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Average Price: $117
Standard/Professional
$50
$176+
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Price History
Based on price data from 5 merchants for "EarthQuaker Devices Special Cranker". Prices shown reflect NEW condition. Tracking began Apr 2, 2026.
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Description
Meet the EarthQuaker Devices Special Cranker, an overdrive effects pedal that delivers everything from subtle warmth to full-blown distorted roar. This compact yet rugged pedal provides a wide array of overdrive tones, all thanks to its single gain control. Dial down for a touch of compression and warmth, perfect for boosting clean tones. Crank it up and unleash a beastly distorted growl that rocks your tone.
Born from an all-analog circuit, this pedal gifts your guitar with a warm, natural overdrive tone. It's packed with rich harmonics and a non-sterile overdrive that lets your guitar sing. The Special Cranker also boasts true bypass switching to keep your tone pure when the pedal is disengaged.
Whether you're a rock lead guitarist, rhythm player, or a creator of atmospheric soundscapes, this pedal has you covered. Its wide gain range and touch-sensitive response coax the best out of any guitar and playing style. And with its rugged, powder-coated enclosure, the Special Cranker is built to withstand the rigors of travel and performance.
Key Features:
- Full spectrum of overdrive tones from a single gain control
- All Analog circuit that delivers a warm, natural overdrive tone
- True bypass switching to maintain the integrity of your tone
- Durable, powder-coated enclosure built for the rigors of travel and performance
- Wide gain range and touch-sensitive response
- Intuitive design that's easy to use in any performance or recording situation.
Product specs
| Pedal Type | Overdrive |
| Analog/Digital | Analog |
| Inputs | 1 x 1/4" |
| Outputs | 1 x 1/4" |
| True Bypass | Yes, Relay Switching |
| EQ | Tone Control |
| Controls | Germanium/Silicon Switch |
| Power Source | 9V DC power supply (sold separately) |
| Power Usage | 15mA |
| Height | 2.25" |
| Width | 2.5" |
| Depth | 4.75" |
| Weight | 0.93 lbs. |
FAQs
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What type of overdrive is the EarthQuaker Devices Special Cranker?
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The EarthQuaker Devices Special Cranker is an analog overdrive pedal featuring a Germanium/Silicon switch, providing versatile overdrive and distortion tones without drastically altering your amp's natural sound.
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Can the Special Cranker be used with both guitar and bass?
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Yes, the Special Cranker is designed to work well with both guitar and bass, offering a gritty boost that enhances the natural character of both instruments.
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Does the EarthQuaker Devices Special Cranker require a specific power supply?
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The Special Cranker operates on a 9V DC power supply, which is sold separately, and it has a power usage of 15mA.
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How does the Germanium/Silicon switch affect the sound of the Special Cranker?
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The Germanium/Silicon switch allows you to toggle between two distinct tonal characteristics: Germanium provides a warmer, vintage-style overdrive, while Silicon offers a brighter, more modern distortion.
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Is the EarthQuaker Devices Special Cranker true bypass?
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Yes, the Special Cranker features true bypass with relay switching, ensuring your signal remains unaffected when the pedal is not engaged.
Videos
Reverb
EarthQuaker Devices Special Cranker | Reverb Tone Report
EarthQuaker Devices Special Cranker | Reverb Tone Report
Reverb
Special Cranker Video Manual "An Overdrive You Can Trust" | EarthQuaker Devices
EarthQuakerDevices
EarthQuaker Devices Special Cranker Demo
The Pedal Zone
Arianna Powell Special Cranker First Impression | EarthQuaker Devices
EarthQuakerDevices
Molly Miller plays Special Cranker Overdrive pedal with a P90 Les Paul
EarthQuakerDevices
EarthQuaker Devices Special Cranker Overdrive Demo | First Look
Premier Guitar
EarthQuaker Devices Special Cranker Demo
Sweetwater
EarthQuaker Devices: Special Cranker | Full Demo and Review
Happy Mag
Reviews
PROS
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Unique sound blends well with existing equipment, enhancing without overshadowing
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Offers both "fuzzy" and clear tones, suitable for rock and blues
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Highly responsive to guitar volume changes for dynamic sound control
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Silicon and Germanium modes provide versatile sound shaping
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Exceptional build quality at an unbeatable price
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Compatible with tube and solid-state amps for tonal enhancement
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Intuitive design allows for easy adjustment and fine-tuning
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Dual Zerrmodi (Ger/Sil) offers distinct sound options from soft crunch to sharp distortion
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Works well as a pre-amp, adding a touch-responsive, amp-like channel to your setup
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Excellent with both single-coil and humbucker pickups, and even on bass
CONS
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Some users may find it compresses more than other overdrive pedals
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Requires a bit of a learning curve to fully exploit its capabilities
Owner Insights
We analyzed real musician discussions from forums and Reddit to find what players love, question, and tweak about EarthQuaker Devices Special Cranker.
