The Z.Vex Super Hard On is a Zvex boost pedal, currently around $189. Close alternatives include the JAM Pedals Boomster and the Attic FX JFET Boost. It pairs well with the Soldano SLO 100 100-Watt Tube Guitar Amplifier and the Mesa Boogie Mark IIC+ Combo.
Z.Vex Super Hard On
Zvex · pedal
The Z.Vex Super Hard On is one of the most influential boutique clean boost pedals ever released, built around a JFET-based circuit that adds significant clean gain and a subtle, musical harmonic push without introducing audible distortion at moderate settings. Zachary Vex hand-painted the earliest units himself, cementing the pedal's status as a cornerstone of the boutique effects movement that emerged in the 1990s, when small builders began challenging mass-produced pedals with hand-built, character-driven circuits. Its deceptively simple single-knob design belies a circuit that's been widely studied, cloned, and referenced by countless other boost and overdrive pedals in the decades since its release.
What stands out
“The standout caveat is that at higher gain settings the JFET circuit can introduce audible coloration, meaning players wanting a perfectly clean boost at all settings should be aware of that ceiling”
— from the community notes
“Vex Super Hard On is one of the most influential boutique clean boost pedals ever released, built around a JFET-based circuit that adds significant clean gain and a subtle, musical harmonic push”
— from the listing
“The JFET topology at its core gives it a distinctive harmonic character that differs meaningfully from op-amp based clean boosts, a difference experienced players can often identify by ear”
— from the reviews
“Its deceptively simple single-knob design belies a circuit that's been widely studied, cloned, and referenced by countless other boost and overdrive pedals in the decades since its release”
— from the listing
“Players who own a Super Hard On consistently praise how transparently it boosts volume and adds a subtle harmonic sheen , making it a favorite for pushing an already-dialed-in amp tone louder or driving o…”
— from the community notes
Trade-offs
“stacking ahead of overdrive or fuzz pedals to increase their gain and sustain”
— from the community notes
- clean boost
- gain
- harmonic
- jfet
- subtle
- release
- boost
- compression
Price updated Oct 24, 2026
Genres the Z.Vex Super Hard On is commonly used in
- Alternative
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Indie Rock
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Country
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Blues
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Electronic
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Rock
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
Amps that pair well with the Z.Vex Super Hard On
Soldano SLO 100 100-Watt Tube Guitar Amplifier
Soldano
33% matchpushes an already-dirty tonePushes an already-dirty tone harder and tightens it up. (high gain → clean boost)
Feed a high gain signal into Z.Vex Super Hard On and it comes out closer to clean boost
Comes later in the signal chain
Mesa Boogie Mark IIC+ Combo
Mesa Boogie
30% matchgain stackingStacks two gain stages for more saturation than either produces alone. (low gain → high gain)
Into a low gain tone, Mesa Boogie Mark IIC+ Combo brings a pull toward high gain that's missing
Comes later in the signal chain
Revv Generator G20 20-Watt 2-Channel Tube Head
Revv
30% matchgain stackingStacks two gain stages for more saturation than either produces alone. (low gain → high gain)
Revv Generator G20 20-Watt 2-Channel Tube Head leans this low gain tone toward high gain, which it doesn't make on its own
Comes later in the signal chain
Supro 1614RT Amulet 15W 1x12 Combo
Supro
29% matchZ.Vex Super Hard On leans toward clean boost, and that's a real, usable character to pair with
Comes later in the signal chain
Supro 1605R 64 Reverb 5W 1x8 Combo
Supro
28% matchZ.Vex Super Hard On takes that edge of breakup character and pushes it toward clean boost
Comes later in the signal chain
Swart STR Tweed
Swart
28% matchFeed a edge of breakup signal into Z.Vex Super Hard On and it comes out closer to clean boost
Comes later in the signal chain
Fender Pro Junior IV (Lacquered Tweed)
Fender
27% matchFeed a edge of breakup signal into Z.Vex Super Hard On and it comes out closer to clean boost
Comes later in the signal chain
Mojotone Tweed Princeton Style 1x8 Cabinet
Mojotone
27% matchFeed a edge of breakup signal into Z.Vex Super Hard On and it comes out closer to clean boost
Comes later in the signal chain
Pedals that stack with the Z.Vex Super Hard On
Zvex Vexter Wah Probe
Zvex
37% match“It includes a Super Hard-On boost circuit with Range (brightness), Volume, and Mix controls, enabling the wah effect at any desired output level”— from the zvex-vexter-wah-probe listing
shapes the dynamic responseShapes how the tone responds to picking dynamics rather than its frequency or gain. (dynamic → compressed)
Comes earlier in the signal chain
JHS Smiley
JHS Pedals
32% matchgain stackingStacks two gain stages for more saturation than either produces alone. (low gain → fuzzy)
Super Hard On's subtle jfet boost pushes Smiley's clear, compressed fuzz harder without changing its bite.
