-comp?sca_ref=1425095.S0avGvl0i2
When it comes to modern high-gain guitar tones, there’s a formula that has become almost universal: a roaring amp with a drive pedal in front of it. For decades, the humble Tube Screamer has been the go-to option, beloved for its ability to shave off some low-end flub, tighten up the response, and add just enough bite to help riffs cut through the mix. But as guitars have evolved—seven strings, eight strings, even nine in some cases—the demands on pedals have changed too.
Enter the Precision Drive, originally created by Horizon Devices (the company co-founded by Misha Mansoor of Periphery). Designed specifically for modern metal players and extended-range guitars, it set out to be a drive pedal that could do what a Tube Screamer does, but with more flexibility, more clarity, and more gain. The Demon FX Precision Drive is based on that original design, bringing the same feature set into a more budget-friendly package.
First Impressions – More Than Just a Screamer Clone
When I first read about the Precision Drive, I assumed it would be a straightforward Tube Screamer alternative: something to cut bass, shape mids, and add a touch of sizzle to a high-gain amp. That assumption only tells half the story.
Yes, the Demon FX Precision Drive can absolutely act as a front-end shaper for heavy amps. Its Attack control is particularly handy here, letting you dial in the low-end tightness to suit not only standard-tuned guitars but also the extended low notes of 7- and 8-string instruments. If you’ve ever found a normal overdrive pedal to be too muddy or undefined on the lowest strings, this feature alone makes a big difference.
But beyond that, this isn’t “just another Screamer.” It’s far hotter, far more modern, and has a personality of its own.
More Gain, Different Voice
Most Tube Screamers work best when used as a boost in front of an already cooking amp. They rarely have enough gain on their own to function as a standalone distortion for heavier styles. The Demon FX Precision Drive, on the other hand, has plenty of gain on tap. You can easily run it as your primary dirt pedal, and it doesn’t fall apart when you push it harder.
The EQ voicing is also distinct from the familiar Tube Screamer mid-hump. It’s tricky to pin down exactly why—it’s probably in the way the mids are voiced—but it has a more modern, open feel to it. Instead of the nasal focus that some screamers have, the Precision Drive can cover a lot more of that mid-range spectrum.
When I plugged it in and started riffing, I found myself moving away from chug-heavy riffs and leaning into classic rock-style playing. That’s when it hit me: it had a very similar feel to the Fulltone OCD, a pedal renowned for giving some quality cooking amp tones with a dynamic quality to it. The Demon FX Precision Drive offers that same sense of touch sensitivity and openness, but with the added shaping power of its unique controls.
The Controls – Versatility at Your Feet
The control layout is straightforward but surprisingly versatile. In addition to the usual Drive, Tone, and Level knobs, you get two extras:
Attack – This is the key to the pedal’s identity. Turn it down, and the low end blooms more, useful if you want a thicker response. Turn it up, and the low end tightens right up, perfect for palm-muted riffs or extended-range clarity. It’s like having the ability to fine-tune exactly how the pedal interacts with your guitar’s bottom end.
Bright – Another welcome addition. This lets you bring in more top-end presence if your tone feels too dark, or rein it in if things are getting too glassy.
Together, these two controls mean the Precision Drive isn’t locked into one role. It can be a modern metal tool, sure, but it can also be dialed back into a crunchier, almost classic rock-style drive, or even set up as a solo boost to push your amp over the edge.
Who Is It For?
For me personally, this isn’t a pedal I’ll be reaching for too often. My playing leans more toward low-to-mid gain, and the Precision Drive is simply too hot for my tastes. But that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have value—it just has a different audience.
If you’re a modern metal player, especially one using a 7- or 8-string guitar, this pedal will feel like a natural fit. It’s designed with your needs in mind: the Attack control makes extended-range riffs tight and defined, while the overall gain structure ensures you’ve got plenty of saturation without the mush.
For more general players, the Precision Drive could easily serve as a primary overdrive/distortion. Its versatility means it can adapt to a wide range of genres, from classic rock crunch to modern metal chugs, and it stacks well with other pedals. Used as a boost into a high-gain amp, it delivers exactly the kind of clarity and focus you’d want in a live mix.
Comparisons and Context
It’s impossible to talk about this pedal without referencing the Tube Screamer, because that’s the benchmark for this category. Where the Tube Screamer is mid-focused, relatively low-gain, and often used as a “set-and-forget” boost, the Precision Drive feels like its modern evolution: more gain, more flexibility, and more tailored to contemporary styles.
At the same time, it shares DNA with pedals like the OCD, offering a more amp-like feel and dynamic response. That combination makes it stand out, because you’re not locked into the classic “tight boost” role—you can actually build whole sounds around it.
And then, of course, there’s the value factor. The Horizon Devices Precision Drive is a well-regarded pedal, but it’s not cheap. The Demon FX version gives you access to the same overall design and philosophy at a fraction of the cost, which makes it appealing to players who want the functionality without the boutique price tag.
Final Thoughts
The Demon FX Precision Drive is a pedal that wears its influences clearly (*ahem*) but this isn't anything new for Demon FX, you kind of know what you're getting here. On paper, it looks like a simple high-gain drive with some extra EQ options. In practice, it’s a versatile, modern-sounding overdrive/distortion that can cover far more ground than you’d expect.
Is it for everyone? No. If you live in the world of blues, low-gain classic rock, or edge-of-breakup tones, it might feel like overkill. But for modern players, especially those venturing into extended-range territory, it’s a smart, flexible option that can easily become the backbone of a rig.
It may not replace the Tube Screamer as the all-time classic, but in many ways, it’s the logical next step for players who need more than what that little green box has to offer. And for the price, the Demon FX Precision Drive delivers a whole lot of bang for your buck.
