Construction and cosmetic concerns:

Clearly there has been a ton of care taken upfront to get the ‘Swollen Pickle’ sound. To take that ground work and then crank it up a notch in the tweaking for bass players is something that I can’t help but love. I didn’t really break down this pedal like I normally might because it was on loan, but it’s pretty clear the parts, design, and build quality have all had significant attention paid to them. This pedal works as well as any bass pedal BEFORE you start working the blend knob, as the revised tone stack clearly makes a huge difference. Getting the whole thing in such a small package places it among the best sound/size pedals out there. The nice thing about getting a loaner or used pedal is you get to see how a little wear has treated the pedal. In this area again, I think the Pickle Pie does a great job. The paint seems think and reasonable chip resistant, if a touch ‘eggshell’ looking. Giving it the shake test, everything seems solid with out a little occasional rattle from the battery shifting a bit. Top mounted DC jack is always preferred by me as well. Battery changes do require a screwdriver, as is common of most small builders who are working with DIY style cases.