Best Overdrive Pedals On The Market

Top 10 Best Overdrive Pedals On The Market (March 2024)

The Best Overdrive Pedals On The Market (March 2024)

The overdrive pedal is one of the most popular effects in the guitaring world. The purpose of the design is to give you the sound of a tube amp being overdriven. You can use the overdrive for a warm clean sound, or to give you extra gain for your distortion. While looking for the best overdrive pedals on the market one thing becomes very clear. There are many types available. So the first thing you'll want to do is figure out what kind of sound you want. Overdrive pedals are commonly used to produce a warm, tube-like distortion. Traditionally, tube amps were used to get this sound. However, because overdrive pedals use transistors rather than tubes, they are less susceptible to the same inconsistencies.

Try this buyers guide if you're looking for the best distortion pedal around.

When looking for a new overdrive pedal, you will probably have noticed that there are hundreds of different models to choose from. What makes one overdrive different from another? This is where the details come in. From the circuits used within, to the pedal’s main objective, there are tons of small variables that have an effect on the tone the player hears.

Finding the right overdrive pedal for you is a difficult task. Thankfully you're not alone, our review and recommendations should help. So we've found a selection of the best overdrive pedals on the market. Hopefully you'll be able to use this list to narrow down and decide which one is right for you.

The Best Overdrive Pedals On The Market Buyers Guide (March 2024)

  • 1. MXR EVH5150
  • 2. Wampler Tumnus Deluxe
  • 3. Wampler Tumnus V2
  • 4. Fulltone OCD
  • 5. EarthQuaker Devices Plumes
  • 6. MXR M77 Custom Badass Modified O.D
  • 7. Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer
  • 8. Nobels ODR-Mini
  • 9. Ibanez Tube Screamer Mini
  • 10. NUX Drive Core Deluxe
MXR EVH5150 Image

MXR EVH5150

  • ✔ Features Output, Bass, Mid, Treble & Gain Input Knobs
  • ✔ Boost Switch & Gate
  • ✔ Features True Bypass For Unaltered Tone
  • ✔ Designed In Close Collaboration With Eddie Van Halen

The MXR design team has collaborated with Eddie Van Halen to deliver a full range of powerful saturation and hyper-driven tones right at your feet. Resulting in one of the best guitar pedals around.

MXR EVH5150 - Read Review See The Latest Price On Amazon Now

The EVH5150 Overdrive pedal gives you tube amp tone and feel with the touch sensitivity and response of a stomp box. This pedal is a must-have for any die-hard EVH fan. it is a faithful recreation of Eddie Van Halen's legendary MXR Phase 90, from the original hand-drawn circuit board to the exact same rare germanium transistors used in the original 1970s version. The EVH5150 Overdrive Preamp Pedal provides two channels of Eddie Van Halen's low-gain, high-gain and boost tones. The first channel features the original "brown" tone of the MXR EVH5150, while the second channel offers three different voicings of the revolutionary single-knob "dime" sound. That classic Eddie Van Halen "brown sound" with a transparent, amp-like overdrive.

Easily one of the best overdrive pedal models listed here, the MXR EVH5150 is the only overdrive that you will ever need. It is the only pedal that comes with a Bass Boost switch that will help you to get a more powerful, fuller sound. This is the ultimate high-gain, super-saturated distortion unit for power trios, solo artists, and garage bands. It's also an amazing tool for guitarists who play in drop-tuned metal bands or just want to add a little more chunk to their sound. If you're serious about guitar, you need an overdrive pedal with the tone and performance to back up your dedication to your craft. The EVH 5150 Overdrive pedal does exactly that.


Wampler Tumnus Deluxe Image

Wampler Tumnus Deluxe

  • ✔ Boost An Amp Or Pedal, Use Standalone Or As An Always On Tonal Sweetener
  • ✔ Features Bass, Mids, Treble, Level & Gain Knobs
  • ✔ Bass & Mids Controls To Boost Or Cut Desired Frequencies
  • ✔ True Bypass Performance Can Be Achieved Via The Side Mounted Switch

The Wampler Tumnus Deluxe overdrive & boost guitar effects pedal has the same magic sounding buffer with all of the clarity, punch, and detailed breakup of the original Tumnus.

