The Black Arts Toneworks -Skyboost is a Black Arts Toneworks overdrive pedal, currently around $129. Close alternatives include the Warm Audio Dirty Boy Jr. Booster and the Frost Giant Electronics Yama. It pairs well with the Fender Prosonic and the Marshall JTM45 45W Tube Guitar Amp Head.
Black Arts Toneworks -Skyboost
Black Arts Toneworks · pedal
The Black Arts Toneworks Skyboost is a boost pedal that spans from a full-range transparent clean boost through gritty treble boost into light fuzz-like overdrive character as the boost level increases. A single continuous control transitions the boost personality across the full range without switched modes. Suited for blues, classic rock, and situations where a clean boost needs to also cover slight drive coloration without a separate drive pedal in the chain.
What stands out
“The Black Arts Toneworks Skyboost is a boost pedal that spans from a full-range transparent clean boost through gritty treble boost into light fuzz-like overdrive character as the boost level increases”
— from the listing
“Single-control boost spanning clean and transparent at low settings through gritty, treble-accented boost into fuzzy drive character at maximum, with”
— from the community notes
“Recommended for blues and classic rock players needing a single pedal that covers boost and subtle drive”
— from the reviews
“Suited for blues, classic rock, and situations where a clean boost needs to also cover slight drive coloration”
— from the listing
“The continuous transition from clean to fuzz is the standout feature -- players can set a fixed boost level that sits exactly between boost and light drive for a consistent character”
— from the community notes
- boost
- treble
- drive
- subtle
- clean boost
- classic rock
- gritty
- transparent
Price updated Oct 23, 2026
Genres the Black Arts Toneworks -Skyboost is commonly used in
- Classic Rock
- Blues
- Alternative
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Rock
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Indie Rock
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Country
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
Amps that pair well with the Black Arts Toneworks -Skyboost
Fender Prosonic
amplifier
25% matchfills a frequency gapFills in a frequency range the other side doesn't cover, instead of piling more onto what's already there. (bright → warm)
Fender Prosonic's warm balances out the bright tone
Comes later in the signal chain
Marshall JTM45 45W Tube Guitar Amp Head
amplifier
24% matchfills a frequency gapFills in a frequency range the other side doesn't cover, instead of piling more onto what's already there. (bright → warm)
Marshall JTM45 45W Tube Guitar Amp Head leans warm right where the bright tone needs it
Comes later in the signal chain
Hiwatt Park P18LH 'Little 45' Handwired18W
Hiwatt
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Run Hiwatt Park P18LH 'Little 45' Handwired18W after it and the bright edge settles into something more warm
Orange BT1000H Terror Bass 1000-Watt Bass Amp
Orange
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Orange BT1000H Terror Bass 1000-Watt Bass Amp leans warm right where the bright tone needs it
Orange Terror Bass
Orange
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Orange Terror Bass leans warm right where the bright tone needs it
Orange Little Bass Thing
Orange
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Run Orange Little Bass Thing after it and the bright edge settles into something more warm
Gibson GA-50
Gibson
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Where this leans bright, Gibson GA-50 answers back warm
Blackstar Series One 200
Blackstar
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Where this leans bright, Blackstar Series One 200 answers back warm
Pedals that stack with the Black Arts Toneworks -Skyboost
Hughes & Kettner Tube Rotosphere MKII The Analog Leslie Simulator
pedal
21% matchsits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.
Run Hughes & Kettner Tube Rotosphere MKII The Analog Leslie Simulator after Black Arts Toneworks -Skyboost in the signal chain, clear of Black Arts Toneworks -Skyboost's own gain stage
Comes later in the signal chain
Ashdown Velvet Compressor
Ashdown
17% matchfills a frequency gapFills in a frequency range the other side doesn't cover, instead of piling more onto what's already there. (bright → smooth)
What Ashdown Velvet Compressor brings here leans toward compressed — that's worth building a pairing around
Comes earlier in the signal chain
ZVEX Fuzz Factory
Zvex
17% matchfills a frequency gapFills in a frequency range the other side doesn't cover, instead of piling more onto what's already there. (bright → smooth)
ZVEX Fuzz Factory's smooth balances out the bright tone
Comes later in the signal chain
Catalinbread SFT
Catalinbread
16% matchfills a frequency gapFills in a frequency range the other side doesn't cover, instead of piling more onto what's already there. (bright → warm)
Catalinbread SFT's warm balances out the bright tone
Suhr Discovery
Suhr
14% matchsits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.