Use cases and applications
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Effective for boosting amps already running hot, like a cranked Vox, to enhance breakup points and dynamic control with volume adjustments.
Source -
The pedal is recommended as a unique addition rather than a first or only overdrive due to its distinct tonal character.
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The pedal excels in producing gritty and loose overdrive tones that clean up effectively, especially with germanium settings.
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It's used effectively with Firebird pickups, enhancing low-mid breakup, and also as an always-on pedal for mild boosting.
Source
Comparisons
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When paired with an MXR Timmy, the Special Cranker offers a complementary gritty tone, unlike a Klon, which may overlap more with the Timmy's transparency.
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The Special Cranker is suggested to pair well with EarthQuaker Devices Plumes, improving tonal clarity and reducing low-end muddiness.
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It's compared to the Electra Distortion circuit, sharing gritty, open characteristics, unlike the middy, smooth Tube Screamer.
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The pedal is compared favorably to expensive overdrives, outperforming most except TEETH by Horrothia and Pale Horse by VFE.
Source
Value and pricing
Features and functionality
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The pedal offers two distinct diode options: germanium for smoother tones and silicon for a more saturated sound.
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The Special Cranker's Tone control is often left maxed, with adjustments made later in the signal chain for better results.
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The Special Cranker is a linear, transparent overdrive mimicking power amp distortion, enhancing amp voicing without coloring the EQ or cutting bass.
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The Special Cranker has a noticeable low-end emphasis, which some users manage with EQ adjustments to prevent mix saturation.
Source
User experience
Critic Reviews
5.0 out of 5
Based on 5 Reviews and 5 Ratings
630
The pedal that makes everything come alive
The Earthquaker Devices Special Cranker is marketed as a preamp, but in reality, it’s more of a dirt/boost pedal. It features three knobs — Level, Tone, and More. The More knob adjusts the bias of the transistor. I don’t fully grasp the technical side of that, but in practice, the further you turn it up, the grittier and fuzzier it gets. There’s also a switch that lets you toggle between germanium and silicon transistors. Germanium sounds a bit smoother, while silicon offers more bass and overall volume. Personally, I prefer the germanium side when the More knob is past 1 o’clock, and the silicon side for lower gain settings. The Tone control works best on the brighter side — the pedal isn’t inherently bright, so you can safely push it up a bit. What I love most about this pedal is that it’s not a clone of anything. It simply gives you your clean tone, but dirtier. I don’t know what “transparent” really means — every dirt pedal colors your sound in some way — but the Special Cranker feels very respectful of your clean signal. It somehow makes everything you play feel more alive. Effects placed before or after it sound punchier, clearer, and better. It stacks beautifully with any other drive I pair it with, and it absolutely loves my fuzz, the Caroline Hawaiian Pizza, when placed in front. So far, it’s my favorite overdrive pedal, and I’ve had quite a few.
Preferred Settings + Usage:
Silicon side. Volume at 10:00, Tone at 2:30 , More at 11:00.
1320
186
367
A great low-gain Overdrive
This is the best $99 I ever spent. It gives you a nice, low-gain overdrive that's perfect for applications where you want some of the clean tone to persist. It's excellent with single-coil pickups and does just as well with humbuckers. It's also nice on bass. It drives other overdrive pedals well, too.
Artist usage
Add artist
Can be seen on his pedalboard throughout his Richmond Sessions appearance (see 9:14 for reference).
On the mark 16:00 of this video, Mike talks about his EarthQuaker Devices Special Cranker.
In this photo posted on Lucas Skinner's Intagram account, we see that he added an EarthQuaker Devices Special Cranker to his pedalboard on the 2024 tour.
During the course of this promotional Earthquaker Devices YouTube video, you can clearly see the Special Cranker on Sarah Lipstate's pedalboard.
In the YouTube video titled "Massive Tone from a Legendary Rock Duo (Deap Vally's Lindsey Troy)" by EarthQuakerDevices, Lindsey Troy's pedalboard is visible at 0:04, clearly displaying an EarthQuaker Devices Special Cranker.
It’s on his pedalboard so he used it
In a photograph, King Princess is confirmed to utilize the EarthQuaker Devices Special Cranker, visibly positioned between the EarthQuaker Devices Life Pedal and the Digitech Whammy. This evidence underscores the pedal's inclusion in her musical setup.
In this photo from 3.17.22 posted on reddit, we can see that Nankivell has a yellow speaker cranker on his board to the left.
In a YouTube video titled "Jamming - Phrasing - Space on Vintage Gibson 335" on the channel "Ally's Guitar Tips," guitarist Ally McErlaine is seen and heard mentioning the use of the EarthQuaker Devices Special Cranker pedal while practicing at home.
Genre Usage
Based on how artists on Equipboard use this gear, it is most commonly found in the following genres.
Used With
Based on how musicians on Equipboard use EarthQuaker Devices Special Cranker, it is most commonly used with the following gear.
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Community setups
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