Wampler Tumnus Deluxe - Read Review See The Latest Price On Amazon Now

Tumnus Deluxe is a world class, boutique guitar effects pedal from Wampler. The Tumnus Deluxe gives you a range of overdrive effects and is considered to be a staple guitar pedal in the Wampler family. It's small, portable size makes it ideal for those who travel frequently and want to take their guitar with them everywhere. With its high-quality construction and build quality, the Tumnus Deluxe is designed so that it will last for years to come.

Tumnus Deluxe is an outstanding choice for any guitarist looking to add some serious grit and character to their sound. The original Tumnus has been praised by guitarists around the world as being one of the top overdrive pedals ever made, and the Deluxe version boasts a stunning array of features that will blow you away.

It features a lush analogue filter on the front end, allowing for your guitar signal to be filtered through it before it hits the pedal. The time line knob allows you to adjust how fast your signal moves back in time from when you turn off the pedal. The distortion knob allows you to control how much distortion you want when it comes out of the amp. It is a top class overdrive pedal that takes the classic sounds of the 60's and 70's, and adds some modern twists to it.


Wampler Tumnus V2 Image

Wampler Tumnus V2

  • ✔ Can Be Used As A Buffer
  • ✔ Slim, Compact Design - Fits On Anyones Pedal Board
  • ✔ Built In The USA
  • ✔ Features Gain, Treble & Volume Knobs For User Customization

The Wampler Tumnus V2 overdrive & boost guitar effects pedal is a versatile addition to any setup, any style. Built in the USA. What's not to love about that.

Wampler Tumnus V2 - Read Review See The Latest Price On Amazon Now

The Tumnus V2 by Wampler Pedals is a mini overdrive pedal featuring the Wampler Overdrive circuitry, specifically designed to be highly responsive and sensitive to pick dynamics, which gives it a very natural and transparent sound. The Tumnus V2 also offers two distinct clipping options, being a diode clipping mode and a JFET clipping mode, which are switchable via a toggle switch on the side of the pedal, in addition to a volume control knob. it is a hand-crafted boutique overdrive pedal featuring a soulful gain section and a 3-band EQ with a wide sweep mid-range. This unit is capable of achieving tones from a clean boost to a satisfying dirty overdrive. It's also a great sounding buffer for long cable runs and can be used with instruments and amps of all genres.

The Wampler Tumnus V2 is designed to deliver the same warm, creamy overdrive as the original Tumnus. It features a simple, straightforward design that is easy to use and requires little to no effort for the player to get a great sound. The Tumnus V2 is small enough to fit into any board and it is also lightweight, which means you can take it with you wherever you go. It is an overdrive pedal that is perfect for any guitarist who wants to get a creamy tone.

In short, The Wampler Tumnus V2 mini is a versatile pedal with a lot going for it. If you're looking for warm, mild, and open tone, It's the perfect overdrive pedal for you.


Fulltone OCD Image

Fulltone OCD

  • ✔ Great Sounding Overdrive Tones
  • ✔ Switchable Hi & Lo-Pass Filters
  • ✔ Switchable True Bypass Modes
  • ✔ Huge Palette Of Available Sounds

Fulltone OCD Obsessive Compulsive Drive Overdrive Guitar Effects Pedal

Fulltone OCD - Read Review See The Latest Price On Amazon Now

The Fulltone OCD was designed to be the final word in vintage overdrive. While there are an infinite amount of tweaks and circuit changes that can be made to an overdrive to produce different flavors, we felt that there was a need for an overdrive that was based on the early '60s sound. We also wanted this overdrive to be very flexible so that it would be able to cover a wide range of tones while retaining the classic sound.

The Fulltone OCD Obsessive Compulsive Drive pedal provides the best of the Tube Screamer and the Ibanez TS808 in a small pedal. The OCD has the same controls as the Ibanez with the addition of a Volume control, which allows you to set the level of the non-effect signal, which is useful when running into another pedal or into a clean amp. It is a classic overdrive pedal boasting a wide variety of tones. The OCD pedal will take your clean amp and put a little more "dirty" in it, making it sound like you have a cranked amp at your disposal.

