The 3rd Power Love Drive is an overdrive pedal from 3rd Power, the Nashville-based amp company. It is built around two gain stages and a 3-band EQ, and it is an enhanced re-imagining of the company's earlier Roosevelt Drive, a pedal Premier Guitar notes was inspired by the venerable Ibanez Mostortion. Street prices at its August 2022 announcement were around $2791.
Controls and circuit
The Love Drive's two gain stages and 3-band EQ are the core of the design. Premier Guitar reported that the pedal's construction "ensures that the two gain stages and 3-band EQ will sound their absolute best"1. Delicious Audio's Paolo De Gregorio highlighted the pedal's "unique wave shaping 3-way EQ," which he said "produces an entire range of usable controls"2.
The EQ approach follows the Roosevelt Drive, which its maker described as "a transparent amp-like overdrive with a 3-band EQ for shaping or refining the feel and character of your instrument without the drive effect taking over your tone"3.
Bypass and buffering
The Love Drive combines true bypass with buffering when engaged, a pairing worth understanding before placing it on a board1:
- Bypassed: true bypass operation via a soft-touch footswitch1
- Engaged: buffered input and output, so the signal enters the pedal's FET circuitry under optimal conditions1
- Placement: the true-bypass and buffered design allows the pedal at the beginning, middle, or end of a signal chain1
If you want to read more about why a pedal might buffer only when active, see buffer pedals.
Where it came from
3rd Power re-imagined the Roosevelt Drive as the new and enhanced Love Drive pedal in August 20223. Delicious Audio reported the announcement on August 23, 2022, with both limited edition colors in stock and shipping within 3 to 5 business days2.
The Love Drive was announced in limited edition matte black and gloss white heart graphic enclosures1. As a limited run from 2022, availability today depends on remaining stock.
What reviewers said
Delicious Audio's Paolo De Gregorio passed along guitarist R.J. Ronquillo's reaction to the pedal2:
3rd Power also backed the pedal with a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee, a 30-day return for refund, with a full refund only if the unit is returned in like-new condition and a $55 refurbishing fee if it needs to be rehoused due to wear and tear2.
Videos
3rd Power Amplification
R.J. Ronquillo
kevin navis
Questions
Is the 3rd Power Love Drive true bypass?
Yes. Premier Guitar reports the Love Drive uses a soft-touch footswitch for true-bypass operation. When the pedal is engaged, it also buffers the input and output, which 3rd Power says ensures the signal enters the FET circuitry under optimal conditions. That combination lets the pedal sit at the beginning, middle, or end of a pedalboard signal chain.
What is the difference between the Love Drive and the Roosevelt Drive?
The Love Drive is a re-imagined and enhanced version of the earlier Roosevelt Drive. The Roosevelt Drive was described as a transparent, amp-like overdrive with a 3-band EQ that shapes the feel and character of the instrument without the drive effect taking over the tone, and the Love Drive carries that approach forward with two gain stages and a 3-band EQ.
Does the Love Drive have a buffer?
Yes. According to Premier Guitar, the Love Drive has a buffered input and output when the pedal is active. The input buffer is there to make sure the signal reaches the pedal's FET circuitry under optimal conditions. When the pedal is off, it runs true bypass via a soft-touch footswitch.
Is the Love Drive a limited edition?
At its August 2022 announcement, the Love Drive was available in limited edition matte black and gloss white heart graphic enclosures. Delicious Audio reported both limited edition colors were in stock at the time and shipped within 3 to 5 business days.
Sources (3)
- 3RD POWER Releases New and Enhanced LOVE DRIVE Pedal, Premier Guitar, 2022-08-22
- New Pedal: 3rd Power Love Drive, Delicious Audio, 2022-08-23
- Roosevelt Drive by 3RD Power, RockBoard PedalPedia, 2026