Comes later in the signal chain
Tech 21 SansAmp
Tech 21
31% matchZ.Vex Super Hard On takes that edge of breakup character and pushes it toward clean boost
Comes later in the signal chain
Wren and Cuff Box of War Small Foot Fuzz
Wren And Cuff
31% matchgain stackingStacks two gain stages for more saturation than either produces alone. (low gain → high gain)
Wren and Cuff Box of War Small Foot Fuzz leans this low gain tone toward high gain, which it doesn't make on its own
Comes later in the signal chain
Vox Valvenergy Mystic Edge
Vox
29% matchZ.Vex Super Hard On pushes a edge of breakup tone toward clean boost
Comes later in the signal chain
ThorpyFX The Dane
ThorpyFX
28% matchgain stackingStacks two gain stages for more saturation than either produces alone. (fuzzy → clean boost)
Push the Dane's natural, dynamic fuzz with the Super Hard-On's clean JFET boost and it saturates harder without losing its character.
Comes later in the signal chain
Chase Bliss Automatone Preamp MKII
Chase Bliss Audio
28% matchFeed a edge of breakup signal into Z.Vex Super Hard On and it comes out closer to clean boost
Comes later in the signal chain
JHS Angry Charlie
JHS Pedals
27% matchZ.Vex Super Hard On takes that edge of breakup character and pushes it toward clean boost
Comes later in the signal chain
Cheaper alternatives
Fender Engager Boost
Fender
67% similarityShared character: boost, subtle, gain
MXR double-double overdrive
MXR
57% similarityShared character: boost, gain
Xotic BB Preamp
Xotic
54% similarityShared character: boost, gain
Blackstar Dept. 10 Boost
Blackstar
54% similarityShared character: volume, boost, subtle
Electro-Harmonix LPB-1
Electro-Harmonix
93% similaritysimilar tone character
Fender Santa Ana Overdrive
Fender
93% similaritysimilar tone character
Boutique & premium upgrades
Jackson Audio Prism Boost, Buffer,
Jackson Audio
64% similarityShared character: boost, lead
Boss FA-1 FET Amp
Boss
56% similarityShared character: boost, subtle, clean
Electronic Audio Experiments Citadel JFet Master Lead
Electronic Audio Experiments
55% similarityShared character: high gain settings, circuit, boost
Jackson Audio Golden Boy
Jackson Audio
54% similarityShared character: boost, gain
Strymon Riverside
Strymon
54% similarityShared character: high gain settings, boost, gain
Dophix Michelangelo Overdrive Plus
Dophix
94% similaritysimilar tone character
Similar charactersee all similar tone character →
JAM Pedals Boomster
Jam Pedals
67% similarityShared character: boost, subtle, fuzz
Attic FX JFET Boost
Attic Fx
59% similarityShared character: simple, boost, gain
Analogman NEW Analog MAN BAD BOB Boost
Analogman
59% similarityShared character: high gain settings, circuit, volume
Keeley KTM-B Time Machine Boost
Keeley
57% similarityShared character: boost
JHS Overdrive/Preamp
JHS Pedals
57% similarityShared character: high gain settings, boost, simple
Keeley Katana Clean Boost V2
Keeley
56% similarityShared character: boost
See all alternatives to the Z.Vex Super Hard On (cheaper + boutique) →
Questions people ask
What are good alternatives to the Z.Vex Super Hard On?+
The closest matches in character are the JAM Pedals Boomster, the Attic FX JFET Boost, the Analogman NEW Analog MAN BAD BOB Boost. Budget picks: Fender Engager Boost, MXR double-double overdrive, Xotic BB Preamp. Boutique upgrades: Jackson Audio Prism Boost, Buffer,, Boss FA-1 FET Amp, Electronic Audio Experiments Citadel JFet Master Lead.
What pairs well with the Z.Vex Super Hard On?+
Strong matches from rig and tone-complementarity evidence: Soldano SLO 100 100-Watt Tube Guitar Amplifier, Mesa Boogie Mark IIC+ Combo, Revv Generator G20 20-Watt 2-Channel Tube Head — Feed a high gain signal into Z.Vex Super Hard On and it comes out closer to clean boost.
How much does the Z.Vex Super Hard On cost?+
Around $189 (live listing price, updated Oct 24, 2026).