Cornerstone Gladio V2.1 Double Preamp

Wonderfully tasty Dumble-style pedal with some extra features...

Pros:

- gorgeous creamy tones with some 'growling sizzle', perfect for blues and rock indeed!

- additional toggle switch per channel (compression and jazz/rock)

- there's a secret gain structure toggle (big one, above the footswitch) to activate clipping diodes and mosfets in the right channel's feedback loop

- ability to either stack or switch between the 2 channels (with a smaller toggle inside the pedal you can use TRS cables to use both sides individually in a looper)

- sturdy build

- compact size

Cons:

- it's not as flexible as other dual drive pedals such as the JHS Double Barrel, which also lets you choose the order of the effects, has a blend control for the tube screamer, and 2 toggles to up the gain for either or both pedals

- both channels are different yet still quite close in tones, unlike other dual drives that combine a fairly transparent drive (bluesbreaker, klone) with a mid-pushed drive (tubescreamer or odr-1 clone for example)

Rock & Blues Machine

Just got the Gladio after researching a number of similar products but the combination of my requirements & availability brought me to the Gladio. Both channels sound great and when stacked, they do so spectacularly well. I’ve never played through a Dumble so can’t make an objective comparison but what it does is give great smooth rock & blues tones and works with single coil or humbucker guitars and enhances both. I have used a tube screamer & an OCD until now, which are great but the Gladio is an upgrade and will be a permanent fixture on my board for live and recording work! Its easy to set a rhythm tone & a boost for solos using the two channels, good as stand alone channels but excellent stacked.

Pro’s - all of tbe above, small footprint, quality build

Cons - none really but it’s probably not for the Metal Community

Glorious Sound!

It has its own sound, fat, dynamic, with plenty of harmonics, that is quite different from all the rest of my overdrives. Even with both the sides stacked, its not a high gain pedal, which means I don't get to use it for my Heavy Metal stuff. But it sings in a marvelous way for all the other. I loved its sound since the first time I plugged it in, and (it) immediately gained its space in my pedalboard! Definitely recommended!