This pedal will transform your ordinary guitar into a tone monster. It's the final touch to take your sound from meh to magnificent. A crazy, out-of-this-world overdrive that's unlike anything you've ever heard.


EarthQuaker Devices Plumes Image

EarthQuaker Devices Plumes

  • ✔ 3 Clipping Voices
  • ✔ All Analog Approach To A Classic Tube-Live Overdrive Circuit
  • ✔ True Bypass - No Loss Of Tone
  • ✔ Beautifully Designed Pedal

EarthQuaker Devices Plumes overdrive guitar effects pedal is a tube ccreamer style transparent overdrive pedal.

EarthQuaker Devices Plumes - Read Review See The Latest Price On Amazon Now

The Plumes is an overdrive pedal that delivers a thick, biting tone with plenty of sustain. It's designed to add some dirt and sustain to your guitar's signal, and is best suited to playing leads. It was designed as a boutique overdrive pedal for people who want the best of both worlds: the classic drive tone of a tube amp and the modern edge of an refined overdrive pedal. It gives you that classic overdrive tone with the smoothness and versatility many alternatives lack.

The Plumes is a clean and simple od pedal that will take you from the sweetest blues to the thickest distortion. It is a very versatile pedal and can be used for all kinds of music, as it was designed with the needs of guitarists in mind. It has a wide and deep tone range, and is especially good with bass playing. It can be used for clean boost, or, you can use it to drive your amp's pre-amp into distortion. The Plumes is well reviewed for its utility as an all-around guitar effect, and for its build quality. For the ultimate in totally awesome, overdrive pedal tones and the best possible value, look no further than EarthQuaker Devices.


MXR M77 Custom Badass Modified O.D Image

MXR M77 Custom Badass Modified O.D

  • ✔ True Bypass
  • ✔ Classic Circuit Design With Modifications
  • ✔ Bump Switch - Low and Mid Range Boost
  • ✔ 100Hz Cut And Boost Control

MXR M77 Custom Badass Modified O.D delivers a classic high-gain sound that's fast and fluid with smooth sustain and a singing top-end.

MXR M77 Custom Badass Modified O.D - Read Review See The Latest Price On Amazon Now

The Custom Badass Modified Overdrive pedal offers the silkiest overdrive of any pedal on the market today! This MXR pedal is designed with a modified circuit to deliver the smoothest, fattest overdrive tone with a full, rich distortion. With the Smart Gate switch, you'll be able to cut the noise and eliminate the hiss. Additionally, the pedal features the Authentic Overdrive Sound for the warmest, smoothest overdrive, allowing you to play your instrument in a natural, expressive way.

Thirteen years ago, the M-80 revolutionized guitar distortion and went on to become one of the most celebrated pedals in MXR's 40-year history. Now, the Custom Badass Modified delivers the definitive distortion of the legendary M-80 in a rugged hand-wired package for the modern guitarist. The M-80's legendary "brown sound" is achieved effortlessly with a simple three-knob distortion control that gives you just the right amount of bite and sustain for any musical genre. And with the Custom Badass Modified's newly expanded gain range, you can conjure anything from a thundering, amp-crushing wall of distortion to a smooth, singing overdrive that will drive your amp into saturation without the brittle midrange and ear-splitting highs that are common with so many distortion pedals.


Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer Image

Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer

  • ✔ Known As "The Best" By Many
  • ✔ Made In The Same Factory, Using The Same Components
  • ✔ Reissue Designed To Be Identical To The Original
  • ✔ Features Drive, Tone & Level Control Knobs

The Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer overdrive guitar effects pedal is a reissue that's just like the original in so many ways. Same housing, same famous seasick-green paint, and the same crankin' overdrive.

Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer - Read Review See The Latest Price On Amazon Now

The TS9 Tube Screamer is the classic overdrive pedal that's been on stages around the world since the late '70s. It gives a guitar a warm, natural overdrive that's subtly sweet, but without being overly saturated and harsh. It's a must-have overdrive pedal for every guitarist.

