Strymon turns vintage tape saturation into the all-analog La Brea drive pedal
The second Series A pedal blends multi-stage tape-style saturation with an in-phase dry path, switchable high-frequency contouring and enough gain to reach fuzz territory.
Sep 30, 2026
Credit: Strymon (via source)
Strymon has added La Brea to its analog Series A line, translating ideas first explored in the company’s Deco tape-saturation work into a fully analog drive pedal. Its multi-stage circuit runs internally at 24 volts and covers light breakup, compressed overdrive, distortion and fuzz-like textures without digital processing.
A variable dry path stays in phase with the saturated signal, letting players restore transient clarity or use the pedal as a clean boost. A three-position Shift control reshapes the upper frequencies, while a gain-range switch changes how far the Tape Sat control can travel. La Brea is available now for $199.
Credit: Strymon (via source)
Credit: Strymon (via source)
Why it matters
Tape saturation is usually modeled digitally or tied to studio hardware. La Brea packages Strymon’s tape-derived gain behavior into a compact analog stompbox with an unusually practical clean blend.
From Guitar News to Guitar Progress
Discover it here. Learn how it works. Practice it until it's yours.
Today's focus in Practice: Creativity — Play every day.
Related
Fender Refreshes Its American Professional Flagship Series With V-Mod III Pickups
The 10-model update spans Stratocaster, Telecaster, offset and bass families, pairing revised electronics with new bridge and control details.
Oct 14, 2026
Walrus Audio Rebuilds Lore and Fable as Stereo MKII Ambient Pedals
Both $349.99 pedals add stereo processing, MIDI, expression control and 127 MIDI-accessible presets to their multi-algorithm soundscape designs.
Oct 14, 2026
Jade Electric Adds Clean Blend and Two-Band EQ to the Blackboard Outlaw Overdrive
The $175 Bakersfield-built pedal is designed to retain pick attack while moving from a clean push to a more forceful overdrive.
Oct 14, 2026
Sonic Research and MXR Bring the M400 Turbo Tuner to Wider Distribution
The true-strobe pedal combines ±0.02-cent accuracy, a switchable buffer and USB programmability in a compact $149.99 enclosure.
Oct 14, 2026