The Electro-Harmonix Spruce Goose is an Electro-Harmonix overdrive pedal, currently around $96.75. Close alternatives include the Colorsound Power Boost and the DOD 250-x. It pairs well with the Marshall Bluesbreaker and the Marshall Plexi 1959SLP.
Electro-Harmonix Spruce Goose
Electro-Harmonix · pedal
The Electro-Harmonix Spruce Goose is a Bluesbreaker-style analog overdrive pedal combining the natural, amp-like breakup of the classic Marshall Bluesbreaker circuit with expanded tone shaping and a three-position LIFT switch that progressively increases input gain from transparent clean boost through mild drive to a singing, saturated lead tone. Controls include Level, Drive, Treble, and an active Bass knob that cuts or boosts low frequencies. The relay true bypass footswitch supports both standard latching and momentary hold-for-boost operation.
What stands out
“Bass-heavy EQ settings at maximum LIFT can cloud the lower midrange, and at full LIFT the character shifts away from the archetypal Bluesbreaker openness toward denser overdrive”
— from the community notes
“amp-like breakup of the classic marshall bluesbreaker circuit with expanded tone shaping and a three-position lift switch that progressively increases input gain from transparent clean boost through mild drive to a singing”
— from the listing
“LIFT position one is a transparent boost; position two enters the mild, open Bluesbreaker drive that defined the original circuit; position three develops singing, more compressed lead saturation”
— from the reviews
“The Electro-Harmonix Spruce Goose is a Bluesbreaker-style analog overdrive pedal combining the natural, amp-like breakup of the classic Marshall Bluesbreaker circuit with expanded tone shaping and a three-position LIFT switch that progressi…”
— from the listing
“The Bass knob is a meaningful practical addition — it compensates for the original circuit's leanness and adjusts how the pedal sits in a full band mix”
— from the reviews
- overdrive
- breakup
- lead
- clean boost
- transparent
- drive
- full
- singing
Price updated Oct 24, 2026
Genres the Electro-Harmonix Spruce Goose is commonly used in
- Classic Rock
- Blues
- Country
- Blues Rock
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - 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 Electro-Harmonix Spruce Goose
Marshall Bluesbreaker
Marshall
32% 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)
Marshall Bluesbreaker leans warm right where the bright tone needs it
Comes later in the signal chain
Marshall Plexi 1959SLP
amplifier
30% matchMarshall Plexi 1959SLP's own aggressive character is the real reason this is worth trying
Comes later in the signal chain
Marshall Vintage Modern 2466
Marshall
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Stack Marshall Vintage Modern 2466 on top and a edge of breakup tone tightens toward low gain
Orange Little Bass Thing
Orange
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Orange Little Bass Thing leans warm right where the bright tone needs it
Egnater Tweaker 88 Head
Egnater
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Stack Egnater Tweaker 88 Head on top and a edge of breakup tone tightens toward low gain
Bad Cat Lynx 50
Bad Cat
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Bad Cat Lynx 50 pushes a edge of breakup tone toward low gain
Revv Generator 120 MkIII 4-Channel 120W Head
Revv
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Revv Generator 120 MkIII 4-Channel 120W Head's smooth balances out the bright tone
Blackstar Unity Bass U250
Blackstar
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Feed a edge of breakup signal into Blackstar Unity Bass U250 and it comes out closer to mid-forward
Pedals that stack with the Electro-Harmonix Spruce Goose
MXR Micro Amp
MXR
19% matchFeed a edge of breakup signal into MXR Micro Amp and it comes out closer to clean boost
Z.Vex Super Hard On
Zvex
19% matchZ.Vex Super Hard On pushes a edge of breakup tone toward clean boost
Comes earlier in the signal chain
Walrus Audio Julia
Walrus Audio
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.
