Category: Best Of

The Best Chorus Pedals on the Market

Today’s article will focus on the best chorus pedals available. Nothing beats that lush, warm, watery, organic chorus that makes you feel like you’re floating. Finding the right chorus however is no easy task as there are many on the market that sound 2-dimensional, and having issues such as volume-drops. So lets take a look at the some of the best chorus pedals.

AnalogMan Bi-Chorus

No secret that AnalogMan has long created some of the best boutique pedals available. The Bi-Chorus is no different, creating a very pure and warm chorus. What’s really unique about the Bi-Chorus is that there are two speed controls and two depth controls along with an A/B switch. The benefit is that you can have two different chorus sounds set to your liking that you can switch between on the fly just by stomping on the A/B switch. I find this to be a great feature as you may want your solos to have one kind of chorus sound and your rhythm parts to have another. AnalogMan has long been known to allow customizations. The Bi-Chorus has an option to add an extra output for true stereo. Definitely a great pedal.

MXR Stereo Chorus

This made the list simply because it is the most cost-effective stereo chorus available! As well, Slash uses one to add even more mojo. A great feature of the Stereo Chorus is that there are separate EQ controls (Bass, Treble) allowing you to really shape the chorus exactly to your liking. As well with controls for speed, intensity, and width, this pedal really gives you unlimited tonal possibilities. With this amount of control, it can work well with any pedalboard. View the MXR Stereo Chorus on Amazon.

Effectrode Vibralux Tube Chorus

Made with real tubes, this all-analog chorus is undoubtedly the most organic sounding of them all. It gives that pure warmth that only real tubes can give. In some ways, it may be perhaps closer to a univibe, but it still gives some of the best chorus tones we’ve heard. This makes the list as being the most organic and pure-sounding chorus.

Red Witch Analog Empress Chorus

The Red Witch is a very deep and lush sounding chorus. It was something we noticed right away upon hearing it, that it just sounded really sweet to the ears. The Empress Chorus has a lot of controls to really tweak the sound, though it sounds great at just about any setting. The controls include a voice switch (chorus/vibrato), Mix dial (between chorus and clean), velocity, depth, and a bright switch. As well, there are dual outputs for playing in stereo between two amps. That’s how you really get a chorus with a lot of depth! View the Red Witch Analog Empress Chorus on Amazon.

Other Great Chorus Pedals on the Cheap

TC Electronic Corona Chorus – True Bybass, and sounds great!

MXR Analog Chorus – All analog and lots of controls for tweaking.

Electro-Harmonix Small Clone Chorus – No frills, but great analog chorus tones. Was used by Kurt Cobain.

Best Overdrive Pedal

With so many overdrive pedals on the market, it is difficult to pinpoint which ones are the best as it’s highly a matter of personal taste. However, there are a few overdrives out there that are loved and highly respected by many (us included) that really are set apart from the rest. So lets take a look at some of the best overdrive pedals out there.

Klon Centaur

The Klon has been around since the mid-’90s and earned its reputation by being used by many famous acts including Jeff Beck, Metallica, and Pearl Jam to name a few. Many find the Klon to be one of the most transparent overdrives out there, so it tends to stack well with other pedals. Many also describe the it to be like its own little amp in a way, so it is great when faced against any amp. With the ability to get a beautiful clean boost, to a nice beefy sweet-sounding overdrive, there are many possibilities even with only its 3 controls (output, treble, drive). Some will use it as a treble booster and others to fatten up their tone. All and all, the Klon is the overdrive people that many put on the top of their list and if could only own one pedal, that would be it.

Ibanez TS-808 Tubescreamer

Next in line for best OD pedal is the TS-808, famously used by the late master blues guitarist, Stevie Ray Vaughan. Much like the name, the TS-808 makes your amp scream so-to-speak, that is it helps a tube amp get pushed. The result is a smooth overdrive, with the perfect amount of bite. I really like that it sounds organic and keeps your guitar tone well in tact, while adding all the right colors. If you are looking for an overdrive that can deliver a sizzling blues tone, than the TS-808 is it! View it on Amazon.

Marshall Bluesbreaker 1

While being a low gain pedal, the Marshall Bluesbreaker 1 (not to be confused with the 2nd reissue) has been used extensively by John Mayer. Word on the street is that he was even snatching many of them up on Ebay. Some describe the BB-1 as a one trick pony, but it does that trick very well. It delivers the definitive vintage Marshall tone reminiscent of players like Jimi Hendrix and Jimmy Page. The Bluesbreaker of course really suits the blues, creating a smooth, fat, warm, on-the-edge-of-breakup tone that really has those nice subtle dynamics in the pick attack. Just a stellar pedal.

