The EarthQuaker Devices Life Pedal is an EarthQuaker Devices distortion pedal. Close alternatives include the Maxon OD808 and the Chase Bliss Automatone Preamp MKII. It pairs well with the PRS MT100 and the Mesa Boogie Lone Star Head.
EarthQuaker Devices Life Pedal
EarthQuaker Devices · pedal
The EarthQuaker Devices Life Pedal is a high-gain distortion, octave, and boost from the Akron, Ohio boutique builder, created in collaboration with Stephen O'Malley of Sunn O))). Based on a Rat-style distortion combined with an analog upper-octave generator and clean boost, the Life Pedal delivers extreme saturated distortion with synth-like octave harmonics and powerful boost capability. Used by Sunn O))) for drone and doom compositions, it is essential for drone metal, doom, and experimental heavy music applications.
What stands out
“Based on a Rat-style distortion combined with an analog upper-octave generator and clean boost, the Life Pedal delivers extreme saturated distortion with synth-like octave harmonics and powerful boost capability”
— from the listing
“The EarthQuaker Devices Life Pedal is a high-gain distortion, octave, and boost from the Akron, Ohio boutique builder, created in collaboration with Stephen O'Malley of Sunn O)))”
— from the listing
“The Life delivers clean, transparent signal boost with a high-headroom EQD circuit that adds presence to the guitar tone , suited for players who want a transparent boost for pushing tube amps or adding signal presen…”
— from the community notes
“The extreme gain and octave character is intentionally overwhelming for conventional music applications”
— from the reviews
“The upper-octave generator adds synth-like harmonic thickness above the fundamental”
— from the reviews
- clean boost
- distortion
- boost
- octave
- synth
- doom
- presence
- transparent
Genres the EarthQuaker Devices Life Pedal is commonly used in
- Metal
- Alternative Rock
- Experimental
- Doom Metal
- Stoner 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 EarthQuaker Devices Life Pedal
PRS MT100
PRS
23% matchInto a transparent tone, PRS MT100 brings a pull toward medium gain that's missing
Comes later in the signal chain
Mesa Boogie Lone Star Head
amplifier
23% matchInto a transparent tone, Mesa Boogie Lone Star Head brings a pull toward medium gain that's missing
Comes later in the signal chain
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
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
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 Life Pedal
ENGL Special Edition E670
Engl
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
ENGL Special Edition E670 leans this transparent tone toward high gain, which it doesn't make on its own
Engl Savage 60 Mark II
Engl
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Engl Savage 60 Mark II leans this transparent tone toward high gain, which it doesn't make on its own
Engl Savage 60 MK II
Engl
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Into a transparent tone, Engl Savage 60 MK II brings a pull toward mid-forward that's missing
Pedals that stack with the EarthQuaker Devices Life Pedal
Nobels ODR-1
Nobels
23% matchfills a frequency gapFills in a frequency range the other side doesn't cover, instead of piling more onto what's already there. (transparent → mid-forward)
Into a transparent tone, Nobels ODR-1 brings a pull toward mid-forward that's missing
Comes earlier in the signal chain
Soldano SLO
Soldano
21% matchInto a transparent tone, Soldano SLO brings a pull toward high gain that's missing
Comes later in the signal chain
TC Electronic Mimiq Doubler
TC Electronic
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.
TC Electronic Mimiq Doubler's mid-forward voice goes after EarthQuaker Devices Life Pedal in the signal chain — it's not there to compete with EarthQuaker Devices Life Pedal's own clean boost character
Comes later in the signal chain
Electro-Harmonix Nano Tone Corset
Electro-Harmonix
14% matchshapes the dynamic responseShapes how the tone responds to picking dynamics rather than its frequency or gain.
Electro-Harmonix Nano Tone Corset leans toward mid-forward, and that's a real, usable character to pair with
Comes earlier in the signal chain
Alexander Pedals Now We Are Ghosts Reverb
Alexander Pedals
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.
Keep EarthQuaker Devices Life Pedal's clean boost voice out front: Alexander Pedals Now We Are Ghosts Reverb goes after EarthQuaker Devices Life Pedal in the signal chain so its ambient voice doesn't muddy it — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Comes later in the signal chain
Fender Hammertone Reverb
Fender
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.
Run Fender Hammertone Reverb after EarthQuaker Devices Life Pedal in the signal chain, clear of EarthQuaker Devices Life Pedal'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
Alternativessee all similar tone character →
Maxon OD808
Maxon
57% similarityShared character: power tubes, metal, boost
Chase Bliss Automatone Preamp MKII
Chase Bliss Audio
55% similarityShared character: boost, transparent, distortion
Klon KTR
Klon
54% similarityShared character: boost, transparent, gain
JHS Morning Glory
JHS Pedals
51% similarityShared character: volume, boost, transparent
Tone City Holy Aura
Tone City
51% similarityShared character: volume, boost, presence
Sleep Champion Devices Horse Cult: Saturation Device
Sleep Champion Devices
51% similarityShared character: gain, aggressive playing, stage
Benson Amps Portable Distortion 424 MKII
Benson Amps
51% similarityShared character: boost, distortion, high gain settings
Strymon Riverside
Strymon
51% similarityShared character: boost, transparent, gain
ProCo RAT 2
Proco
50% similarity“Based on a Rat-style distortion combined with an analog upper-octave generator and clean boost”
Xotic BB Preamp
Xotic
50% similarityShared character: boost, gain
Source Audio Soundblox Multiwave Distortion
pedal
50% similarityShared character: mono synth, one octave, metal
Boss HM-2 Heavy Metal
Boss
50% similarityShared character: metal, gain, distortion
See all alternatives to the EarthQuaker Devices Life Pedal (cheaper + boutique) →
Questions people ask
What are good alternatives to the EarthQuaker Devices Life Pedal?+
The closest matches in character are the Maxon OD808, the Chase Bliss Automatone Preamp MKII, the Klon KTR.
What pairs well with the EarthQuaker Devices Life Pedal?+
Strong matches from rig and tone-complementarity evidence: PRS MT100, Mesa Boogie Lone Star Head, Ceriatone 2202H — Into a transparent tone, PRS MT100 brings a pull toward medium gain that's missing.