Keep Black Arts Toneworks -Skyboost's bright voice out front: Suhr Discovery goes after Black Arts Toneworks -Skyboost in the signal chain so its warm voice doesn't muddy it — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Comes later in the signal chain
Line 6 DL4 Delay Modeler
pedal
13% matchsits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.
Put Line 6 DL4 Delay Modeler after Black Arts Toneworks -Skyboost in the signal chain, clear of Black Arts Toneworks -Skyboost's own gain stage — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Comes later in the signal chain
Dunlop Blue Hippo Optical Tremolo
Dunlop
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Run Dunlop Blue Hippo Optical Tremolo after it and the bright edge settles into something more warm
SolidGoldFX Commodore Breaker Overdrive
Solidgoldfx
tonal matchSolidGoldFX Commodore Breaker Overdrive leans smooth right where the bright tone needs it
Cheaper alternatives
Carl Martin Hydra boost
Carl Martin
64% similarityShared character: wide range, boost, presence
Blackstar LT-Boost
Blackstar
62% similarityShared character: boost, simple
Fender Engager Boost
Fender
62% similarityShared character: boost, treble, subtle
WEM CCB-1 Copicat Boost
Wem
62% similarityShared character: boost, presence, subtle
EarthQuaker Devices '- Speaker Cranker
EarthQuaker Devices
60% similarityShared character: single coils, boost, presence
EarthQuaker Devices Arrows
EarthQuaker Devices
60% similarityShared character: single coils, boost, presence
Boutique & premium upgrades
Xotic RC Booster V2
Xotic
64% similarityShared character: boost, presence, subtle
Xotic RC Booster
Xotic
61% similarityShared character: boost, treble, transparent
Analog Man King of Tone
Analog Man
60% similarityShared character: boost, treble, transparent
Suhr Koko Boost
Suhr
58% similarityShared character: boost, middle, simple
Revv Tilt Boost (Shawn Tubbs Signature)
Revv
58% similarityShared character: boost, presence, treble
Xotic BB Preamp V1.5
Xotic
95% similaritysimilar tone character
Similar charactersee all similar tone character →
Warm Audio Dirty Boy Jr. Booster
Warm Audio
66% similarityShared character: wide range, boost, treble
Frost Giant Electronics Yama
Frost Giant Electronics
63% similarityShared character: single coils, wide range, boost
J. Rockett Archer Clean
J Rockett
63% similarityShared character: boost, treble, simple
TC Electronic Spark Mini Booster
TC Electronic
60% similarityShared character: boost, simple, transparent
Catalinbread Sidearm
Catalinbread
59% similarityShared character: boost, presence, subtle
Warm Audio Centavo
Warm Audio
58% similarityShared character: boost, treble, subtle
See all alternatives to the Black Arts Toneworks -Skyboost (cheaper + boutique) →
Questions people ask
What are good alternatives to the Black Arts Toneworks -Skyboost?+
The closest matches in character are the Warm Audio Dirty Boy Jr. Booster, the Frost Giant Electronics Yama, the J. Rockett Archer Clean. Budget picks: Carl Martin Hydra boost, Blackstar LT-Boost, Fender Engager Boost. Boutique upgrades: Xotic RC Booster V2, Xotic RC Booster, Analog Man King of Tone.
What pairs well with the Black Arts Toneworks -Skyboost?+
Strong matches from rig and tone-complementarity evidence: Fender Prosonic, Marshall JTM45 45W Tube Guitar Amp Head, Hiwatt Park P18LH 'Little 45' Handwired18W — Fender Prosonic's warm balances out the bright tone.
How much does the Black Arts Toneworks -Skyboost cost?+
Around $129 (live listing price, updated Oct 23, 2026).