Which Overdrive Pedal Should You Use?

The Ibanez TS808 is THE classic overdrive pedal. Gain, volume and tone control is all you need with this pedal, which has been used in countless classic tracks.

The Klon Centaur is a fabled overdrive pedal which can now fetch four figure prices. But the man who made the original pedal has made a reissue run for much more affordable prices, and numerous companies have cloned the circuit for as little as $150.

An incredibly flexible Mosfet-based overdrive which sounds sublime. Good tonal range, from low gain right up to the higher end of the spectrum. Takes up a bit of space on the board, but there's always a trade-off to be made.

Small but powerful, the ZVEX Box of Rock is a modern classic. It works beautifully from low gain to medium, and adds character by bringing out all those harmonics and overtones you want when you ring out an open chord.

Part of a new generation of overdrives, offering classic tone to the modern player.

The JHS Double Barrel combines two circuits, one of which is their take on the classic TS808 circuit. Combining the two channels offers you a number of tonal possibilities, but this works best from low to medium gain.

Small, affordable, warm and transparent overdrive. It's the EHX take on the Klon Centaur, and it's a fraction of the price. It's also worth looking into the JHS mod of the EHX Soul Food.