The Black Arts Toneworks Forest is a Black Arts Toneworks overdrive pedal, currently around $189. Close alternatives include the Colorsound Overdriver and the Sonicake Rude Mouse Distortion. It pairs well with the Hiwatt DR103H and the Hiwatt Custom DR20H.
Black Arts Toneworks Forest
Black Arts Toneworks · pedal
The Black Arts Toneworks Black Forest is an overdrive and fuzz pedal inspired by the classic Colorsound Overdriver circuit, featuring a six-position selector switch that controls gain staging, voicing, and low-end content. Through a clean amplifier the Forest functions as an overdrive; through a dirty amplifier it transforms into a super-raunchy, high-saturation effect. The six-way selector covers multiple rock voicings from vintage overdrive through to heavy fuzz character. Suited for classic rock, stoner rock, and heavy psychedelic applications.
- overdrive
- classic rock
- gain
- vintage
- stoner rock
- saturation
- dirty
- fuzz
Price updated Aug 27, 2026
Genres the Black Arts Toneworks Forest is commonly used in
- Classic Rock
- Rock
- Stoner Rock
- Alternative
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Blues
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Blues Rock
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
Amps that pair well with the Black Arts Toneworks Forest
Hiwatt DR103H
Hiwatt
29% matchStack Hiwatt DR103H on top and a saturated tone tightens toward tight
Hiwatt Custom DR20H
Hiwatt
29% matchHiwatt Custom DR20H takes that saturated character and pushes it toward tight
Magnatone Super Fifteen 15W Head
Magnatone
tonal matchFeed a saturated signal into Magnatone Super Fifteen 15W Head and it comes out closer to tight
Magnatone Super Fifteen 15W 1x12 Combo
Magnatone
tonal matchMagnatone Super Fifteen 15W 1x12 Combo stacks modulated on top of the fuzzy already here
EVH 010
Evh
tonal matchFeed a saturated signal into EVH 010 and it comes out closer to tight
Friedman JEL-Junior (Jake E. Lee Signature) 20W Head
Friedman
tonal matchFeed a saturated signal into Friedman JEL-Junior (Jake E. Lee Signature) 20W Head and it comes out closer to tight
Gallien-Krueger MB108
Gallien Krueger
tonal matchGallien-Krueger MB108 pushes a saturated tone toward tight
Hiwatt HB210HN
Hiwatt
tonal matchFeed a saturated signal into Hiwatt HB210HN and it comes out closer to tight
Pedals that stack with the Black Arts Toneworks Forest
Z.Vex Super Hard On
Zvex
22% matchZ.Vex Super Hard On pushes a saturated tone toward clean boost
Caroline Guitar Company Parabola State Tremolo
Caroline Guitar Company
20% matchCaroline Guitar Company Parabola State Tremolo's clean boost voice goes after Black Arts Toneworks Forest in the signal chain — it's not there to compete with Black Arts Toneworks Forest's own saturated character
Walrus Audio Ages
Walrus Audio
19% matchWalrus Audio Ages takes that saturated character and pushes it toward clean boost
Strymon OB.1 Bass
Strymon
16% matchStrymon OB.1 Bass's own clean boost character is the real reason this is worth trying
Cusack Music Delay TME
Cusack Music
15% matchKeep Cusack Music Delay TME after Black Arts Toneworks Forest in the signal chain, clear of Black Arts Toneworks Forest's own gain stage — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Walrus Audio Mako D1 High-Fidelity Stereo Delay V1
Walrus Audio
10% matchKeep Black Arts Toneworks Forest's saturated voice out front: Walrus Audio Mako D1 High-Fidelity Stereo Delay V1 goes after Black Arts Toneworks Forest in the signal chain so its pristine voice doesn't muddy it — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
EarthQuaker Devices Swiss Things
EarthQuaker Devices
tonal matchEarthQuaker Devices Swiss Things pushes a saturated tone toward clean boost
EarthQuaker Devices Utility Series Buffer Preamp
EarthQuaker Devices
tonal matchEarthQuaker Devices Utility Series Buffer Preamp pushes a saturated tone toward clean boost
Cheaper alternatives
Catalinbread CB-Overdrive
Catalinbread
69% similarityShared character: pedal, simple, classic_rock
ProCo Lil Rat
Proco
67% similarityShared character: fuzz, overdrive
Dunlop MXR M104 Distortion+
Dunlop
67% similarityShared character: simple, classic_rock, gain
MXR CSP038 Brown Acid Fuzz
MXR
64% similarityShared character: fuzz, vintage_charm
EarthQuaker Devices Park Fuzz
EarthQuaker Devices
93% similaritysimilar tone character
Carl Martin Rock Drive
Carl Martin
93% similaritysimilar tone character
Boutique & premium upgrades
Similar charactersee all similar tone character →
Colorsound Overdriver
pedal
70% similarity“The Black Arts Toneworks Black Forest is an overdrive and fuzz pedal inspired by the classic Colorsound Overdriver circuit”
Sonicake Rude Mouse Distortion
Sonicake
70% similarityShared character: pedal, wide_range, fuzz
Black Arts Toneworks Dual Revelation Custom
Black Arts Toneworks
69% similarityShared character: fuzz, simple, gain
MXR M104 Distortion+
MXR
68% similarityShared character: pedal, wide_range, simple
EarthQuaker Devices Hoof Hybrid Fuzz
EarthQuaker Devices
68% similarityShared character: pedal, fuzz, classic_rock
Black Arts Toneworks Crown of Horns
Black Arts Toneworks
93% similaritysimilar tone character
See all alternatives to the Black Arts Toneworks Forest (cheaper + boutique) →
Questions people ask
What are good alternatives to the Black Arts Toneworks Forest?+
The closest matches in character are the Colorsound Overdriver, the Sonicake Rude Mouse Distortion, the Black Arts Toneworks Dual Revelation Custom. Budget picks: Catalinbread CB-Overdrive, ProCo Lil Rat, Dunlop MXR M104 Distortion+. Boutique upgrades: Caroline Guitar Company Wave Cannon Zero, JHS PackRat 9-Way Rodent Distortion.
What pairs well with the Black Arts Toneworks Forest?+
Strong matches from rig and tone-complementarity evidence: Hiwatt DR103H, Hiwatt Custom DR20H, Magnatone Super Fifteen 15W Head — Stack Hiwatt DR103H on top and a saturated tone tightens toward tight.
How much does the Black Arts Toneworks Forest cost?+
Around $189 (live listing price, updated Aug 27, 2026).