The Crazy Tube Circuits Killer V California Style Preamp/Vibrato is a Crazy Tube Circuits distortion pedal. Close alternatives include the Mooer 018 Custom 100 and the Mooer Micro Preamp 005, sold as Fifty-Fifty 3 and later renamed Brown Sound 3. It pairs well with the Traynor YCV40 Custom Valve Combo and the Peavey Bandit 112.
Crazy Tube Circuits Killer V California Style Preamp/Vibrato
Crazy Tube Circuits · pedal
The Crazy Tube Circuits Killer V is a boutique California-style preamp and vibrato pedal from the Greek builder, designed to capture the warm, clean preamp character of classic Fender amplifiers combined with an authentic vibrato effect. The discrete preamp circuit delivers the glassy, clean American tone associated with blackface Fender amplifiers, while the vibrato section adds the swirling pitch modulation of classic amp-built tremolo and vibrato circuits. Suited for blues, country, surf, and vintage American tone players seeking authentic California amp character and vibrato in a pedal format.
What stands out
“The Crazy Tube Circuits Killer V is a boutique California-style preamp and vibrato pedal from the Greek builder, designed to capture the warm, clean preamp character of classic Fender amplifiers combined with an authentic vibrato effect”
— from the listing
“Individual string definition is maintained within heavy chord distortion, which is the key quality indicator for California-style preamp designs”
— from the reviews
“For players seeking California high-gain tone with Greek boutique quality, the Killer V is a refined and well-executed option”
— from the reviews
“The discrete preamp circuit delivers the glassy, clean American tone associated with blackface Fender amplifiers, while the vibrato section adds the swirling pitch modulation of classic amp-built tremolo and vibrato circuits”
— from the listing
“At maximum gain the distortion is very heavy and the compression very uniform, limiting dynamic expression”
— from the community notes
- distortion
- high gain
- american
- compression
- note definition
- tight
- boutique
Genres the Crazy Tube Circuits Killer V California Style Preamp/Vibrato is commonly used in
- Metal
- Hard Rock
- Blues
- Country
- Alternative Rock
- Rock
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
Amps that pair well with the Crazy Tube Circuits Killer V California Style Preamp/Vibrato
Traynor YCV40 Custom Valve Combo
Traynor
32% matchpushes an already-dirty tonePushes an already-dirty tone harder and tightens it up. (high gain → mid-forward)
Traynor YCV40 Custom Valve Combo pushes a high gain tone toward mid-forward
Comes later in the signal chain
Peavey Bandit 112
Peavey
31% matchpushes an already-dirty tonePushes an already-dirty tone harder and tightens it up. (high gain → tight)
Peavey Bandit 112 takes that high gain character and pushes it toward tight
Comes later in the signal chain
Aguilar SL110 Fawn Limited
Aguilar
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Aguilar SL110 Fawn Limited pushes a high gain tone toward tight
EBS Magni 502 2x10 bass combo
Ebs
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Stack EBS Magni 502 2x10 bass combo on top and a high gain tone tightens toward tight
Gallien-Krueger Legacy 410
Gallien Krueger
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Stack Gallien-Krueger Legacy 410 on top and a high gain tone tightens toward tight
Gallien-Krueger Legacy 210 Bass Combo
Gallien Krueger
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Feed a high gain signal into Gallien-Krueger Legacy 210 Bass Combo and it comes out closer to tight
Gallien-Krueger Fusion 210
Gallien Krueger
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Feed a high gain signal into Gallien-Krueger Fusion 210 and it comes out closer to mid-forward
Phil Jones BG-400 Suitcase Compact Bass Combo
Phil Jones
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Phil Jones BG-400 Suitcase Compact Bass Combo takes that high gain character and pushes it toward mid-forward
Pedals that stack with the Crazy Tube Circuits Killer V California Style Preamp/Vibrato
Nobels ODR-1
Nobels