Well there you have it. These are what we feel are the best overdrive pedals out there. What do you think is the best overdrive? Feel free to post in the comments section.

Best Fuzz Pedals

Of course the topic of the best fuzz pedal is one that is highly subjective. Everyone has their own taste. So we’re going to list for you some fuzz pedals that we think are some of the top ones. This list will not include vintage pedals that aren’t made anymore, because of course a real ’60s Dallas Arbiter Fuzz would would beat anything! Of course, our opinion. So check out this list of some of the top fuzz pedals that are made today.

Roger Mayer Axis Fuzz

One of our personal favorites, the Roger Mayer Axis Fuzz can get some of the best fuzz tones, if done right. I say this because it won’t work great through any amp configuration. Rather, it was designed for Marshall Plexi stacks that already have a good amount of natural tube overdrive without any pedal. Kick on the Axis fuzz and you are taken through different dimensions with unlimited amounts of fuzz and sustain, running through a field of screaming feedback. An absolute world of expression is possible with the Axis Fuzz through the right rig.

KR Gypsy Fuzz

KR Musical, a company that often disappears is still known for making some of the best sounding pedals out there, particularly in the Hendrix category. Their Gypsy Fuzz is no different, offering an aggressive silicon fuzz tone that has a growl to it. It is reminiscent of the Axis Fuzz, though it is a little smoother in tone. Also KR’s The Fuzz is amazing as well.

Analog Man Sun Face Fuzz

Analog Man has long been known on the boutique-market as a maker of great vintage sounding all-analog effects. The  Sun Face is no different, and offers that vintage sound based on their choice of transistors. Actually these pedals are made to order, so you can choose which silicon or germanium transistors you want for your Sun Face. It gets pretty specific as you can get transistors that are actually from the ’60s. Also with the option of a sundial, this allows you to control the internal bias without opening up the pedal, essentially allowing you to tweak the fuzz to your amp and room temperature on the fly.

MJM London Fuzz 1

With matched vintage germanium transistors, the London Fuzz will give you some of the sweetest sounding clean tones when you roll your guitar’s volume back. Not fully clean but can be depending on your pick attack. It really brings out a colourful chime in that area. When cranked, a fat warm fuzz tone really makes your single notes seem like they weigh a ton. MJM’s silicon version of the London Fuzz is great also.

These are the best fuzz pedals on the market in our opinion. What do you think is the best fuzz out there? Feel free to post your answer in the comments sections.

Best Marshall Amp

Finding the best Marshall amp is easy. All you have to do is look at some of rock’s greatest guitarists and see which Marshall they use. But nevertheless, we are making it easy for you by letting you know which Marshall amps we think are the best. We’re gonna break it down into categories..

Best Marshall Head
The award for best Marshall head goes to the Marshall Plexi Superlead. Used by the greats such as Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page, and Eddie Van Halen, this amp is sure to be number 1, quite possibly of any amp ever! The most ideal would be a late 60s’ model. Amp makers such as Metropolis and Germino do a good job at recreating these amps during that era.

Best Marshall Combo
The award for best Marshall combo amp goes to the Marshall Bluesbreaker. This amp is a beast, and was used by Eric Clapton in the early years. Lots of Marshall tone, with transportation being much easier than a half stack.

Best Marshall Cab
The best Marshall cabinet is hard to say, since it depends on the speakers loaded. As for the cab itself, we like the old basketweave and pinstripe cabs. Not easy to find today.. luckily Metro Amps offers both. As for speakers, we like the old pre-rola Celestion Greenbacks. Smooth creamy goodness!

Best Home Marshall Amp
For the lower wattage, home-friendly Marshall amp, the award of course goes to the Marshall Class 5. A great little amp with lots of tone. Half way up the dial gives nice cleans, and cranked gives that signature Marshall rock tone.

Well there you have it, the best Marshall Amps by category.

Best Delay Pedal

The best delay pedal on the market is not an easy question to answer since there is two categories of delay: analog and digital. In my opinion, I’ve always been a fan of analog pedals, but there are those who want the added features of digital circuitry (Check out our Analog Vs. Digital Delay article). So the best approach to answering the question of what is the best delay pedal, would be to have the best of analog delays and the best of digital delays. Here’s our picks:

Best Analog Delays

1) Tape Delays

I’m not going to say which tape delay is best, rather that tape delays/echoes have the best sound/tone that any delay can produce. Its warm, addictive, big, 3-dimensional, and vintage sounding. Some great tape delay/echoes are the Echoplex and the Fulltone Tube Tape Echo.

