OVERDRIVE/BOOSTER dpFX Thryallis Germanium Booster OD ... a lot of nasty Growl :-)

 dpFX 

$135.00 USD

Thrysallis|| GERMANIUM BOOST/OD

A one man show in Greece that has 44 pedals listed on his site, 

yet can find the time to make you a Custom pedal, 😇 The layout 

is Volume, Gain 1, Gain 2, Bass. A toggle lets you cut highs or add

clipping diodes to the 2 transistors. 

_________ 

            CONCLUSION __

It has a wide range from medium to high gain.

With some serious very gritty and raspy, 

nasty trashy growling sounds. In spite of that 

your notes and chords still have definition, unless

you dime that Bass knob and drop an A-bomb on us all. 

COMPRESSOR- BERSERKER ELECT. Sasquatch Natural Comp___NEW___ ROSS clone

$170.00 USD

 BESERKER ELECTRONICS  

 SASQUASH  NATURAL COMPRESSOR  

It seems lately everyone is offering a new take on the ROSS 

clone of the MXR Dynacomp. This version has been modified 

to create a natural attack and retain dynamics of your touch.

The layout is volume, Intensity, Presence and Clamp. Clamp 

giving control over the balance between an intense 

squeeze of the sound or more open.

     CONCLUSION __

Check out my conclusion of the Westminster Calvin

that is attempting the same approach and 

compare the sounds.

 

COMPRESSOR- WESTMINSTER EFFECTS Calvin ___NEW ___ fresh take

WESTMINSTER EFFECTS

CALVIN COMPRESSOR

$170.00 USD

This is an old school OTA type that was literally invented by MXR with 

their DynaComp and cloned by ROSS. The ROSS circuit's topography 

circuit is simpler, more elegant and more transparent and 99% of all 

clones use it as a starting point.

The layout is Ratio, Level, Release and Attack, a toggle switches in 

a second voice.

            CONCLUSION ___

All compressors like all Overdrives have a 'sound'  plus a 

compromise in their dynamic range which gives them a 

different feel. As for this ones tone it is very pleasing in 

the demo. I have never found one in the serios budget

range that could pass the smell test. The biggest seller

is the Keeley Compressor+. The Origin Cali76 is the most 

coveted. All others are pretty much even in popularity

but most have cult followings. 

Since you asked my fave is the Universal Audio UAFX 1176 pedal that has a 'stacked'

setting. It is literally a clone of Jimmy Page's studio Comp rig of stacking

2 Rackmount Universal Audio 1176 Comps.

FENDER USA FACTORY TOUR ___ 2026

 FENDER   

DANELECTRO ___ THE STORY

 DANELECTRO 

 Silverstone 1449 
One of only 300 made.
I had the LipstickTubes PU's replaced. I have a Duncan PAF
at the bridge and a hand wound 1964 Strat ar the neck.
I wanted to catch the late 60's Brit sound on one guitar.
It is my 'Go To' guitar that I have written all my tunes on.

OVERDRIVE- IDIOTBOX EFFECTS Blower Box ... Doom without the detune, lol

$140.00 USD

IDIOTBOX EFFECTS

BLOWER BOX  

The company is 14 years old and this has been a Bass player's 

favorite for 7 years. Most definably 'YES' it works on a guitar too. 

In fact it is the heaviest dirt box I have heard that has enough 

top and mids to cut without excuses. In short you do NOT have 

to detune your guitar. 

The layout is Volume, Gain and with active Bass & Treble. 

 

     CONCLUSION __

What's not to love. Even the price is 14 years old, lol. 

It gets my most held back compliment. The damn

thing has balz!!!

___ WHY did HENDRIX TUNE LOWER ???

 432Hz vs 440Hz   

Hendrix is famous for tuning a semitone down. 

That would make an A string that when using a

modern tuner that is fixed to the pitch of A440Hz

become A335Hz. 

But Hendrix tune by a pitch in his head. 

Perhaps he intuitively felt it should be 

lower. Was he instinctively tuning to 

___ A332Hz ??? 

OVERDRIVE- SONICAKE King of Twins ___NEW ___ Bluesbreaker clones, all of 'em

SONICAKE

KING OF TWINS

$60.00 USD

It is definitely a take on the AnalogMan King of Tone.

They are both some what modded but started life as 2 identical Marshall Bluesbreakers in-a-Box. 

The layout is duplicated with each side having a Volume,

Tone, Presence and Gain. Plus a toggle to pick OD, Boost 

or Distortion. 

     CONCLUSION ___

Having played a KOT, I actually prefer this 

more. It has more clarity and definition. 

To my mind it sounds more authentic 

to the real BB, 😇

KRAMER GUITARS ___ #1 overnight but then ...

 KRAMER|  

...a sad history

OVERDRIVE- WILSON EFFECTS Capstone ___NEW___ more Tweed than transparent

WILSON EFFECTS

CAPSTONE ⃝ 

$155.00 USD

We have an OD from a builder who has been around for over 15 years in Guilford Indiana making clones with the not unusual new and improved motto. I had their take on a Marshall Guv'nor and sadly was very disappointed. It was muddy and without any bite 

to compensate. It is the bite and attack that gave many of the old school OD's their saving grace. The layout is Volume, Gain with a full Bass, Mids and Treble EQ. A toggle adds a touch of chorus like moduation to fatten the sound. 

   CONCLUSION __ 

It is touted to be a one size fits all transparent pedal. 

I feel the word 'transparent may have been perhaps

greatly exaggerate, lol. It matters not as I am actually impressed with its real sound. We get a good old school amp like vibe with a very nice fat sound & some serious personality. The price is reasonable for a 'built in 

the States' hand made pedal.

BLIND ____BLIND FOLD TEST ____WHICH STRAT IS BEST

 A SEA OF STRATOCASTERS

OVERDRIVE- DRUNK BEAVER PEDALS Bloom v.2 .... Bixonic Expandora clone

$175.00 USD

DRUNK BEAVER Pedals

BLOOM || 

The Bixonic Expandora was 2 Rat pedals cascaded together and 

one setting turned off their clipping diodes so the 2 OpAmps would 

turn the pedal into a crazy massive Fuzz. Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top 

was crazy about them. He used 4 of them all set to a different 

sound. Good ol' Beaver has done this for you. 

The layout is Volume, Gain and Tone with a rotary switch to 

choose the 4 levels of Gain. A toggle lets you choose between 

LED, Germanium or Silicon diodes. Another toggle is a high pass 

filter to tighten up the sound.

     CONCLUSION __ 

Damn impressive. It is on my short list!! 

A must have! 

____ BURNS GUITARS

 BURNS GUITARS    

 

Brian Mays

Red Special has Burns Tri-Sonic PU's

OVERDRIVE- DUAL STAGE AMPLIFICATION Cyllarus MK1___ NEW ___Klon clone

DUAL STAGE AMPLIFICATION

$165.00 USD

Cyllarus MK1

Another Klon clone. The big feature is in the layout. You get Volume 

and Gain but instead of a Tone control you get both Treble and Bass 

for your EQ. 

           CONCLUSION _ 

I have had several Klons. All mediocre and this is no

exception. 

That said the best I have found is the $50.00 USD 

SONICAKE Trio-Rider. It covers all 3 Klons. The Gold 

classic, the Silver that only 30 were made. It is a 

tad brighter and the come back Klon. The Red or KTR 

(v.2Klon) that lasted only a couple of years. Check

out my Post from July 2025.