The legendary TS-9 Tube Screamer has been a rocker's best friend for more than 25 years. Originally intended to provide amp-like overdrive in a pedal for use with guitars, the TS-9 was also beloved for its ability to push lower-output amps into natural-sounding overdrive. Now the TS-9 is reborn as the Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer 1887, a stunning recreation of the original redesigned to match the capabilities of modern amps and guitars. This update of the TS9 features an expanded frequency range and enhanced circuit design. The Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer 1887 is a must-have for guitarists everywhere.

What else can we say. The Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer was designed to be used with a tube amp. It is designed to add a smooth overdrive to the sound of an amp. It is a popular pedal that has been found on pedal boards of guitarists all over the world for over twenty-five years due to its excellent tone and durability. Get this pedal!


Nobels ODR-Mini Image

Nobels ODR-Mini

  • ✔ Slimline Overdrive Pedal
  • ✔ Glow In The Dark Knobs
  • ✔ Features Drive, Level & Spectrum Control Knobs
  • ✔ Double As A Boost Pedal

The Nobels ODR-Mini Natural Overdrive guitar effects pedal sounds somewhat different to it's big brother the ODR-1.

Nobels ODR-Mini - Read Review See The Latest Price On Amazon Now

Overdrive pedals are a great way to get a warm, distorted sound out of your guitar when you need it. Many guitar players love overdrive effects pedals, but there are some problems with most of them.

The first problem is that most overdrive pedals are made with the cheapest components available and the result is a very low quality pedal that is noisy, has a lot of hiss, and doesn't sound very good. The second problem is that most overdrive units are huge, which makes it difficult to fit your entire setup on a pedal board. This is especially true of the cheaper models. The Nobels ODR-Mini offers the warmth and sustain of a classic tube amp but without the need for a power amp or a speaker.

The OD-Mini is a miniature version of the classic Nobels ODR, featuring the same great tone but in a smaller, more pedalboard-friendly form factor. It is a compact overdrive pedal modeled after the classic Ibanez TS-808 Tubescreamer. It features a Level, Drive and Spectrum (Tone) knob. The tone knob is similar to the one on the original TS-808 with a more scooped midrange, but it also has a modern twist in the form of a semi-parametric midrange control.

The Nobels OD-Mini was designed as a basic and simple overdrive pedal that would deliver excellent tone at an affordable price. It features a true bypass allowing you to connect it to your amp or mixer without losing any tone.


Ibanez Tube Screamer Mini Image

Ibanez Tube Screamer Mini

  • ✔ Same Iconic Sound
  • ✔ Same Iconic Look & Feel
  • ✔ True Bypass Switching
  • ✔ Features Tone, Level & Overdrive Control Knobs

The Ibanez Tube Screamer Mini is the perfect pedal for adding overdrive to your amp. It has the legendary midrange growl and expressive touch sensitivity of the Tube Screamer. But Mini.

Ibanez Tube Screamer Mini - Read Review See The Latest Price On Amazon Now

The Tube Screamer Mini is an overdrive pedal that combines the best qualities of the most sought after overdrive pedals. It is in a small package that is light weight, and easy to carry in a gig bag, and it is made from high quality components that are designed to last for years. It is also covered by a three year warranty, so you can be assured that it will last. It features the same circuitry as the legendary TS-9 Tube Screamer, but in a mini pedal package. It also features a simple three-knob setup for ease of use.

The Tube Screamer Mini is a smaller version of the Tube Screamer. It includes Level, Overdrive and Tone controls. This pedal is a must have for those of you who are starting out or already playing guitar. Tube Screamer Mini is a compact version of the most popular overdrive pedal ever made, and it still delivers the same powerful tone you loved about it in the first place.

The small size and sturdy construction of the Tube Screamer Mini make it an ideal solution for any player looking to add some overdrive tone to their rig without taking up too much room on a pedalboard.


