The EarthQuaker Devices Cranker Distortion Enhancement Device is an EarthQuaker Devices distortion pedal, currently around $119. Close alternatives include the MXR CSP039 Duke of Tone Overdrive and the Keeley D&M Drive. It pairs well with the Peavey Invective 120 and the PRS MT100.
EarthQuaker Devices Cranker Distortion Enhancement Device
EarthQuaker Devices · pedal
The EarthQuaker Devices Cranker is a distortion enhancement pedal from EQD, designed to add gain and harmonic density without obscuring the original guitar and amplifier character. The Cranker delivers a punchy, present overdrive push that works equally well as a light distortion on its own or as a transparent boost stacked with other gain pedals for added sustain and character. It is a two-knob design with Volume and Gain controls, emphasizing simplicity and immediate usability. The Cranker is suited to players in blues, classic rock, and alternative rock who want a reliable, go-to dirt pedal that improves without dramatically changing the core tone.
What stands out
“The Cranker delivers a punchy, present overdrive push that works equally well as a light distortion on its own or as a transparent boost stacked with other gain pedals for added sustain and character”
— from the listing
“Used as a primary low-to-medium gain drive, or stacked before a higher-gain drive or amplifier to push additional saturation and sustain”
— from the community notes
“The EarthQuaker Devices Cranker is a distortion enhancement pedal from EQD, designed to add gain and harmonic density”
— from the listing
“The Cranker delivers a reliable, consistent distortion enhancement that improves the drive character of any rig , making it one of the more universally applicable EQD drive pedals”
— from the reviews
“the simple two-knob format and consistent performance at any setting make it fast to use live”
— from the community notes
Trade-offs
“Punchy, present overdrive push with a distortion enhancement character that adds gain and harmonic density while preserving the fundamental guitar and amp voice”
— from the community notes
“At maximum Gain, the saturation is moderate , which limits it for players who want high-gain metal or hard distortion territory”
— from the reviews
- transparent
- punchy
- saturation
- drive
- harmonic
- consistent
- gain
- boost
Price updated Oct 24, 2026
Genres the EarthQuaker Devices Cranker Distortion Enhancement Device is commonly used in
- Classic Rock
- Blues
- Metal
- Rock
- Alternative Rock
- Country
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
Amps that pair well with the EarthQuaker Devices Cranker Distortion Enhancement Device
Peavey Invective 120
Peavey
25% 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
25% 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
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
Blackstar HT Club 50 Head Mk III
Blackstar
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Put Blackstar HT Club 50 Head Mk III after EarthQuaker Devices Cranker Distortion Enhancement Device
EVH 000
Evh
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
EVH 000 leans this transparent tone toward high gain, which it doesn't make on its own
Friedman Small Box 50 Head with 1x12 Cabinet
Friedman
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Into a transparent tone, Friedman Small Box 50 Head with 1x12 Cabinet brings a pull toward high gain that's missing
Pedals that stack with the EarthQuaker Devices Cranker Distortion Enhancement Device
Soldano SLO
Soldano
25% matchInto a transparent tone, Soldano SLO brings a pull toward high gain that's missing
Comes later in the signal chain
Sola Sound Tone Bender MkII
Sola Sound
22% matchSola Sound Tone Bender MkII leans this transparent tone toward fuzzy, which it doesn't make on its own
Comes later in the signal chain
Electro-Harmonix Bad
Electro-Harmonix
17% matchsits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.
Run Electro-Harmonix Bad after EarthQuaker Devices Cranker Distortion Enhancement Device in the signal chain, clear of EarthQuaker Devices Cranker Distortion Enhancement Device's own gain stage
Comes later in the signal chain
Universal Audio 1176 Compressor
Universal Audio
13% matchshapes the dynamic responseShapes how the tone responds to picking dynamics rather than its frequency or gain.
Universal Audio 1176 Compressor's own compressed character is the real reason this is worth trying
Comes earlier in the signal chain
Boss DD-3 Digital Delay
Boss
9% 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 Boss DD-3 Digital Delay after EarthQuaker Devices Cranker Distortion Enhancement Device in the signal chain, clear of EarthQuaker Devices Cranker Distortion Enhancement Device's own gain stage — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Comes later in the signal chain
Boss RV-5 Digital Reverb
pedal
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.
Run Boss RV-5 Digital Reverb after EarthQuaker Devices Cranker Distortion Enhancement Device in the signal chain, clear of EarthQuaker Devices Cranker Distortion Enhancement Device's own gain stage — 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 matchInto 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
EarthQuaker Devices Special Cranker
EarthQuaker Devices
57% similarityShared character: reliable performance, punchy, simple
Boss BD-2 Blues Driver
Boss
55% similarityShared character: boost, transparent, gain
Boss SD-1 Super OverDrive
Boss
54% similarityShared character: metal, simple, boost
MXR Super Badass Distortion
MXR
51% similarityShared character: boost, transparent, gain
Carl Martin Dual Injection
Carl Martin
51% similarityShared character: single rig, boost, transparent
Boutique & premium upgrades
Strymon Riverside
Strymon
56% similarityShared character: boost, transparent, gain
EarthQuaker Devices Dirt Transmitter
EarthQuaker Devices
56% similarityShared character: high gain settings, simple, boost
Walrus Audio Ages Five-State Overdrive
Walrus Audio
53% similarityShared character: punchy, boost, transparent
JHS Morning Glory
JHS Pedals
52% similarityShared character: boost, transparent, gain
DigiTech DOD Looking Glass Signature Designer Distortion
Digitech
94% similaritysimilar tone character
DryBell The Engine
Drybell
93% similaritysimilar tone character
Similar charactersee all similar tone character →
MXR CSP039 Duke of Tone Overdrive
Dunlop
56% similarityShared character: boost, gain, distortion
Keeley D&M Drive
Keeley
55% similarityShared character: punchy, boost, transparent
Summer School Electronics Class Reunion Double Drive
Summer School Electronics
55% similarityShared character: boost, gain
Maxon OD808
Maxon
52% similarityShared character: metal, boost, transparent
Klon KTR
Klon
51% similarityShared character: boost, transparent, gain
Black Arts Toneworks -Skyboost
Black Arts Toneworks
51% similarityShared character: simple, boost, transparent
Questions people ask
What are good alternatives to the EarthQuaker Devices Cranker Distortion Enhancement Device?+
The closest matches in character are the MXR CSP039 Duke of Tone Overdrive, the Keeley D&M Drive, the Summer School Electronics Class Reunion Double Drive. Budget picks: EarthQuaker Devices Special Cranker, Boss BD-2 Blues Driver, Boss SD-1 Super OverDrive. Boutique upgrades: Strymon Riverside, EarthQuaker Devices Dirt Transmitter, Walrus Audio Ages Five-State Overdrive.
What pairs well with the EarthQuaker Devices Cranker Distortion Enhancement Device?+
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 EarthQuaker Devices Cranker Distortion Enhancement Device cost?+
Around $119 (live listing price, updated Oct 24, 2026).
Compare
- vs DigiTech DOD Looking Glass Signature Designer Distortion
- vs JHS Pedals JHS Hare Drive
- vs Dunlop MXR GT-OD Overdrive