2) Moog MF-104z Analog Delay

While pretty expensive (though not as expensive as a tape echo), this analog delay sounds incredibly warm. As well, this pedal features a load of customizing features not usually available on analog delays. The delay swells are very natural and the multiple outputs on the pedal coupled with the ability to use an expression pedal makes this pedal number 2 on our list. View the Moog Analog Delay on Amazon.

3) 80s’ Made in Japan Ibanez AD-9 Analog Delay

These vintage Ibanez delays come in at number 2 as they are very organic and warm sounding. I have yet to hear a better sounding analog delay than this. The reissue of this pedal that is available today is not the same as the 80s made version. They use a different chip, and don’t even sound half as good. If you want the vintage pedal new, the Keeley AD-9 is essentially the same pedal except with true bypass. Also check out the Maxon AD-9, another replica of this pedal.

Other great Analog Delays to check out:

Diamond Pedals Memory Lane 2 Analog Delay

Best Digital Delays

1) Empress Effects Vintage Modified Super Delay

This digital delay does the best at emulating vintage, tube, and tape delays. Its funny that digital delays are trying to emulate analog, but not vice-verse. I wonder why that is (cough cough we love analog!). Anyway, this delay has a whole ton of great features such as tap tempo, expression pedal inputs, presets, and reverse delay! Its number one on our top digital delays list. View this pedal on Amazon.

2) Eventide TimeFactor Duel Digital Delay

This pedal is all about options. You can make your delays mono or stereo. The delay modes include Digital Delay, Band Delay, Vintage DDL, Filter Pong, Tape Echo, MultiTap Delay, Modulated Delay, Reverse Delay, Ducked Delay, and Looper. Having the looper makes this more than a delay pedal. My favourite part of this pedal is that you can send delays to different amps. Talk about really creating an ambiance! Most versatile digital delay. View this pedal on Amazon.

3) Strymon Timeline

This pedal is known as the multi-dimensional inspiration machine. With 12 different delay modes, you can control the sonic character and feel of each. This pedal is a tweekers dream! The ultimate customizability with the  focus being on tone. The best part is you can create up to 200 presets of your favorite settings!

Other great Digital Delays to check out: Pigtronix Phi Echolution Delay (both digital and analog), TC Electronics Flashback (inexpensive!)

Well there you have it, the best delay pedals, both analog and digital.

The Best Univibe Pedals on the Market

If you are a fan of Jimi Hendrix, Pink Floyd, or Robin Trower, I think you are well aware of the famous Univibe pedal. You know, the original Shin-Ei/Univox, with the foot pedal, and how acquiring one today is rare, and quite expensive. You also probably know that it is tough to find a clone pedal that recreates the authenic vintage univibe swirling tone. However, there are some great pedals out on the market that get really really close to the original. Lets take a look at what those pedals are..

1) KR Musical’s Megavibe

If you are familiar with univibe clones, you know the Megavibe. Many argue that the Megavibe gets the absolute closest to Hendrix’s Machine Gun, at least on the chorus setting. Randy Hansen (also known as the Hendrix Clone) uses a Megavibe, and many say that his tone is closest to Jimi’s. The only downside of this pedal is that they are extremely hard to obtain. You may be only able to find a used one on Ebay at inflated prices, as KR Musical seems to have been out of the scene for a little while now.

2) FoxRox Aquavibe (Review Here)

Dave Fox is known for building quality boutique vintage-esqe effects. His Aquavibe is no different, producing that vintage univibe tone, while also adding more flexibility to create different vibe tones such as the ability to change the position of the sweep. The Aquavibe has also been known to have the best vibrato out of all the univibe clones out there. Only downside is that there is about a 1 year waiting list.

3) Sweetsound Mojo/Ultravibe

Built by the late Bob Sweet, the Mojo and Ultravibe have been around for awhile, and have been a benchmark for great univibe tones. These vibes are right up there with the aqua and mega vibe.

 

4) MJM 60s Vibe

Around the forums, many have been raving about the MJM 60s Vibe. Over at MJM, the 60s Vibe has been modeled after an original univibe. Some really great tones coming from this pedal. Best part is, the MJM 60s Vibe is readily available with no waiting list.

 

5) Fulltone DejaVibe

Word around the street is that the original Deja Vibe (gold unit) has some pretty authentic univibe tones. Some have argued that this pedal is closest to the original.

 

I really believe any of these Univibe clones will make you happy, as all are close enough to the original.