Pedals that stack with the Magnatone Varsity
← everything about the Magnatone Varsity
All 7 ranked by how well they pair, from rig co-occurrence and tone-complementarity evidence
Catalinbread Formula 5F6
Catalinbread
21% matchfills a frequency gapFills in a frequency range the other side doesn't cover, instead of piling more onto what's already there. (transparent → mid-forward)
Catalinbread Formula 5F6 leans this transparent tone toward mid-forward, which it doesn't make on its own
Goes in front of the amp
Tone City Model B Distortion TC-T31
Tone City
21% matchfills a frequency gapFills in a frequency range the other side doesn't cover, instead of piling more onto what's already there. (transparent → mid-forward)
The transparent tone has headroom to spare — Tone City Model B Distortion TC-T31 leans it toward mid-forward to fill it in
Goes in front of the amp
Greer Tomahawk
Greer
20% matchclean platform takes the driveA clean, high-headroom stage takes on dirt it can't generate by itself. (transparent → medium gain)
Greer Tomahawk's own voicing points at Fender-style amps, and Magnatone Varsity delivers it
Goes in front of the amp
EarthQuaker Devices Grand Orbiter V3
EarthQuaker Devices
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.
Put EarthQuaker Devices Grand Orbiter V3 after Magnatone Varsity in the signal chain, clear of Magnatone Varsity's own gain stage
Goes in front of the amp
Wampler Mini Ego 76 Compressor
Wampler
12% matchshapes the dynamic responseShapes how the tone responds to picking dynamics rather than its frequency or gain.
Magnatone Varsity's dynamic character and Wampler Mini Ego 76 Compressor's compressed voice sit in the same lane rather than fighting each other
Goes in front of the amp
Malekko Electro-Harmonix Memory Toy Analog Delay
Electro-Harmonix
7% matchsits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.
Malekko Electro-Harmonix Memory Toy Analog Delay's modulated voice goes in Magnatone Varsity's effects loop — it's not there to compete with Magnatone Varsity's own dynamic character — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Sits in the amp's effects loop
Strymon BigSky
Strymon
7% matchsits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.
Strymon BigSky's ambient voice goes in Magnatone Varsity's effects loop — it's not there to compete with Magnatone Varsity's own dynamic character — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Sits in the amp's effects loop