DOD Overdrive-250

Good, there had to be something on hand by DOD, and here’s a good one: The DOD "Overdrive 250". There's a gray version, with thin yellow decoration and lettering, it's the fatter sounding of the two versions we’re familiar with. This pedal is made out of heavy cast metal with a rough surface, nothing fancy. What a good tone it produces, this is what the concept of the overdrive pedal is all about. Drive, push, volume, some edge, and a healthy thickening, with minimal buzz/hiss/fuzz. The controls consist of Volume, and Drive, plus an on/off footswitch. This effect works with your rig, without trying to transform it into its own third cousin. The thickening in this circuit could really bump a twangy axe to the next level of lead machine. Used in moderation, the OD 250 could really go well with a stock Tele, for country/roots pickers. Ditto, melodic Strat leads in the upper registers. Interestingly enough; another version, with a slightly different sound, was issued in a canary yellow, lighter weight box, with black graphics. Its sound is generally similar, but with a somewhat thinner, more treble EQ. The yellow version; which is featured in our sound clip, might go best with a rig that would benefit from a slight treble boost.

Though neither pedal is a grunge machine, the yellow version would push a LP fairly hard, without turning everything from "middle C" down, into a wash of shapeless sound. IOHO this pedal is underrated. Don’t be bummed out if you can’t afford an expensive overdrive pedal; the DOD "250" is a winner, (in two flavors!), that slipped through the cracks. It’s around, and can be purchased for a reasonable price.

For newer players:                                                                                                              One of the more "crazy-making" elements of balancing your tone, is the interaction of what each piece brings to the party. For example: we don’t measure resistance in brands of wire, but most folks can hear how low grade cable leaches highs out of your sound. (At least once it's pointed out to them).   More obviously: a pedal with bass, and mid boost that beefs a thin signal to perfection, can make a fat humbucker sound like its being played through a mattress. There are many, more mysterious balancing acts in the pursuit of the dream rig. The first time you’re able to compare an effect using multiple guitars, and amps, you may notice this.

It might help newer players to keep the basic sound of their guitar and amp in mind when seeking new tone thrills: How much clean headroom do you have/ need? What kind of EQ does your speaker box tend to produce? What could you add to the mix, (besides a sledge hammer), to improve the overall sound of your first guitar, and Amp?  Take heart "Nimrods", just about all of us have been there. If you've got the feeling, and you've the ability, the gear will fall in place in time. If you’re new at this, and don’t have a lot to spend: read, research, and ask lots of questions before you start spending.  Yo: (because), for the price of a box full of pickups, and pedals that didn’t work, you can have a basic, decent Amp Modded into a sassy tone generator. This transforming option wasn’t available to most players in the past. Most players have heard the phrase: "you can’t polish a turd", yet it’s common to see players try to fix a sub-par Amp with a bunch of pedals. Some smarter options these days. Check it out.

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DOD Overdrive-250

Gray

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