Tight. Clear.
Brutal.

Boutique overdrive pedals for metal — one of the finest boosts you’ll ever hear. Built by a guitarist, for guitarists.

About Van Es Pedals

Hi and welcome to the Van Es Pedals website! I’m Michiel van Es — a guitar player with a passion for overdrive pedals and simplicity.

Since I was a young boy I always loved the sound of hard rock and metal music, especially the sound of a powerchord through a high gain amp. I learned to play guitar at 14, played in bands, and went deep into G.A.S. (Gear Acquiring Syndrome).

What I found: a heavy guitar sound can be transformed by an OD pedal with high output and clarity. So I built one — the Esmeister OD.

It gives one of the best boosts you’ve ever heard, and it’s brutally simple to use: just an on/off switch.

⚠ Not yet available for sale — follow on Instagram to stay updated!

Esmeister OD Features

True bypass switching
Upgraded IC opamp (better than default JRC 4558)
Keeley Mod — tighter low end even at low gain settings
K.I.S.S. — just an On/Off button
Sturdy metal casing with bright LED
Channel switching capability (Peavey 5150/6505, Mesa, Laney Lionheart)
Custom trimpot settings on request
Optional external drive knob available

Media

Kemper Profiler

Demo of the Esmeister with the Kemper Profiler

Peavey 6505 — Channel Switching

Demo of the Esmeister with channel switching engaged

Peavey 6505 — Engaged vs Disengaged

Hear the difference between the amp alone and with the Esmeister

Marshall JCM 800

Demo by Mike Schleibaum (Darkest Hour)

EVH 5150 III

Demo by Mike Schleibaum (Darkest Hour)

Mesa Boogie Tremoverb Dual Rectifier

Demo by Scott Mellinger (Zao)

PRS MT 15

Esmeister OD with the PRS MT 15 amp

Images

Esmeister OD pedal in yellow with glowing red LED eyes, on black background

Esmeister OD pedal in yellow with brushed metal skull faceplate, on white background

Frequently Asked Questions

What is an OD pedal?

An OD (overdrive) pedal boosts your amp — tightening the lows and increasing mids without adding extra gain. Think of your amp on steroids: same character, more punch. Originally used to push clean amps into crunch, it’s now a staple on metal pedalboards for exactly this tightening quality.

Do you design your own PCB or enclosure?

No. I use a pre-printed board with components and modify the layout — applying the Keeley Mod, swapping the IC chip, replacing potentiometers with trimpots, and more. The magic is in the modifications and quality of execution.

Why should I buy your pedal when I can DIY?

Go for it — I genuinely encourage people to build their own gear! But if you think the Esmeister sounds and looks awesome and don’t have the skills to build one, consider buying one. It outperforms most known OD/TS-808 pedals out there, with zero knob-tweaking required.

Why is your pedal better than big-brand OD pedals?

“Better” is subjective — but I’ve tested the Esmeister against the famous green pedals and so have many guitar players I respect. The verdict: the Esmeister wins. Read the testimonials and judge for yourself.

Are the testimonials genuine?

100% real. I reached out to guitar players I admire, handed them a pedal for free, and asked for honest feedback. No endorsement deals, no scripts — just: “here’s the pedal, tell me what you think.”

Can I get custom settings on the trimpots?

Yes! Just tell me your preferred drive, tone, and level settings and I’ll dial them in before shipping. If you’re unsure, you can also request an optional external drive knob so you can adjust it yourself.

What warranty or guarantee do you offer?

If the pedal is Dead On Arrival, I’ll replace it. Opening the enclosure or damage from drops, water, or heat voids the guarantee. For issues that arise later, we’ll find a solution together — most fixes are straightforward.

What quality checks do you perform?

Hand-soldered and visually inspected joints
Electronics tested for expected behavior
On/off switch cycled multiple times
Physical shake test for loose components or short circuits

Does channel switching work with all amps?

No — only with latching footswitch inputs. Confirmed compatible: Peavey 5150/6505, Mesa Boogie Dual Rectifier (older 2-channel), and Laney Lionheart 50. Simple but very effective for the most common metal amps.

Why are there multiple Esmeister designs?

I iterated over time. Early versions had simpler graphics; the current and final design features a skull motif. The new skull design is the definitive Esmeister OD look.

When can I buy one?

No ETA yet — I’m still setting up a shop, payment system, and working through tax and shipping logistics. Follow me on Instagram or drop your email via the contact form to stay in the loop.

I want a pedal with 100 knobs. Can you build it?

K.I.S.S. — Keep It Simple, Stupid. The Esmeister does one job and does it exceptionally well. Default settings are: drive 10–20%, tone 50%, level 100%. That’s the sweet spot. An optional drive knob is available if you really need to tweak.

Testimonials

Stefan van Neerven Born from Pain

“Let me start off by stating that I am not a ‘pedal guy’ and therefore also not an ‘overdrive guy’. I like the way amps sound the way they are… The Esmeister changed the way I look at that. Use it on a Mesa-like amp and it will add aggression and tightness without losing too much depth in your chug. Use it on a Marshall-like amp and it will instantly modernise its tone and distortion character. The only disadvantage is that once you turn an Esmeister on, your awesome sounding amp will suddenly sound quite boring without it.”

Mike Schleibaum Darkest Hour

“The Esmeister is a killer addition to my arsenal of high gain ear splitting guitar assault tools! I love its simple and sleek construction. I love pedals that know exactly what they are. It’s easy to blend this pedal with many modern high gain options and I love that the Esmeister doesn’t lose low end and still delivers that punch. A must have for all you overdrive pedal enthusiasts out there!”

Scott Mellinger Zao

“The Van Es overdrive is perfect in its simplicity — it gives you that extra punch without coloring the tone. A lot of other OD’s seem to brighten up or lose low end; the Van Es doesn’t. The channel switching capability is an added awesome bonus and works flawlessly with my Mesa Tremoverb. Do not be turned off by not having EQ or any other knob — trust me, there is no need to adjust anything.”

JB Brubaker August Burns Red

“The Esmeister overdrive pedal rips. I traditionally have used a Maxon OD808 or Ibanez TS9 in front of my Peavey 6505+, but this pedal sounds tighter with more punch than my old overdrive pedals. I found my palm mute chugs to be tighter and less fizzy. This pedal rules! I also love the light up bull eyes on the pedal itself. Nice touch!”

Tommie Bonajo Tomster Studios / Blind Sight

“I’ve tried the Esmeister with the MC33178 chip on my Mesa Dual Rectifier and it smoked the OD808! It gave the amp more pronounced mids, less fizz in the high end and a tighter low end. Also love the plug n play, one button control and the great bullhead design.”

Draconis INFINITY

“The Esmeister is one of the best overdrive pedals I have used — it has knocked my Maxon OD-820 off the overdrive throne. Tighter low ends, more punch, clarity, and a more aggressive sound. Excellent clarity of individual notes, but still warm and round on power chords. Perfect for tremolo picking or palm mutes. Pairs brilliantly with my 5150.”

Tim van Tilburg All for Nothing

“The pedal sounds better than my Maxon OD-808. I love the simplicity and the way it tightens up my amp (Peavey 5150). I use it as my main OD on our current tour.”

Tight. Clear.Brutal.