Catalinbread

Catalinbread

59

Also known as: Catalinbread Effects

Unclaimed

Founded in 2003 by Nicholas Harris on his kitchen table in Seattle, Catalinbread is a Portland, Oregon-based boutique guitar effects pedal company known for capturing the essence of iconic vintage amplifiers and studio gear in compact stompbox format. The company's first pedal, the Super Chili Picoso, was built for Seattle guitar shop ToneFactor, and that initial revenue funded a stream of desi...

more

Founded in 2003 by Nicholas Harris on his kitchen table in Seattle, Catalinbread is a Portland, Oregon-based boutique guitar effects pedal company known for capturing the essence of iconic vintage amplifiers and studio gear in compact stompbox format. The company's first pedal, the Super Chili Picoso, was built for Seattle guitar shop ToneFactor, and that initial revenue funded a stream of designs that earned Catalinbread a devoted following. The company relocated to Portland in 2006 and has operated there since, hand-building each pedal individually.

Catalinbread's catalog spans overdrive, fuzz, distortion, delay, reverb, and modulation effects, with many designs rooted in emulating specific pieces of classic gear. The Dirty Little Secret replicates the sound and feel of vintage Marshall Super Lead and Super Bass amplifiers. The Belle Epoch captures the character of the Maestro Echoplex EP-3 tape delay, while the Echorec recreates the Binson Echorec multi-tap drum echo. The SFT delivers Ampeg-inspired overdrive tones, the Topanga provides lush spring reverb, and the Formula 5F6 emulates the Fender Tweed Bassman preamp circuit. The Semaphore Tremolo, released in 2004, remains one of the company's longest-running sellers.

After the tragic death of founder Nicholas Harris in 2016, the company continued under new ownership by musicians and studio owners Kyle Sears and Brandon Rush, who acquired the brand in 2020 with the stated goal of preserving its design philosophy while expanding its reach. Catalinbread operates under the motto "Mechanisms of Music" and occupies a well-regarded position in the boutique pedal world, blending vintage circuit inspiration with modern engineering.

Catalinbread has 115 products cataloged on Equipboard, including Overdrive Effects Pedals, Fuzz Effects Pedals, and Reverb Effects Pedals. Their gear is featured by 189 artists, with the strongest followings in Rock, Folk, World, & Country, and Pop. Notable users include Neal Casal, Noel Gallagher, and Joe Perry. Most Catalinbread products fall in the mid-tier range — professional-grade without flagship pricing.

Artists Who Use Catalinbread

Neal Casal uses 7 Catalinbread products

Neal Casal

Guitarist, Singer · Phil Lesh and Friends

Noel Gallagher uses 6 Catalinbread products

Noel Gallagher

Singer, Guitarist · Oasis

Joe Perry uses 6 Catalinbread products

Joe Perry

Guitarist · Hollywood Vampires

Jason Simon uses 6 Catalinbread products

Jason Simon

Singer, Guitarist · Dead Meadow

Brendan Ekstrom uses 6 Catalinbread products

Brendan Ekstrom

Guitarist · Circa Survive

Paul Gilbert uses 5 Catalinbread products

Paul Gilbert

Guitarist · Mr. Big

Sean Lennon uses 5 Catalinbread products

Sean Lennon

Singer, Guitarist · The Plastic Ono Band

Ed O'Brien uses 4 Catalinbread products

Ed O'Brien

Singer, Guitarist · Radiohead

Andy Summers uses 4 Catalinbread products

Andy Summers

Guitarist · The Police

Mark Arm uses 4 Catalinbread products

Mark Arm

Guitarist, Singer · Mudhoney

Ruban Nielson uses 4 Catalinbread products

Ruban Nielson

Singer, Guitarist

Jonathan Wilson uses 4 Catalinbread products

Jonathan Wilson

Guitarist · Eisley

Billy Corgan uses 3 Catalinbread products

Billy Corgan

Singer, Guitarist · The Smashing Pumpkins

Omar Rodríguez-López uses 3 Catalinbread products

Omar Rodríguez-López

Guitarist, Bassist · At the Drive-In

Brad Whitford uses 3 Catalinbread products

Brad Whitford

Guitarist · Hollywood Vampires

Unknown Mortal Orchestra uses 3 Catalinbread products

Unknown Mortal Orchestra

Singer, Guitarist

Adam Franklin uses 3 Catalinbread products

Adam Franklin

Guitarist · Swervedriver

Kikagaku Moyo uses 3 Catalinbread products

Kikagaku Moyo

Guitarist, Bassist

Ed Rodríguez uses 3 Catalinbread products

Ed Rodríguez

Guitarist · Deerhoof

Adrian Quesada uses 3 Catalinbread products

Adrian Quesada

Guitarist, Music Producer · Black Pumas

Community setups featuring Catalinbread

Show yours
michael

michael

Gear IQ 42521

J

joshua_metz_josh

Gear IQ 188

diamondhead27

diamondhead27

Gear IQ 287

timebaby

timebaby

Gear IQ 387

mike_ramone

mike_ramone

Gear IQ 934

wadeluigi

wadeluigi

Gear IQ 1320

jim_lowrence

jim_lowrence

Gear IQ 196

martin_luckhurst

martin_luckhurst

Gear IQ 153

michael

michael

Gear IQ 42521

mike_ramone

mike_ramone

Gear IQ 934

lexistorm

lexistorm

Gear IQ 111

E

ettore_g

Gear IQ 68

peterglavanov

peterglavanov

Gear IQ 713

fede_kempff

fede_kempff

Gear IQ 1704

challicenoise

challicenoise

Gear IQ 90

thanasis

thanasis

Gear IQ 350

spaceshipsovrglasgow

spaceshipsovrglasgow

Gear IQ 230

maibanez

maibanez

Gear IQ 822

spaceshipsovrglasgow

spaceshipsovrglasgow

Gear IQ 230

brian_gla

brian_gla

Gear IQ 68

Gear Guides featuring Catalinbread

Are you on the Catalinbread team?

  • Be the first to know when an artist is spotted using Catalinbread gear
  • Curate the Catalinbread catalog, images, and product details
  • Respond to community photos and reviews of Catalinbread gear
  • See how Catalinbread gear is trending on Equipboard