The Catalinbread Sinkhole is a Catalinbread reverb pedal, currently around $199.99. Close alternatives include the Mr. Black TrancePortal and the EarthQuaker Devices Towers. It pairs well with the Friedman Dirty Shirley and the Mesa Boogie Mark Five:90 1x12 Combo.
Catalinbread Sinkhole
Catalinbread · pedal
The Catalinbread Sinkhole Ethereal is an Ethereal variant of the Sinkhole modulated reverb, building on the four-voice-chorus-within-hole-reverb architecture with additional Ethereal character that pushes the reverb into even more abstract, infinite-horizon ambient territory. Extended reverb decay and shimmer-adjacent processing create expansive, immersive textures suited for ambient drone and post-rock applications. Built by Catalinbread in Portland, Oregon.
What stands out
“High-cut filter and feedback control allow further shaping of the modulated reverb character”
— from the reviews
“The Sinkhole creates immersive, otherworldly reverb textures by combining a harmonically rich hole-style reverb with a four-voice chorus modulation, high-cut filter, and feedback control, producing modulated reverb depth that standard singl…”
— from the community notes
“The Catalinbread Sinkhole Ethereal is an Ethereal variant of the Sinkhole modulated reverb, building on the four-voice-chorus-within-hole-reverb architecture with additional Ethereal character that pushes the reverb into even more abstract,…”
— from the listing
“infinite-horizon ambient territory”
— from the listing
“immersive textures suited for ambient drone and post-rock applications”
— from the listing
- reverb
- chorus
- cut
- filter
- ethereal
- ambient
- post rock
- modulation
Good for
- Live
- Studio
- Worship
Price updated Oct 25, 2026
Genres the Catalinbread Sinkhole is commonly used in
- Ambient
- Post-Rock
- Shoegaze
- Experimental
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Post Punk
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 Sinkhole
Friedman Dirty Shirley
Friedman
25% matchFriedman Dirty Shirley's own crunchy character is the real reason this is worth trying
Comes earlier in the signal chain
Mesa Boogie Mark Five:90 1x12 Combo
Mesa Boogie
23% 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)
Where this leans bright, Mesa Boogie Mark Five:90 1x12 Combo answers back smooth
Comes earlier in the signal chain
Blackstar Series One 45
Blackstar
tonal matchComes earlier in the signal chain
Blackstar Series One 45's warm balances out the bright tone
Marshall DSL1CR 1x8 1-Watt Combo
Marshall
tonal matchComes earlier in the signal chain
Marshall DSL1CR 1x8 1-Watt Combo goes in front of Catalinbread Sinkhole in the chain
Blackstar HT Stage 100H MK III Snakeskin
Blackstar
tonal matchComes earlier in the signal chain
Blackstar HT Stage 100H MK III Snakeskin goes in front of Catalinbread Sinkhole in the chain
Blackstar Series One 200
Blackstar
tonal matchComes earlier in the signal chain
Where this leans bright, Blackstar Series One 200 answers back warm
Marshall 2555X Silver Jubilee
Marshall
tonal matchComes earlier in the signal chain
Marshall 2555X Silver Jubilee leans smooth right where the bright tone needs it
Ampeg V-4
Ampeg
tonal matchComes earlier in the signal chain
Ampeg V-4 leans warm right where the bright tone needs it
Pedals that stack with the Catalinbread Sinkhole
Electro-Harmonix Green Russian Big Muff
Electro-Harmonix
20% 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)
Where this leans bright, Electro-Harmonix Green Russian Big Muff answers back smooth
Comes earlier in the signal chain
J. Rockett Archer Ikon
J Rockett
20% matchJ. Rockett Archer Ikon's own compressed character is the real reason this is worth trying
Comes earlier in the signal chain
Walrus Audio Monumental Stereo Harmonic Tremolo
Walrus Audio
