Wampler releases Mini Ego Compressor, upgrades Pinnacle Deluxe and Faux Tape Echo effects pedals

Pedal guru Brian Wampler has been a busy man: not only has he revamped much of his stompbox line with new graphics, top mounted jacks, and true bypass relay switching, but he's gone and released the long-awaited Mini Ego Compressor, plus added a host of new features to the ever-popular Pinnacle Deluxe and Faux Tape Echo.

The Mini Ego Compressor boasts the same features as the original, including clean blend, sustain and volume controls, but offers tone and attack switches rather than knobs, all in a teeny tiny enclosure.

Like the original, the Pinnacle Deluxe V2 handles brown sound to classic rock, but adds a three-band EQ, bright and bass boosts and a 'Valve Screamer' pre-gain boost. A sag switch can be used to tighten or loosen the overdriven tone, too.

Finally, the Faux Tape Echo V2 adds subdivisions to the pedal's tap tempo control, wringing more precise rhythms from the digital filtered tape delay emulation, while retaining a pure analogue dry path.

All extremely worthwhile upgrades, these. All three pedals are available now for $179 (Mini Ego Compressor) and $239 (Pinnacle Deluxe v2, Faux Tape Echo v2) apiece.

Wampler isn't the only company to upgrade its existing line, either: earlier this week, EarthQuaker Devices announced updates to four of its own longstanding pedals.

Michael Astley-Brown

Mike is Editor-in-Chief of GuitarWorld.com, in addition to being an offset fiend and recovering pedal addict. He has a master's degree in journalism, and has spent the past decade writing and editing for guitar publications including MusicRadar, Total Guitar and Guitarist, as well as a decade-and-a-half performing in bands of variable genre (and quality). In his free time, you'll find him making progressive instrumental rock under the nom de plume Maebe.