What it does
The Savage line grew out of replicas of a transparent overdrive popularized by John Mayer, Jeff Beck or Joe Perry. Anasounds says it progressively modified parts of that circuit to get the most musical version possible, and the mk1 is the first version of that work1. For a player, the appeal the maker describes is touch sensitivity: an overdrive that follows playing dynamics rather than flattening them, in the transparent-overdrive tradition covered on the overdrive pedals page.
mk1 versus mk2
The differences between the two versions are both tonal and circuit-level. Anasounds states that the mk1 sounds warmer and more vintage than the mk2, and explains why: "Indeed, the clipping management was different and some component values were changed."1
- Body: the mk1 uses a large enclosure, which the reissue keeps1
- Clipping: managed differently on the mk1 than on the mk21
- Component values: some were changed between versions1
Anasounds later built a version between the two, the Extended Savage, and the Savage MkI circuit also lives on in the Sandman dual overdrive.
Controls
The reissue's front panel carries two switches alongside its knobs:
- The first switch controls the voicing of the circuit, which Anasounds calls legendary1
- The second switch allows you to explore different clippings1
Availability
Anasounds was explicit about the reissue's future: "There will obviously be no reissue of the reissue…"1
This was a one-time run of 250 numbered units. Anasounds stated no further reissue of the mk1 would be made1.
Videos
Tone Factory
Questions
How many Savage Originale mk1 reissues were made?
Anasounds limited the reissue to 250 units, each numbered, and shipped them in an exclusive packaging. The company stated on the product page that it decided to limit itself to those 250 units, and that there would be no reissue of the reissue.
Is the Anasounds Savage mk1 different from the mk2?
Yes. According to Anasounds, the mk1 sounds warmer and more vintage than the mk2. In the circuit, the clipping management was different and some component values were changed between the two versions. The mk1 also came in a large body, and the reissue keeps that original format.
Will Anasounds reissue the Savage mk1 again?
No. Anasounds stated plainly on the product page that there will obviously be no reissue of the reissue, so the 250-unit run was presented as a one-time production.
What circuit is the Anasounds Savage based on?
The Savage began as replicas of a transparent overdrive popularized by John Mayer, Jeff Beck and Joe Perry. Anasounds progressively modified parts of that circuit to arrive at what it calls the most musical version possible, and the mk1 is the first version of that design, launched in 2015.
Sources (2)
- Savage Originale mk1 reissue, Anasounds, 2025-01-17
- Ego Driver, Anasounds, 2026-06-19
