The EarthQuaker Devices Pedals You Should Try in 2024
EarthQuaker Devices stands as one of the most innovative audio companies, thanks to their creative effects and eye-catching pedals. Among the many pedals on EarthQuaker Devices' line, you can find anything from traditional-sounding units such as the Park Fuzz to disruptive effects like the Rainbow Machine.
In this article, we cover our 10 favorite EarthQuaker Devices pedals. While this is a list based on personal opinion, the company has many gems in its collection, so we highly suggest you have a look at all their effects units. Let's get started!
In a hurry? Check out our quick guide with the best EarthQuaker Devices pedals at the end of the article.
A Brief History of EarthQuaker Devices
Founded in 2004 by Jamie Stillman in Ohio, EarthQuaker Devices began as a personal project when Stillman successfully repaired an overdrive pedal. Inspired by the success and interest in his modifications, he started creating unique, hand-built effects pedals. The company quickly gained a reputation for its creative and high-quality products, appealing to musicians seeking distinctive sounds.
By 2011, EarthQuaker Devices expanded from Stillman's basement into a dedicated facility, employing a growing team of skilled builders. Today, EarthQuaker Devices is celebrated for its wide range of effects pedals, including popular models like the Avalanche Run, Rainbow Machine, and Afterneath, earning a loyal following among musicians worldwide.
Unique Features You Can Find on EarthQuaker Devices Pedals
One of our favorite things about EarthQuaker Devices pedals is the unique features you can find on each unit. Apart from the top-notch craftsmanship, the company is known for doing creative twists to classic guitar effects.
For example, one very interesting feature on many of the company's pedals is the Flexi-Switch technology. It allows you to use momentary and latching style switching simultaneously. You can, for example, hold the footswitch down to use the effect and release it at any time to bypass it.
There are many EarthQuaker Devices pedals worth exploring. Below, we dive deep into the 10 EarthQuaker Devices pedals every guitar player should try in 2024.
10 Best EarthQuaker Devices Pedals to Try in 2024
Park Fuzz
Main Features
- Based on the classic Park Amplifiers fuzz.
- NOS-matched germanium transistors
- Wide fuzz range
- True bypass
The Park Fuzz is a superb-sounding fuzz that aims to recreate the vibe of the original pedal by Park Amplifiers, from the 1960s. With its NOS-matched germanium transistors, it is an extremely reliable unit.
Despite being inspired by a vintage pedal, it has many quality-of-life features that weren't present in the original unit, such as metal film resistors for quieter performance and a wider fuzz range. It's a very versatile pedal, as far as sound goes, but it's particularly good for styles with roots in classic rock.
As with any other fuzz, a great tip is to use the volume and tone knobs of your guitar to your advantage when taming this monster of a unit.
Rainbow Machine V2
Main Features
- Polyphonic pitch-shifting effects based on modern DSP.
- 6 Independent parameters.
- Magic function (activated via the footswitch).
- Expression jack.
The Rainbow Machine is one of the craziest and most sought-after pedals made by EarthQuaker Devices. Its effect on the tone is hard to categorize, but it's essentially a polyphonic pitch-shifter with different modulations and many curious features.
Six independent parameters can be tinkered with to achieve different effects from chorus to mind-warping delays. You can adjust some pretty specific parameters, such as the aliasing (magic knob) to create experimental effects.
The magic knob is a regeneration control that creates aliasing. In simple terms, turning it up can have all sorts of effects on your tone: increased ambience, resonance, self-oscillation, pixie trails, and so on. What you'll get will depend on other parameters, but one thing is for certain: it will sound crazy!
We recommend you watch the demo video below to hear the pedal in action since the Rainbow Machine is a very unique-sounding effect unit.
Time Shadows (EarthQuaker Devices and Death By Audio Collaboration)
Main Features
- Three Delay Modes
- Six preset slots
- Expression jack
- True bypass
The Time Shadows is a very creative delay. A collaboration between EarthQuaker Devices and Death By Audio, it has many features that are rare to come across in other pedals, such as the three distinctive delay modes and the six preset slots, not to mention its aesthetically pleasing design.
The first mode is the EQD, an envelope-controlled sub-octave filter delay that's very expressive and psychedelic in nature, great for creating soundscapes. In the middle position, you'll find the !¡ mode, a dual delay that constantly shifts up and down with each regeneration. The last mode is the DBA, a multi-delay regenerating filter.
You can tinker with each mode's parameters via the three knobs: time, span, and filter. What's also great about this pedal is that it has six preset slots and an assignable expression jack. It’s definitely a superb choice for experimental players.
Sea Machine V3
Main Features
- Chorus pedal with six distinctive parameters
- Pitch-shifting capabilities
- Built-in ambiance
- Flexi-switch technology
The Sea Machine may sound like a normal chorus pedal at first, but it's a powerhouse for fans of the effect. It covers anything from new wave-like chorus to classic Leslie sounds and pitch-bent experimental craziness.
Out of its six parameters, the intensity, depth, shape, and rate knobs will give you that classic chorus effect that's popular with pretty much all guitar players. The experimental possibilities start to appear as you tinker with animate and dimension.
The animate knob will dictate the swing of the pitch-shifted signal, while dimension can add anything from subtle slap-back to self-oscillation echoes to your tone. Turning these parameters to the max will yield some pretty crazy results.
Hoof V2
Main Features
- Fuzz pedal based on the green Russian Muff circuit
- Hybrid germanium/silicon design
- Four distinctive parameters
The Hoof fuzz is one of EarthQuaker Devices' most successful and acclaimed pedals. Based on the green Russian Muff circuit, it has a vintage DNA paired with improved features, such as the shift knob that allows you to boost the mid content of your tone.
