It’s cliché to call a parametric EQ a “Swiss Army knife,” but with Empress’ updated ParaEq MKII Deluxe, the comparison fits elegantly.

If you’ve never tweaked a parametric EQ, it’s different from the passive controls on most guitars, offering more-precise/powerful adjustment to specific frequencies/bands. The ParaEq Deluxe pedal has knobs labeled Low Freq, Mid Freq, and High Freq, along with controls for Gain (dB range of the cut or boost), Q (determines the center frequencies), and small knobs to massage the high/low filters and shelves. Surgical adjustment of EQ can be accomplished without the Boost footswitch engaged, but stomp on it and it’ll sound like you swapped pickups or pushed an overdrive box ever further. If you’re playing with a band and your tone just ain’t happening, the ParaEq MKII Deluxe could be a lifesaver.

If you want to get down and dirty, the Heavy Menace is a fine choice. It may look like a distortion box – which it definitely is – but Empress expands on the acclaimed EQ from its original Heavy pedal to make this more. There are three channel settings – Lite(ish), Heavy, and Heavier, which goes from crunch to pure nastiness. The Weight knob shapes the low end’s character to taste, while Mid Freq lets you add the detail to the dirt. The Gate Thresh knob accesses a built-in noise gate, which is a welcome high-volume feature.

Both Empress pedals are built like tanks and sport clean interfaces, but impress with their devotion to studio-grade EQ voices.

Whether you’re jamming with a band or playing at home, the ParaEq MKII Deluxe lets you detail and sweeten your electric, amplified acoustic, or bass with precision, as well as providing a whopper of a boost (up to 30dB). It can also beat down feedback on an acoustic/electric, adding to its gig utility.

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