MusicRadar Verdict
For classic Maiden leads and sleazy Slash riffs, the Chunk is what you want.
Pros
- +
Value for money. Excellent build quality. Small footprint.
Cons
- -
Not hugely versatile. Size means mains power is a must.
MusicRadar's got your back Our team of expert musicians and producers spends hours testing products to help you choose the best music-making gear for you. Find out more about how we test.
You'd expect a pretty hefty drive from a pedal called Chunk, and you won't be disappointed by this red-hot distortion.
"It's hardly bigger than a couple of nine-volt batteries, but that doesn't mean the spec sheet is any shorter"
Part of Hotone's dinky Skyline series, it's hardly bigger than a couple of nine-volt batteries, but that doesn't mean the spec sheet is any shorter. There's a zinc alloy enclosure, a metal rod to protect the knobs from your size 10s, LED on/off indicator (built into the top knob), glow in the dark volume and tone knobs and true bypass switching.
This stomper delivers massive British rock tones from halfway on the gain dial, while the hot button engages a little extra boost and midrange to cut through the mix. Lighter overdriven tones have a slightly fizzy decay, so the sounds aren't all that versatile, but the tightly focused tone control is perfect for dialling in scorching single-coil and high-gain humbucker tones.
“If you messed something up on a production, admit it, fix it, and move on”: 8 cost-free tips to improve as a producer in 2025
"I switched to a Stratocaster - I got a really good deal in the middle of the night for $120 - and then in 1972, Lowell George showed me his MXR compressor pedal”: Bonnie Raitt on how she developed her famous slide guitar style
“The melodies work so well in this CGDGAD tuning. I’ve absolutely fallen in love with this arrangement”: Magic Mike Dawes is at it again – he’s turned a Sleep Token track into a work of solo acoustic guitar genius
