Guitar pedals are an essential tool for any musician looking to enhance their sound. They come in various types, each with a unique effect on the guitar’s tone. In recent years, companies have been making small inexpensive pedals that are often clones of well-known pedals. Donner guitar pedals are one of the major brands that has gained popularity for its quality and affordability.
These pedals use printed circuit boards rather than individual components. This keeps the circuit intact and makes it extremely cheap to manufacture compared to typical pedals that require humans to solder components.
While some guitarists will claim that these printed boards could fail, I own many of these clones and never had one fail in the last 12 years. And since they are often 20-30% of the cost of typical pedals, a rare failure wouldn’t be a big financial loss.
Value of Donner Guitar Pedals
Donner guitar pedals offer exceptional value for your money, providing high-quality sound at an affordable price. Donner guitar pedals are also known for their compact size. This enables you to get a lot of pedals on your pedalboard. Using several of them allows you can use a smaller pedalboard.
Despite their small size, Donner pedals produce a high-quality sound that rivals the larger pedals. They are also durable using a metal case making them excellent if you gig.
Donner offers a wide range of pedals for distortion, overdrive, delay, and chorus, among others. The pedals listed here offer a range of effects to enhance your sound. Let’s dive in and go over their options.
Section 1: Donner Distortion & OverDrive Pedals
When it comes to distortion and overdrive pedals, Donner has a wide range of options to choose from. They sound great without breaking the bank. Their distortion and OD pedals cover everything from heavy fuzz, to metal to blues and more!
Donner Blues Drive Overdrive Guitar Pedal
Pros
- Provides warm and hot overdrive modes
- Offers a wide tonal range
- Easy to use with flexible knobs
Cons
- Power supply not included
- May not be suitable for heavy distortion
- No additional features or effects
The Donner Overdrive Guitar Pedal allows you to get a classic TubeScreamer overdrive sound or a more powerful, tightened sound. The wide dynamic range allows you to go from smooth whispers to searing leads, making it a versatile choice for different playing styles.
The pedal is also easy to use, thanks to the flexible knobs for tone control. You can adjust the output volume, brightness, and overdrive amount to get the perfect sound. The true bypass feature provides a transparent tone, while the enduring aluminum alloy chassis ensures durability.
Donner Morpher Distortion Guitar Pedal
Pros
- Three distortion modes for richer playability
- Wide dynamic range and high definition, suitable for both shredding and riffing
- Durable and solid construction with whole aluminium-alloy design
Cons
- Power adapter is not included
- May not be suitable for other musical styles besides rock
- Some users may find the sound too intense for their taste
The Donner Morpher Distortion Guitar Pedal is a well-made, durable pedal with a true bypass design that delivers a transparent tone. The indicator lights clearly show the working state of the pedal, and during transmission, the signal remains fully intact, passing through the effects pedal with no popping, buzzing or electric noise, let alone the loss of strength and frequencies.
The three distortion modes are designed for richer playability with a wide dynamic range and high definition, suitable for both shredding and riffing. While the pedal is great for hair metal/glam metal/pop metal, it may not be suitable for other musical styles besides rock. Additionally, the sound may be too intense for some guitar players.
Donner Metal Distortion Guitar Pedal
Pros
- The Hi-Boost feature improves the high frequency of the pedal, which is ideal for metal distortion.
- The true bypass design delivers a transparent tone.
- The durable and whole aluminium-alloy design ensures long-lasting use.
Cons
- The package doesn’t include a power adapter.
- The tone control is backwards, counterclockwise.
- The TURBO mode might not be suitable for everyone.
The Donner Metal Distortion Guitar Pedal can provide that strong distortion effect so its the pedal you want if you primarily play heavy metal music. The Hi-Boost feature improves the high frequency of the pedal, making the heavy tone-color sound a little clearer.
The true bypass design delivers a transparent tone, passing through the effects pedal with no popping, buzzing or electric noise, let alone the loss of strength and frequencies.
Section 2: Donner Modulation Pedals
Donner offers an impressive selection of modulation pedals that cater to a wide range of musical styles and preferences. These pedals provide a variety of classic and unique modulation effects, including chorus, flanger, phaser, tremolo, and vibrato. Here the mod pedals that Donner offers.
Donner Mod Square Guitar Effect Pedal
Pros
- Offers 7 different modulation modes,
- Digital circuit design and true bypass provide a transparent tone
- Whole aluminium-alloy construction makes it stable and strong
Cons
- DC 9V adapter power supply is not included
- Some users have reported issues with the LED indicator not working properly
- May not offer as many customization options as some higher-end pedals
This pedal is perfect for guitarists who want to experiment with a variety of modulation effects without breaking the bank. This pedal has 7 mod modes, including Chorus A, Chorus B, Phaser, Tremolo, Rotary, Vibrato, and Flanger. The 7 different modes provide plenty of options for adding depth and texture to your sound, and the digital circuit design ensures that your tone remains clear and transparent.