Run Walrus Audio Julia after Electro-Harmonix Spruce Goose in the signal chain, clear of Electro-Harmonix Spruce Goose's own gain stage
Comes later in the signal chain
Acoustic Strymon Compadre Dual Voice Compressor
Acoustic
13% matchshapes the dynamic responseShapes how the tone responds to picking dynamics rather than its frequency or gain. (dynamic → compressed)
Acoustic Strymon Compadre Dual Voice Compressor leans toward compressed, and that's a real, usable character to pair with
Comes earlier in the signal chain
Boss DD-3 Digital Delay
Boss
9% 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 Boss DD-3 Digital Delay after Electro-Harmonix Spruce Goose in the signal chain, clear of Electro-Harmonix Spruce Goose's own gain stage — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Comes later in the signal chain
Eventide Modulated Delay
Eventide
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.
Put Eventide Modulated Delay after Electro-Harmonix Spruce Goose in the signal chain, clear of Electro-Harmonix Spruce Goose's own gain stage — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Comes later in the signal chain
Matthews Effects The Pocket Drive Overdrive Boost
Matthews Effects
tonal matchFeed a edge of breakup signal into Matthews Effects The Pocket Drive Overdrive Boost and it comes out closer to clean boost
NuX Drive Core Deluxe
Nux
tonal matchNuX Drive Core Deluxe takes that edge of breakup character and pushes it toward clean boost
Cheaper alternatives
Behringer TO800 Vintage Tube Overdrive
Behringer
58% similarityShared character: single coils, singing, boost
WEM CCB-1 Copicat Boost
Wem
58% similarityShared character: boost, touch, transparent
Fulltone Fulldrive 2 MOSFET
Fulltone
96% similaritysimilar tone character
Boss SD-1 Super OverDrive
Boss
96% similaritysimilar tone character
Boutique & premium upgrades
Alexander Pedals Hot Pink Drive
Alexander Pedals
61% similarityShared character: glassy, treble, boost
Carl Martin Hot Drive 'N Boost mkI
Carl Martin
61% similarityShared character: true bypass, boost, transparent
Xotic RC Booster
Xotic
59% similarityShared character: grit, boost, treble
Greer Southland
Greer
59% similarityShared character: boost, transparent, overdrive
Ibanez TS808HW Hand-Wired Tube Screamer
Ibanez
58% similarityShared character: single coils, true bypass, middle
Bondi Effects Sick As Overdrive
Bondi Effects
58% similarityShared character: boost, treble, mix
Similar charactersee all similar tone character →
Colorsound Power Boost
Colorsound
61% similarityShared character: singing, boost, treble
DOD 250-x
Dod
59% similarityShared character: grit, boost, transparent
Warm Audio Centavo
Warm Audio
58% similarityShared character: original circuit, boost, treble
67Audio Harry Balz
67audio
58% similarityShared character: true bypass, treble, middle
Cornerstone Colosseum LTD BK
Cornerstone
58% similarityShared character: original circuit, touch, transparent
Fulltone OCD
Fulltone
57% similarityShared character: single coils, boost, touch
See all alternatives to the Electro-Harmonix Spruce Goose (cheaper + boutique) →
Questions people ask
What are good alternatives to the Electro-Harmonix Spruce Goose?+
The closest matches in character are the Colorsound Power Boost, the DOD 250-x, the Warm Audio Centavo. Budget picks: Behringer TO800 Vintage Tube Overdrive, WEM CCB-1 Copicat Boost, Fulltone Fulldrive 2 MOSFET. Boutique upgrades: Alexander Pedals Hot Pink Drive, Carl Martin Hot Drive 'N Boost mkI, Xotic RC Booster.
What pairs well with the Electro-Harmonix Spruce Goose?+
Strong matches from rig and tone-complementarity evidence: Marshall Bluesbreaker, Marshall Plexi 1959SLP, Marshall Vintage Modern 2466 — Marshall Bluesbreaker leans warm right where the bright tone needs it.
How much does the Electro-Harmonix Spruce Goose cost?+
Around $96.75 (live listing price, updated Oct 24, 2026).