Flattley Unveils Reaper 10 AE Dual Mode Distortion

Boutique effects manufacturer Flattley Guitar Pedals is celebrating a major milestone with the launch of the Reaper 10 AE, a special 10th Anniversary Edition of the company's very first production pedal. Dubbed the Reaper Dual Mode Distortion, this updated stompbox revisits Flattley's roots while introducing a "very cool twist," bringing aggressive new features and a versatile clipping engine to modern guitarists.

A Decade of Tone: The Reaper Returns

To commemorate their 10th anniversary, the Flattley team decided to resurrect the "Reaper." The original iteration was a highly regarded overdrive/distortion pedal featuring a rotary switch that altered the components within an op-amp feedback loop to provide a wide range of tones.

For this Anniversary Edition, Flattley has completely reimagined the approach. The Reaper 10 AE features both hard and soft clipping built around a similar op-amp core but is purposefully voiced to be significantly more aggressive.

As a clever Easter egg for tone chasers, Flattley notes that this new core is a "nod to rodent-related pedals"—a clear tip of the hat to the legendary RAT-style distortion circuit, an iconic sound the brand has never explored until now.

Three Modes of Aggressive Gain

The true magic of the Reaper 10 AE lies in its highly versatile three-way toggle switch, giving players instant access to three distinct tonal profiles:

• HC (Hard Clipping): Uses vintage glass-envelope germanium diodes to deliver tight, saturated, aggressive hard-clipping distortion.
• SC (Soft Clipping): Employs an asymmetric clipping circuit using an LED and a conventional silicon diode, producing a wider, more dynamic range of overdrive tones.
• BST (Boost Mode): Bypasses both clipping stages entirely, creating a massive clean boost designed to push your amplifier's preamp straight into natural saturation. Warning: This mode gets exceptionally loud! Furthermore, the pedal's Gain control is designed so that when maxed out, it can even force the clean boost itself into clipping.

These modes are shaped by a standard, intuitive three-knob layout featuring Volume (overall output level), Gain (amount of drive), and Tone (treble/bass EQ specifically tuned to tame the high-end harmonics generated by the various clipping stages).

Striking Platinum Range Aesthetics

Like all effects in Flattley’s premium "Platinum Range," the Reaper 10 AE is meticulously hand-processed in the Flattley paint shop and boasts a strikingly unique, custom finish.

Built with the gigging musician in mind, the pedal features an installed purple halo light ring that diffuses the LED glow, preventing the blinding glare standard LEDs often cause on dark stages.

It also comes with a custom purple laser-etched aluminum foot topper, providing a larger surface area for quick, accurate stomping during live performances.

Key Specifications:

• Controls: Volume, Gain, Tone, and a 3-Way Toggle (HC, BST, SC).
• Hardware: 20mm black anodized aluminum custom-etched control knobs.
• Aesthetics: Purple halo light rings and matching custom purple foot topper.
• Power: Standard 9-volt external power operation (no internal battery option).
• Build: 100% handmade and hand-wired in the UK, using the highest-quality components.

Pricing and Availability

The Flattley Reaper 10 AE Dual Mode Distortion retails for $319 / £259 / €319.

Here at Guitar Bomb, we are big fans of the Flattley boutique pedals, and if you like heavier gain tones, then this distortion could be perfect for you. It is pretty potent, with plenty of tone sculpting, making it a versatile pedal.

To hear the pedal's aggressive new voicing in action, check out the official demo video

For more information or to secure yours, visit flattleyguitarpedals.com or view the specific Reaper 10 AE product page here.

More Flattley Guitar Pedals