14% matchpushes an already-dirty tonePushes an already-dirty tone harder and tightens it up. (high gain → mid-forward)
Nobels ODR-1 pushes a high gain tone toward mid-forward
Comes earlier in the signal chain
Browne Amplification Gritador
Browne Amplification
14% matchpushes an already-dirty tonePushes an already-dirty tone harder and tightens it up. (high gain → mid-forward)
Feed a high gain signal into Browne Amplification Gritador and it comes out closer to mid-forward
Comes earlier in the signal chain
Electro-Harmonix Small Stone
Electro-Harmonix
13% matchsits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor. (high gain → lush)
Keep Electro-Harmonix Small Stone after Crazy Tube Circuits Killer V California Style Preamp/Vibrato in the signal chain, clear of Crazy Tube Circuits Killer V California Style Preamp/Vibrato's own gain stage
Comes later in the signal chain
Hungry Robot Moby Dick V2
Hungry Robot
11% matchsits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor. (high gain → lush)
Hungry Robot Moby Dick V2's ambient voice goes after Crazy Tube Circuits Killer V California Style Preamp/Vibrato in the signal chain — it's not there to compete with Crazy Tube Circuits Killer V California Style Preamp/Vibrato's own high gain character — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Comes later in the signal chain
Walrus Audio Fathom
Walrus Audio
11% matchsits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor. (high gain → ambient)
Walrus Audio Fathom's ambient voice goes after Crazy Tube Circuits Killer V California Style Preamp/Vibrato in the signal chain — it's not there to compete with Crazy Tube Circuits Killer V California Style Preamp/Vibrato's own high gain character — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Comes later in the signal chain
Crazy Tube Circuits Golden Ratio
Crazy Tube Circuits
10% matchshapes the dynamic responseShapes how the tone responds to picking dynamics rather than its frequency or gain.
Crazy Tube Circuits Golden Ratio's own tight character is the real reason this is worth trying
Comes earlier in the signal chain
MXR CAE Wah
MXR
tonal matchComes earlier in the signal chain
MXR CAE Wah goes in front of Crazy Tube Circuits Killer V California Style Preamp/Vibrato — a wah tracks picking dynamics best on the raw signal
JAM Pedals RetroVibe Mk.4
Jam Pedals
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Stack JAM Pedals RetroVibe Mk.4 on top and a high gain tone tightens toward mid-forward
Alternativessee all similar tone character →
Mooer 018 Custom 100
Mooer
56% similaritySimilar role and voicing
Mooer Micro Preamp 005, sold as Fifty-Fifty 3 and later renamed Brown Sound 3
Mooer
55% similarityShared character: hard rock, lead
Mooer 007
Mooer
54% similarityShared character: clean
NEW!!! Greer Soma 63 Preamp
New Greer
52% similarityShared character: clean
Wampler Dracarys
Wampler
52% similarityShared character: distortion, high gain settings, lead
Airis Effects 51-Filthy
Airis Effects
51% similarityShared character: hard rock, alternative, distortion
Mooer 020 Blueno Micro Preamp
Mooer
51% similarityShared character: clean
Black Country Customs Monolith
Black Country Customs
51% similarityShared character: hard rock, distortion, high gain settings
Mooer Micro Preamp US Gold 100
Mooer
51% similarityShared character: high gain settings, clean
JHS Prestige
JHS Pedals
51% similaritySimilar role and voicing
Mooer 003
Mooer
51% similarityShared character: glassy, hard rock, high gain settings
Friedman IR-J Jake E. Lee Preamp
Friedman
50% similarityShared character: hard rock, high gain settings, clean
Questions people ask
What are good alternatives to the Crazy Tube Circuits Killer V California Style Preamp/Vibrato?+
The closest matches in character are the Mooer 018 Custom 100, the Mooer Micro Preamp 005, sold as Fifty-Fifty 3 and later renamed Brown Sound 3, the Mooer 007.
What pairs well with the Crazy Tube Circuits Killer V California Style Preamp/Vibrato?+
Strong matches from rig and tone-complementarity evidence: Traynor YCV40 Custom Valve Combo, Peavey Bandit 112, Aguilar SL110 Fawn Limited — Traynor YCV40 Custom Valve Combo pushes a high gain tone toward mid-forward.