The Mr. Black Downward Spiral is a Mr Black tremolo pedal, currently around $139. Close alternatives include the Entrekin Pedals Abysm and the Mojo Hand FX RVT. It pairs well with the Fender Deluxe Reverb and the 1959 Fender Tweed Deluxe.
Mr. Black Downward Spiral
Mr Black · pedal
The Mr. Black Downward Spiral is a tremolo and auto-volume pedal from Mr. Black (Portland, Oregon), a US boutique manufacturer founded by John Michael Kutcher known for lush reverb, modulation, and ambient effects. The Downward Spiral delivers amplitude modulation tremolo that can fade to silence, creating a dying-amp or swelling tremolo fade effect for dramatic, atmospheric volume-fading applications.
- tremolo
- boutique
- specialized fade character
- ambient
- modulation
- reverb
- lush
- overdrive
Price updated Aug 27, 2026
Genres the Mr. Black Downward Spiral is commonly used in
- Ambient
- Experimental
- Post Rock
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Indie
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Shoegaze
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
Amps that pair well with the Mr. Black Downward Spiral
Pedals that stack with the Mr. Black Downward Spiral
Nobels ODR-1
Nobels
9% matchNobels ODR-1's own full character is the real reason this is worth trying
Tech 21 SansAmp
Tech 21
9% matchTech 21 SansAmp's own analog warmth character is the real reason this is worth trying
Electro-Harmonix Holy Grail Max
Electro-Harmonix
7% matchKeep Electro-Harmonix Holy Grail Max after Mr. Black Downward Spiral in the signal chain, clear of Mr. Black Downward Spiral's own gain stage — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Eventide Space
Eventide
7% matchKeep Mr. Black Downward Spiral's ambient voice out front: Eventide Space goes after Mr. Black Downward Spiral in the signal chain so its spring voice doesn't muddy it — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Cheaper alternatives
Boutique & premium upgrades
EarthQuaker Devices Night Wire
EarthQuaker Devices
67% similarityShared character: tremolo, modulation
Dawner Prince Starla Tap Tempo Tremolo
Dawner Prince
67% similarityShared character: tremolo, ambient, modulation
Hungry Robot Wardenclyffe Deluxe
Hungry Robot
66% similarityShared character: ambient, modulation, overdrive
Carl Martin TremO'vibe
Carl Martin
88% similaritysimilar tone character
Similar charactersee all similar tone character →
Entrekin Pedals Abysm
Entrekin Pedals
72% similarityShared character: tremolo, ambient, reverb
Mojo Hand FX RVT
Mojo Hand Fx
70% similarityShared character: tremolo, ambient, reverb
Footloose Effects Brundlefly
Footloose Effects
68% similarityShared character: tremolo, modulation, boutique_stuff
Electro-Harmonix Mod Rex
Electro-Harmonix
66% similarityShared character: tremolo, ambient, reverb
Bookworm Effects Laughing Man Optical Tremolo V3
Bookworm Effects
66% similarityShared character: tremolo, reverb, modulation
T-Rex Tapster
T Rex
89% similaritysimilar tone character
See all alternatives to the Mr. Black Downward Spiral (cheaper + boutique) →
Questions people ask
What are good alternatives to the Mr. Black Downward Spiral?+
The closest matches in character are the Entrekin Pedals Abysm, the Mojo Hand FX RVT, the Footloose Effects Brundlefly. Budget picks: Arcade Audio Cheat Code, Artec SE-VPH Vintage Phase Shifter, Boffin FX Vibratron. Boutique upgrades: EarthQuaker Devices Night Wire, Dawner Prince Starla Tap Tempo Tremolo, Hungry Robot Wardenclyffe Deluxe.
What pairs well with the Mr. Black Downward Spiral?+
Strong matches from rig and tone-complementarity evidence: Fender Deluxe Reverb, 1959 Fender Tweed Deluxe, Nobels ODR-1 — Fender Deluxe Reverb leans toward spring, and that's a real, usable character to pair with.
How much does the Mr. Black Downward Spiral cost?+
Around $139 (live listing price, updated Aug 27, 2026).