Skip to main content
MusicRadar MusicRadar The No.1 website for musicians
UK EditionUK US EditionUS AU EditionAustralia SG EditionSingapore
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Artist news
  • Music Gear Reviews
  • Synths
  • Guitars
  • Controllers
  • Drums
  • Keyboards & Pianos
  • Guitar Amps
  • Software & Apps
  • More
    • Recording
    • DJ Gear
    • Acoustic Guitars
    • Bass Guitars
    • Tech
    • Tutorials
    • Reviews
    • Buying Guides
    • About us
Don't miss these
More
  • "The most expensive bit of drumming in history”
  • JoBo x Fuchs
  • Radiohead Daydreaming
  • Vanilla Fudge
  • 95k+ free music samples
  1. Guitars
  2. Guitar Pedals

Six of the best: multi-fx pedals

News
By Guitarist ( Guitarist ) published 6 March 2015

One for all...

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

T-Rex Soulmate

T-Rex Soulmate

When this arrived, we all wondered why it had taken so long. So, in one ’board you get an overdrive, distortion, delay, reverb, boost and tuner, derived from some of T-Rex’s most revered pedals.

It’s all analogue, and includes an effects loop insert after distortion/before delay to add more pedals. You can use it as five separate pedals, or choose to program 10 preset sounds. Full pedalboard, no mess, no hassle.

4 out of 5

Read our full T-Rex Soulmate review

BUY: T-Rex Soulmate currently available from:
UK: Thomann | DV247
US: Full Compass

Page 1 of 6
Page 1 of 6
Electro-Harmonix Tone Tattoo

Electro-Harmonix Tone Tattoo

There are three pedals in one here: EHX’s Metal Muff distortion, Neo Clone chorus and Memory Toy analogue delay.

They all work independently and are wired in series in the order above. The Metal Muff is much more versatile than its name implies, so this would be a good choice for pretty much any rock, pop or heavy blues player looking for these effects in one box.

4 out of 5

Read our full Electro-Harmonix Tone Tattoo review

BUY: Electro-Harmonix Tone Tattoo currently available from:
UK: Andertons | Thomann | Gear4Music | DV247
US: Sweetwater | Full Compass

Page 2 of 6
Page 2 of 6
Pigtronix Disnortion

Pigtronix Disnortion

This Disnortion pedal crams overdrive, fuzz and octave-up all into one unit, and each effect is selectable independently.

The octaver is the first in the chain, wired in series, while the diode-clipped fuzz and overdrive are in parallel so they don’t cascade into one another. The fuzz has a number of really useful EQ curves to make it sit how you like with the overdrive. Sambora and Jimi? Oh yes!

Page 3 of 6
Page 3 of 6
Carl Martin Quattro

Carl Martin Quattro

Another all-analogue, multi-pedals-in-one approach, this combines a compressor, two overdrive modes, chorus and an echo (delay) unit with tap tempo.

You get the option of a loop insert between the drive and the chorus sections for adding more pedals, and with no presets mode it’s always WYSIWYG on the top panel. There are plenty of classic tones available here, for sure.

4.5 out of 5

Read our full Carl Martin Quattro review

BUY: Carl Martin Quattro currently available from:
UK: Thomann | Gear4Music | DV247
US: Full Compass

Page 4 of 6
Page 4 of 6
Strymon Flint

Strymon Flint

Now a staple of so many pro ’boards, Strymon combines the best in analogue and digital signal processing, not least here with vintage-flavoured reverb and tremolo in one box.

Drawing on models of six classic ’verbs and tremolos, the Flint lets you mix them in any combination and manipulate all the key parameters. You can route the effects in either order: simply awesome ambience.

4 out of 5

Read our full Strymon Flint review

BUY: Strymon Flint currently available from:
UK: Andertons Music | Thomann | DV247

Page 5 of 6
Page 5 of 6
Line 6 M9

Line 6 M9

We’re veering into digital multi- effects here, but the M9’s pedal-type layout and stompbox inspiration just about warrant its inclusion. So, you have a dizzying array of classic stompboxes, simulated digitally and offered up in programmable format.

What you lose in analogue sound/ circuit integrity, you make up for in massive flexibility, versatility and programmability. With a looper and tuner included, there’s a lot in here.

