Whether you call them “tubes” or “valves,” these components still carry a semi-legendary status among some guitarists seeking a “warm” and “smooth” tone. While tube in amps are the norm, they are a lot more difficult to be found in pedals. The Hagerman Overdrive is a boutique, hand-built, all-analog vacuum tube pedal primarily designed for studio use.
Which doesn’t mean you shouldn’t use it outside the studio! The circuit has enough gain to deliver classic preamp-style overdrive, which, as you can expect from a tube circuit, sounds warm, fat, crunchy, and rich.
The tube employed here is the classic 12AX7, which delivers a fair amount of gain and is visible under its protective metal arch, and carries a 10 year warranty. For those interested in a lower gain device, it can be replaced with other models like the 5751, 12AT7, or 12AY7.
Have a listen to the tones produced by the Hagerman Overdrive 12AX7 Tube Pedal in the videos below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYsdfpQXmKI
The OVERDRIVE is a boutique all-analog vacuum tube pedal with enough gain to push itself into classic preamp-style overdrive, delivering warm, fat, crunchy, and rich tones. Primarily designed for studio use, this pedal offers superb signal-to-noise performance, implements true-bypass, and provides a buffered output capable of driving long cables or other pedals with ease. Doubles as a clean boost / buffer or EQ pedal at lower gains.
Equalization and gain are flat when controls are set to center, allowing for a wide range of operation and tonality. For lower gain, other tubes can be substituted, such as the 5751, 12AT7, or 12AY7.
Hand built in USA.
Specifications
- True bypass
- 1 x 12AX7, all analog circuit
- 30dB maximum gain
- 220k ohm input impedance
- 35mV input, onset of clipping
- 180V tube supply
- Non-inverting polarity
- 4.0″ x 5.0″ x 4.5″
- Includes 9V supply, tube, 10-year warranty
Testimonials
“WOW! Rich, warm, improved harmonics, you name it. Yes, plenty of good ODs out there, but within the first few minutes of using this one, it enriches incredibly well… solid state and tube amps… clean, crunch and hi-gain. Exceptionally done!”
“I like how the pedal sounds like my amp, which is what an overdrive should sound like. I know it’s not to say the sort of sound you guys may be into, but I really like it a lot when I have the amp distorted like a classic Marshall, and then stomp on the overdrive. It adds another gain stage in that makes it sound like a modded/hot rotted amp for more hard rock/metal tones. But doesn’t sound like a distortion box going into a distorted amp. Doesn’t get muddy, just adds extra crunch and sustain on single notes, etc. Very nice!”
“I have to say, that if I were forced to choose one pedal currently in my house to keep, it would be yours, Jim.”
“The short story is that this is a more harmonically rich/dense version of my favorite OD to date – the Bearfoot Honeybee. Very nice.”
“Very flexible. This is the bane of many drive pedals. It’s very easily tuneable and intuitive. The tone controls are some of the most flexible I’ve encountered (rivals the Timmy). I ran my Timmy into it, and was able to get an angry tone out of it. While I’m not inclined toward doing so on a regular basis, I have to say that the edge coming from the Timmy combined with the harmonic density from the Hag-drive was very, very nice. It stacks very well with something in front of it.”
