The Electro-Harmonix Hot Wax is an Electro-Harmonix overdrive pedal, currently around $119.18. Close alternatives include the Crowther Double Hot Cake and the Keeley D&M Drive. It pairs well with the Mesa Boogie Mark I and the Peavey TKO 115.
Electro-Harmonix Hot Wax
Electro-Harmonix · pedal
The Electro-Harmonix Hot Wax is a dual overdrive pedal from EHX combining two separate drive circuits in a single enclosure: the Crayon Full-Range Overdrive and the Glove OD. Each channel has independent Volume, Gain, and EQ controls, and the two channels can run independently or in series in either order. The Crayon delivers full-bandwidth transparent overdrive without the midrange hump of TS-style designs, while the Glove delivers op-amp Big Muff-derived overdrive with richer harmonic coloring. The combination provides a versatile dual-drive platform covering transparent boost through harmonically rich overdrive in a single enclosure.
What stands out
“The combination provides a versatile dual-drive platform covering transparent boost through harmonically rich overdrive in a single enclosure”
— from the listing
“The Electro-Harmonix Hot Wax is a dual overdrive pedal from EHX combining two separate drive circuits in a single enclosure: the Crayon Full-Range Overdrive and the Glove OD”
— from the listing
“The Crayon delivers full-bandwidth transparent overdrive , while the Glove delivers op-amp Big Muff-derived overdrive with richer harmonic coloring”
— from the listing
“Crayon-into-Glove stacking delivers warm, progressively complex overdrive; Glove-into-Crayon produces a more compressed foundation with full-range enhancement on top”
— from the community notes
“The Hot Wax delivers two genuinely differentiated overdrive characters in a single enclosure, with the Crayon providing frequency-preserving transparent drive and the Glove providing the harmonically richer op-amp Muff-derived character, an…”
— from the reviews
- transparent
- overdrive
- full
- stacking
- drive
- op amp
- hot
- coloring
Price updated Oct 22, 2026
Genres the Electro-Harmonix Hot Wax is commonly used in
Amps that pair well with the Electro-Harmonix Hot Wax
Mesa Boogie Mark I
Mesa Boogie
28% matchpushes an already-dirty tonePushes an already-dirty tone harder and tightens it up. (high gain → mid-forward)
Into the Mark I's midrange-forward preamp gain, the Hot Wax's transparent, coloring drive has real amp character to push into.
Comes later in the signal chain
Peavey TKO 115
Peavey
28% matchgain stackingStacks two gain stages for more saturation than either produces alone. (mid-forward → high gain)
The TKO 115's punchy, aggressive midrange gives the Hot Wax's transparent, coloring drive a defined amp voice to push into.
Comes later in the signal chain
Randall NB King 112 Nuno Bettencourt Signature 30W 1x12 Combo
Randall
23% matchgain stackingStacks two gain stages for more saturation than either produces alone. (mid-forward → high gain)
Run mid-forward into Electro-Harmonix Hot Wax for more high gain on top
Comes later in the signal chain
Bartel Swingland 3W 1x12 Combo
Bartel
23% matchgain stackingStacks two gain stages for more saturation than either produces alone. (mid-forward → high gain)
Electro-Harmonix Hot Wax stacks high gain on top of the mid-forward already here
Comes later in the signal chain
Peavey MAX 208
Peavey
22% matchgain stackingStacks two gain stages for more saturation than either produces alone. (mid-forward → high gain)
Run mid-forward into Electro-Harmonix Hot Wax for more high gain on top
Comes later in the signal chain
Ceriatone TW Expression Head
Ceriatone
22% matchgain stackingStacks two gain stages for more saturation than either produces alone. (mid-forward → high gain)
Put Electro-Harmonix Hot Wax in front and the mid-forward tone leans further toward high gain
Comes later in the signal chain
Ceriatone C-Wreck
Ceriatone
21% matchgain stackingStacks two gain stages for more saturation than either produces alone. (mid-forward → high gain)
Electro-Harmonix Hot Wax stacks high gain on top of the mid-forward already here
Comes later in the signal chain
Deacy Amp
amplifier
20% matchgain stackingStacks two gain stages for more saturation than either produces alone. (mid-forward → high gain)
Electro-Harmonix Hot Wax stacks high gain on top of the mid-forward already here
Comes later in the signal chain
See all 11 amps that pair with the Electro-Harmonix Hot Wax →
Pedals that stack with the Electro-Harmonix Hot Wax
Klon Centaur
Klon
32% matchStack the Klon's transparent midrange push after the Hot Wax's full-bandwidth drive for extra saturation without losing that stacking-friendly clarity.
