The Catalinbread Sidearm is a Catalinbread overdrive pedal, currently around $128.90. Close alternatives include the Frost Giant Electronics Yama and the Black Arts Toneworks -Skyboost. It pairs well with the Peavey Invective 120 and the PRS MT100.
Catalinbread Sidearm
Catalinbread · pedal
The Catalinbread Sidearm is a boost and overdrive pedal from Portland, Oregon, designed as a harmonic enhancer and level boost that adds presence and musical saturation at its gain ceiling. Provides clean boost through light overdrive with a transparent character that preserves the fundamental guitar tone while adding harmonic content and presence. Designed for players who need a reliable, musical boost pedal that sounds like more of the same guitar and amp rather than adding obvious pedal character. Made in Portland by Catalinbread.
What stands out
“Transparent boost and light overdrive providing harmonic enhancement and level amplification with , designed to sound like more of the guitar and amp”
— from the community notes
“Provides clean boost through light overdrive with a transparent character that preserves the fundamental guitar tone while adding harmonic content and presence”
— from the listing
“designed as a harmonic enhancer and level boost that adds presence and musical saturation at its gain ceiling”
— from the listing
“Designed for players who need a reliable, musical boost pedal that sounds like more of the same guitar and amp”
— from the listing
“Into a tube amp the boost naturally increases the amp saturation as a byproduct of higher input level, producing a pleasing amp-drive effect”
— from the reviews
- boost
- transparent
- harmonic
- saturation
- fundamental
- musical
- overdrive
- clean boost
Price updated Oct 23, 2026
Genres the Catalinbread Sidearm is commonly used in
- Rock
- Blues
- Country
- Alternative
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Indie Rock
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Electronic
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
Amps that pair well with the Catalinbread Sidearm
Peavey Invective 120
Peavey
22% matchPeavey Invective 120 leans this transparent tone toward high gain, which it doesn't make on its own
Comes later in the signal chain
PRS MT100
PRS
21% matchInto a transparent tone, PRS MT100 brings a pull toward medium gain that's missing
Comes later in the signal chain
Synergy SL2 Module
Synergy
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Into a transparent tone, Synergy SL2 Module brings a pull toward high gain that's missing
Ceriatone 2202H
Ceriatone
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Into a transparent tone, Ceriatone 2202H brings a pull toward high gain that's missing
Mesa/Boogie JP-2C John Petrucci Signature 60/100-Watt
Mesa Boogie
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Mesa/Boogie JP-2C John Petrucci Signature 60/100-Watt leans this transparent tone toward high gain, which it doesn't make on its own
Bad Cat Lynx 50
Bad Cat
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Into a transparent tone, Bad Cat Lynx 50 brings a pull toward high gain that's missing
Hughes & Kettner Warp 7
Hughes & Kettner
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Into a transparent tone, Hughes & Kettner Warp 7 brings a pull toward high gain that's missing
Blackstar HT Club 50 Head Mk III
Blackstar
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Put Blackstar HT Club 50 Head Mk III after Catalinbread Sidearm
Pedals that stack with the Catalinbread Sidearm
Soldano SLO
Soldano
22% matchInto a transparent tone, Soldano SLO brings a pull toward high gain that's missing
Comes later in the signal chain
JHS Smiley
JHS Pedals
21% matchInto a transparent tone, JHS Smiley brings a pull toward fuzzy that's missing
Comes later in the signal chain
MXR M117R Flanger
MXR
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.
Put MXR M117R Flanger after Catalinbread Sidearm in the signal chain, clear of Catalinbread Sidearm's own gain stage
Comes later in the signal chain
Vox Valvenergy Silk Drive
Vox
12% matchshapes the dynamic responseShapes how the tone responds to picking dynamics rather than its frequency or gain.
Vox Valvenergy Silk Drive's own smooth character is the real reason this is worth trying
Comes earlier in the signal chain
Alexander Pedals Now We Are Ghosts Reverb
Alexander Pedals
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.
Put Alexander Pedals Now We Are Ghosts Reverb after Catalinbread Sidearm in the signal chain, clear of Catalinbread Sidearm's own gain stage — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Comes later in the signal chain
Eventide Modulated Delay
Eventide
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.
Eventide Modulated Delay's modulated voice goes after Catalinbread Sidearm in the signal chain — it's not there to compete with Catalinbread Sidearm's own transparent character — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Comes later in the signal chain
Donner Big Mouth Distortion
Donner
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Into a transparent tone, Donner Big Mouth Distortion brings a pull toward high gain that's missing
Dr. Scientist Frazz Dazzler V2
Dr Scientist
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Into a transparent tone, Dr. Scientist Frazz Dazzler V2 brings a pull toward fuzzy that's missing
Cheaper alternatives
Carl Martin Hydra boost
Carl Martin
59% similarityShared character: boost, presence, transparent
DOD 250 Overdrive Preamp
Digitech
55% similarityShared character: boost, transparent, gain
Xotic BB Preamp
Xotic
54% similarityShared character: rich harmonic content, boost, gain
Tone City Holy Aura
Tone City
94% similaritysimilar tone character
Behringer OD300 Overdrive Distortion
Behringer
94% similaritysimilar tone character
Boutique & premium upgrades
Xotic RC Booster V2
Xotic
63% similarityShared character: boost, presence, subtle
Catalinbread Blood Donor
Catalinbread
60% similarityShared character: boost, subtle, transparent
Beetronics Nectar Tone Sweetener
Beetronics
60% similarityShared character: presence, subtle, boost
Crazy Tube Circuits Clean Little Secret
Crazy Tube Circuits
58% similarityShared character: rich harmonic content, boost, presence
Free The Tone ODL-1 Overdriveland Standard
Free The Tone
57% similarityShared character: boost, transparent, overdrive
Xotic RC Booster Classic
Xotic
57% similarityShared character: boost, subtle, transparent
Similar charactersee all similar tone character →
Frost Giant Electronics Yama
Frost Giant Electronics
65% similarityShared character: boost, presence, transparent
Black Arts Toneworks -Skyboost
Black Arts Toneworks
59% similarityShared character: boost, presence, subtle
Walrus Audio Fundamental Series Overdrive
Walrus Audio
58% similarityShared character: overdrive
JHS Morning Glory
JHS Pedals
58% similarityShared character: boost, transparent, gain
TC Electronic Spark Mini Booster
TC Electronic
58% similarityShared character: boost, transparent, gain
EarthQuaker Devices Tone Job V2
EarthQuaker Devices
56% similarityShared character: boost, transparent, clean
See all alternatives to the Catalinbread Sidearm (cheaper + boutique) →
Questions people ask
What are good alternatives to the Catalinbread Sidearm?+
The closest matches in character are the Frost Giant Electronics Yama, the Black Arts Toneworks -Skyboost, the Walrus Audio Fundamental Series Overdrive. Budget picks: Carl Martin Hydra boost, DOD 250 Overdrive Preamp, Xotic BB Preamp. Boutique upgrades: Xotic RC Booster V2, Catalinbread Blood Donor, Beetronics Nectar Tone Sweetener.
What pairs well with the Catalinbread Sidearm?+
Strong matches from rig and tone-complementarity evidence: Peavey Invective 120, PRS MT100, Synergy SL2 Module — Peavey Invective 120 leans this transparent tone toward high gain, which it doesn't make on its own.
How much does the Catalinbread Sidearm cost?+
Around $128.90 (live listing price, updated Oct 23, 2026).