The EarthQuaker Devices Westwood is an EarthQuaker Devices overdrive pedal, currently around $179. Close alternatives include the J. Rockett Archer and the Paul Cochrane Timmy. It pairs well with the Marshall JTM45 45W Tube Guitar Amp Head and the Blackstar St. James 100.
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.
- drive
- transparent
- treble
- distortion
- clean boost
- eq
- thick
- sizzle
Price updated Aug 27, 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. - Rock
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
Amps that pair well with the EarthQuaker Devices Westwood
Marshall JTM45 45W Tube Guitar Amp Head
amplifier
27% matchInto a transparent tone, Marshall JTM45 45W Tube Guitar Amp Head brings the mid-forward it's missing
Blackstar St. James 100
Blackstar
25% matchRun Blackstar St. James 100 into that transparent platform and it finally gets some high gain
Synergy SL2 Module
Synergy
tonal matchThe transparent tone has headroom to spare — Synergy SL2 Module gives it high gain to fill it with
Friedman BE-Mini Head
Friedman
tonal matchInto a transparent tone, Friedman BE-Mini Head brings the high gain it's missing
Ceriatone 2202H
Ceriatone
tonal matchThe transparent tone has headroom to spare — Ceriatone 2202H gives it high gain to fill it with
Egnater Tweaker 88 Head
Egnater
tonal matchEgnater Tweaker 88 Head's low gain fills in what this transparent tone doesn't make on its own
Hughes & Kettner Warp 7
Hughes & Kettner
tonal matchThe transparent tone has headroom to spare — Hughes & Kettner Warp 7 gives it high gain to fill it with
Friedman Jose LTD
Friedman
tonal matchInto a transparent tone, Friedman Jose LTD brings the high gain it's missing
Pedals that stack with the EarthQuaker Devices Westwood
Beetronics Nectar
Beetronics
24% matchBeetronics Nectar's low gain fills in what this transparent tone doesn't make on its own
EarthQuaker Devices Hizumitas
EarthQuaker Devices
23% matchRun EarthQuaker Devices Hizumitas into that transparent platform and it finally gets some high gain
Walrus Audio Monument CS
Walrus Audio
20% matchWalrus Audio Monument CS's low gain voice goes after EarthQuaker Devices Westwood in the signal chain — it's not there to compete with EarthQuaker Devices Westwood's own transparent character
Vox Valvenergy Silk Drive
Vox
18% matchVox Valvenergy Silk Drive's own smooth character is the real reason this is worth trying
Alexander Pedals Now We Are Ghosts Reverb
Alexander Pedals
11% matchRun 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)
Eventide Modulated Delay
Eventide
11% matchPut Eventide Modulated Delay 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)
Beetronics OV-LE-Uva
Beetronics
tonal matchBeetronics OV-LE-Uva's own voicing points at a clean amp's front end, and EarthQuaker Devices Westwood delivers it
Boss OD-3 Overdrive
Boss
tonal matchBoss OD-3 Overdrive is voiced for a clean amp's front end — EarthQuaker Devices Westwood gives it exactly that
Cheaper alternatives
Dunlop MXR Timmy Overdrive, sold as Dunlop CSP027
Dunlop
73% similarityShared character: boost, treble, thickness
Catalinbread Blood Donor
Catalinbread
66% similarityShared character: boost, aggressive_playing, subtle
MXR Super Badass Distortion
MXR
95% similaritysimilar tone character
EarthQuaker Devices Special Cranker
EarthQuaker Devices
95% similaritysimilar tone character
MXR MC401 Boost/Line Driver
MXR
94% similaritysimilar tone character
Xotic BB Preamp
Xotic
94% similaritysimilar tone character
Boutique & premium upgrades
Similar charactersee all similar tone character →
J. Rockett Archer
pedal
74% similarityShared character: pedal, boost, treble
Paul Cochrane Timmy
Paul Cochrane
72% similarityShared character: boost, treble, guitar
Colorsound Power Boost
Colorsound
72% similarityShared character: boost, treble, guitar
Xotic BB Preamp V1.5
Xotic
72% similarityShared character: boost, treble, thickness
Dean Markley Overlord
Dean Markley
72% similarityShared character: pedal, boost, treble
Klon KTR
Klon
71% similarityShared character: boost, amp, distortion
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 J. Rockett Archer, the Paul Cochrane Timmy, the Colorsound Power Boost. Budget picks: Dunlop MXR Timmy Overdrive, sold as Dunlop CSP027, Catalinbread Blood Donor, MXR Super Badass Distortion. Boutique upgrades: Analog Man King of Tone.
What pairs well with the EarthQuaker Devices Westwood?+
Strong matches from rig and tone-complementarity evidence: Marshall JTM45 45W Tube Guitar Amp Head, Blackstar St. James 100, Synergy SL2 Module — Into a transparent tone, Marshall JTM45 45W Tube Guitar Amp Head brings the mid-forward it's missing.
How much does the EarthQuaker Devices Westwood cost?+
Around $179 (live listing price, updated Aug 27, 2026).