Donner Reverb Guitar Pedal
If you’re looking for a reliable and affordable reverb pedal, the Donner Reverb Guitar Pedal is a great choice.
Pros
- Offers 7 different reverb effects
- Digital circuit design and true bypass provide a transparent tone.
- Whole aluminium-alloy classic design is stable and strong.
Cons
- DC 9V Adapter power supply is not included.
- Some users reported that the LED indicator is too bright.
- The pedal is not programmable, so you have to manually adjust the settings.
This Donner pedal is perfect for guitar or bass players who want to add some depth and dimension to their sound. The pedal has 7 different reverb effects, including Room, Hall, Church, Spring, Plate, Studio, and Mod. These sounds provide a lot of versatility for getting the type of reverb you need, and the digital circuit design ensures a transparent tone.
Donner Guitar Delay Pedal
Pros
- Reproduces the warm and natural delay sound.
- Flexible delay time with adjustable delay level and feedback.
- Durable aluminum-alloy classic, stable, and strong.
Cons
- Power supply is not included.
- May not be suitable for those looking for a digital delay sound.
- Some users have reported issues with the LED indicator.
The Donner Guitar Delay Pedal is a great option for those looking for a vintage analog delay sound. The pedal reproduces the warm and natural classic vintage sound that many guitarists love. The flexible delay time from 20ms to 620ms, adjustable delay level, and feedback allow for customization of the sound.
Donner Tutti Love Analog Chorus Effect
Pros
- The chorus effect produces a warm, natural tone.
- The pedal is flexible, with an extra LEVEL knob that allows you to adjust the signal output in addition to the traditional DEPTH and RATE parameters.
- The pedal is durable and built to last, with an aluminum-alloy construction that’s both stable and strong.
Cons
- The pedal may not be suitable for all genres of music
- The pedal may be difficult to use for beginners who are unfamiliar with chorus effects.
The Donner Chorus pedal produces an analog chorus effect produces warm tone that’s ideal for jazz, rock, and pop music. The pedal is also flexible with plenty of controls to help you shape the sound.
Donner Dynamic Auto Wah Pedal
Pros
- Highly accurate and fast tracking
- LED indicator to show working state
- Durable and compact design
Cons
- DC 9V Adapter power supply is not included
- Only one color option available
- Not suitable for all music genres
The Donner Mini Auto Wah Pedal is a fully controllable envelope filter with a unique decay control, allowing you to customize your sound to your liking. With four function knobs, you can control the sensitivity, filter sharpness, filter frequency range, and make the filter frequency fall back to the resting point. The LED indicator shows the working state, and the analog circuit design with true bypass provides transparent tone.
Donner Tuner Pedal
Pros
- For a small pedal it has a big display making it easy to read while standing up.
- The tuning range is wide, covering A0 to C8, making it suitable for most instruments.
- The fast and accurate strobe mode with +/- 1 cent accuracy ensures that your instrument is always perfectly tuned.
Cons
- The pedal doesn’t come with a power adapter, so you’ll need to purchase one separately.
- Some users have reported that the display screen can be difficult to read in bright sunlight.
- While the pedal is true bypass, some users have noted a slight loss of tone when using it.
The Donner Tuner Pedal is a solid choice for any musician who wants a reliable and accurate tuner pedal. The USB power supply is a convenient feature that makes it easy to tune on the go, and the wide tuning range means that it can be used with a variety of instruments. The fast and accurate strobe mode ensures that your instrument is always perfectly tuned, and the true bypass circuitry ensures that there’s no loss of tone when the pedal is not in use.
Section 3: Donner Utility Pedals
These pedals are designed to provide practical solutions to common problems that guitarists face during their performances. Utility pedals tend to help you solve problems such as noise gates cutting out the unwanted guitar noise when you aren’t playing. Here are the best Donner guitar pedals that provide utility for the guitarist.
Donner EQ Pedal, 10 Band Equalizer Pedal, EQ Seeker for Guitar and Bass True Bypass
Pros
- The 10-band graphic equalizer is fully functional and suitable for any instrument, allowing you to tweak your sound to perfection.
- The ±15 dB adjustable gain range for each band gives you plenty of control over your output level and EQ level.
- The true bypass design ensures that your signal remains fully intact.
