The Catalinbread Galileo is a Catalinbread overdrive pedal. Close alternatives include the Catalinbread Gailieo Red Treble Booster and the JHS Pedals JHS AC+. It pairs well with the Vox MV50-CE Rock and the Swart MOD 84.
Catalinbread Galileo
Catalinbread · pedal
The Catalinbread Galileo Red Special is a version of the Galileo Vox AC30-inspired treble booster specifically tuned for Brian May's Red Special guitar and pickup system from Portland, Oregon. The Red Special circuit adjustment accounts for the distinctive output and frequency character of the Burns trestle-mounted pickups used in Brian May's handmade guitar, optimizing the treble booster response for the specific pickup character rather than for generic humbucking or single-coil output. Suited for players working with the Brian May-inspired voicing tradition. Made in Portland by Catalinbread.
What stands out
“The Red Special circuit adjustment accounts for the distinctive output and frequency character of the Burns trestle-mounted pickups used in Brian May's handmade guitar, optimizing the treble booster response for the specific pickup characte…”
— from the listing
“The Galileo captures the AC30 Top Boost character more specifically than a generic bright overdrive”
— from the reviews
“The specific tuning for the Red Special pickup output that optimizes the treble booster behavior for that pickup type is the standout specialization”
— from the community notes
“The top-end chime is present with the characteristic AC30 brightness that glitters on clean tones and adds harmonic complexity to overdriven ones”
— from the reviews
“At lower drive settings the Galileo adds the bright presence and slight pushed quality of an AC30 at moderate volume”
— from the reviews
- treble booster
- response
- frequency
- bright
- overdrive
- specific pickup character
- brightness
- chime
Genres the Catalinbread Galileo is commonly used in
- Rock
- Indie Rock
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Blues
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - 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.
Amps that pair well with the Catalinbread Galileo
Vox MV50-CE Rock
Vox
44% 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)
Where this leans bright, Vox MV50-CE Rock answers back warm
Comes later in the signal chain
Swart MOD 84
Swart
37% matchSwart MOD 84's own lush character is the real reason this is worth trying
Comes later in the signal chain
Matchless Laurel Canyon 20-Watt 1x12"
Matchless
27% matchCatalinbread Galileo is voiced for Vox-style amps — Matchless Laurel Canyon 20-Watt 1x12" gives it exactly that
Comes later in the signal chain
Matchless King Cobra
Matchless
27% matchMatchless King Cobra leans into Vox-style amps, precisely the platform Catalinbread Galileo wants
Comes later in the signal chain
Aguilar Tone Hammer 500 Bass Amp 30th
Aguilar
27% matchfills a frequency gapFills in a frequency range the other side doesn't cover, instead of piling more onto what's already there. (dark → bright)
The Galileo's bright, pickup-voiced boost cuts through the Tone Hammer 500's warm, jazz-voiced midrange rather than just adding more gain.
Comes later in the signal chain
Matchless Coldwater Canyon 112
Matchless
27% matchMatchless Coldwater Canyon 112 leans into Vox-style amps, precisely the platform Catalinbread Galileo wants
Comes later in the signal chain
Matchless Spitfire
Matchless
25% matchInto Matchless Spitfire, Catalinbread Galileo is right at home: it's built around Vox-style amps
Comes later in the signal chain
Vox MV50 Boutique
Vox
22% 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)
Catalinbread Galileo leans bright right where the warm tone needs it
Comes later in the signal chain
Pedals that stack with the Catalinbread Galileo
MXR Phase 90
MXR
40% matchfills a frequency gapFills in a frequency range the other side doesn't cover, instead of piling more onto what's already there. (dark → bright)
The Galileo's bright, pickup-tuned boost gives the Phase 90's sweep more top-end presence to move through.
