Versatile guitar preamp stompbox provides endless tone-shaping inspired by one of rock’s most versatile journeymen
BURGAW, NC, November 13, 2026 – Triumph singer/guitarist Rik Emmett and Mojotone announce the arrival of ‘Rock & Roll Machine' – a versatile guitar preamp pedal that offers a nearly endless array of distortion, overdriven, and boosted tones with the amplifier of your choice. Rock & Roll Machine uses the guitarist’s searing signature sound from the band’s classic era as a starting point, with additional tone-shaping features such as a powerful three-band EQ section, ‘Oomph’ switch, and a Fat/Skinny knob for additional sonic sculpting, making it the ideal centerpiece of any pedalboard. Rock & Roll Machine is available now via Emmett’s Reverb.com shop.
Lay it on the line with a fully tweakable ‘amp-in-a-box’
The basis of Rock & Roll Machine’s British-flavored sound is Emmett’s customized 50-Watt plexi amplifiers from the late 1970s – the source of his bright, cutting tone from the early Triumph albums. The tone-shaping preamp approach, also informed by Emmett’s favorite studio EQs and recording chains, provides a versatile platform for crafting an infinite number of boosted, overdriven, and distorted guitar sounds suitable across any genre.
Rik Emmett with the ‘Rock & Roll Machine' Pedal from Mojotone
“I want something more evolved than a typical distortion pedal – something that has warmth and depth to the sound without losing articulation,” Emmett explains. “The combination of those vintage Plexi amps and vintage Neve EQ channel strips provided me with that mix of cut and warmth, so I asked the designers at Mojotone to start there. The result is a preamp pedal with an incredibly articulate and responsive set of gain stages that can go from a clean boost, to crunch, to screaming lead, all with just the guitar’s volume knobs.”
Rock & Roll Machine’s rich and dynamic tones can be shaped from the onset with the pedal’s 3-Band EQ of Treble, Middle, and Bass Knobs. An additional ‘Fat/Skinny’ knob can then be used to tune the overall body and character of the sound, adding additional warmth and thickness or cut and clarity as required. The ‘Oomph’ switch offers two variations of low-end response for the pedal, and when activated evokes the punchy low-end of a closed 4x12 cabinet.
Features:
- Versatile Tone-Shaping Preamp with Infinite Shades of Boost, Overdrive, and Distorted Tones
- Treble, Bass, and Presence Controls for Intuitive Sonic Sculpting
- ‘Fat/Skinny’ Knob Dials in Warmth or Cut
- “Oomph” Switch Provides the Tight Bass of a Closed 4x12 Cabinet
- Top-Mounted Jacks
- Power Requirements: 70mA via a 9v Negative-Center Power Supply
- Crafted in the United States
“I needed a versatile preamp box that could turn my guitar into a fire breathing monster while also capturing all the nuances of my playing,” states Emmett. “That is exactly what the Rock & Roll Machine gives me – I can play a whole night of Triumph Music and just use this pedal. The versatility built into it means it can be so much more than that, so it’s become a favorite of mine in the studio and on stage.”
More Information
For more information or to purchase the Rik Emmett Rock & Roll Machine, please visit: https://reverb.com/shop/the-official-rik-emmett-reverb-shop.
For more information about MOJOTONE, please visit: https://mojotone.com/.
