The Caroline Guitar Company Icarus V2 is a Caroline Guitar Company overdrive pedal, currently around $189. Close alternatives include the Greer Moonshot Germanium preamp and the Mission Engineering Delta III Germanium Overdrive. It pairs well with the Engl Savage 120 Mark II E610II 120 Watt 4 Channel Tube and the PRS HX 100 Head.
Caroline Guitar Company Icarus V2
Caroline Guitar Company · pedal
The Caroline Guitar Company Icarus V2 is a two-stage boost and overdrive pedal using silicon and Russian germanium components. The first stage delivers a clean, full-response boost suitable for pushing other pedals or an amp input. The second stage uses the combination of silicon and Russian germanium components to produce a light-to-medium overdrive with harmonic richness and vintage transistor character. Versatile as a standalone boost, a standalone overdrive, or a two-stage gain structure. Made by Caroline Guitar Company.
What stands out
“The Caroline Guitar Company Icarus V2 is a two-stage boost and overdrive pedal using silicon and Russian germanium components”
— from the listing
“The germanium overdrive stage adds harmonic warmth and a slightly compressed, organic character that silicon-only stages do”
— from the reviews
“Two-stage boost plus overdrive using mixed silicon and Russian germanium components, covering clean boost through light-to-medium overdrive with vintage transistor harmonic character”
— from the community notes
“The second stage uses the combination of silicon and Russian germanium components to produce a light-to-medium overdrive with harmonic richness and vintage transistor character”
— from the listing
“At full gain in the overdrive stage, some temperature-related variation in the Russian germanium component can affect character consistency, though to a lesser degree than pure germanium circuits”
— from the community notes
- stage
- overdrive
- germanium
- boost
- silicon
- clean boost
- harmonic
- warmth
Price updated Oct 24, 2026
Genres the Caroline Guitar Company Icarus V2 is commonly used in
- Indie
- Blues
- Country
- Alternative
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Classic 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.
Amps that pair well with the Caroline Guitar Company Icarus V2
Engl Savage 120 Mark II E610II 120 Watt 4 Channel Tube
Engl
23% matchfills a frequency gapFills in a frequency range the other side doesn't cover, instead of piling more onto what's already there. (warm → bright)
Run Engl Savage 120 Mark II E610II 120 Watt 4 Channel Tube after it and the warm edge settles into something more bright
Comes later in the signal chain
PRS HX 100 Head
PRS
23% matchfills a frequency gapFills in a frequency range the other side doesn't cover, instead of piling more onto what's already there. (warm → bright)
PRS HX 100 Head leans bright right where the warm tone needs it
Comes later in the signal chain
Bogner Snorkler 50
Bogner
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Bogner Snorkler 50 leans bright right where the warm tone needs it
Engl 120 E610 MK II
Engl
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Engl 120 E610 MK II goes after Caroline Guitar Company Icarus V2 in the chain
Blackstar HT Club 50 MKII
Blackstar
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Put Blackstar HT Club 50 MKII after Caroline Guitar Company Icarus V2
Marshall 2203KK Kerry King JCM800
Marshall
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Where this leans warm, Marshall 2203KK Kerry King JCM800 answers back bright
Peavey 6505 MH 20W Mini Head
Peavey
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Peavey 6505 MH 20W Mini Head goes after Caroline Guitar Company Icarus V2 in the chain
PRS MT 15 V2 Mark Tremonti Signature 2-Channel 15W Head
PRS
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Put PRS MT 15 V2 Mark Tremonti Signature 2-Channel 15W Head after Caroline Guitar Company Icarus V2
Pedals that stack with the Caroline Guitar Company Icarus V2
Beetronics Fatbee JFET Overdrive
Beetronics
21% matchfills a frequency gapFills in a frequency range the other side doesn't cover, instead of piling more onto what's already there. (warm → bright)
Beetronics Fatbee JFET Overdrive's bright balances out the warm tone
Origin Effects DCX Boost
Origin Effects
21% matchfills a frequency gapFills in a frequency range the other side doesn't cover, instead of piling more onto what's already there. (warm → bright)
Run Origin Effects DCX Boost after it and the warm edge settles into something more bright
Comes earlier in the signal chain
Walrus Audio Lillian
Walrus Audio
15% 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 Walrus Audio Lillian after Caroline Guitar Company Icarus V2 in the signal chain, clear of Caroline Guitar Company Icarus V2's own gain stage
Comes later in the signal chain
Boss Monte Allums Modded MT-2
Boss
11% matchfills a frequency gapFills in a frequency range the other side doesn't cover, instead of piling more onto what's already there. (warm → bright)
Caroline Guitar Company Icarus V2's own germanium character is the real reason this is worth trying
Comes earlier in the signal chain
Neunaber Wet Mono Reverb Pedal
pedal
9% matchsits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.
