With the growing popularity of small-footprint effects, Coppersound’s Kingpin Germanium Clipper and Iris Optical Compressor nicely fit the bill – and pedalboard.

Though nearly identical (Volume, on/off switch and three-way mini toggle) except for graphics, they are very different.

The Kingpin, designed around a Germanium diode and driven by two FET stages, offers three levels of gain, from slight clipping to full-blown saturation. Each brings increased gain, sustain, harmonics, and thickness. With light breakup on the lowest level and screaming leads on the highest, the Kingpin dishes with clarity and authority, and runs on 9- or 18-volt (for more headroom).

Setting up a compressor can be a challenge, but the Iris Optical takes away the guess work. With three levels of studio-grade compression via its mini toggle, it tames dynamics with a super-smooth delivery; light compression with sustain at the lowest setting, smooth and tighter at the midpoint, and tight and snappy at the highest, all without artifacts. Dialed for heavy compression, notes jump off the fretboard.

The Kingpin and the Iris deliver performance you might not expect from pedals that fit in your palm.

This article originally appeared in VG’s November 2023 issue. All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.