The ADAG Audio Seagull Transparent Overdrive is a high-headroom transparent overdrive: a low-to-mid gain overdrive pedal intended to add drive without flattening what your guitar already does. The maker's design goal, as quoted by Guitar Pedal X, was that "The Seagull was designed to recreate a punchy clear tone. And easy-to-handle overdrive, keeping the characteristic of the guitar, with great sustain without any unnatural compression."1
What it does to your sound
Pedal of the Day describes the Seagull as "a transparent, low-mid gain drive pedal", and found that "The EQ section really lets you find the right tonal qualities of the drive".2 Guitar Pedal X's Stefan Karlsson summed it up as "a fine sounding and beautifully balanced overdrive - which I find rather fetching in this black colourway".1
Because it is a transparent design, the Seagull sits apart from mid-focused drives such as those compared in Boss SD-1 vs Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer: the point is to keep your guitar's fundamental character rather than impose a midrange hump21.
Controls
The Seagull has four unlabeled knobs, read from the top left:2
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Volume | Sets overall volume |
| Gain | Amount of overdrive |
| Treble | High-frequency EQ |
| Bass | Low-frequency EQ |
There is also a side-mounted Saturation trimpot, which matches the one typically found on the rear of a Vemuram Jan Ray pedal, the circuit the Seagull takes as its reference point.1
Supply voltage and headroom
Pedal of the Day notes that a higher supply voltage pushes the Seagull's headroom further, "really pushing the overdrive to the next plateau".2 For a player, that means more clean headroom before the circuit clips, which is exactly what a transparent overdrive is for.
The maker's own playing guidance points the same way: with the guitar volume fully open, use the guitar tone control to change pitch, and pickup selection changes the fundamental frequency the pedal works from.3
Versions and availability
The original tan colored version was first announced in 2019 but did not properly materialise until 2020. A later black version followed, which Guitar Pedal X found more appealing in both sound and appearance.1
Availability is currently unclear: as of February 2025, Guitar Pedal X reported the maker's Reverb store empty, with nothing listed other than "Adag Audio is currently away!"1
Videos
Brett Kingman
Pedal of the Day
AUDIO ADAG
Questions
What does transparent overdrive mean on the ADAG Audio Seagull?
The Seagull is a transparent, low-to-mid gain drive pedal. It was designed to recreate a punchy, clear tone and an easy-to-handle overdrive that keeps the characteristic of the guitar, with great sustain and without unnatural compression. In practice, reviewers describe it as a high-headroom overdrive that adds drive while letting your guitar and pickups come through.
Does a higher supply voltage change the Seagull's sound?
Yes. Pedal of the Day notes that running the Seagull at a higher supply voltage pushes its headroom even further and pushes the overdrive to the next plateau. Higher voltage gives the internal circuitry more room before it clips, which suits players who want the cleanest possible edge.
What colors does the ADAG Audio Seagull come in?
There are two versions: the original tan coloured version, first announced in 2019, and a later black version. Guitar Pedal X's reviewer preferred the black colourway for its overall sound and appearance, calling it far more appealing than the original tan.
Is the ADAG Audio Seagull still available?
Availability is unclear. As of February 2025, Guitar Pedal X reported that the maker's Reverb store was empty, with nothing listed other than a message reading 'Adag Audio is currently away!'. If you are looking for one, second-hand listings may be the practical route.
Sources (3)
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2025-02-07
- ADAG Audio Seagull Overdrive, Pedal of the Day, 2021-02-09
- Pink Flow, JAM Pedals (jampedals.com)
