The Keeley Synth-1 is a Keeley fuzz pedal, currently around $145. Close alternatives include the EarTech Earthquaker Devices Data Corrupter Modulated Monophonic and the Source Audio Soundblox Multiwave Distortion. It pairs well with the Soldano SLO 100 100-Watt Tube Guitar Amplifier and the Bad Cat Cub.
Keeley Synth-1
Keeley · pedal
The Keeley Synth-1 is a synthesizer and oscillator effect pedal from Keeley Electronics producing monophonic synthesizer-like tones from guitar input. The circuit tracks single-note guitar input and generates thick synthesized harmonic content for dramatic tonal transformation suited to experimental, electronic-influenced, and ambient music contexts.
- synth
- experimental
- tracking
- electronic
- ambient
- american
- thick
- monophonic synthesizer character
Price updated Aug 27, 2026
Genres the Keeley Synth-1 is commonly used in
- Electronic
- Ambient
- Experimental
Amps that pair well with the Keeley Synth-1
Soldano SLO 100 100-Watt Tube Guitar Amplifier
Soldano
12% matchWhat Soldano SLO 100 100-Watt Tube Guitar Amplifier brings here leans toward saturated — that's worth building a pairing around
Bad Cat Cub
Bad Cat
12% matchBad Cat Cub leans toward harmonically rich, and that's a real, usable character to pair with
Pedals that stack with the Keeley Synth-1
ZVEX Fuzz Factory
Zvex
9% matchWhat ZVEX Fuzz Factory brings here leans toward fuzzy — that's worth building a pairing around
Electro-Harmonix Big Muff Pi
Electro-Harmonix
9% matchElectro-Harmonix Big Muff Pi leans toward fuzzy, and that's a real, usable character to pair with
Electro-Harmonix Electric Mistress
Electro-Harmonix
7% matchElectro-Harmonix Electric Mistress's lush voice goes after Keeley Synth-1 in the signal chain — it's not there to compete with Keeley Synth-1's own ambient character
Ashdown Macchiato Compressor Guy Pratt Signature
Ashdown
6% matchAshdown Macchiato Compressor Guy Pratt Signature leans toward compressed, and that's a real, usable character to pair with
Keeley Halo
Keeley
5% matchKeep Keeley Halo after Keeley Synth-1 in the signal chain, clear of Keeley Synth-1's own gain stage — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Walrus Audio Fable
Walrus Audio
5% matchPut Walrus Audio Fable after Keeley Synth-1 in the signal chain, clear of Keeley Synth-1's own gain stage — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Cheaper alternatives
Boutique & premium upgrades
Similar charactersee all similar tone character →
EarTech Earthquaker Devices Data Corrupter Modulated Monophonic
Eartech
68% similarityShared character: complex_chords, each_note, mono_synth
Source Audio Soundblox Multiwave Distortion
pedal
66% similarityShared character: complex_chords, mono_synth
Zvex Vexter Series Fuzz Factory
pedal
64% similarityShared character: mono_synth, thickness
Catalinbread Octapussy
Catalinbread
63% similarityShared character: each_note, mono_synth, tight_tracking
Black Arts Toneworks -Fnord
Black Arts Toneworks
62% similarityShared character: tight_tracking, circuit
Catalinbread Perseus
Catalinbread
61% similarityShared character: each_note, mono_synth, tight_tracking
See all alternatives to the Keeley Synth-1 (cheaper + boutique) →
Questions people ask
What are good alternatives to the Keeley Synth-1?+
The closest matches in character are the EarTech Earthquaker Devices Data Corrupter Modulated Monophonic, the Source Audio Soundblox Multiwave Distortion, the Zvex Vexter Series Fuzz Factory. Budget picks: Warm Audio Foxy Tone Box. Boutique upgrades: Keeley Octa Psi, Keeley KE-Octap.
What pairs well with the Keeley Synth-1?+
Strong matches from rig and tone-complementarity evidence: Soldano SLO 100 100-Watt Tube Guitar Amplifier, Bad Cat Cub, ZVEX Fuzz Factory — What Soldano SLO 100 100-Watt Tube Guitar Amplifier brings here leans toward saturated — that's worth building a pairing around.
How much does the Keeley Synth-1 cost?+
Around $145 (live listing price, updated Aug 27, 2026).