Crowther

Also known as: Paul Crowther, Crowther Audio

Unclaimed

3 Products · Used by 103 Artists

Crowther Hot Cake Distortion Effects Pedals

$208.79 - $259.00

2 available stores

4.5 (54)

^# 7

in Distortion Effects Pedals Rank

76 artists using

Crowther Audio Prunes & Custard Harmonic Generator Intermodulator Overdrive Effects Pedals

$208.79

1 available store

4.5 (14)

24 artists using

Crowther Double Hotcake Overdrive Distortion Effects Pedals

$329.00 - $329.89

2 available stores

5.0 (2)

10 artists using

Crowther Audio is a New Zealand-based boutique effects pedal company founded by Paul Emlyn Crowther, a former drummer of Split Enz (1974–1976). Crowther designed and built his first distortion pedal circuit in 1976 while touring the UK with the band, and the result became the Hot Cake — one of the earliest boutique overdrive pedals and a design that has remained in continuous production since. Every pedal is hand-built by Crowther at his workshop in Mt Eden, Auckland, with his wife Jo assembling the circuit boards. The company produces approximately 800 units per year across its product line.

The Hot Cake is an overdrive/distortion pedal designed to preserve the undistorted component of the guitar signal while adding fat, touch-sensitive distortion. It features three controls — Level, Drive, and Presence — and has been available in several circuit variations over the years, including the Bluesberry (smoother, softer clipping) and XLF (extended low-frequency) options. The Double Hot Cake combines a Bluesberry-voiced circuit and a standard Hot Cake circuit in a single enclosure. In 1996, Crowther introduced the Prunes & Custard, a harmonic generator/intermodulator originally conceived as a bass distortion pedal; it was named Guitar & Bass Magazine's Overall Pedal of the Year in 2006.

Crowther Audio pedals have been used by Neil Finn, Noel Gallagher, Mark Knopfler, Kevin Shields, Thurston Moore, J Mascis, Ed O'Brien, Adrian Utley, Nels Cline, and Stephen Malkmus, among others. In 2020, Paul Crowther was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to music.

Crowther has 3 products cataloged on Equipboard, including Distortion Effects Pedals and Overdrive Effects Pedals. Their gear is featured by 103 artists, with the strongest followings in Rock, Pop, and Folk, World, & Country. Notable users include Emmett Kelly, Justin Chancellor, and Adam Granduciel.