As we make our way into the new decade, we here at Pedals and Effects wanted to take a look back at the pedals that really impressed us in 2019. The last few years have really shown us that we truly are in the golden age of effects pedals. Smaller pedal operations have been enough to shake up the industry with their output, and even get the titans of the industry to notice and do similar things. In the end we all benefit from innovation. So let’s take a look at what innovation brought us in 2019!

Source Audio C4

Big things come in small packages, and the Source Audio C4 is capable of some of the biggest synth sounds you will hear. Looks are definitely deceiving, as you can dial in sounds beyond the four knob setup with Source Audio’s Neuro Desktop editor. For the synth-heads, with the Neuro editor you can adjust oscillation, wave shapes, filters, pitch shifting and more. The Source Audio C4 is capable of presets too, so you can save all of your wild creations.

Boss SY-1

Behold! The Boss SY-1. You can spend hours dialing in a crazy unique synth sound, but you can also spend 30 seconds and get something equally as crazy and unique. The Boss SY-1, while a downsized version of their SY-300, is just as capable. The SY-1 has an effects loop where you can run anything in parallel with it for even crazier sounds. It’s the gift that keeps on giving, and you get what you put into it. Turn those knobs and you’re good to go. It’s all there, right in the box. Built like a tank and available everywhere, it’s Boss. Check out our full in-depth coverage here.

Keeley Electronics Synth-1

The Keeley Synth-1 is a very sneaky pedal. While it says “Synth” on it, you can get some very interesting non synth sounds from it, but you can still totally get all your synth sounds from it too. Labeled as a “Reverse Attack Fuzz Wave Generator” the Synth-1 can get OG Boss Slow Gear swells, Moog drops, and more! It’s a non synth pedal, but also very much a synth pedal, it has fantastic tracking too.

Earthquaker Devices Plumes

The Plumes by Earthquaker Devices is a lot more than you think it is. Not quite a transparent overdrive like their Westwood, but not quite a Tube Screamer clone. The Plumes is it’s own thing, and the tones you can get out of it will elevate your playing. Clean amp, dirty amp, guitar, bass, even keys, all sound great through the Plumes. Add some grit to your instrument, or push an already driven amp for all those sweet sounds.

Red Panda Particle 2

The geniuses at Red Panda made their already great Particle, even greater! Smaller footprint, longer delay time, tap tempo, assignable expression pedal, and most of all not one, not two, but 127 presets! Don’t sleep on Red Panda, and don’t sleep on the Particle! Red Panda are constantly changing the game, and we can’t wait to see what they come up with in 2020.

Chase Bliss Mood

This pedal absolutely lives up to its name. How can you not be in a good mood when playing the Chase Bliss Mood? 2019 was a great year for granular delays, and the Chase Bliss Mood takes things one step further. You can loop, you can reverb, you can crush it, all those sounds you dream up in your head are possible with the Mood. Like other Chase Bliss pedals, the MIDI, and dip switches allow for endless possibilities.

The Trapper by Fender

While they’ve been in the effects pedal game before, Fender has been making some bold statements with their compact line of pedals. The Trapper is a great sounding fuzz. With an original circuit it’s definitely one of the more unique fuzz sounds we’ve heard, and we’ve heard quite a bit of fuzz. Quality of life stuff like LED’s in the knobs, and a magnetic battery case that makes us wonder why this isn’t standard for every pedal. The Trapper was such a pleasant surprise from Fender for 2019.

Third Man Records Plasma Coil by Gamechanger Audio

We had previously covered Gamechanger audio’s Plasma pedal, and for 2019 the raconteur himself, Jack White got involved. The Third Man Records Plasma coil is everything you loved about the Plasma, but more condensed and streamlined. Let’s not ignore the fact this pedal has actual Xenon gas in it! This is just as much a fuzz pedal as it is outboard gear. Great distorted sounds, through crazy unique science.

Rainger FX Drone Rainger

Speaking of crazy unique science, the mad scientist at Rainger FX is back at it with the Drone Rainger. The Drone Rainger is a delay pedal, but it may very well be a modular synth component. You can get crazy delay sounds out of it, or you can have it generate a drone/pulse that you can play over. It can be super atmospheric, or super gnarly. Check out the design! The chipboard has an accompanying LED light that makes this pedal look like it’s breathing, like it’s alive. Honestly, it may very well be.

Meris Hedra

The Meris Hedra isn’t your normal kind of octave pedal. With impeccable tracking, you can do crazy Brian May Queen style harmonies, Tom Morello pitch shifts, or throw caution to the wind and get real weird. Flat those fifths, and those ninths, and that angelic chorus becomes a beautiful nightmare. You can get a super lush multi-voiced, harmonized chorus of whatever instrument you happen to be playing, and it sounds great through every single one of them. Crazy octave drops, scale leaping, perfectly tracked harmonies, the Meris Hedra may very well be, the very best octave pedal out there.

Smaller pedal operations have been enough to shake up the industry with their output, and even get the titans of the industry to notice and do similar things. In the end we all benefit from innovation. It's an exciting time to be a Pedals and Effects fan! Happy 2020, expect more from us, and long live effects!

-Juan

Blog

Top Ten Pedals of 2019