With its hybrid germanium/silicon design, you can achieve pretty much any flavor of fuzz with this pedal: from classic vintage tones to borderline feedback sounds. It's however perfect for heavier styles, power chords, and drop tunings, similar to the original green Russian Muff.
What's nice about the Hoof is that the fuzz knob has a very wide range of operations, allowing you to squeeze as much tone as possible out of the unit. Turning the knob to the right can give you crazy amounts of harmonic distortion and sustain.
Dispatch Master V3
Main Features
- Hi-fi digital delay and reverb
- Four independent parameters
- Flexi-switch technology
- True bypass
The Dispatch Master combines hi-fi digital delay and reverb into one pedal. It's a versatile pedal that's excellent for beginners, thanks to its ease of use and the fact that you can easily achieve a great-sounding tone with the unit.
You can use the delay and reverb separately or in combination: by turning the reverb knob all the way down, the Dispatch Master will function as a delay, while doing the same to the time and repeat controls will make it function as a reverb. If you want to use both effects together, you can simply adjust each parameter to taste.
What's also nice about the Dispatch Master is that it has flexi-switch technology, allowing you to use the footswitch in latch mode. If you want, for example, to create an instant reverb tail to your sound, you can hold down the switch as long as you like and then release it to bypass the pedal at any time.
The Depths V2
Main Features
- Based on the classic optical vibe circuit
- Five distinctive parameters
- Flexi-switch technology
- True bypass
If you're a fan of the classic optical vibe sound you're gonna love this pedal. With circuitry based on vintage units, The Depths can deliver some pretty creative swirling sounds. Paired with other pedals such as a fuzz or an overdrive, it sounds even better, allowing you to channel some of that 1960s mojo.
The controls and parameters on this pedal are pretty straightforward, but there are a few modern additions to make guitarist's lives easier. The voice knob, for example, functions as an EQ, so you can control how thin or full you want your tone to sound.
There is, however, a knob you won't find on any other pedal of its type, and it's the Throb parameter: it controls the low-end pulse of the effect. By turning it up, your tone can get pretty experimental. Make sure to watch the video below to check how it sounds!
Plumes
Main Features
- Classic tube-like overdrive
- Three distinctive clipping voices
- Flexi-switch technology
- True bypass
The Plumes is a classic tube-like overdrive pedal. What makes it special are the three distinctive clipping voices: each voice has its own flavor and is meticulously crafted to give you the maximum amount of dynamic control, making the unit a versatile and solid addition to any pedalboard.
The first mode is the symmetrical clipping overdrive: it emulates the classic tone from vintage Marshall amps, providing a dirty yet solid tone. If you prefer a clean boost just to push your amp, just set the voice switch to the middle.
The third and final mode, the asymmetrical silicon diode arrangement, is based on the classic stock screamer overdrive, but with added output and clarity. It is very dynamic and sounds very transparent. With the tone knob, you can further tailor your tone to perfection.
Astral Destiny
Main Features
- Modulated octave reverb
- Eight reverb modes
- Eight editable presets
- Expression jack
- Tails/full bypass switch
The Astral Destiny might leave you busy for days with its many tone possibilities. It's a modulated octave reverb with eight distinctive modes and many parameters to help you explore its features. The unit covers a lot of ground, from shimmer reverbs to pitch-bent experimental echoes.
Among the eight modes, you can find gems such as the Astral setting, which combines upper and lower octaves, and the Cosmos, which adds a regenerating fifth to the reverb tail. You can further adjust the echoes with the pedal's many parameters, as well as save your favorite sounds to the preset slots.
What's also cool about this pedal is the footswitch operation. The main switch can be used in tails or full bypass mode: the tails mode allows the effect to decay even after the pedal is bypassed. The stretch switch is also interesting: it can double the length of the reverb and add a temporary change in pitch to the tail. Listen to the unit in action below.
Acapulco Gold V2
Main Features
- Distortion pedal modeled after a cranked vintage model T amplifier
- Relay-based switching
- True bypass
The Acapulco Gold is a simple pedal, yet it's one of the most sought-after units from EarthQuaker Devices. With just one knob, its excellence lies in the fact that it's extremely responsive to your playing. The unit is modeled after a cranked vintage model T amplifier.
Apart from using the big output knob, you can also use your guitar's volume and tone knobs to your advantage when taming the Acapulco Gold. And despite being minimalist, it can go from subtle transparent overdrive to extreme distortion really fast. The pedal is also very responsive to the dynamics of your playing.
Conclusion
These are the 10 EarthQuaker Devices pedals you should try in 2024. While many effect units were covered on the list, the company's collection is huge, so make sure you take a look at their complete line here.
Below is a rundown of each pedal covered in our blog post. Thank you for reading the article!
|
Effect Type |
Pedal |
Price |
|
Fuzz |
$179.00 |
|
|
Pitch-Shifter/Modulation |
$229.00 |
|
|
Delay |
Time Shadows (EarthQuaker Devices and Death By Audio Collaboration) |
$199.00 |
|
Chorus |
$199.00 |
|
|
Fuzz |
$179.00 |
|
|
Delay/Reverb |
$199.00 |
|
|
Vibe |
$199.00 |
|
|
Overdrive |
$99.00 |
|
|
Reverb |
$199.00 |
|
|
Distortion |
$139.00 |
You can check these and many other pedals on our store!
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