Buying guides
Read one of these before you buy. They cover dating a Boss DS-1, telling Big Muff versions apart, the Phase 90 script and block logos, the Tube Screamer family, and the red flags that turn up in vintage pedal listings. If you’re new to used pedals, start with the red flags guide.
Dating a Used Boss DS-1: Japan, Taiwan and the 1994 Chip Change
How to tell which Boss DS-1 you're looking at, from the Made in Japan originals to today's surface-mount boards, and which one to buy.
Read the guide →Big Muff Pi Versions: Triangle, Ram's Head, Op-Amp, Russian and NYC
How to tell a Triangle Big Muff from a Ram's Head, an op-amp Muff or a Sovtek, what each one sounds like, and how to spot the reissues.
Read the guide →MXR Phase 90: Script Logo vs Block Logo, and the Reissues
What really separates a script-logo MXR Phase 90 from a block-logo one, how to spot Dunlop reissues, and which Phase 90 to buy.
Read the guide →Ibanez Tube Screamer: TS808 vs TS9 vs TS9DX, and Which to Buy
How the TS808, TS9 and TS9DX differ, how to tell an original from a reissue, how much the chip matters, and which Tube Screamer to buy.
Read the guide →Vintage Pedal Red Flags: Reissues, Swapped Chips and Hidden Mods
The reissues that pass for originals, the swapped and counterfeit chips, and the hidden mods to watch for when you buy a vintage pedal on eBay.
Read the guide →