Henretta Engineering Guitar Effects

 

Artists Using Henretta Engineering Products

CHARLIE SINGLETON - Cameo

“I’m Charlie Singleton, lead guitarist of the group CAMEO. It used to be “The Bigger The Better” but Henretta Engineering has proven that it’s not always the size of the dog in the fight, but rather the fight in the dog. With their new line of effects cubes, space is no longer a problem on your pedal board because they fit just about anywhere. I’m not one for doing stretches before a gig just to reach some of my effects pedals, which is why the Orange Whip Compressor and the Crimson Tremolo fits perfectly into my setup and the quality is unsurpassed. Check out the full line of Henretta Engineering effects pedals and you’ll see why these little babies are the next big thing.”

“...Henretta has made themselves a clever niche having ventured into the opposite realm of most builders by taking a minimalist approach.  By embracing this philosophy the company is able to focus on the most important aspect of designing any pedal – tone.”   Nick - The Pedal File

JOSEPH ARTHUR

“If you want great tone, surprising creativity, plenty of room on your board and to keep the focus on your playing rather than twiddling knobs, these little pedals pack a big punch. Like sonic soul candies that unwrap the truest tone and bite into the music of the cosmos. 


Henretta pedals are simple and simply the best.”

JESSE JOHNSON - The Time and amazing solo work

“I really dig Henretta pedals a ton.  I dig the sound, the compact size,  the build quality,  and Kevin is a cool dude as well!  I use the Emerald Prince,  Purple Octopus, & Bluebird Fuzz.  ‘Beautiful, Sweet, Passionate, Colour, Angry’ are some of the adjectives that comes to mind when I turn on Kevin's stuff.  Thanks Kevin for adding a blend pot to my Octopus!“

BRIAN WOOTEN - Trace Adkins

Uses an Orange Whip compressor.

PAUL CHAPMAN - Colt Ford

Uses a Choad Blaster.

WILLIAM ROBERTSON

Uses the Choad Blaster and Emerald Prince and had the following to say about them.


Emerald Prince

"If your overdrives sound like toys, if your overall sound is weak and thin as a flower stem or if you are always looking to sound fatter and bigger, so this Emerald Prince Pre Amp by Kevin Henretta is for you.  It is simple and fat, little but huge ! 

Indeed, in the smallest pedal of the market you got the bigger sound. For my case, I put it in the end of my pedalboard. With that, my sound is bigger and fuller (with rich low-mid in the 300-400hz frequencies) with a slight mid hump to compensate  and a superb preservation of the high end for a balanced sound without being muddy or too bright.  It is the best tool for adding an "I don't know what" to your sound that makes it better.  Personnally, in the end of my board, in a really small corner, I let it always on to rock on everytime I make a gig. With that little green bag (musical reference !), gigging is a even more a pleasure."


Choad Blaster

"Crazy name but crazy sound too. Indeed it is a pedal for the always unsatisfied people like me : "I want an overdrive with balls, but not a bad and dirty distortion, not a sticky thin fuzz but with a great vintage vibe...". 

Why did I say that ? Because it is an overdrive, good distortion and super terrible vintage but precise fuzz. I can make a slight classic rock crunch or a big metal distortion but also a super-sustain fuzz (as Phillip Sayce for giving and example). Moreover, with the trimpot inside, you can adjust the compression for a modern "Muse" compressed fuzz/overdrive/distortion sound or a more vintage sound with a great headroom (that is rare for a fuzz pedal).

So if you don't have a girlfriend, you should have the Choad Blaster for your lonely night blues, crazy night gigging or backstage hidden pleasure."

TYLER HENDERSON

Uses an Orange Whip and Purple Octopus and does a mean Hendrix set every so often.  Tyler also has his own line of hand-wound pickups - Henderson Pickups.

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ROBERT RANDOLPH - Robert Randolph & The Family Band

Proud user of a custom 6 Speed, which can be seen at the bottom left of the photo.  Says it “rocks!”

ERIC KRASNO - Soulive, Lettuce

Proud user of a custom 6 Speed.  Says “This thing rules, man!”

SARAH LIPSTATE - Noveller

Uses a Bluebird fuzz as a key component in her game-changing symphonic sound.  Sarah is one of those players who manages the impossible task of finding new ways to make music with the electric guitar, and we’re proud to have our little blue beast on her touring board!

773.307.3107

Copyright 2023

Henretta Engineering LLC

Henretta Engineering is the creation of long-time gigging guitar player and tinkerer, Kevin Henretta.  In 2009, armed with a formal background in hard sciences and years of industrial experience as a design engineer, Kevin set out to make a distortion pedal that gave him warm sustained saturation without sacrificing attack and feel.  That resulted in the Choad Blaster (also named Chord Blaster), which has gained recognition for its unique sound, responsiveness, and versatility.  The following year, Kevin attempted what seemed like an impossible task at the time and ultimately created the Orange Whip compressor, a hand-made, all-analog compressor circuit housed in the tiny 2” x 2” boxes players had been using for auxiliary tap tempo switches.  This started a line of small no-knob pedals and initiated a set-and-forget utilitarian design philosophy that addresses the worry of complicated pedal board setup, removes the distraction of obsessive on-the-fly adjustments, and refocuses players’ attention onto the instrument - the guitar.  Currently in 2015, Henretta Engineering is still developing its line of no-knob pedals while also releasing the occasional “traditional” pedal that still embodies the simplicity and utility for which the brand has become known.

Hand Made in Saint Paul, Minnesota

STEVE WATKINS- Allen Stone

Steve adds the beauty to the amazing rhythm section behind singer extraordinaire, Allen Stone.  Steve uses a Henretta Engineering Six Speed with his Fender Rhodes style electric piano and has this to say about it: “...immediately usable musical sounds.  No muss no fuss.  I love how streamlined it is.”

FABIAN RUIZ - Two Fist

Uses a custom Emerald Prince preamp.

DJ WILLIAMS  - Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe

Proud user of a custom 6 Speed, which was featured in Premier Guitar Magazine’s Jan 2016 article, “Cosmic Rhythmatist,” about DJ’s awesome funk chops.

MIKE KROMPASS - Smash Mouth

Mike proudly uses a Chord Blaster and an Orange Whip in the studio and on his live board.

MATT SCHOFIELD

Amazing blues player, Matt Schofield says he picked up the Crimson tremolo for his travel board and liked it so much, it landed in his main rig.

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ANTHONY CULLINS

Also known as The Fallbrook Kid, Anthony Cullins has been building a steady following in southern California with his tasteful and soulful playing.  He is the proud owner of an Emerald Prince and a Planetarium (features our Golden Years reverb and Moody Blue reverb) with more to come his way soon.