TOM ANDERSON 

OVERDRIVE- OBSIDIAN AUDIO The Devil OD ___NEW ___Tube Screamer on steroids

Obsidian Audio   

  The DEVIL    

$220.00 USD

Metal for decades has used the Tube Screamer as a Boost, with a 73.4 Hz  poke in the upper mids. What is missing is a full EQ of Bass, Mids & Treble to match it to anyone's rig or indeed several rigs consisting of different amps and guitars and even other pedals. To be complete it really needs both a gate and an overall increase of Girth provide to give a voice that adds both lower mids and bass without also adding mud. In short 

the pedal has to be tight.

    CONCLUSION ___

It does all this and though there are others that do none check 

all the boxes and tend to be much more specific in the genre 

and/or sub genre they cater to. still give you the mass 

this does. That said, all are valid. If nothing else this 

would be the ultimate Swiss Army Knife as a second drive.

...yes there is a cheapie, DemonFX Precision Drive make  

   a clone of the Horizon Precision Drive. $45.00 USD  

 

                              

CHRIS BUCK ___ OVERDRIVE SHOOTOUT

 CHRIS PICKS A PEDAL     

Lightning strikes twice !!!

OVERDRIVE- TKOG Oxford Monarch Overdrive___NEW___ Marshall Gov'nor clone

TKOG EFFECTS PEDALS 

 OXFORD MONARCH 

$290.00 USD

The designer of this pedal goes to a great length to detail the many pedals that were designed by using the original and all that followed it. Including well known brands like Wampler, JHS and Fulltone. Even this pedal is not the makers first but more of a deluxe version. Like the original it is a OpAmp with clipping diodes pedal. As I have stressed in the past these can be more easily made cheaply where OD's using FET transistors that are more tube like can as a rule not be. Yes like all pedals there 

are exceptions and some of my favorite OD's use both.

The pedal has 2 channels with one being the OD and the other a Boost. It basically gives you the tools to cover a 

proximity of all the Marshall amps from the JTM 45 thru 

to the JCM 800. 

            CONCLUSION __

 In the real world one turns the knobs on any OD and finds a sound 

 'they' personally like and not one that will get a room of players to 

 say. YES ...that is exactly like a real Plexi etc. etc. So this MIAB 

 is about average for 'sound' in its price range.

Most of us can find at least one killer pro MIAB sound from a $65 Tone City Golden Plexi v.3 

 

OVERDRIVE- GHOST NOTE AUDIO Codename X81 ___NEW___ Valvestate 8100 clone

$260.00 USD

 G H O S T  N O T E   A U D I O 

[CODENAME X81]

Made in the UK. It is a clone loosely based on the 1991 Marshall Valvestate 100 watt solid state amp.

The layout is active Bass, Mids and Treble with Volume, 

Gain & Contour (a mids sweep.) 

A toggle gives you more gain & a button for Boost. 

This is an extremely high gain pedal. 

CONCLUSION |||

 It simply is what it is meant to be. 

 It is punchy, tight with incredible balz. 

 No fizz just smooth all the way thru the highs.

 It is totally over the top but irresistible.

...the iSet Grim Heavy Metal is gritty but does a            reasonable stand in _$30.00 USD (Amazon)

      

OVERDRIVE- CRAZY TUBE CIRCUITS Rapture ___NEW ___ one stumble but no fall

crazy tube circuits

rapture   

$215.00 USD

Once upon a time not so very long ago CTC brought out the Triptych  pedal. Basically all the Tone Bender Fuzz variations and a basic MIAB 

to put them thru in one enclosure.

The general consensus from those that tried it was WOW what a 

great amp. The company simply pulled the OD out of this Triptych 

Fuzz pedal. They added a bit of headroom & gain but that's about it. 

           CONCLUSION __

Lets just say I expect one day before long the Triptych 

will disappear off their site as the bad ol' Fuzz part is 

at best mediocre and should be put back in the closet. 

However the Overdrive in it is indeed total killer. 

...the good news is everyone can now 

                    live happily ever after, 😇.

                      

  

NOTE: I the Greer Lightspeed has been the King of 

transparent OD's for 8 years. I think this will kill it!!!

OVERDRIVE- FENDER Pugilist v.2 ___NEW ___ impressive

$230.00 USD

FENDER 

PUGILIST  DISTORTION V.2

It appears to be a one size fits all heavily modified Amp-in-a-Box. 

The layout gives you 2 channels each with a Volume, Tone and Gain. 

A toggle lets you route the signal path. Another toggle allows for Bass Boost. Switches beside the in/out jacks let you choose buffered or bypass, Scoop is on another as is a switch 

to match the input to match a HB, single coil or active pickups.

      CONCLUSION __

The unit has a very open fat sound with a lot 

of girth and with a lot of edge on the attack. 

Above all it has some balz. Love it!!!

V.1 from 2018

____ JOHN MEYERS OVERDRIVES ____ COMPARED

 COMPARE  SOMETHING     

I respect all good players but have never been a fan of J.M.  When it 

comes to sound he likes dark sounds that to me border on very muddy

without any sustain. Worst of all they have no overtones or rich sumptuous 

harmonics. A few guys with different but excellent tones are Hendrix, SRV, 

Santana, Knopfler, EVH, Brian May, Gilmour and last, and my fave  

Bernie Marsden, best known with Whitesnake.

Bernie Marsden's
The Beast 59 LP