Fredric Effects’ Blue Monarch emulates the coveted ‘Bluesbreaker’ tone. Affordable and versatile, it’s a welcome addition to any pedalboard.
When Eric Clapton pushed his JTM 45 Marshall amp into the ‘break up’ zone on the 1966 debut from John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers, he produced an incredibly sought after sound among generations of guitarists.
The new Blue Monarch overdrive pedal from Fredric Effects aims to reproduce the iconic Bluesbreaker guitar tone, bringing it to your pedalboard in a pint-sized package.
The Blue Monarch is also influenced by Analog Man’s King of Tones pedal. This was a popular overdrive pedal, which copped this immortal tone when it was introduced in the 1990s. Nowadays, it’s a pretty pricey model and there’s a hell of a waiting list.
Fredric Effects’ take on the pedal features some updates to the design including clipping and treble boosting options controlled from the exterior of the pedal. There’s also a switchable boost option that adds even more functionality: an additional increase to the maximum gain available makes this a multifaceted pedal for guitarists wanting to go beyond the break-up zone and into a fully-fledged crunch.
For more info, check out the demo below and head over to the Fredric Effects website.