“When it came out, there was no experimental reverb pedal category. Ifeel like it’s the first. Quote me on that!” How EarthQuaker Devices went beyond the boutique pedal boom and took left-field tones mainstream

EarthQuaker Devices Afterneath pedal shot on a wooden backdrop.

As founder of EarthQuaker Devices, Jamie Stillman hasn’t just been at the forefront of the boutique effects boom, he’s shaped its direction with a spirit for left-field turns. None more so than with his trailblazing approach to reverb that manifested with the Afterneath.

First released in 2014, with a few iterations since, it did more than change the scale of EarthQuaker’s operations – based in Akron, Ohio, under Jamie and CEO (and wife) Julie Robbins – it inspired other makers to explore new realms of creativity with reverb pedals.