Nobels ODR-1
Nobels
30% matchpushes an already-dirty tonePushes an already-dirty tone harder and tightens it up. (high gain → mid-forward)
Stack the ODR-1's thick, transparent midrange push with the Hot Wax's own transparent, coloring drive for two distinct low-gain textures.
Alexander Pedals Hot Pink Drive
Alexander Pedals
24% matchgain stackingStacks two gain stages for more saturation than either produces alone. (mid-forward → high gain)
Run mid-forward into Electro-Harmonix Hot Wax for more high gain on top
Walrus Audio Fundamental Chrous
Walrus Audio
24% 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 Walrus Audio Fundamental Chrous after Electro-Harmonix Hot Wax in the signal chain, clear of Electro-Harmonix Hot Wax's own gain stage
Comes later in the signal chain
MXR Dyna Comp
MXR
23% matchshapes the dynamic responseShapes how the tone responds to picking dynamics rather than its frequency or gain.
The Dyna Comp's transient squash evens out the pick attack before it ever reaches the Hot Wax's own transparent, coloring drive.
Comes earlier in the signal chain
Spaceman Artemis Modulated Filter
Spaceman
21% matchElectro-Harmonix Hot Wax layers high gain onto an already mid-forward signal
Comes earlier in the signal chain
Fender Santa Ana Overdrive
Fender
20% matchInto a transparent tone, Electro-Harmonix Hot Wax brings a pull toward high gain that's missing
Fender Hammertone Reverb
Fender
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.
The Hammertone's lush, shimmering reverb gives the Hot Wax's transparent, coloring drive somewhere metallic to decay into. — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Comes later in the signal chain
See all 11 pedals that pair with the Electro-Harmonix Hot Wax →
Cheaper alternatives
Electro-Harmonix Glove
Electro-Harmonix
55% 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.”
Boss BD-2 Blues Driver
Boss
54% similarityShared character: boost, transparent, gain
MXR double-double overdrive
MXR
51% similarityShared character: boost, gain, overdrive
Electro-Harmonix Spruce Goose
Electro-Harmonix
51% similarityShared character: boost, transparent, gain
Electro-Harmonix ERD
Electro-Harmonix
93% similaritysimilar tone character
67Audio Harry Balz
67audio
93% similaritysimilar tone character
Boutique & premium upgrades
Chase Bliss Brothers AM
Chase Bliss Audio
52% similarityShared character: two channels, gain, full
Snouse BlackBox Overdrive 2
Snouse
52% similarityShared character: boost, transparent, gain
Lovepedal ET-ST Eternity Stack
Lovepedal
52% similarityShared character: two channels, transparent, gain
Browne Amplification Carbon V2
Browne Amplification
51% similarityShared character: boost, transparent, gain
Browne Amplification Protein V4
Browne Amplification
49% similarityShared character: two channels, combination, boost
EarthQuaker Devices Dirt Transmitter
EarthQuaker Devices
93% similaritysimilar tone character
Similar charactersee all similar tone character →
Crowther Double Hot Cake
Crowther
64% similarityShared character: two channels, combination, boost
Keeley D&M Drive
Keeley
56% similarityShared character: two channels, boost, transparent
JAM Boomster mk2
Jam Pedals
54% similarityShared character: boost, transparent, gain
ThorpyFX Electric Lightning
ThorpyFX
53% similarityShared character: boost, transparent, gain
Amptweaker Tight Boost
Amptweaker
53% similarityShared character: boost, transparent, gain
Summer School Electronics Class Reunion Double Drive
Summer School Electronics
52% similarityShared character: boost, gain
See all alternatives to the Electro-Harmonix Hot Wax (cheaper + boutique) →
Questions people ask
What are good alternatives to the Electro-Harmonix Hot Wax?+
The closest matches in character are the Crowther Double Hot Cake, the Keeley D&M Drive, the JAM Boomster mk2. Budget picks: Electro-Harmonix Glove, Boss BD-2 Blues Driver, MXR double-double overdrive. Boutique upgrades: Chase Bliss Brothers AM, Snouse BlackBox Overdrive 2, Lovepedal ET-ST Eternity Stack.
What pairs well with the Electro-Harmonix Hot Wax?+
Strong matches from rig and tone-complementarity evidence: Mesa Boogie Mark I, Peavey TKO 115, Randall NB King 112 Nuno Bettencourt Signature 30W 1x12 Combo — Into the Mark I's midrange-forward preamp gain, the Hot Wax's transparent, coloring drive has real amp character to push into..
How much does the Electro-Harmonix Hot Wax cost?+
Around $119.18 (live listing price, updated Oct 22, 2026).
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