NUX Drive Core Deluxe Image

NUX Drive Core Deluxe

  • ✔ True Bypass
  • ✔ Up To 10dB Of Clean Boost
  • ✔ Boost, Mix & Drive Toggle Switch
  • ✔ Features Clean Boost, Drive, Tone & Level Control Knobs

NUX Drive Core Deluxe overdrive guitar effects pedal is an analog overdrive pedal which can carry your signal in 3 different ways for your essential needs.

NUX Drive Core Deluxe - Read Review See The Latest Price On Amazon Now

Ever since the creation of the overdrive pedal in the 1970s, guitarists have struggled to find the perfect one. The Nux Drive Core Deluxe is a high quality analog overdrive pedal that delivers today's sought after overdrive tones. It's specifically designed to give guitarists everything they need to play their music with more clarity and energy. It is a classic solid-state overdrive pedal with an immense amount of gain on tap and a simple four-knob setup. This is a no-frills kind of overdrive, with a fat midrange, tons of sustain, and a smooth, creamy high end. The Drive is perfect for blues, rock, and metal. It shines on clean tones as well as with heavily distorted ones.

The Drive Core Deluxe is based on the legendary Klon Centaur pedal. It is capable of producing high gain tones that can also be used as a clean boost. Similar to the Tube Screamer, but with a higher gain and more round and full sound. This overdrive pedal also features a dual-channel design. That allows you to switch between two different modes for a wider spectrum of tones.

In short, The Nux Drive Core Deluxe is a pedal that has been specially designed to sound great and not break the bank.


More Information Regarding Overdrive Pedals (2024)

What Does An Overdrive Pedal Sound Like?

Similarly to a distortion pedal and fuzz pedal, overdrive manipulates your signal giving you a sound like an amplifier on the edge of cracking up. Overdrive pedals provide a clean tone that can be pushed to a crunch.

How Do I Use An Overdrive Pedal?

It's quite accepted throughout the industry to use an overdrive pedal in front of an amplifier. If you have any other pedals to add between your guitar and amplifier then usually the overdrive would go nearer your guitar. Usually straight after your tuning pedal.

What Are The Best Overdrive Pedals?

With so many pedals available today, it's a tough question to answer. Generally speaking it depends on your budget but we've covered all major price ranges in this article. Hopefully you'll be able to answer this question after reading our recommendations.

Why Add An Overdrive Pedal To Your Setup?

Many seasoned veteran guitarists would agree that an overdrive pedal is essential on any pedalboard. Whether you're a blues player, jazz guitarist or a metalhead. An overdrive is capable of pushing front end, adding sustain to a killer solo or just give you that edge when you need it.

It's common for overdrive pedals to have 3 control knobs, gain, volume and equalization, also known as level.

Overdrives generally increase the input signal volume. It can push a tube amp into a state of saturation. Therefore pushing the volume high and gain low will give you the best possible level of saturation from your amp.

What Purpose Do They Serve?

Overdrive pedals were created for the sole purpose of bringing tubes to the brink of breakup. They can add a gritty edge to your clean tone, and they're also great for making over-the-top, harmonically rich distortion tones. The overdrive effect is a very capable one. From grunge to crunch, overdrive is used across many genres.

Overdrive occupies a special place in the world of guitarists. Not an effect you'd buy for it's massive tone changing properties or drastic sound alterations. Instead the traditional overdrive pedal adds color to your existing sound. Like a driven tube amp, the overdrive pedals purpose is to add character to your sound.

Clean Boost

Some overdrive pedals can function as a "clean boost" for added volume or gain during solos. They have generally high headroom, low to mid gain and a frequency response that helps tighten up the sound of higher gain amplifiers. Many modern high gain sounds are achieved by using an overdrive pedal in front of a high gain amp.

Best Guitar Equipment

Affiliate Disclosure

bestguitarequipment.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for website owners to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com, and any other website that may be affiliated with Amazon Service LLC Associates Program.

© WWW.BESTGUITAREQUIPMENT.COM | THE BEST MUSICAL HARDWARE REVIEWS IN TOWN | ALL RIGHTS RESERVED​