The Catalinbread Formula 5F6 is a Catalinbread overdrive pedal, currently around $152.99. Close alternatives include the Colorsound Power Boost and the Catalinbread Catlinbread Formula 5 Reissue Overdrive. It pairs well with the Fender Deluxe Reverb and the Fender Hot Rod Series Blues Junior 15W 1x12 Tube Guitar.
Catalinbread Formula 5F6
Catalinbread · pedal
The Catalinbread Formula 5F6 is a Fender 5F6-A Tweed Bassman-inspired overdrive from Portland, Oregon, capturing the warm, wide, bass-forward character of the legendary 4x10 tweed Fender amplifier that is the most directly influential amp design in rock history. The 5F6-A Bassman's output stage configuration directly inspired the original Marshall amplifier design, and the Formula 5F6 replicates its distinctive low-mid emphasis, natural power-stage compression, and balanced harmonic saturation. Associated with country and blues lead tones and the amplifier DNA behind British rock. Made in Portland by Catalinbread.
- blues
- country
- stage
- harmonic
- natural
- saturation
- balanced
- response
Price updated Aug 27, 2026
Genres the Catalinbread Formula 5F6 is commonly used in
- Country
- Rock
- Blues
- Alternative
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Americana
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 Catalinbread Formula 5F6
Fender Deluxe Reverb
Fender
85% matchThe Formula 5F6 chases the same tweed-amp saturation the Deluxe Reverb's own circuit is built on, so stacking them doubles down on that shared vintage Fender character.
Fender Hot Rod Series Blues Junior 15W 1x12 Tube Guitar
amplifier
44% matchThe Blues Junior's natural, balanced breakup gives the Formula 5F6's harmonic tweed-amp drive a warm amp voice to push into.
Fender Dual Showman Reverb
amplifier
32% matchThe Dual Showman's warm, responsive clean tone gives the Formula 5F6's natural, harmonic saturation somewhere fuller to push into.
Fender Hot Rod Deluxe
Fender
31% matchPush the Hot Rod Deluxe's bluesy tube breakup with the Formula 5F6's own natural, harmonic saturation and it turns into real weight.
Bruno Cowtipper 22
Bruno
30% matchThe Formula 5F6's natural, harmonic saturation gives the Cowtipper's roots-y, boutique blues breakup a fuller front end to push into.
Bruno Cowtipper 45
Bruno
30% matchStack the Formula 5F6's natural, harmonic saturation with the Cowtipper 45's own roots-y blues breakup for a fuller, more layered tone.
Fender ACB 50 Adam Clayton Bass Combo
Fender
29% matchCatalinbread Formula 5F6 leans toward harmonically rich, and that's a real, usable character to pair with
Carr Skylark
Carr
28% matchCatalinbread Formula 5F6 takes that crunchy character and pushes it toward mid-forward
See all 46 amps that pair with the Catalinbread Formula 5F6 →
Pedals that stack with the Catalinbread Formula 5F6
Ibanez Tube Screamer
Ibanez
28% matchThe Screamer's mid-forward boost stacks with the Formula 5F6's own natural, harmonic tweed-amp drive.
Dallas Rangemaster Treble Booster
Dallas
26% matchThe Rangemaster's germanium treble kick pushes the Formula 5F6's natural blues breakup into something sharper up top.
MXR Dyna Comp
MXR
19% matchThe Dyna Comp's squash evens pick dynamics before the Formula 5F6's own natural, harmonic tweed drive.
Boss CE-1 Chorus Ensemble
pedal
18% matchLayer the CE-1's lush, vibrato-rich chorus after the Formula 5F6's natural blues breakup for width without recoloring the drive.
Dawner Prince Boonar
Dawner Prince
12% matchThe Boonar's Echorec-style repeats trail the Formula 5F6's natural, harmonic tweed drive into a vintage wash of echo. — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Boss DD-200 Digital Delay
Boss
11% matchThe DD-200's shimmering delay modes trail the Formula 5F6's natural, harmonic tweed-amp drive into a wash of repeats. — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Shin's Music Dumbloid B
Shins Music
9% matchCatalinbread Formula 5F6's own harmonically rich character is the real reason this is worth trying
Maxon DB10 Dual Booster
Maxon
9% matchCatalinbread Formula 5F6 leans toward harmonically rich, and that's a real, usable character to pair with
See all 22 pedals that pair with the Catalinbread Formula 5F6 →
Cheaper alternatives
Boutique & premium upgrades
Dallas Rangemaster Treble Booster
Dallas
71% similarityShared character: rich, amp, dark
Keeley Super AT Mod Overdrive Limited Edition
Keeley
69% similarityShared character: blues_players, response, bass
JAM Pedals TubeDreamer MK2
Jam Pedals
93% similaritysimilar tone character
JAM Pedals Lucy Dreamer
Jam Pedals
92% similaritysimilar tone character
Beetronics Overhive Mid-Gain Overdrive
Beetronics
92% similaritysimilar tone character
Similar charactersee all similar tone character →
Colorsound Power Boost
Colorsound
70% similarityShared character: rich, dark, compression
Catalinbread Catlinbread Formula 5 Reissue Overdrive
Catalinbread
70% similarity“The Catalinbread Formula 5 Reissue is a recreation of the Portland boutique builder's Formula 5F6 overdrive”
Catalinbread Formula 55
Catalinbread
70% similarity“The Bassman-specific warmth and low-mid emphasis may feel too warm or dark for players used to the brighter 5E3 Formula 55 character”
Ibanez TS808 Tube Screamer
Ibanez
70% similarityShared character: blues_players, middle, response
Catalinbread Dirty Little Secret
Catalinbread
94% similaritysimilar tone character
Catalinbread SFT
Catalinbread
93% similaritysimilar tone character
See all alternatives to the Catalinbread Formula 5F6 (cheaper + boutique) →
Questions people ask
What are good alternatives to the Catalinbread Formula 5F6?+
The closest matches in character are the Colorsound Power Boost, the Catalinbread Catlinbread Formula 5 Reissue Overdrive, the Catalinbread Formula 55. Budget picks: Marshall Guv'nor, Catalinbread Formula 51. Boutique upgrades: Dallas Rangemaster Treble Booster, Keeley Super AT Mod Overdrive Limited Edition, JAM Pedals TubeDreamer MK2.
What pairs well with the Catalinbread Formula 5F6?+
Strong matches from rig and tone-complementarity evidence: Fender Deluxe Reverb, Fender Hot Rod Series Blues Junior 15W 1x12 Tube Guitar, Fender Dual Showman Reverb — The Formula 5F6 chases the same tweed-amp saturation the Deluxe Reverb's own circuit is built on, so stacking them doubles down on that shared vintage Fender character..
How much does the Catalinbread Formula 5F6 cost?+
Around $152.99 (live listing price, updated Aug 27, 2026).