ZVEX is a boutique effects pedal and amplifier manufacturer based in the Minneapolis, Minnesota area, founded by Zachary Vex in 1995. Vex, a former recording engineer and amp builder, created his first pedal — the Octane, an octave-up fuzz — after leaving the studio world due to hearing damage from tinnitus. Unable to afford silk-screen printing for his early enclosures, Vex had the pedals hand-painted with colorful, psychedelic artwork, a tradition the company maintains as a signature aesthetic.

ZVEX is widely regarded as one of the pioneers of the boutique guitar pedal movement. The Fuzz Factory, a five-knob fuzz pedal designed to produce everything from gated sputters to massive sustain, became the company's breakout product and remains one of the most recognizable boutique pedals ever made. Other well-known designs include the Woolly Mammoth bass fuzz, the Box of Rock (based on a cranked Marshall JTM45 tone), the Super Duper 2 in 1 boost, the Mastotron, and the inventive Probe line (Fuzz Probe, Wah Probe, Tremolo Probe), which use a copper plate instead of a traditional footswitch for hands-free or theremin-style control. The company also produces the Nano Head, a miniature tube amplifier.

ZVEX pedals have been used by a wide range of notable guitarists and bassists, including Jack White, J Mascis, Trent Reznor, Matthew Bellamy, Billy Gibbons, Nels Cline, Kevin Shields, John Frusciante, Annie Clark, and Mike Kerr. The company offers pedals in two tiers: the hand-painted originals and the more affordable Vexter series, which use the same circuits in simpler screen-printed enclosures.

ZVEX has 76 products cataloged on Equipboard, including Fuzz Effects Pedals, Wah Pedals, and Tremolo Effects Pedals. Their gear is featured by 500 artists, with the strongest followings in Rock, Pop, and Electronic. Notable users include Ian D'Sa, Gustavo Cerati, and Stephen Carpenter. Most ZVEX products sit firmly in the high-end, boutique range.