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EarthQuaker Devices Dunes

4.5 (15)

3 Reviews

Find out who is using EarthQuaker Devices Dunes

3 community setups

19 wishlisted

57 saved

Page last updated Jun 27, 2026

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Description

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Meet the EarthQuaker Devices Dunes, a compact and pedalboard-friendly overdrive that brings boutique quality and versatility to your fingertips without breaking the bank. Despite its size, it boasts an array of tonal options, thanks to its thoughtful parameters for tone, gain, and volume. With unique voicing options for mosfet, silicon, or gritty regular modes, it's a simpler version of the company's beloved Palisades overdrive. This pedal not only provides the charm of its larger sibling but does so in a more accessible and affordable package.

Key Features:

Compact and pedalboard-friendly design
Parameters for tone, gain, and volume for precise sound control
Unique voicing options: mosfet, silicon or gritty regular modes
Modeled as a simplified version of the popular Palisades overdrive
Boutique quality and versatility at an attractive price point

Product specs

Brand	EarthQuaker Devices
Model	Dunes Mini Mega Ultimate Overdrive
Finish	Various
Year	2015 - 2017
Made In	United States
Categories	Overdrive and Boost Pedals
Pedal Format	Standard

FAQs

What is the EarthQuaker Devices Dunes overdrive pedal based on?: The EarthQuaker Devices Dunes is based on the classic 808 overdrive circuit, offering a streamlined version of the Palisades pedal for producing sought-after overdriven tones with fewer controls.
How does the EarthQuaker Devices Dunes differ from the Palisades pedal?: The Dunes offers a more compact and simplified version of the Palisades, retaining key features of the 808 circuit but with fewer knobs, making it easier to dial in your desired overdrive sound.
Does the EarthQuaker Devices Dunes work well with both single-coil and humbucker pickups?: Yes, the Dunes is designed to complement both single-coil and humbucker pickups, providing versatile overdrive tones that suit various guitar types and playing styles.
What power supply does the EarthQuaker Devices Dunes require?: The EarthQuaker Devices Dunes requires a standard 9V DC power supply, which is common for most pedalboards and effects setups.
Is the EarthQuaker Devices Dunes suitable for live performances?: Yes, the Dunes is suitable for live performances, offering robust construction and reliable performance that can handle the demands of gigging musicians.

Videos

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EarthQuakerDevices

EarthQuaker Devices Dunes Overdrive

EarthQuakerDevices

Earthquaker Devices Dunes Overdrive

ProGuitarShopDemos

Earthquaker Devices Dunes (demo)

Living Room GD

Earthquaker Devices Dunes Overdrive Demo by Mike Hermans

ProGuitarShopDemos

Earthquaker Devices - Dunes

Dennis Kayzer

EarthQuaker Devices Dunes Overdrive

Pedal of the Day

Earthquaker Devices Dunes Overdrive Pedal Demo

Decay Audio

Earthquaker Dunes Pedal Demo

Adam Steel

Reviews

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PROS

Versatile tones, from low gain to near distortion levels
Compact size, fits easily on pedalboards
Unique bandwidth and bright switch for tone shaping
Works well with tube amps to enhance gain without compression
Complements other high gain pedals for layered effects
Offers both MOSFET and silicon clipping options
Attractive design with shiny sparkles

CONS

Bandwidth switch may strip character in certain settings
For slightly more investment, alternatives offer more options

Owner Insights

We analyzed real musician discussions from forums and Reddit to find what players love, question, and tweak about EarthQuaker Devices Dunes.

Build quality

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It's noted that older versions of the Dunes had a problematic footswitch, requiring significant force and producing a loud pop, but newer models have smoother, noiseless switches.
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Comparisons

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The Dunes is compared to the Plumes, with the Dunes offering more tonal versatility due to additional switches and modes, while the Plumes provides a broader tone knob range.
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The Dunes has been described as naturally brighter, making it suitable for darker-sounding amps, whereas the Plumes is darker, complementing brighter amps better.
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The Boss OD-3 is smoother and more straightforward than the Dunes, offering an open sound preferred over the SD-1 for some users.
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The Fulltone Full-Drives are noted to be smoother than the Dunes, making them a viable alternative for those seeking less fizz in a Tubescreamer variant.
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Users note that the Dunes offers better value compared to the Palisades, which often defaults to an 808 tone despite its versatility.
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User experience

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An early production Dunes (#52 of the series) is highly valued and mentioned as a collector's item due to its rarity and unique paper sticker serial number.
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Owners enjoy discovering unique cat drawings inside some Dunes pedals, adding a personal touch to their purchase.
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Use cases and applications

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The Dunes is praised by bass players for its ability to produce heavy, dirty tones, making it a "secret weapon" for heavier music styles.
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The Dunes excels in atmospheric black metal, providing a cutting sound that can get gnarly when cranked, fitting the genre's aggressive tone.
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When paired with a Jazzmaster through a Deluxe Reverb, the Dunes is considered for stacking with other pedals like the EQD Dirt Transmitter fuzz for enhanced tone.
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The Dunes, especially in mosfet clipping mode, is favored by Telecaster players for its tight, crunchy sound with responsive picking dynamics.
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Value and pricing

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The Dunes is out-of-production, leading to potential value increase over time, making it a worthwhile investment for collectors.
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Owners have successfully found well-priced used Dunes pedals on platforms like Reverb, despite its discontinued status.
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Features and functionality

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The Dunes offers a gritty tone with both high and low gain settings, especially favored when using silicone clipping for a light crunch.
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The Dunes V2 is confirmed to have a soft switch, distinguishing it from the V1's click switch.
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4.5 out of 5

Based on 3 Reviews and 15 Ratings

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seedystrums

896

about 5 years ago

Great Versitile Overdrive

The first guitar pedal I ever bought. Three overdrives in one, with five other controls to adjust to make tons of unique overdriven sounds! it can do nice light gain, or it can border on pretty crazy distortion! It also has a small footprint, so there's no need to worry about fitting it onto a pedalboard.

The only issue is that, for about $50 more, you can get the palisades, which has twice the number of options, but more than double the footprint.

Preferred Settings + Usage:

I love either using the Silicon or No diode clipping settings, with the tone at about 10 o'clock, the gain right between 9 and 10, and the volume squarely at 9 o'clock. I love using the normal setting (on the normal vs bright switch) , and the bandwidth positioned to the right (more emphasis on lows). This combination gives the guitar a nice blues-y overdriven tone.

Roles:

Singer Guitarist Bassist

Genres:

Alternative rock Indie rock Soft rock

nder

286

about 5 years ago

It's Good!

Pretty good take on the tube screamer. I like getting to use the mosfet clipping as opposed to traditional silicon, makes for a snappier sound. The bright switch is basically just an extended mode of the tone knob and the bandwidth switch basically strips all the character of a tube screamer style pedal away, but it's solid for some use cases like on bass.