Could Nels Cline's ToneConcepts GOO pedal be "the solution to all your distortion needs"?

By Michael Astley-Brown
published

Wilco guitar player demos The Blob-inspired effect

Wilco guitar hero and bona fide pedal nut Nels Cline has launched a signature distortion pedal with Toronto, Canada's ToneConcepts, which he calls "the most expressive, touch sensitive, and responsive distortion pedal I've ever experienced."

Visually inspired by classic 1958 horror flick The Blob, GOO packs controls for volume, shininess and viscosity, and promises to cover genres from rock to alternative to jazz fusion to blues.

These are big claims, but given Cline tested the pedal in the studio and on tour for 12 months, we trust his judgement - you can see him run through the pedal's sounds in the video above.

Only 250 of these tone monsters will be produced in 2016 - the GOO is available now from ToneConcepts for $289.

Michael Astley-Brown
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.