Best Guitar Overdrive Pedal
Why it's best: Someone once asked me in what way I really judge how good a drive pedal is. To me the answer is simple: How long has that pedal been on your pedal board? No one stops using a great sounding overdrive pedal, unless they find a better one. The Fulltone OCD has been under my right foot for four years. That is a world record for me. This pedal is insanely transparent. Whatever you put into it is what you get out, only more driven. The LP / HP Switch is great. In “LP” mode, you get more of a Fender-ish vibe, and in “HP” mode there is more of a JCM-800 voicing. In either case, the range, depth and complexity of this pedal is un-touched. What amazes me most is that no matter how much drive you use, when you back off of your guitar volume, you have so much clarity, truly amazing. What I found over the years as well is that this pedal pushes other pedals in very cools ways. Without doubt, the Fulltone OCD is the “Best Guitar Overdrive Pedal”. I could not possibly love this pedal more. See more reviews, photos, prices, and specs
Amazon.com$135.15
Why it's a best pick: The first time I played this pedal, I did not stop for 1 hour. I could not believe the tones that were possible from one box. What is even more astounding is the quality engineering that went into it. Normally, I’m a bit skeptical about pedals that boast a pre-amp tube as early efforts to that affect back in the 80’s were very disappointing. In this case though, the inclusion of the 12AX7 tube is not merely hype. The level of drive that is available via this pedal is impressive, and at all times, truly musical sounding amp-drive. The real standout feature here is the two channel design, each having its own drive and level controls. Channel 2 also has an effects loop. The “Top End” and “Mid Boost” switches allow you to shape the overall voice of the pedal (with the Mid Boost allowing for such shaping on a per-channel basis). I cannot recommend this pedal more highly. Design, construction, control-set and tone; all world-class. See more reviews, photos, prices, and specs
Why it's a best pick: The Box of Rock is a very strait forward pedal with awesome sound. There is a “Boost” feature that can be engaged via the second foot switch, and the level of boost is controllable as well. What impresses me most about this pedal is the sound. Eerily similar in voicing to the Super Hard on, this pedal has that same strange but oh so lovely way of pushing the amp in a way that is reminiscent of power tube saturation. The construction is surprisingly light, yet very sturdy. I was very impressed by this Overdrive. See more reviews, photos, prices, and specs
Amazon.com
Why it's a best pick: What I love most about the Full-Drive 2 Mosfet from Fulltone is that boost feature. You nearly have two pedals in one here. While there is plenty of drive at-hand, the mail channel can be set for a reasonable jangly drive, and then the “Boost” can be set for dizzying heights. Not only is an extra 20db added to your sound, but there is more drive, which is controllable. The CompCut/ FM /Vintage switch is great as well, really gives you both Vintage and Moderns voicing options as well as the Flat Mids, which is stellar for Strat playing. Mosfet and Standard voicing options round out this feature set. Built like a tank, this Overdrive is not only a work horse, it is an excellent sounding pedal for the working musician. See more reviews, photos, prices, and specs
Amazon.com$170.05
Why it's a best pick: Menatone has become one of my new favorite companies. They make really fun guitar pedals. The Red snapper is a refreshing take on the mild-output overdrive approach. The most popular contender in this weight-class is the Ibanez Tube Screamer, but I think that the Red Snapper is the new sheriff in town. This true-bypass pedal is very transparent and pushes your amp in a very natural way. The “Cut” and “Bite” controls are a nice compliment to the overall tone-shaping set of this product. One of the most overlooked features of this very light, yet study pedal is that it mixes well with other pedals. Starting with the original version, right up to the most recent 4-knob release, I have always been very impressed with this pedal. See more reviews, photos, prices, and specs
