Pricing and availability

Average Price: $230

High-end/Boutique

$50

$176+

Price Tier

Budget

Standard

High-end

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Description

Step into the world of classic rock tones with the Tech 21 American Woman overdrive pedal. Specially designed to recreate the iconic sounds of vintage American guitar legends, this pedal provides a rich, harmonic overdrive that invokes the spirit of the classic rock era. Utilizing proprietary all-analog circuitry, the American Woman delivers a warm, organic sound that enhances any guitarist's tonal palette. Whether you're searching for that elusive '70s stadium rock vibe or crafting your own signature sound, this pedal is your go-to tool for expressive and dynamic overdrive.

The Tech 21 American Woman is not just about nostalgia; it's a versatile powerhouse that adapts to your playing style. Equipped with intuitive controls, including Level, Tone, and Drive, it allows you to dial in the perfect amount of grit and sustain. The rugged construction ensures reliability and durability, whether you're using it for practice, studio recording, or live performances. Its road-ready design means it can withstand the demands of touring musicians, while its compact size ensures it won't crowd your pedalboard.

Key Features:

  • All-analog circuitry for authentic sound reproduction
  • Controls: Level, Tone, and Drive for personalized sound shaping
  • Recreates classic American rock tones
  • Durable and compact design for easy transport and pedalboard integration
  • Suitable for a variety of genres, from blues to hard rock

Product specs

Brand Tech 21
Model American Woman
Finish Cobalt
Year 2010s
Categories Overdrive and Boost Pedals

FAQs

What kind of tones can I expect from the Tech 21 American Woman pedal?

The Tech 21 American Woman pedal is designed to emulate the classic overdriven tones reminiscent of American rock music, offering a rich, creamy sustain with a distinctive mid-range boost that cuts through the mix.

Is the Tech 21 American Woman pedal suitable for both rhythm and lead guitar playing?

Yes, the Tech 21 American Woman pedal provides versatile overdrive suitable for both rhythm and lead guitar, offering a warm, saturated sound that enhances both playing styles.

Does the Tech 21 American Woman work well with both single-coil and humbucker pickups?

The Tech 21 American Woman pedal is compatible with both single-coil and humbucker pickups, delivering consistent overdrive tones with either pickup type, though the tonal characteristics may vary slightly.

Can the Tech 21 American Woman pedal be powered by a standard 9V power supply?

Yes, the Tech 21 American Woman pedal can be powered by a standard 9V DC power supply, making it convenient for integration into most pedalboards.

How does the Tech 21 American Woman pedal differ from other overdrive pedals?

The Tech 21 American Woman pedal uniquely focuses on achieving the iconic overdriven sound associated with American rock, providing a distinctive mid-range emphasis and creamy sustain that sets it apart from typical overdrive pedals.

james Cooper

james Cooper

Tech 21 Randy Bachman American Woman Overdrive

Video thumbnail for Tech 21 Randy Bachman American Woman Overdrive by james Cooper

Tech 21 Randy Bachman American Woman Overdrive

james Cooper

james Cooper

Video thumbnail for Tech 21 American Woman Overdrive Randy Bachman by Barracuda Stuff

Tech 21 American Woman Overdrive Randy Bachman

Barracuda Stuff

Barracuda Stuff

Reviews

PROS

  • Highly interactive controls offer versatile tonal options

  • Efficient noise gate doesn’t compromise tone quality

  • Capable of achieving clean boost with significant volume

  • Delivers thick, creamy Randy Bachman-like sound

  • Offers unique "swell" effect through noise gate

  • Provides endless sustain, perfect for long-lasting notes

  • Can replicate Mark Knopfler's clean tones with ease

  • Achieves Robert Fripp-like "buzzaround" tones

  • High output works well with amps or directly on the board

  • Adds significant dimension to guitar tone

CONS

  • High boost requires reliance on a volume pedal

Owner Insights

We analyzed real musician discussions from forums and Reddit to find what players love, question, and tweak about Tech 21 American Woman.

Mods and upgrades

  • Cutting a trace on the PCB disables the gate function; wiring a switch to adjacent solder points makes it switchable.

    Source

User experience

  • The adjustable gate cannot be turned off completely, affecting sustain at low guitar volume settings.

    Source

Critic Reviews

Tech 21 American Woman review on tech21nyc.com

tech21nyc.com

Tech 21 American Woman review on tech21nyc.com

tech21nyc.com

5.0 out of 5

Based on 1 Review and 1 Rating

5 star
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1 star
depilkington

old school Fuzz with killer sustain

this is the Randy Bachman effect, originally made by putting the speaker out of a fender amp into the instrument input of a second Fender amp! the second Amp would last about 20 mins!!! until someone made him a high gain pre-amp that did the same effect only without burning out that amp

This is a very high output effect pedal, want a super sustaining fuzz effect that will work in amps or the board.

jimmarchi1

Garnet made Bachman the amp you are thinking of. The garnet uses a small power tube in the fuzz circuit to generate a similar tone to that of a tube amp driving another tube amp. If he had put his 1st amp on a dummy load I am sure Randy could have made his fuzz trick work safely. I guess his recording engineers weren't great electrical engineers. Once you are stacking that much gain I imagine it doesn't matter a tone if there are tubes and transformers involved. I always thought that midrangey lead sound he used in American Woman was kinda generic. Its a shame he blew up a good tube amp to get it.

Artist usage

Add artist
See how Henry Kaiser uses Tech 21 American Woman

Henry Kaiser

Guitarist

French, Frith, Kaiser and Thompson

...
Verified via Premierguitar

"Tech 21 came up with two more pedals in recent years that I love the sound of: the American Woman and the Liverpool."

See how Roger Franco uses Tech 21 American Woman

Roger Franco

Guitarist

...
Verified via Rogerfranco

Guitarist Roger Franco uses the Tech 21 American Woman overdrive pedal, as detailed on his setup page authored by Rodrigo Utrabo.

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 Tech 21 American Woman, it is most commonly used with the following gear.

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