You won’t need to have been tricked by one of the many, many pranks that have been pushed onto the internet these past few hours to know that today is April Fools Day, and though we’ve skipped a few years (sorry about that) we’re officially back to bring you a run-down of the best gags from all corners of the guitar world.
We could all use a laugh right about now, and thankfully a whole load of gear companies have got our backs, with a number of irritatingly convincing hoaxes that may or may not have almost deceived this writer from the likes of Andertons, Positive Grid, Chibson (of course), and more all delivering the goods.
So, sit back and enjoy the guitar world’s ability to crack a joke every now and then, with a healthy list of the higher-profile hijinks from around the web.
Andertons ‘Stryman’ HolySky
It’s official. Andertons has won April Fools 2025. Whoever thought of the HolySky – and all of the ingenious trimmings that went along with it – deserves a raise. I’d like to think I wasn’t the only one that was immediately fooled by the thumbnail (my eagerness for a new Strymon pedal clearly clouded my ability to read the word ‘Stryman’ in the header) but I’d like the record to show I quickly realized the error in my ways once the video started.
The perfect worship pedal and ‘the most heavenly reverb pedal yet’ is a delightful piece of work. Toggle switches for ‘Book’ and ‘Testament,’ along with knobs for Father, Son, and Holy Ghost were lovely touches indeed. Fairplay for the production value of this one, too – it looks like an actual chassis was made. We’re kind of gutted this isn’t a real pedal, though…
G7th self-moving capo
A close runner-up comes courtesy of G7th, whose self-moving capo was quite clearly too good to be true. Again, we kind of wish this was a real thing – anyone who has to deal with mid-song capo changes will know all too well just how tricky they can be to pull off. A self-moving capo, though? If AI smart pedals can become a reality, something like this can’t be too far behind. Make it happen, G7th.
Positive Grid Spark SNAP
Positive Grid would have us believe it’s swapped high gain for high definition this year, and although the Spark SNAP looks the part, there’s simply no way that the world’s leading player in smart amp technology would make such a drastic leap to the world of cameras.
Guitar fans who are partial to a bit of photography will no doubt appreciate this one, though, and we have to shout out Positive Grid for supplying a full-on spec sheet for the Spark SNAP. The Portrait Mode AI – which “automatically blurs and turns down your bassist so the mix stays focused on where it really matters” – is our favorite.
Chibson Pepto pedal
April Fools wouldn’t be April Fools without some mention of Chibson, which (let’s face it) treats every day of the year as April Fools day. Still, it’s saved a goodie for the festivities, and in true Chibson fashion, has turned it into an actual, real thing.
The $159 Pepto Pedal has been made with Daredevil Pedals, and is said to be your saviour “to put an end to crappy riffs.” Ever had a sound person ask for more Diarrhea from your guitar tone? Fear not, because the Pepto has controls for Nausea, Indigestion, Diarrhea, and Heartburn. The Fart Pedal might have some competition…
Orange Furrball Fuzz
If you’re feline and especially dissatisfied with your current fuzz pedal and are on the hunt for the purr-fect replacement (sorry), Orange has you covered with the Furball Fuzz – another gag stompbox that (if it actually existed) lets you dial in a range of, er, furr-ocious fuzz sounds.
Honestly, we’re here for it, and kinda (definitely) want one… even if the Furball Fuzz does say it could cause spontaneous furniture destruction.
Justin Guitar Slowest Metronome Ever
Justin Guitar may be the internet’s foremost guitar tutor, but we have a feeling that his latest gadget – the Slowest Metronome Ever – will be a hard sell. Well, it would if it was real. Ticking once every 30 seconds and delivering a BPM count of 0.001, the only thing the Slowest Metronome Ever would be good for is “naps between notes.” Depending on how well your function is going, that might not be a bad idea…
Bootsy Collin’ Bootsy Jooce
If you get your inner mojo by boiling your bass strings and siphoning the dirty residue into a bottle for your consumption (who doesn’t?) then you can skip all the mundane steps and go straight for Bootsy Jooce – Reverb and Bootsy Collins’ new concoction that serves as a fretboard oil, fingernail funk-ifier, and secret coffee ingredient that will improve the flavor of your bass playing.
We’re slightly disturbed by this, but hey, if it’s good enough for Bootsy Collins… actually, on second thoughts, no.
EarthQuaker Devices Tap Tempo Series
Got an EarthQuaker Devices device and wish it had tap tempo… even if it’s an overdrive? For a limited time only (we suspect until 12pm today) EQD is rolling out tap tempo on all of its pedals. As amusing as this is, the thought of having to do even more tap-dancing on our already-bursting-at-the-seams pedalboards gives us the shivers.
ThorpyFX and Origin Effects FOLKEDUP
In a true show of commitment to the bit, ThorpyFX and Origin Effects have decided to collaborate on a fake pedal. That is how seriously we as guitarists take April Fools. Named FOLKEDUP, the fake stompbox puts together an acoustic fuzz with a capo transposing function.
Again, we can’t help but dig this. We’re sensing a theme here – if everyone could turn their April Fools gags into a reality, that would be highly appreciated. We could probably do without the Bootsy Jooce, though…
VOX Kitchen Stack
Since the halcyon days of the Beatles, Vox amps have been some of the most iconic in guitar-dom. Having them in your backline just makes you look cool – it’s a fact.
For April Fools, the company has extended its reach from the studio and stage to the kitchen, with the self-explanatory Vox Amp-Toaster & Vox MicroWave. Is it bad that they actually (if they existed) would look somewhat cool?…
Laney Supergroup amps
“With great tone, comes great responsibility,” Laney says, so perhaps you’ll be a bit more responsible with volume with a superhero cape attached to your amp? No word yet on how much that particular upgrade costs…
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