19% 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 Monumental Stereo Harmonic Tremolo after Catalinbread Sinkhole in the signal chain, where it won't crowd Catalinbread Sinkhole
Comes earlier in the signal chain
Spaceman Explorer 6-Stage Phaser
Spaceman
19% 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 Spaceman Explorer 6-Stage Phaser after Catalinbread Sinkhole in the signal chain, where it won't crowd Catalinbread Sinkhole
Comes earlier in the signal chain
Source Audio L.A. Lady
Source Audio
tonal matchComes earlier in the signal chain
Run Source Audio L.A. Lady after it and the bright edge settles into something more warm
Dunlop MXR M78 Custom Modified OD, also known as the Bad Ass Modified OD
Dunlop
tonal matchComes earlier in the signal chain
Dunlop MXR M78 Custom Modified OD, also known as the Bad Ass Modified OD's warm balances out the bright tone
Dunlop Echoplex Preamp
Dunlop
tonal matchComes earlier in the signal chain
Dunlop Echoplex Preamp leans smooth right where the bright tone needs it
Beetronics Overhive Medium Gain Overdrive
Beetronics
tonal matchComes earlier in the signal chain
Beetronics Overhive Medium Gain Overdrive's warm balances out the bright tone
Cheaper alternatives
Catalinbread SoftFocus
Catalinbread
60% similarityShared character: chorus, signal chain, ambient
SolidGoldFX Ether
Solidgoldfx
56% similarityShared character: ambient, reverb
Mooer Modverb
Mooer
56% similarityShared character: chorus, signal chain, ambient
JHS 3 Series Octave Reverb
JHS Pedals
54% similarityShared character: chorus, ambient, reverb
EarthQuaker Devices Levitation V2
EarthQuaker Devices
52% similarityShared character: ambient, reverb
TC Electronic Hall of Fame Reverb
TC Electronic
52% similarityShared character: ambient, reverb
Boutique & premium upgrades
Alexander Golden Summer Reverb
Alexander Pedals
57% similarityShared character: chorus, signal chain, ambient
Electro-Harmonix Oceans Abyss
Electro-Harmonix
57% similarityShared character: chorus, ambient, reverb
Old Blood Noise Endeavors Parting
Old Blood Noise Endeavors
57% similarityShared character: ambient, reverb
Strymon Cloudburst
Strymon
54% similarityShared character: ambient, modulation, reverb
Strymon BigSky
Strymon
51% similarityShared character: ambient, reverb
Walrus Audio Mako R1 Reverb MkII
Walrus Audio
95% similaritysimilar tone character
Similar charactersee all similar tone character →
Mr. Black TrancePortal
Mr Black
62% similarityShared character: ambient, modulation, reverb
EarthQuaker Devices Towers
EarthQuaker Devices
57% similarityShared character: filter, ambient, reverb
Wampler Ethereal
Wampler
52% similarityShared character: signal chain, ambient, reverb
Electro-Harmonix Oceans 12
Electro-Harmonix
52% similarityShared character: ambient, reverb
Eventide Blackhole
Eventide
51% similarityShared character: ambient, reverb
Hungry Robot The Borderland
Hungry Robot
51% similarityShared character: ambient, modulation, reverb
See all alternatives to the Catalinbread Sinkhole (cheaper + boutique) →
Questions people ask
What are good alternatives to the Catalinbread Sinkhole?+
The closest matches in character are the Mr. Black TrancePortal, the EarthQuaker Devices Towers, the Wampler Ethereal. Budget picks: Catalinbread SoftFocus, SolidGoldFX Ether, Mooer Modverb. Boutique upgrades: Alexander Golden Summer Reverb, Electro-Harmonix Oceans Abyss, Old Blood Noise Endeavors Parting.
What pairs well with the Catalinbread Sinkhole?+
Strong matches from rig and tone-complementarity evidence: Friedman Dirty Shirley, Mesa Boogie Mark Five:90 1x12 Combo, Blackstar Series One 45 — Friedman Dirty Shirley's own crunchy character is the real reason this is worth trying.
How much does the Catalinbread Sinkhole cost?+
Around $199.99 (live listing price, updated Oct 25, 2026).
Compare
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