“Ohio supports their own, Alaskans have expensive taste”: Reverb reveals the most popular effects pedals in each US state – and a quarter of the country favors one brand in particular

Boss RE-202
(Image credit: Future)

A few months ago, Reverb maintained tradition by announcing its best-selling effects pedals of the year – a list that seemingly identified a winner from 2024’s mini amp modeler arms race.

Now, the online gear retailer has delved deeper into the data to produce a list charting the most popular pedals in each US state.

Like its overarching pedals round-up – and its list of the best-selling electric guitars from 2024, which saw a previous chart-topper toppled – the state-by-state run-down makes for rather interesting reading.

Perhaps the most unsurprising-yet-still-interesting-to-see stat is the fact that Boss comfortably dominated proceedings. Indeed, Boss pedals were the go-to units for 13 states, which roughly equates to 25% of the entire country.

Across the board, Boss’ RE-202 Space Echo, BD-2 Blues Driver, TU-3 Tuner and CE-2W Waza Craft chorus all topped state-level charts, as did the RC-5 Loop Station in Colorado and RV-6 Reverb in Alabama.

Reverb's map of the most popular effects pedals in each US state

(Image credit: Reverb)

It was one of the key takeaways from the larger list – that Boss is still the name to beat in the effects pedal game – and that’s been further cemented here.

Other popular brands to achieve a multi-state presence include Electro-Harmonix – whose Pitch Fork was favored in Nevada, and Nano Metal Muff was most popular in Wyoming – and MXR, which had its Reverb, Duke of Tone overdrive and Carbon Copy delay show up on the map.

Some other note-worthy results include the Strymon Big Sky reigning supreme in Texas, the EarthQuaker Devices Dirt Transmitter topping sales stats in its home state of Ohio, the Chase Bliss Mood finding favor in Maine, and Idaho championing the super-budget Behringer SF300 Super Fuzz.

Strymon BigSky

(Image credit: Future)

Oh, and as Reverb notes, some states had rather expensive tastes: Alaska, for example, went all-out for the R2R Electric Supa MKII – a rare and collectible boutique fuzz of which only 200 were apparently made.

There was also a strong showing from amp modelers and digital amp sim pedals, which further reflects the wider findings of the general rundown. Across the map, Line 6’s HX Stomp, the IK Multimedia ToneX One and Universal Audio Ruby all made the cut.

It is worth noting the Reverb methodology, though. In instances where an effect was the top-seller in multiple states, Reverb awarded it as the winner only in the state with the most purchases. Whether that could increase the overall dominance of Boss even further is unclear.

“Ohio supports their own, Alaskans have expensive taste,” Reverb writes of its findings. “13 states – or roughly 25% of the country – chose a Boss pedal more than any offerings from other brands.”

The full list can be found below.

Swipe to scroll horizontally
AlabamaBoss RV-6 Reverb
AlaskaR2R Electric Supa MKII Fuzz
ArizonaProCo RAT 2
ArkansasStrymon Timeline Delay
CaliforniaHologram Electronics Chroma Console
ColoradoBoss RC-5 Loop Station
ConnecticutBoss CE-2W Waza Craft Chorus
D.C.Electro-Harmonix Pico Deep Freeze Sound Retainer
DelawareTC Electronic Spark Mini
FloridaIK Multimedia ToneX One
GeorgiaStrymon Cloudburst Ambient Reverb
HawaiiKarma MTN-10
IdahoBehringer SF300 Super Fuzz Pedal
IllinoisDigiTech Drop
IndianaIK Multimedia ToneX Pedal
IowaIbanez TS9 Tube Screamer Reissue
KansasMXR M75 Super Badass Distortion
KentuckyUniversal Audio Ruby ’63 Top Boost Amplifier
LouisianaKeeley Halo Andy Timmons Signature Dual Echo
MaineChase Bliss Audio MOOD
MarylandBoss TR-2 Tremolo
MassachusettsMXR M169 Carbon Copy Analog Delay
MichiganBoss GE-7 Equalizer
MinnesotaLine 6 HX Stomp
MississippiMXR CSP039 Duke of Tone Overdrive
MissouriDunlop GCB95 Cry Baby Standard Wah
MontanaMXR M300 Reverb Pedal
NebraskaPeterson StroboStomp Mini
NevadaElectro-Harmonix Pitch Fork Polyphonic Pitch Shift
New HampshireBoss RE-202 Space Echo
New JerseyBoss BD-2 Blues Driver
New MexicoVox V847 Wah
New YorkBoss TU-3 Chromatic Tuner
North CarolinaGreer Lightspeed Organic Overdrive
North DakotaTC Electronic Flashback 2 Delay and Looper
OhioEarthQuaker Devices Dirt Transmitter Fuzz Driver Legacy Reissue
OklahomaBoss NS-2 Noise Suppressor
OregonUniversal Audio Dream ’65 Reverb Amplifier
PennsylvaniaTC Electronic Ditto Looper
Rhode IslandMXR M108S Ten Band EQ
South CarolinaBoss DS-1 Distortion
South DakotaBoss DD-3 Digital Delay
TennesseeStrymon Iridium Amp & IR Cab Simulator
TexasStrymon Big Sky Reverb
UtahElectro-Harmonix Op-Amp Big Muff Pi Reissue Fuzz
VermontElectro-Harmonix EHX-2020 Tuner
VirginiaBoss SD-1 Super Overdrive
WashingtonKeeley Compressor Plus Compressor / Sustainer / Expander
West VirginiaBoss RC-1 Loop Station
WisconsinJHS Morning Glory V4
WyomingElectro-Harmonix Nano Metal Muff

Visit Reverb for more.

Matt Owen
Senior Staff Writer, GuitarWorld.com

Matt is a Senior Staff Writer, writing for Guitar World, Guitarist and Total Guitar. He has a Masters in the guitar, a degree in history, and has spent the last 16 years playing everything from blues and jazz to indie and pop. When he’s not combining his passion for writing and music during his day job, Matt records for a number of UK-based bands and songwriters as a session musician.