The Electro-Harmonix Crayon is an Electro-Harmonix overdrive pedal. Close alternatives include the Dunlop MXR Timmy Overdrive, sold as Dunlop CSP027 and the 67Audio Harry Balz. It pairs well with the Crate VFX 5212 and the Soldano 2x12 Straight Classic Cabinet (Purple).
Electro-Harmonix Crayon
Electro-Harmonix · pedal
The Electro-Harmonix Crayon is a full-range overdrive pedal from EHX designed to preserve the complete frequency spectrum of the guitar signal including both the low-end bass and high-frequency treble that conventional Tube Screamer-style mid-boosting overdrives compress or remove. The Crayon uses a circuit that avoids the midrange hump and low-frequency rolloff of TS-style designs, delivering a more transparent, full-bandwidth overdrive saturation suited to players who want drive without the tonal narrowing effect of traditional mid-pushed OD pedals. It covers light crunch through medium saturation with controls for Gain and Treble.
- overdrive
- transparent
- treble
- drive
- mid
- full
- bass
- frequency
Genres the Electro-Harmonix Crayon is commonly used in
- Alternative Rock
- Blues
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Indie Rock
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Rock
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Blues Rock
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Country
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
Amps that pair well with the Electro-Harmonix Crayon
Crate VFX 5212
Crate
10% matchElectro-Harmonix Crayon leans toward transparent, and that's a real, usable character to pair with
Soldano 2x12 Straight Classic Cabinet (Purple)
Soldano
10% matchWhat Electro-Harmonix Crayon brings here leans toward transparent — that's worth building a pairing around
Supro Keeley Combo
Supro
9% matchElectro-Harmonix Crayon's own transparent character is the real reason this is worth trying
Mojotone Lite American Style 1x10 Extension Cabinet
Mojotone
9% matchWhat Electro-Harmonix Crayon brings here leans toward transparent — that's worth building a pairing around
Peavey Nashville 112 Amp
Peavey
9% matchWhat Electro-Harmonix Crayon brings here leans toward transparent — that's worth building a pairing around
Mesa/Boogie JP-2C John Petrucci Signature 60/100-Watt
Mesa Boogie
9% matchWhat Electro-Harmonix Crayon brings here leans toward transparent — that's worth building a pairing around
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
Pedals that stack with the Electro-Harmonix Crayon
Soldano SLO
Soldano
35% matchThe SLO's tight, articulate high-gain preamp pushes the Crayon's transparent drive into real saturation rather than just more treble.
Ibanez Tube Screamer
Ibanez
35% matchThe Screamer's mid-forward boost stacks with the Crayon's own transparent, treble-forward drive.
Way Huge Electronics Green Rhino MkII Overdrive
Way Huge
30% matchWhere this leans warm, Electro-Harmonix Crayon answers back bright
MXR Phase 90
MXR
26% matchThe Phase 90's classic-rock sweep follows the Crayon's transparent, treble-forward drive for a defined swirl.
Maxon FV10 Fuzz Elements Void
Maxon
26% matchElectro-Harmonix Crayon pushes a scooped tone toward mid-forward
NuX NAI-5 Optima Air
Nux
24% matchElectro-Harmonix Crayon leans bright right where the warm tone needs it
Catalinbread SFT Ampeg Flip-Top Style Overdrive
Catalinbread
24% matchElectro-Harmonix Crayon's bright balances out the warm tone
Boss AD-2 Acoustic Preamp
Boss
22% matchRun Electro-Harmonix Crayon after it and the warm edge settles into something more bright
See all 28 pedals that pair with the Electro-Harmonix Crayon →
Alternativessee all similar tone character →
Dunlop MXR Timmy Overdrive, sold as Dunlop CSP027
Dunlop
74% similarityShared character: treble, middle, transparent
67Audio Harry Balz
67audio
73% similarityShared character: treble, middle, stage
Wampler Plexi-Drive Deluxe
Wampler
73% similarityShared character: treble, middle, crunch
Electro-Harmonix Spruce Goose
Electro-Harmonix
72% similarityShared character: full, treble, middle
Behringer OD300 Overdrive Distortion
Behringer
72% similarityShared character: circuit, full, middle
Wampler Tumnus Deluxe
Wampler
72% similarityShared character: treble, middle, crunch
NuX Horseman Gold 2 in 1 Overdrive
Nux
70% similarityShared character: circuit, treble, middle
Electro-Harmonix Glove
Electro-Harmonix
70% similarity“Pairing the Glove with the Crayon in the Hot Wax dual enclosure is the most comprehensive way to use both EHX OD voices together.”
Electro-Harmonix Hot Wax
Electro-Harmonix
70% similarity“The Electro-Harmonix Hot Wax is a dual overdrive pedal combining the Crayon full-range overdrive and the Hot Tubes overdrive in a single enclosure”
Matthews Effects The Cartographer Parametric Overdrive
Matthews Effects
61% similarityShared character: overdrive
Colorsound Power Boost
Colorsound
95% similaritysimilar tone character
Electro-Harmonix Nano Operation Overlord
Electro-Harmonix
95% similaritysimilar tone character
See all alternatives to the Electro-Harmonix Crayon (cheaper + boutique) →
Questions people ask
What are good alternatives to the Electro-Harmonix Crayon?+
The closest matches in character are the Dunlop MXR Timmy Overdrive, sold as Dunlop CSP027, the 67Audio Harry Balz, the Wampler Plexi-Drive Deluxe.
What pairs well with the Electro-Harmonix Crayon?+
Strong matches from rig and tone-complementarity evidence: Crate VFX 5212, Soldano 2x12 Straight Classic Cabinet (Purple), Supro Keeley Combo — Electro-Harmonix Crayon leans toward transparent, and that's a real, usable character to pair with.