The EarthQuaker Devices Acapulco Gold V2 is easy to describe: It's a straight-up riff machine. More specifically, it's an homage to the legendary power amp distortion of the Sunn Model T amp. With only a single rotary control, this pedal has the power to get even the cleanest amp to unleash waves of vintage distortion, capable of everything from a gentle boost to an earsplitting Doom sound. The sound itself is rich with harmonic distortion, even when using low-output pickups, so any guitarist looking to make their riffs unforgettable can take this one-knob wonder and add some real colour to their pedalboard.
The search for the perfect gain structure is sometimes like an expedition to find El Dorado: There are so many factors to consider, from playing feel and attack dynamics to the way a pedal compresses the signal – working together with the guitar's pickups and pots in just the right way and interacting with the amp. In light of all that, EarthQuaker Devices decided to really lean into the idea that less is more when building the Acapulco Gold. Because it has no master volume, it reacts like a tube amp from way back when; the dynamics, and the interaction with the guitar's controls, are instantly recognisable as such, delivering power amp distortion just the way they used to make it. One quick turn of the guitar's volume knob is enough to move from fuzzy distortion to an almost jazzy sound. And that's just the start of it.
Guitarists who ply their trade in Stoner Rock or Doom will have heard – or at least heard tell of – the legendary dynamic sound that a classic tube amp can produce when the volume is turned all the way up. To get a sound like this at levels that can actually be used on stage, not to mention at home, the EarthQuaker Acapulco Gold is the perfect tool. Even if the actual amp isn't at full volume, this pedal will have it sounding like a fully-cranked vintage stack. It's also great for gain stacking, be it on top of an already distorted sound, or combined with a fuzz. Ultimately, this boutique pedal – handmade in Ohio, like all EarthQuakers – is ideal for anyone looking for a deceptively simple and devastatingly loud distortion pedal with a sound that's all its own.
EarthQuaker Devices was founded in 2004 by the musician Jamie Stillman, who had previously gathered years of experience in the world of music and sounds as the manager of a record label for Metal, Punk, and Shoegaze bands. Today, his innovative pedal designs are among the most in-demand and desirable devices in the boutique segment, attracting interest from a huge community of musicians. Stillman is now in charge of a sizeable team of developers and technicians, who are continuously working from their base in Akron, Ohio to expand their catalogue of hand-made effects pedals. EarthQuaker Devices are used by renowned artists like Paul Simon, Coldplay, Tom Bukovac, Idles, and The Black Keys.
As well as being capable of a phenomenal sound, the EarthQuaker Devices Acapulco Gold V2 is also attuned to the needs of modern musicians: The circuitry is entirely noiseless, with relay-based switching and true bypass, so the original sound is left untouched if the pedal's not switched on. A distortion pedal should be inserted into a pedalboard's signal chain before any reverbs or delays, with modulation effects added to taste. The Acapulco Gold can be used both with a 9V battery or any standard pedalboard power supply (not included). However it's used, this dynamic little amp-in-a-box overdrive pedal is unlikely to disappoint even the most gain-hungry guitarists.