Neunaber Wet Mono Reverb Pedal's pristine voice goes after Caroline Guitar Company Icarus V2 in the signal chain — it's not there to compete with Caroline Guitar Company Icarus V2's own germanium character — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Comes later in the signal chain
Strymon El Capistan
Strymon
8% 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 Strymon El Capistan after Caroline Guitar Company Icarus V2 in the signal chain, clear of Caroline Guitar Company Icarus V2's own gain stage — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Comes later in the signal chain
Dr. Scientist Frazz Dazzler V2
Dr Scientist
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Dr. Scientist Frazz Dazzler V2 goes after Caroline Guitar Company Icarus V2 in the chain
Donner Big Mouth Distortion
Donner
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Donner Big Mouth Distortion goes after Caroline Guitar Company Icarus V2 in the chain
Cheaper alternatives
Boutique & premium upgrades
Source Audio Artifakt
Source Audio
63% similarityShared character: gain, vintage charm, full
Benson Amps Germanium Preamp (Boost)
Benson Amps
62% similarityShared character: boost, transparent, gain
Dophix Michelangelo Overdrive Plus
Dophix
57% similarityShared character: boost, warm, gain
Klon Centaur
Klon
93% similaritysimilar tone character
Jackson Audio Golden Boy
Jackson Audio
93% similaritysimilar tone character
Similar charactersee all similar tone character →
Greer Moonshot Germanium preamp
Greer
61% similarityShared character: boost, warm, vintage charm
Mission Engineering Delta III Germanium Overdrive
Mission Engineering
60% similarityShared character: warm, vintage charm, overdrive
Spaceman Mercury IV Germanium Harmonic Boost
Spaceman
60% similarityShared character: boost, warm, vintage charm
Hudson Electronics Dual Broadcast
Hudson Electronics
59% similarityShared character: boost, warm, transparent
ThorpyFX PEA MKII Germanium
ThorpyFX
59% similarityShared character: warm, vintage charm, overdrive
Death By Audio Germanium Filter
Death By Audio
59% similarityShared character: combination, warm
See all alternatives to the Caroline Guitar Company Icarus V2 (cheaper + boutique) →
Questions people ask
What are good alternatives to the Caroline Guitar Company Icarus V2?+
The closest matches in character are the Greer Moonshot Germanium preamp, the Mission Engineering Delta III Germanium Overdrive, the Spaceman Mercury IV Germanium Harmonic Boost. Budget picks: TC Electronic Zeus Drive Overdrive, Electro-Harmonix LPB-1, Blackstar Dept. 10 Boost. Boutique upgrades: Source Audio Artifakt, Benson Amps Germanium Preamp (Boost), Dophix Michelangelo Overdrive Plus.
What pairs well with the Caroline Guitar Company Icarus V2?+
Strong matches from rig and tone-complementarity evidence: Engl Savage 120 Mark II E610II 120 Watt 4 Channel Tube, PRS HX 100 Head, Bogner Snorkler 50 — Run Engl Savage 120 Mark II E610II 120 Watt 4 Channel Tube after it and the warm edge settles into something more bright.
How much does the Caroline Guitar Company Icarus V2 cost?+
Around $189 (live listing price, updated Oct 24, 2026).
Compare
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