The EarthQuaker Devices Scrolls is an EarthQuaker Devices overdrive pedal. Close alternatives include the Ernie Ball Expression Overdrive and the Sonicake Rude Mouse Distortion. It pairs well with the Bad Cat Cub and the Cornell Romany 10 Tweed 10 watt Tube.
EarthQuaker Devices Scrolls
EarthQuaker Devices · pedal
The EarthQuaker Devices Scrolls is an envelope-controlled volume swell and dynamic shaper pedal from Akron, Ohio boutique manufacturer EarthQuaker Devices, providing a slow-attack volume swell effect that causes each note or chord to fade in gradually rather than attacking immediately. Controls allow adjustment of the swell attack time and the overall output level. Creates violin-bow and keyboard-like volume swells from guitar.
What stands out
“The EarthQuaker Devices Scrolls is an envelope-controlled volume swell and dynamic shaper pedal from Akron, Ohio boutique manufacturer EarthQuaker Devices, providing a slow-attack volume swell effect that causes each note or chord to fade i…”
— from the listing
“Creates violin-bow and keyboard-like volume swells from guitar”
— from the listing
“suited for ambient”
— from the community notes
“Limitations: Slow-attack swell effect”
— from the reviews
“Controls allow adjustment of the swell attack time and the overall output level”
— from the listing
Trade-offs
“Use-case wise it suits ambient, post-rock, and expressive players who want controlled volume swell attack from EQD quality”
— from the community notes
“In the signal chain volume swell effects typically sit before reverb and delay”
— from the community notes
- swell
- envelope
- ambient
- expressive
- post rock
- expressive players
- slow attack swell effect
Genres the EarthQuaker Devices Scrolls is commonly used in
- Ambient
- Post-Rock
Amps that pair well with the EarthQuaker Devices Scrolls
Bad Cat Cub
Bad Cat
20% matchshapes the dynamic responseShapes how the tone responds to picking dynamics rather than its frequency or gain. (dynamic → compressed)
Bad Cat Cub leans toward harmonically rich, and that's a real, usable character to pair with
Comes later in the signal chain
Cornell Romany 10 Tweed 10 watt Tube
Cornell
18% matchshapes the dynamic responseShapes how the tone responds to picking dynamics rather than its frequency or gain. (dynamic → compressed)
Cornell Romany 10 Tweed 10 watt Tube leans this dynamic tone toward compressed, which it doesn't make on its own
Comes later in the signal chain
Ceriatone British Style 2525
Ceriatone
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Into a dynamic tone, Ceriatone British Style 2525 brings a pull toward compressed that's missing
Vox AC30S1 OneTwelve 30W 1x12 Combo
Vox
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Into a dynamic tone, Vox AC30S1 OneTwelve 30W 1x12 Combo brings a pull toward compressed that's missing
Fryette Power Station 100
Fryette
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Fryette Power Station 100 leans this dynamic tone toward compressed, which it doesn't make on its own
Kustom HV30 Tube
Kustom
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Kustom HV30 Tube leans this dynamic tone toward compressed, which it doesn't make on its own
Mesa/Boogie Stiletto Deuce Stage II
Mesa Boogie
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Mesa/Boogie Stiletto Deuce Stage II leans this dynamic tone toward compressed, which it doesn't make on its own
Friedman PT-20
Friedman
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Friedman PT-20 leans this dynamic tone toward compressed, which it doesn't make on its own
Pedals that stack with the EarthQuaker Devices Scrolls
Dunlop MXR M228 Dyna Comp Stereo
Dunlop
25% matchshapes the dynamic responseShapes how the tone responds to picking dynamics rather than its frequency or gain. (dynamic → compressed)
What Dunlop MXR M228 Dyna Comp Stereo brings here leans toward compressed — that's worth building a pairing around
Comes earlier in the signal chain
Origin Effects RevivalDrive
Origin Effects
18% matchshapes the dynamic responseShapes how the tone responds to picking dynamics rather than its frequency or gain. (dynamic → compressed)
Into a dynamic tone, Origin Effects RevivalDrive brings a pull toward compressed that's missing
Keeley Super AT Mod Overdrive Limited Edition
Keeley
16% matchshapes the dynamic responseShapes how the tone responds to picking dynamics rather than its frequency or gain. (dynamic → compressed)
Keeley Super AT Mod Overdrive Limited Edition leans this dynamic tone toward compressed, which it doesn't make on its own
Catalinbread Valcoder '70s Collection
Catalinbread
10% 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 Catalinbread Valcoder '70s Collection after EarthQuaker Devices Scrolls in the signal chain, clear of EarthQuaker Devices Scrolls's own gain stage
Comes later in the signal chain
Echoplex EP-3
Echoplex
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.
Keep EarthQuaker Devices Scrolls's ambient voice out front: Echoplex EP-3 goes after EarthQuaker Devices Scrolls in the signal chain so its analog warmth voice doesn't muddy it — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Comes later in the signal chain
JHS Lucky Cat Delay limited edition
JHS 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.
JHS Lucky Cat Delay limited edition's pristine voice goes after EarthQuaker Devices Scrolls in the signal chain — it's not there to compete with EarthQuaker Devices Scrolls's own ambient character — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Comes later in the signal chain
DigiTech DOD Compressor 280
Digitech
tonal matchComes earlier in the signal chain
DigiTech DOD Compressor 280 leans this dynamic tone toward compressed, which it doesn't make on its own
DigiTech XBS Bass Squeeze
Digitech
tonal matchComes earlier in the signal chain
DigiTech XBS Bass Squeeze leans this dynamic tone toward compressed, which it doesn't make on its own
Alternatives
Ernie Ball Expression Overdrive
Ernie Ball
60% similaritySimilar voicing: ambient, dynamic
Sonicake Rude Mouse Distortion
Sonicake
45% similaritySimilar voicing: ambient, dynamic
Ibanez WH10V3
Ibanez
42% similaritySimilar voicing: ambient, dynamic
Electro-Harmonix Spruce Goose
Electro-Harmonix
42% similaritySimilar voicing: ambient, dynamic
Ernie Ball 6183 Expression Overdrive
Ernie Ball
42% similaritySimilar voicing: ambient, dynamic
Alexander Pedals Hot Pink Drive
Alexander Pedals
40% similaritySimilar voicing: ambient, dynamic
Univox UD-50 Uni-Drive
pedal
40% similaritySimilar voicing: ambient, dynamic
See all alternatives to the EarthQuaker Devices Scrolls (cheaper + boutique) →
Questions people ask
What are good alternatives to the EarthQuaker Devices Scrolls?+
The closest matches in character are the Ernie Ball Expression Overdrive, the Sonicake Rude Mouse Distortion, the Ibanez WH10V3.
What pairs well with the EarthQuaker Devices Scrolls?+
Strong matches from rig and tone-complementarity evidence: Bad Cat Cub, Cornell Romany 10 Tweed 10 watt Tube, Ceriatone British Style 2525 — Bad Cat Cub leans toward harmonically rich, and that's a real, usable character to pair with.