Comes later in the signal chain
Dunlop - MXR Carbon Copy Deluxe Analog Delay
Dunlop
34% matchfills a frequency gapFills in a frequency range the other side doesn't cover, instead of piling more onto what's already there. (dark → bright)
Where this leans dark, Catalinbread Galileo answers back bright — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Comes later in the signal chain
Caroline Guitar Company Somersault
Caroline Guitar Company
32% matchfills a frequency gapFills in a frequency range the other side doesn't cover, instead of piling more onto what's already there. (dark → bright)
The Galileo's bright, pickup-tuned boost pushes the Somersault's glitchy, boutique chorus into brighter territory.
Comes later in the signal chain
Strymon Zelzah -Dimensional Phaser
Strymon
31% matchfills a frequency gapFills in a frequency range the other side doesn't cover, instead of piling more onto what's already there. (dark → bright)
Run the Galileo's bright boost after the Zelzah's lush phasing so the sweep doesn't get buried once the drive kicks in.
Comes later in the signal chain
JHS PackRat 9-Way Rodent Distortion
JHS Pedals
30% matchfills a frequency gapFills in a frequency range the other side doesn't cover, instead of piling more onto what's already there. (dark → bright)
Push the PackRat's dark, compressed distortion with the Galileo's bright boost stacked after it to cut through without losing that grunge-y low end.
Comes later in the signal chain
Greer Relic
Greer
30% matchfills a frequency gapFills in a frequency range the other side doesn't cover, instead of piling more onto what's already there. (dark → bright)
Stack the Galileo's bright, chime-forward boost after the Relic's warm germanium drive to add presence without losing that vintage warmth.
Boss DM-2 Delay
Boss
30% matchfills a frequency gapFills in a frequency range the other side doesn't cover, instead of piling more onto what's already there. (dark → bright)
The Galileo's bright, pickup-tuned boost feeds the DM-2's organic, lush echo a driven signal instead of a clean one, not really stacking gain with it. — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Comes later in the signal chain
FoxGear EchoSex
Foxgear
26% matchfills a frequency gapFills in a frequency range the other side doesn't cover, instead of piling more onto what's already there. (dark → bright)
Catalinbread Galileo leans toward bright, and that's a real, usable character to pair with — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Comes later in the signal chain
See all 132 pedals that pair with the Catalinbread Galileo →
Alternativessee all similar tone character →
Catalinbread Gailieo Red Treble Booster
Catalinbread
70% similarity“The Red edition shares the same circuit as the standard Galileo, differing only in its finish.”
JHS Pedals JHS AC+
JHS Pedals
68% similarityShared character: ac30, presence, treble
Catalinbread Super Chili Picoso
Catalinbread
58% similarityShared character: bright, presence, treble
Tech 21 SansAmp Character Plus Mop Top Liverpool
Tech 21
57% similarityShared character: boost, treble
Death By Audio Thee Treble
Death By Audio
56% similarityShared character: bright, presence, treble
MXR Timmy Overdrive
MXR
55% similarityShared character: high end, presence, treble
Vox CT-03BT
Vox
53% similarityShared character: treble, boost, response
Dallas Tuxedo Treble Booster
pedal
51% similarityShared character: bright, presence, treble
Carl Martin Blue Ranger
Carl Martin
51% similarityShared character: bright, presence, treble
Lovepedal DOV Death Of Vox Handwired
Lovepedal
51% similarityShared character: bright, treble, boost
EarthQuaker Devices Chelsea
EarthQuaker Devices
51% similarityShared character: bright, high end, presence
Wampler Pedals Tweed '57
Wampler
50% similarityShared character: bright, treble
See all alternatives to the Catalinbread Galileo (cheaper + boutique) →
Questions people ask
What are good alternatives to the Catalinbread Galileo?+
The closest matches in character are the Catalinbread Gailieo Red Treble Booster, the JHS Pedals JHS AC+, the Catalinbread Super Chili Picoso.
What pairs well with the Catalinbread Galileo?+
Strong matches from rig and tone-complementarity evidence: Vox MV50-CE Rock, Swart MOD 84, Matchless Laurel Canyon 20-Watt 1x12" — Where this leans bright, Vox MV50-CE Rock answers back warm.