gain

A medium-high-gain overdrive that gives you room to move between fat boost tones and fuzzier fare.

A powerfully heavy but also surprisingly subtle and versatile distortion pedal. Great dynamics and articulation.

Some noise at higher gain settings.

$129

EarthQuaker Devices Zoar
earthquakerdevices.com

4.5
4.5
4.5
5

What’s in a name? In dubbing their latest “Zoar,” maybe the pedal pushers from Akron, Ohio, are referencing the falcon from Masters of the Universe. More likely, they are referring to the communal village in Ohio named for the Biblical hamlet spared during the Old Testament razing of Sodom and Gomorrah. Maybe it’s just EarthQuaker Devices’ idea of the kind of ominous name a chunky medium-high-gain distortion should have. The latter scenario isn’t out of the question. It becomes clear pretty quickly that the name totally suits this teal, hammer-finished machine. Yet the Zoar is more than a tool for aggression. It’s a dynamic device that straddles both sides of the distortion/fuzz fence and achieves great touch sensitivity via a discrete transistor-based circuit.

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One of the furriest, foxiest fuzz machines ever is reborn in a compact and more capable incarnation.

 

Ratings

Pros:
Rich, sonorous basic fuzz tones. Controlled but nasty octave effects. Footswitchable octave. Mid-boost option.

Cons:
A few bucks on the spendy side relative to the competition. Footswitches close together.

Street:
$199

Danelectro 3699 Fuzz
danelectro.com


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Warm, articulate, natural overdrive and distortion tones offer an alternative to the same old OD blues. The PG Cascade Hosstortion review.

Ratings

Pros:
A characterful overdrive with great touch sensitivity, excellent clarity, and versatile EQ. An able recreation of a hard-to-find classic.

Cons:
No major negatives, but it's worth knowing whether a MOSFET overdrive is your cup of tea before spending the cash on this one.

Street:
$175

Cascade Pedals Hosstortion
cascadepedals.com



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