Guitar Pedal

It all began in 2018, as Joel Korte of Chase Bliss Audio started the design process of a revolutionary looper pedal. He let the world in on the secret via a Kickstarter campaign that was overwhelmingly funded by rabid pedal heads. To say that anticipation has been high is an understatement, and while the journey has felt like a long one, we've finally reached the summit. The Chase Bliss Audio Blooper pedal is in our hands and it was worth the wait. Continue reading →

Dustin McLaughlin from Vintage King Audio here, and when I wasn't behind the camera or working on editing videos for VK, I was checking out the hottest guitar pedals of 2019. To say this year was "monumental" for pedals would be an absolute understatement. There were enough incredible releases to keep the heads talking on forums until 2040! So what happened in the world of guitar pedals in 2019? The smaller companies that we've come to know and love over the past few years like Meris and Chase Bliss Audio gave us incredible new tools for our boards. Meanwhile, industry forefathers like Electro-Harmonix and Boss continued their dominance with epic recreations and a few new concepts. Continue reading →

Alright, the turkey was carved, you passed out from eating too much, and you've finally made it to Black Friday. Just when you thought there couldn't possibly be any more deals, the world's best pedal and synth brands have dropped a ton of new deals for you to take advantage. Continue reading to discover all of the ways you can save on pedals and synthesizers this Black Friday, learn what deals brands are offering and get the lowdown on some of our favorite gear on sale. Don't see what you want listed below? Give us a ring at 866.644.0160 and we'll give you hand! Continue reading →

Over the past decade or so, musicians have increasingly looked to cab sims, impulse responses and DIs to lighten their load in terms of weight and volume. The new Strymon Iridium ($399) offers a different take on these options for guitarists by giving them a fully-featured cab sim/IR loader that lives on their pedalboard. Have you ever plugged your guitar directly into a full-range monitor with your favorite overdrive engaged? It sounds like a coffee can filled with hornets angrily buzzing around. With the Iridium placed after your overdrive and before the monitor, this transforms the can of bees into your favorite tube amp with the flick of a switch. Continue reading →

The Urei/Universal Audio 1176 is an icon in the recording studio and has had a profound influence on modern gear makers. So it's no surprise that many companies have sought to remake and add to the 1176 since it was first released in 1967. How do these 1176-influenced compressors compare to the original? That's what we set out to find in our latest shootout. Continue reading →

Joel Korte of Chase Bliss Audio gave the pedal world quite a shock last week when he dropped the new Mood micro-looper and delay. With many in the community looking towards the previously announced Blooper and Automatone as the brand's next potential releases, the Mood pedal was a pleasant surprise. The pedal is another collaboration (much like the recent Dark World), between Chase Bliss Audio and two other brands, Old Blood Noise Endeavors and Drolo Effects. Essentially, the stompbox features two separate pedals inside with the left channel being dedicated to effects and the right side acting as the micro-looper. More on that in a minute though... Continue reading →

When it comes to Meris, pedal enthusiasts can always expect the unexpected. Earlier today, the innovative brand announced the release of the Hedra and they are once again living up to that reputation. This 3-voice rhythmic pitch shifter is unlike anything to come before it. Simply put, the Hedra is a behemoth. Blistering guitar harmony leads that track unbelievably well? Check! Getting polyphonic sounds from your monosynth? Got it! Individual delays on each voice? Oh yeah, big time. Continue reading →