"I don’t know that I’ve ever heard a pedal do what this thing does."
– Stephan Hawkes, Hawek Studios / Guitar Tabs Daily

 

When Stephan Hawkes of Hawek Studios sat down with the Schaffer Replica Storm from SoloDallas, he didn’t quite know what to expect. But it didn’t take long for him to realize—this wasn't just another boost or compressor pedal.

In a hands-on session for Guitar Tabs Daily, Stephan walked us through a journey of tone that went from glassy cleans to saturated overdrive, unveiling the versatility and magic of the Schaffer Replica Storm. His conclusion? This pedal might just be your new always-on tone weapon.

A Legendary Circuit, Reimagined

Born from the iconic Schaefer-Vega Diversity System wireless unit of the ’70s and ’80s—used by the likes of Angus Young, David Gilmour, and Eddie Van Halen—the Storm is more than a tribute. It’s a fully analog, reverse-engineered evolution of a tone tool that shaped the sound of classic rock.

What’s inside the Storm?

• Analog Optical Limiter

• EQ Expander

• Harmonic Clipping Circuit

• Post Line Buffer Circuit

And what comes out? Pure tonal magic.

Initial Impressions: Subtle Looks, Sonic Depth

Despite its straightforward control layout—Gain, Boost, and Limiter—Stephan quickly found the pedal’s depth wasn’t in how it looked but in how it felt and responded.

“It’s got a nice sweep... it’s almost more of a tone control to me,” he said, describing the Limiter knob. At full, it smooths and refines your tone. Rolled back, it adds edge and grit. It's like having a tone sculptor under your foot.

The Clean Test: Matchless Meets Magic

Running the Schaffer Replica Storm into a Matchless amp's pristine clean channel revealed one of the pedal’s strongest use cases: elevating clean tones into something extraordinary.

“It somehow makes what I thought was a beautiful Matchless clean sound kind of sad in comparison.”

With the limiter maxed and boost active, the result was a glassy, blooming sustain—notes that seemed to burst from the guitar with a polished intensity that didn’t sacrifice dynamic range.

The Drive Test: More of What You Love

The pedal didn’t just shine on clean tones—it enhanced overdriven sounds with equal prowess. Stephan dialed in a mid-gain tone on his amp, then kicked on the Storm:

“Whatever you put it into, if you like it, you just get more of it.”

Backing off the limiter brought out more clipping and aggression, but even then, the pedal retained a fast yet smooth response that gave his playing both attack and polish.

Why You Might Never Turn It Off

The Schaffer Replica Storm isn’t just a boost. It’s part preamp, part compressor, part EQ, part tone polisher. In Stephan’s words:

“It just makes the guitar sound incredible… I could just see the argument for having one of these things and leaving it on all the time.”

And that might be the Storm’s greatest gift: its ability to elevate your entire rig—whether clean, overdriven, or high gain—without ever sounding artificial or compressed.

Watch the Full Review

Want to see it in action? Watch Stephan Hawkes’ full video demo below:

Final Thoughts

The Schaffer Replica Storm may have roots in the past, but it's built for players who demand more from their tone today. Whether you're chasing classic rock tones or looking for a secret sauce to sweeten your signal chain, this pedal delivers in spades.

Ready to experience it for yourself?
https://solodallas.com/products/storm-d-2019