The SolidGoldFX Commodore overdrive is the second pedal by the Montreal builder to feature a set of four sliders, after the Imperial MkII fuzz, which, is anything, is an indication that sliders on pedals are being welcomed by guitarists. This pedal ain’t a fuzz, though, but a Marshall Bluesbreaker overdrive variant.
This new pedal actually shares more than the controls’ layout with its fuzz cousin: its specially tuned, low to mid-gain BB style drive circuit feeds the EQ output section of the Imperial consisting of the Tone and Contour sliders, allowing for a variety of tones ranging from black panel spank to Vox-ey chime and British growl.
Also, it works with up to 18v for extra headroom.
Check out the videos of the Commodore, below, we added it to our article about the best Marshall Bluesbreaker clones and variants.
SolidGoldFX Commodore, Builder’s Notes
We’re back with the second instalment of our retro themed slider laden stomp boxes, the Commodore Overdrive! Inspired by another one of our all-time favorites, the classic Marshall BluesBreaker and crossbred with our beloved Imperial MKII, we are excited to present you with this wonderfully versatile and natural sounding drive.
So, what is the Marshall BluesBreaker and what makes it so awesome? The Marshall BluesBreaker pedal was released in the early 90’s alongside the ShredMaster and DriveMaster pedals in their large black box format and was aimed at capturing the crunch and breakup of their model 1962 combo amp dubbed the Bluesbreaker made famous by Eric Clapton during his time with John Mayall and the Blues Breakers. The pedal offered a beautiful and natural sounding overdrive and has become a favorite amongst builders and players alike, with original units fetching close to 4 figures.
The Commodore offers a fresh spin on an old-school heavyweight by mating a specially tuned, low to mid-gain BB style drive circuit with the super sculpting output section of the Imperial. Carefully selected component values and asymmetric clipping offer an organic and natural sounding drive ranging from sweet and mellow to nice and spicy, while the Tone and Contour sliders allow you to dial in anything from black panel spank to Vox-ey chime and British growl.
Set the drive down low for tone sculpting or boost applications or crank it up for some extra sizzle. Use the Tone and Contour sliders to accentuate or scoop your highs, lows or mids and stack it with other fuzzes or drives for extra flavor and variety. You can power it from any standard 9VDC power supply or up the voltage to 18 for extra headroom. It’s one of those pedals that you might always leave on.
Finally, the Commodore package is completed with dual LED indicators, top jacks, true bypass switching and, of course, our retro sliders and vintage inspired artwork.
