The Black Cat OD-1 from Analog Man is a two-stage overdrive and fuzz pedal, described by the maker as a "2 STAGE OVERDRIVE, FUZZ PEDAL"1. It takes its circuit from the original Boss OD-1, the two-knob overdrive that Aion FX calls "a precursor to the Tube Screamer"2. The original Boss design passed through a chip change over its life, with TONEHOME noting the swap from the 14 pin op-amp RC3403 to dual op-amps such as the JRC4558DD3, and it established the two-knob complement of drive and level that Dave Hunter described in Guitar Player's history of the Boss overdrive line4.
Controls
The pedal keeps the original's two-knob layout, with each control doing a specific job in the two-stage circuit1.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| VOLUME | Controls the overall output of the unit |
| DISTORTION | Controls the amount of signal that passes from the 1st stage amplifier to the 2nd stage amplifier; more signal passed means more distorted output |
A single footswitch, mounted on top of the unit, switches between bypass and effect engaged1.
Overdrive and fuzz modes
Because the DISTORTION knob feeds the second stage from the first, the two controls together reach very different sounds. Analog Man's manual lays out two settings1:
- Overdrive mode: VOLUME at 12 o'clock or greater with DISTORTION around 9 o'clock gives a clean boosted signal that overdrives the amp's input stages.
- Fuzz mode: turn the DISTORTION control to about 3 o'clock, then bring the VOLUME up from all the way down to reach the desired level of fuzz. The manual calls this "a screaming FUZZ sound".
That range, from a clean boost into the amp to full fuzz, is what sets the OD-1 apart from a one-trick overdrive, and it is why the pedal sits between the overdrive and fuzz camps1.
Power and connections
The pedal runs on a 9 volt battery, which is switched on by plugging a 1/4 inch jack into the input, so it draws only while a guitar is connected1. For adapter power, a 9VDC supply is preferred, but the manual says a 12VDC unit may be used and will give more output1. The power jack is a 2.1mm "BOSS STYLE" connector on the rear, so it works with standard center-negative pedalboard supplies1. The input jack is on the right side and the output jack, which carries the signal to the amp or other processing, is on the left1.
Running the pedal at 12VDC changes its output level. Analog Man's manual states plainly that a 12VDC unit will give more output, so the same knob settings produce a louder, hotter signal than at 9V.
Lineage and related pedals
The OD-1 circuit has a long family tree. Boss's original was the two-knob overdrive whose drive and level controls Dave Hunter described in Guitar Player4, and it led directly to the Tube Screamer2. Analog Man also builds OD-1-based work directly: the company offers an OD-1 VINTAGE mod that substitutes the old capacitor values, offered as a standard mod on its OD-1 page7.
Premier Guitar reviewed the related Black Cat OD/Boost in 2021, describing it as "essentially a Black Cat OD-1 circuit"5, so the OD-1 design sits at the core of that pedal as well. Players interested in Analog Man's other dirt pedals can compare it with the Analog Man Peppermint Fuzz or the Analog Man Silicon Sun Face.
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Questions
Is the Analog Man Black Cat OD-1 true bypass?
Yes. According to Analog Man's manual, the pedal is true bypass, engaged by stepping on the footswitch, which is mounted on top of the unit. Stepping on the switch changes the pedal from bypass to effect engaged mode, so the circuit is completely out of the signal path when the pedal is off.
Does the Black Cat OD-1 take a 9V battery?
Yes. The pedal runs on a 9 volt battery that is switched on by plugging a 1/4 inch jack into the input. Plugging into the input provides the input signal and turns the battery on, so the battery only drains while a guitar is connected.
Can the Black Cat OD-1 run on 12V?
Yes. Analog Man's manual says a 9VDC adapter is preferred, but a 12VDC unit may be used. The manual notes that a 12VDC unit will give more output, so players who want extra headroom or volume from the pedal can run it at 12 volts.
What size power jack does the Black Cat OD-1 have?
The pedal has a 2.1mm BOSS style power jack located on the rear of the unit, which allows operation with an external power source. That is the standard barrel connector size used by Boss and most modern pedalboard power supplies.
How do you get fuzz tones from the Black Cat OD-1?
Analog Man's manual describes a fuzz setting: turn the DISTORTION control to about 3 o'clock, then bring the VOLUME control up from all the way down until you reach the level of fuzz you want. With both stages pushed hard this way, the pedal produces what the manual calls a screaming fuzz sound.
Sources (7)
- Analog Man Black Cat OD-1 manual, Analog Man, 2015
- Parhelion Vintage Overdrive / BOSS® OD-1 Overdrive, Aion FX, 2021-03-19
- TONEHOME, TONEHOME
- For those about to rock: we salute the Boss SD-1 Super OverDrive which has wowed lead guitarists for over 40 years with its jagged, granular tone, GuitarPlayer (www.guitarplayer.com), 2023-11-25
- Black Cat OD-Boost Review, Premier Guitar, 2014-04-07
- OD-1 by Drunk Beaver, RockBoard PedalPedia, 2026
- Boss OD-, Analog Man (analogman.com), 2026
