The Free The Tone PA-1QG 10 Band Analog EQ is a Free The Tone eq pedal, currently around $350. Close alternatives include the Free The Tone PA-1QA Programmable 10 Band EQ and the JHS Haunting Mids. It pairs well with the Friedman Dirty Shirley and the Revv Generator G20 20-Watt 2-Channel Tube Head.
Free The Tone PA-1QG 10 Band Analog EQ
Free The Tone · pedal
The Free The Tone PA-1QG is a programmable analog 10-band EQ specifically tuned for electric guitar, with frequency bands at 50, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1500, 2500, 3500 Hz, 7, and 10 kHz, each offering ±12dB of boost or cut. Like its acoustic-focused sibling the PA-1QA, it combines a fully analog signal path with a digital control section for precise preset storage, recall, and MIDI-controllable real-time parameter changes, keeping the actual tone-shaping circuitry analog throughout.
What stands out
“Free The Tone PA-1QG is a programmable analog 10-band EQ specifically tuned for electric guitar, with frequency bands at 50, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1500, 2500, 3500 Hz, 7, and 10 kHz, each offering ±12dB of boost or cut”
— from the listing
“it combines a fully analog signal path with a digital control section for precise preset storage”
— from the listing
“Primary use case is electric guitarists wanting precise, preset-recallable EQ correction for different guitars, amps, or venue acoustics”
— from the community notes
“more concentrated in the midrange and upper-mid registers than the acoustic-tuned pa-1qa”
— from the community notes
“and midi-controllable real-time parameter changes”
— from the listing
- frequency
- digital
- upper mid
- midi
- hybrid
- studio
- midrange
- boost
Price updated Oct 24, 2026
Genres the Free The Tone PA-1QG 10 Band Analog EQ is commonly used in
- Alternative Rock
Amps that pair well with the Free The Tone PA-1QG 10 Band Analog EQ
Friedman Dirty Shirley
Friedman
26% matchInto the Dirty Shirley's vintage, British crunch, the PA-1QG's precise, upper-mid-focused EQ has real headroom to shape.
Comes later in the signal chain
Revv Generator G20 20-Watt 2-Channel Tube Head
Revv
26% matchRevv Generator G20 20-Watt 2-Channel Tube Head layers high gain onto an already mid-forward signal
Comes later in the signal chain
Mesa/Boogie JP-2C John Petrucci Signature 60/100-Watt
Mesa Boogie
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Run mid-forward into Mesa/Boogie JP-2C John Petrucci Signature 60/100-Watt for more high gain on top
Marshall Studio JCM900 SN20H
Marshall
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Put Marshall Studio JCM900 SN20H in front and the mid-forward tone leans further toward high gain
Blackstar HT Stage 100H MK III Snakeskin
Blackstar
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Run mid-forward into Blackstar HT Stage 100H MK III Snakeskin for more high gain on top
Friedman BE-Mini Head
Friedman
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Friedman BE-Mini Head layers high gain onto an already mid-forward signal
Hughes & Kettner Warp 7
Hughes & Kettner
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Hughes & Kettner Warp 7 layers high gain onto an already mid-forward signal
Hughes & Kettner Coreblade
Hughes & Kettner
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Put Hughes & Kettner Coreblade in front and the mid-forward tone leans further toward high gain
Pedals that stack with the Free The Tone PA-1QG 10 Band Analog EQ
EarthQuaker Devices Dirt Transmitter
EarthQuaker Devices
27% matchThe PA-1QG's precise, upper-mid-focused EQ shapes the Dirt Transmitter's low-noise gain before it ever hits the amp.
Comes earlier in the signal chain
Greer Black Mountain
Greer
25% matchThe Black Mountain's doom-voiced, stoner fuzz gives the PA-1QG's precise, upper-mid-focused EQ a saturated signal to shape.
Comes earlier in the signal chain
Walrus Audio Fable
Walrus Audio
14% 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 Fable's glitchy granular reverb gives the PA-1QG's precise, upper-mid-focused EQ somewhere strange to shape into. — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Comes later in the signal chain
Caroline Guitar Company Kilobyte
Caroline Guitar Company
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.
Keep Caroline Guitar Company Kilobyte after Free The Tone PA-1QG 10 Band Analog EQ in the signal chain, where it won't crowd Free The Tone PA-1QG 10 Band Analog EQ — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Comes later in the signal chain
Caline CP-31 Hot Spice (Black)
Caline
tonal matchComes earlier in the signal chain
Put Caline CP-31 Hot Spice (Black) in front of Free The Tone PA-1QG 10 Band Analog EQ: a wah tracks picking dynamics best on the raw signal
Dr. Scientist Frazz Dazzler V2
Dr Scientist
tonal matchComes earlier in the signal chain
Dr. Scientist Frazz Dazzler V2 layers fuzzy onto an already mid-forward signal
Tone City Hot Mama Overdrive
Tone City
tonal matchComes earlier in the signal chain
Put Tone City Hot Mama Overdrive in front and the mid-forward tone leans further toward high gain
Joyo Hot Witch
Joyo
tonal matchComes earlier in the signal chain
Joyo Hot Witch layers high gain onto an already mid-forward signal
Cheaper alternatives
Dirty Haggard Audio Mid-Band
Dirty Haggard Audio
62% similarityShared character: middle, boost
Artec SE-EQ8 Graphic Equalizer
Artec
54% similarityShared character: middle, boost
BLAXX EQ5B 5-Band Equalizer
Blaxx
52% similarityShared character: boost
Chaos Custom Shop HPF
Chaos Custom Shop
46% similarityShared character: studio
Similar character
See all alternatives to the Free The Tone PA-1QG 10 Band Analog EQ (cheaper + boutique) →
Questions people ask
What are good alternatives to the Free The Tone PA-1QG 10 Band Analog EQ?+
The closest matches in character are the Free The Tone PA-1QA Programmable 10 Band EQ, the JHS Haunting Mids, the Wampler Equator Parametric EQ. Budget picks: Dirty Haggard Audio Mid-Band, Artec SE-EQ8 Graphic Equalizer, BLAXX EQ5B 5-Band Equalizer.
What pairs well with the Free The Tone PA-1QG 10 Band Analog EQ?+
Strong matches from rig and tone-complementarity evidence: Friedman Dirty Shirley, Revv Generator G20 20-Watt 2-Channel Tube Head, Mesa/Boogie JP-2C John Petrucci Signature 60/100-Watt — Into the Dirty Shirley's vintage, British crunch, the PA-1QG's precise, upper-mid-focused EQ has real headroom to shape..
How much does the Free The Tone PA-1QG 10 Band Analog EQ cost?+
Around $350 (live listing price, updated Oct 24, 2026).