The EarthQuaker Devices Westwood is an EarthQuaker Devices overdrive pedal, currently around $179. Close alternatives include the Paul Cochrane Timmy and the Xotic BB Preamp V1.5. It pairs well with the Fender Prosonic and the Marshall Studio JTM ST20C MkII 20W 1x12 Combo.
EarthQuaker Devices Westwood
EarthQuaker Devices · pedal
The EarthQuaker Devices Westwood Translucent Drive Manipulator is a transparent boost and overdrive that pulls harmonically rich drive from an amp while preserving the guitar and amp core tone. With its active EQ set flat it is genuinely transparent and amp-like, with a natural, tubular, almost flute-like quality and strong note clarity, each string cutting through with dynamic sustain. It offers more gain than typical transparent drives, pushing from squeaky clean boost to thick overdrive at the edge of distortion, ideal for soaring leads. An active EQ gives up to 20dB boost or cut around 2kHz treble and 80Hz bass, adding sizzle, beefy low-end thump and woman-tone, or taming shrill single coils, and it stacks seamlessly with other pedals.
What stands out
“The EarthQuaker Devices Westwood Translucent Drive Manipulator is a transparent boost and overdrive that pulls harmonically rich drive from an amp while preserving the guitar and amp core tone”
— from the listing
“The active EQ is unusually capable for the format, offering up to 20dB of boost or cut to add treble sizzle, beefy bass and woman-tone howl, or , and the gain range runs from clean boost to thick lead drive”
— from the reviews
“It offers more gain than typical transparent drives, pushing from squeaky clean boost to thick overdrive at the edge of distortion, ideal for soaring leads”
— from the listing
“with its active eq set flat it is genuinely transparent and amp-like”
— from the listing
“An active EQ gives up to 20dB boost or cut around 2kHz treble and 80Hz bass, adding sizzle, beefy low-end thump and woman-tone, or , and it stacks seamlessly with other pedals”
— from the listing
- drive
- transparent
- treble
- clean boost
- lead
- harmonically rich
- thick
- sizzle
Price updated Oct 23, 2026
Genres the EarthQuaker Devices Westwood is commonly used in
- Blues
- Jazz
- Indie
- Country
- Alternative
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Indie Rock
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
Amps that pair well with the EarthQuaker Devices Westwood
Fender Prosonic
amplifier
25% matchfills a frequency gapFills in a frequency range the other side doesn't cover, instead of piling more onto what's already there. (bright → warm)
Run Fender Prosonic after it and the bright edge settles into something more warm
Comes later in the signal chain
Marshall Studio JTM ST20C MkII 20W 1x12 Combo
Marshall
24% matchMarshall Studio JTM ST20C MkII 20W 1x12 Combo leans this transparent tone toward low gain, which it doesn't make on its own
Comes later in the signal chain
Marshall Vintage Modern 2466
Marshall
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Run Marshall Vintage Modern 2466 after it and the bright edge settles into something more warm
Ampeg V-4
Ampeg
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Into a transparent tone, Ampeg V-4 brings a pull toward mid-forward that's missing
Blackstar Series One 200
Blackstar
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Where this leans bright, Blackstar Series One 200 answers back warm
Ampeg BA 108
Ampeg
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Run Ampeg BA 108 after it and the bright edge settles into something more smooth
Blackstar HT Stage 100H MK III Snakeskin
Blackstar
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Blackstar HT Stage 100H MK III Snakeskin leans this transparent tone toward high gain, which it doesn't make on its own
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
Pedals that stack with the EarthQuaker Devices Westwood
Electro-Harmonix Green Russian Big Muff
Electro-Harmonix
21% 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)
Electro-Harmonix Green Russian Big Muff leans smooth right where the bright tone needs it
Comes later in the signal chain
Spaceman Explorer 6-Stage Phaser
Spaceman
20% matchsits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.
Spaceman Explorer 6-Stage Phaser's lush voice goes after EarthQuaker Devices Westwood in the signal chain — it's not there to compete with EarthQuaker Devices Westwood's own transparent character
Comes later in the signal chain
Nobels ODR-1
Nobels
20% 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
SahBro? Audio Ross Kempressor
Sahbro Audio
18% matchfills a frequency gapFills in a frequency range the other side doesn't cover, instead of piling more onto what's already there. (bright → warm)
SahBro? Audio Ross Kempressor leans toward compressed, and that's a real, usable character to pair with
Comes earlier in the signal chain
T-Rex Junior Roomate
T Rex
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.
T-Rex Junior Roomate's warm voice goes after EarthQuaker Devices Westwood in the signal chain — it's not there to compete with EarthQuaker Devices Westwood's own transparent character — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Comes later in the signal chain
Alexander Pedals Now We Are Ghosts Reverb
Alexander Pedals
12% 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 Alexander Pedals Now We Are Ghosts Reverb after EarthQuaker Devices Westwood in the signal chain, clear of EarthQuaker Devices Westwood's own gain stage — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Comes later in the signal chain
Dunlop Echoplex Preamp
Dunlop
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Dunlop Echoplex Preamp leans smooth right where the bright tone needs it
Caline CP-31 Hot Spice (Black)
Caline
tonal matchComes earlier in the signal chain
Put Caline CP-31 Hot Spice (Black) in front of EarthQuaker Devices Westwood: a wah tracks picking dynamics best on the raw signal
Cheaper alternatives
MXR Super Badass Distortion
MXR
57% similarityShared character: sustain, boost, treble
Tone City Sweet Cream V2
Tone City
51% similarityShared character: transparent, overdrive
Dunlop MXR Timmy Overdrive, sold as Dunlop CSP027
Dunlop
51% similarityShared character: boost, treble, thickness
Tone City Sweet Cream v2025
Tone City
51% similarityShared character: transparent, overdrive
EarthQuaker Devices Zoar
EarthQuaker Devices
95% similaritysimilar tone character
MXR MC401 Boost/Line Driver
MXR
95% similaritysimilar tone character
Boutique & premium upgrades
Similar charactersee all similar tone character →
Paul Cochrane Timmy
Paul Cochrane
61% similarityShared character: boost, treble, clarity
Xotic BB Preamp V1.5
Xotic
60% similarityShared character: sustain, boost, treble
Mad Professor Mad-Rbo
Mad Professor
60% similarityShared character: boost, treble, subtle
J. Rockett Archer
pedal
59% similarityShared character: boost, treble, subtle
Colorsound Power Boost
Colorsound
57% similarityShared character: boost, treble, thickness
Abasi Pathos Distortion
Abasi
57% similarityShared character: strings, boost, subtle
See all alternatives to the EarthQuaker Devices Westwood (cheaper + boutique) →
Questions people ask
What are good alternatives to the EarthQuaker Devices Westwood?+
The closest matches in character are the Paul Cochrane Timmy, the Xotic BB Preamp V1.5, the Mad Professor Mad-Rbo. Budget picks: MXR Super Badass Distortion, Tone City Sweet Cream V2, Dunlop MXR Timmy Overdrive, sold as Dunlop CSP027. Boutique upgrades: Analog Man King of Tone, Xotic AC Plus.
What pairs well with the EarthQuaker Devices Westwood?+
Strong matches from rig and tone-complementarity evidence: Fender Prosonic, Marshall Studio JTM ST20C MkII 20W 1x12 Combo, Marshall Vintage Modern 2466 — Run Fender Prosonic after it and the bright edge settles into something more warm.
How much does the EarthQuaker Devices Westwood cost?+
Around $179 (live listing price, updated Oct 23, 2026).