Cons
- The sliders for output level/EQ level control are a bit fragile looking and may require careful handling.
- The pedal doesn’t come with a power adapter, so you’ll need to purchase one separately.
- Some users have reported that the pedal adds interference noise when both outputs are used.
The Donner EQ pedal allows you to fine-tune your sound to your exact specifications. Whether you’re playing guitar or bass, this pedal has the flexibility to help you achieve the tone you’re looking for. Another great feature of the Donner EQ Pedal is its ±15 dB adjustable gain range for each band. This gives you plenty of control over your output level and EQ level, allowing you to create the perfect sound for your needs.
Finally, the true bypass design of this pedal allows the signal to pass through the effects pedal with no popping, buzzing, or electric noise. This means that you can enjoy a transparent tone that doesn’t compromise your sound in any way.
Donner Noise Gate Pedal
Pros
- The noise reduction range is impressive, ranging from -70 to +10 dB.
- It has two modes, Hard and Soft, which offer different levels of noise reduction.
- The fast noise detection and smooth attack/release keep everything quiet without affecting the notes you played.
Cons
- The DC 9V Adapter power supply is not included.
- It may not be the best option for those who want precision tuning.
- Some may find the noise reduction to be too aggressive.
This Donner True Bypass Noise Suppressor provides transparent tone. The Hard mode is faster and offers harder noise reduction, while the Soft mode is smoother and offers softer noise reduction.
The Donner Noise Gate Pedal is easy to use and delivers impressive results. It’s perfect for anyone who wants to eliminate unwanted noise from their sound.
Donner Lax Comp Compressor Pedal
Pros
- 4 knobs provide a wide range of sound shaping for your desired effect.
- The mode selector switch allows for more dynamics ranging from smooth tone to robust and vivid sound.
- Donner’s exclusive electronic components and circuit provide more versatility for sound-shaping while still being able to deliver dynamic response.
Cons
- Power Adapter is NOT included.
- The pedal may not be suitable for players who prefer more distortion or sustain.
- The pedal’s sound may not be suitable for all genres of music.
The Donner Lax Comp Compressor Pedal is a great option for those seeking a classic-inspired compressor pedal. The SUSTAIN, ATTACK, LEVEL, and LIMIT knobs provide a wide range of sound shaping for your desired effect, while the mode selector switch allows for more dynamics ranging from smooth tone to robust and vivid sound.
Donner Circle Looper Pedal
Pros
- The 2 in 1 Looper Drum Machine feature provides high-quality stereo looping and lots of drum grooves.
- The large capacity of memory slots and record time.
- The bright screen makes it easy to use.
Cons
- The drum loops could use more options.
- You need a separate foot pedal to get the most usability from it.
- The import/export function requires editor software.
The Donner Circle Looper Pedal is a great option for musicians who want a versatile loop station with a built-in drum machine. It’s easy to use and provides high-quality stereo looping with 100 different drum grooves. With 40 memory slots and 160 minutes of record time, you can record and store your loops without worrying about running out of space. The bright screen shows the current loop mode, time progress, and accurate timing, making it easy to focus on playing.
Donner Vowel Guitar Pedal
Pros
- Convenient 2 in 1 pedal
- Classic-inspired wah sound
- Active volume control for a powerful sound
Cons
- Power adapter not included
- Plastic housing may not be as durable as metal
- May take some time to learn the sweep compared to full-sized pedals
The Donner Vowel Guitar Pedal is a great option for guitarists who want to save space on their pedal board without sacrificing sound quality. The 2 in 1 design allows for easy switching between the WAH WAH and VOLUME pedals, making it a versatile addition to any setup.
One of the standout features of the Donner Vowel Guitar Pedal is its classic-inspired wah sound. The deep filter resonance and smooth sweeping will transport you back to the 1970s, making it a great choice for anyone looking to recreate that vintage sound. Active volume control is also a major plus, as it helps eliminate signal loss and provides a powerful, impressive sound with no popping, buzzing, or electric noise. This feature can take your playing to the next level, especially when playing live.
Buying Donner Mini Clone Guitar Pedals
I was a pedal snob for the decade I played guitar. I only had the major brand pedals like Boss, DOD or Digitech and just assumed the imported clones would be junky and sound like crap.
This is not the case. I’ve tested these against the originals and they sound the same. There are numerous YouTube videos testing all the different clones vs. originals and almost no one could tell the difference. And I’ve never had one break in 15 years. While I still use a lot of popular pedals, I like buying these when I want to test an effect or when it’s an effect that I don’t use that often.
But if you are looking to buy a Donner pedal, here is a good YouTube video that goes over many of the pedals that are in this review roundup.