4 out of 5

Read our full Line 6 M9 review

BUY: Line 6 M9 currently available from:
UK: Andertons Music | Thomann | Gear4Music | DV247
US: Sweetwater | Full Compass

Page 6 of 6
Page 6 of 6
Guitarist
Guitarist
Social Links Navigation

Guitarist is the longest established UK guitar magazine, offering gear reviews, artist interviews, techniques lessons and loads more, in print, on tablet and on smartphones
Digital: http://bit.ly/GuitaristiOS
If you love guitars, you'll love Guitarist. Find us in print, on Newsstand for iPad, iPhone and other digital readers

The magazine for serious players image
The magazine for serious players
Subscribe and save today!
More Info
Latest in Guitar Pedals
Funny Little Boxes Caught By The Fuzz: inspired by Supergrass, this two-knob fuzz has a white enclosure, blue dials, and a comic graphic of someone being apprehended in a police car.
"Its simplicity is a selling point": Funny Little Boxes Caught By The Fuzz review
 
 
Keeley Electronics Nocturne: this new stereo reverb is the latest signature pedal for Andy Timmons and has a dark metallic blue enclosure with a similar control surface to his Halo Core pedal.
“I turn this thing on, I don’t want to stop playing”: Keeley Electronics has made Andy Timmons fall in love with reverb with his new signature Nocturne pedal
 
 
JHS Pedals x Electro-Harmonix Big Muff 2: This limited edition fuzz pedal was created from a long-lost blueprint that was unearthed while researching the upcoming book about the NYC pedal brand.
Electro-Harmonix and JHS Pedals team up for a Big Muff based on schematic that had been lying forgotten for 50 years
 
 
Crazy Tube Circuits Orama: the orange/peach coloured pedal combines classic preamp and fuzz circuits and promises a wide range of sounds
Crazy Tube Circuits squeezes out another sweet twofer with the Orama preamp/fuzz pedal
 
 
Strymon Fairfax Class A Output Drive: the first in the Series A range, this is an all-analogue pedal inspired by the Herzog unit made famous by Randy Bachman
Strymon debuts Series A analogue pedals range with the Fairfax – a “chameleon” drive that can “breathe fire”
 
 
The DOD Badder Monkey is a redux take on the DigiTech Bad Monkey overdrive, but it adds two all-new circuits, plus a wooden barrel knob for blending them. It is painted green and has an illustration of a chimpanzee on the front of the pedal, which is an ape, not a monkey.
DOD reimagines a Gary Moore overdrive favourite as the Badder Monkey – think the DigiTech Green Monkey, only badder
 
 
Latest in News
Lollipop Star
"Bite down, and feel the music": Lollipop Star is the sweet candy treat that you can both lick and listen to
 
 
Brian May [left] leans back and feels a chord as he performs live with his Red Special. Steve Vai [right] wears a ballcap and looks pleased as punch as he shows off his custom 'Green' Red Special that May had built for him.
Steve Vai once played Brian May’s guitar “like a baby giraffe on roller skates” – now the Queen icon has gifted him his own ‘Green’ Red Special
 
 
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - APRIL 05: Olivia Rodrigo performs onstage during the Olivia Rodrigo Sold-Out GUTS World Tour at Madison Square Garden on April 05, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Live Nation)
“Driver’s License Application for Renewal”: Fans speculate on the meaning of the cryptic front page of Olivia Rodrigo’s website
 
 
Freedom for Sudan
The Weeknd, Pink Pantheress and Olivia Rodrigo donate to online auction in aid of the people of war-torn Sudan
 
 
Fender CEO Edward "Bud" Cole wears a dark blue suit jacket and white open-collar shirt as he poses with a Telecaster
“To lead Fender is the honour of a lifetime”: Fender announces Edward “Bud” Cole as its new CEO
 
 
Dave Mustaine, founder, guitarist, vocalist and songwriter of US band Megadeth, performs at the Iconica Sevilla Fest, in Seville on July 3, 2025. (Photo by CRISTINA QUICLER / AFP) (Photo by CRISTINA QUICLER/AFP via Getty Images)
“It’s not ‘puppet show Megadeth’”: Dave Mustaine says he doesn't want guesting ex-members on Megadeth’s final tour
 
 

MusicRadar is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

Add as a preferred source on Google
  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

© Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number 2008885.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...