The Keeley Filaments is a Keeley distortion pedal, currently around $189. Close alternatives include the Wampler Dracarys and the JHS PG-14 Paul Gilbert Signature Distortion. It pairs well with the Peavey VTM-120 and the Laney DBC410 Digbeth 4x10 Cabinet.
Keeley Filaments
Keeley · pedal
The Keeley Filaments is a high-gain distortion pedal from Keeley Electronics delivering tight, focused, harmonically rich saturation suited to modern rock and metal applications. The circuit provides powerful gain with controlled low-end tightness and mid-presence for note definition in dense playing contexts. The Filaments is positioned as Keeley's primary high-gain distortion offering, providing the saturated, cutting character needed for modern heavy music without the loose, unfocused quality of some fuzz-based high-gain designs.
What stands out
“; the Filaments is specifically a high-gain modern distortion”
— from the community notes
“The Filaments delivers tight, focused high-gain distortion with controlled low-end response suited to modern rock and metal applications”
— from the reviews
“Keeley's primary high-gain distortion offering, providing tight, focused saturation suited to modern rock and metal”
— from the community notes
“Players use it for drop-tuned rhythm playing and aggressive lead work where note definition and clarity are essential”
— from the community notes
“the keeley filaments is a from keeley electronics delivering tight”
— from the listing
Trade-offs
“gate or suppression may be needed at extreme gain settings”
— from the reviews
“unfocused quality of some fuzz-based high-gain designs”
— from the listing
- high gain
- low end
- distortion
- rock
- note definition
- tight
- tightness
- rhythm
Price updated Oct 24, 2026
Genres the Keeley Filaments is commonly used in
Amps that pair well with the Keeley Filaments
Peavey VTM-120
Peavey
23% matchpushes an already-dirty tonePushes an already-dirty tone harder and tightens it up. (high gain → tight)
Stack Peavey VTM-120 on top and a high gain tone tightens toward tight
Comes later in the signal chain
Laney DBC410 Digbeth 4x10 Cabinet
Laney
22% matchpushes an already-dirty tonePushes an already-dirty tone harder and tightens it up. (high gain → tight)
Stack Laney DBC410 Digbeth 4x10 Cabinet on top and a high gain tone tightens toward tight
Comes later in the signal chain
Gallien-Krueger Fusion 210
Gallien Krueger
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Gallien-Krueger Fusion 210 pushes a high gain tone toward mid-forward
Fender Dual Showman
amplifier
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Feed a high gain signal into Fender Dual Showman and it comes out closer to tight
EBS Magni 502 2x10 bass combo
Ebs
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Stack EBS Magni 502 2x10 bass combo on top and a high gain tone tightens toward tight
Gallien-Krueger Legacy 410
Gallien Krueger
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Stack Gallien-Krueger Legacy 410 on top and a high gain tone tightens toward tight
Gallien-Krueger Legacy 210 Bass Combo
Gallien Krueger
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Feed a high gain signal into Gallien-Krueger Legacy 210 Bass Combo and it comes out closer to tight
Aguilar SL110 Fawn Limited
Aguilar
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Feed a high gain signal into Aguilar SL110 Fawn Limited and it comes out closer to tight
Pedals that stack with the Keeley Filaments
Crazy Tube Circuits Golden Ratio
Crazy Tube Circuits
18% matchshapes the dynamic responseShapes how the tone responds to picking dynamics rather than its frequency or gain.
Crazy Tube Circuits Golden Ratio's own tight character is the real reason this is worth trying
Comes earlier in the signal chain
Soldano SLO
Soldano
18% matchpushes an already-dirty tonePushes an already-dirty tone harder and tightens it up. (high gain → tight)
Soldano SLO pushes a high gain tone toward tight
Comes later in the signal chain
Electro-Harmonix Green Russian Big Muff
Electro-Harmonix
18% matchpushes an already-dirty tonePushes an already-dirty tone harder and tightens it up. (high gain → mid-forward)
Feed a high gain signal into Electro-Harmonix Green Russian Big Muff and it comes out closer to mid-forward
Comes later in the signal chain
Electro-Harmonix Small Stone
Electro-Harmonix
18% matchsits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor. (high gain → lush)
Keep Electro-Harmonix Small Stone after Keeley Filaments in the signal chain, clear of Keeley Filaments's own gain stage
Comes later in the signal chain
TC Electronic Triple Flashback Delay
TC Electronic
15% 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 TC Electronic Triple Flashback Delay after Keeley Filaments in the signal chain, clear of Keeley Filaments's own gain stage — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Comes later in the signal chain
Boss DD-3 Digital Delay
Boss
15% 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 Boss DD-3 Digital Delay after Keeley Filaments in the signal chain, clear of Keeley Filaments'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 matchComes earlier in the signal chain
Feed a high gain signal into Matthews Effects The Pocket Drive Overdrive Boost and it comes out closer to clean boost
MXR CAE Wah
MXR
tonal matchComes earlier in the signal chain
MXR CAE Wah goes in front of Keeley Filaments — a wah tracks picking dynamics best on the raw signal
Cheaper alternatives
Black Country Customs Monolith
Black Country Customs
58% similarityShared character: high gain settings, presence, middle
Suhr Riot Mini Black Edition
Suhr
57% similarityShared character: high gain settings, distortion, aggressive playing
Vox Joe Satriani Satchurator
Vox
56% similarityShared character: high gain settings, clarity, distortion
MXR Super Badass Distortion
MXR
55% similarityShared character: high gain settings, middle, distortion
Mad Professor Stone Grey Distortion
Mad Professor
55% similarityShared character: clarity, distortion, high gain settings
Airis Effects 51-Filthy
Airis Effects
55% similarityShared character: distortion, aggressive playing, high gain settings
Boutique & premium upgrades
Similar character
Wampler Dracarys
Wampler
59% similarityShared character: high gain settings, gate, clarity
JHS PG-14 Paul Gilbert Signature Distortion
JHS Pedals
58% similarityShared character: reliable performance, high gain settings, clarity
Mr. Black Thunderclaw Distortion
Mr Black
56% similarityShared character: presence, clarity, distortion
Bogner Burnley V2
Bogner
52% similarityShared character: high gain settings, middle, distortion
Dophix Dante
Dophix
51% similarityShared character: high gain settings, circuit, clarity
NuX NDS-5 Fireman Distortion Dual Brown Sound
Nux
50% similarityShared character: high gain settings, presence, clarity
See all alternatives to the Keeley Filaments (cheaper + boutique) →
Questions people ask
What are good alternatives to the Keeley Filaments?+
The closest matches in character are the Wampler Dracarys, the JHS PG-14 Paul Gilbert Signature Distortion, the Mr. Black Thunderclaw Distortion. Budget picks: Black Country Customs Monolith, Suhr Riot Mini Black Edition, Vox Joe Satriani Satchurator. Boutique upgrades: Fortin Amplification 33, Tech 21 Street Driver 48.
What pairs well with the Keeley Filaments?+
Strong matches from rig and tone-complementarity evidence: Peavey VTM-120, Laney DBC410 Digbeth 4x10 Cabinet, Gallien-Krueger Fusion 210 — Stack Peavey VTM-120 on top and a high gain tone tightens toward tight.
How much does the Keeley Filaments cost?+
Around $189 (live listing price, updated Oct 24, 2026).