The Keeley Filaments is a Keeley distortion pedal, currently around $189. Close alternatives include the Wampler Dracarys and the Maxon SM9Pro+ Super Metal Pro Plus Distortion. It pairs well with the Vox MV50-CE Rock and the Marshall Silver Jubilee 25/55 100W Amp Head.
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.
- modern
- metal
- high gain
- tight
- distortion
- tightness
- rhythm
- presence
Price updated Aug 27, 2026
Genres the Keeley Filaments is commonly used in
- Electronic
- Metal
- Rock
- Hard Rock
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Djent
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Heavy Metal
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
Amps that pair well with the Keeley Filaments
Vox MV50-CE Rock
Vox
24% matchVox MV50-CE Rock pushes a high gain tone toward tight
Marshall Silver Jubilee 25/55 100W Amp Head
amplifier
23% matchFeed a high gain signal into Marshall Silver Jubilee 25/55 100W Amp Head and it comes out closer to tight
Gallien-Krueger Fusion 210
Gallien Krueger
tonal matchGallien-Krueger Fusion 210 pushes a high gain tone toward mid-forward
Fender Dual Showman
amplifier
tonal matchFender Dual Showman pushes a high gain tone toward tight
Ampeg Micro CL Stack
Ampeg
tonal matchAmpeg Micro CL Stack takes that high gain character and pushes it toward mid-forward
Orange Little Bass Thing
Orange
tonal matchOrange Little Bass Thing leans warm right where the bright tone needs it
Traynor BB115
Traynor
tonal matchTraynor BB115 pushes a high gain tone toward tight
Ampeg V-4
Ampeg
tonal matchAmpeg V-4 pushes a high gain tone toward mid-forward
Pedals that stack with the Keeley Filaments
Shin's Music Dumbloid
Shins Music
21% matchFeed a high gain signal into Shin's Music Dumbloid and it comes out closer to tight
Electro-Harmonix Green Russian Big Muff
Electro-Harmonix
20% matchFeed a high gain signal into Electro-Harmonix Green Russian Big Muff and it comes out closer to mid-forward
Boss CE-2W Chorus Waza Craft
Boss
19% matchKeep Keeley Filaments's high gain voice out front: Boss CE-2W Chorus Waza Craft goes after Keeley Filaments in the signal chain so its analog warmth voice doesn't muddy it
Crazy Tube Circuits Golden Ratio
Crazy Tube Circuits
19% matchCrazy Tube Circuits Golden Ratio's own tight character is the real reason this is worth trying
Boss DD-3 Digital Delay
Boss
15% matchRun 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)
Cusack Music Delay TME
Cusack Music
15% matchPut Cusack Music Delay TME 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)
Suhr Eclipse
Suhr
tonal matchSuhr Eclipse's own voicing points at a clean amp's front end, and Keeley Filaments delivers it
J. Rockett .45 Caliber Overdrive
J Rockett
tonal matchJ. Rockett .45 Caliber Overdrive's own voicing points at a clean amp's front end, and Keeley Filaments delivers it
Cheaper alternatives
Vox Valvenergy Cutting Edge
Vox
72% similarityShared character: high_gain_settings, response, distortion
MXR Super Badass Distortion
MXR
71% similarityShared character: high_gain_settings, middle, distortion
Black Country Customs Monolith
Black Country Customs
71% similarityShared character: high_gain_settings, presence, middle
Electro-Harmonix Micro Metal Muff TOP Boost
Electro-Harmonix
69% similarityShared character: presence, high_gain_settings, distortion
Free The Tone IF-1D
Free The Tone
97% similaritysimilar tone character
Airis Effects 51-Filthy
Airis Effects
96% similaritysimilar tone character
Boutique & premium upgrades
Universal Audio UAFX Anti 1992 High Gain Amp
Universal Audio
70% similarityShared character: high_gain_settings, presence, lead
Tech 21 Street Driver 48
Tech 21
68% similarityShared character: response, high_gain_settings, distortion
Blackstar HT-Metal
Blackstar
96% similaritysimilar tone character
Similar charactersee all similar tone character →
Wampler Dracarys
Wampler
75% similarityShared character: high_gain_settings, gate, response
Maxon SM9Pro+ Super Metal Pro Plus Distortion
Maxon
73% similarityShared character: reliable_performance, high_gain_settings, distortion
JHS PG-14 Paul Gilbert Signature Distortion
JHS Pedals
71% similarityShared character: reliable_performance, high_gain_settings, distortion
Suhr Riot Mini Black Edition
Suhr
71% similarityShared character: high_gain_settings, distortion, metal
Friedman IR-J Jake E Lee Boost
Friedman
71% similarityShared character: presence, lead, metal
Revv Amplification G4-V2
Revv
71% similarityShared character: high_gain_settings, presence, lead
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 Maxon SM9Pro+ Super Metal Pro Plus Distortion, the JHS PG-14 Paul Gilbert Signature Distortion. Budget picks: Vox Valvenergy Cutting Edge, MXR Super Badass Distortion, Black Country Customs Monolith. Boutique upgrades: Universal Audio UAFX Anti 1992 High Gain Amp, Tech 21 Street Driver 48, Blackstar HT-Metal.
What pairs well with the Keeley Filaments?+
Strong matches from rig and tone-complementarity evidence: Vox MV50-CE Rock, Marshall Silver Jubilee 25/55 100W Amp Head, Gallien-Krueger Fusion 210 — Vox MV50-CE Rock pushes a high gain tone toward tight.
How much does the Keeley Filaments cost?+
Around $189 (live listing price, updated Aug 27, 2026).