The Bad Cat Double Drive is a two-channel stackable overdrive pedal from Bad Cat, the amplifier maker. Each of its two sides can be used on its own as a clean boost or as an overdrive, and the two channels can be stacked into each other for heavier sounds. The idea is that you set your amp clean and use the pedal to move from clean, to edge of breakup, to what Delicious Audio called "heavy fluid overdrive"1.
It arrived in late 2020 as a replacement for Bad Cat's Siamese Drive, which Gearnews described as a popular pedal in the brand's line2.
Two stackable channels, from clean boost to heavy overdrive
The Double Drive's core idea is layering. Each side of the pedal is a drive circuit in its own right, and each side has its own footswitch and status LED indicator, so you can switch either channel in and out independently2. Used one at a time, a channel can sit at low gain as a clean boost or push into overdrive on its own1.
Stacking is where the two channels work together. Delicious Audio's write-up described the two layers of overdrive as a way to leave the amp clean and let the pedal carry the whole gain structure, from clean tones up through edge of breakup and into heavy, fluid overdrive1. For a player, that means one pedal can hold a rhythm tone on one channel, a bigger lead tone on the other, and a stacked setting for solos, all reachable from two footswitches.
A practical comparison point within Bad Cat's own range: the Bad Cat Siamese Drive that this pedal replaced was built around dual K-style overdrive circuits, per Bad Cat's announcement, and its sibling the Bad Cat Burmese Drive shipped alongside it as the other half of a pair of dual-overdrive pedals3.
The controls: Gain, Tone and Output on each side
Each channel carries the same three controls, so both sides of the pedal are dialed in the same way12.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Gain | Sets how hard the channel drives, from clean boost territory into overdrive1 |
| Tone | Shapes the brightness of that channel's signal1 |
| Output | Sets the channel's level, for matching volume or pushing the amp harder1 |
Because each channel has its own full set of Gain, Tone and Output knobs, you can set up two distinct sounds, for example a low-gain rhythm setting on one side and a hotter lead setting on the other, and switch between them or stack them12. Each side's footswitch and LED indicator make the state of both channels visible on a dark stage2.
Where it came from
The Double Drive is a refinement of an existing Bad Cat design rather than a brand-new circuit. Gearnews reported in November 2020 that Bad Cat had "basically taken its Siamese Drive and refined it further to make it even more amp-like and responsive"2. The Siamese Drive itself was described by Bad Cat as bringing "the legendary tone and feel of the K-style circuit into a flexible format"3, a reference to the much-copied overdrive circuit associated with the Klon-style family of pedals.
The Siamese Drive and the Burmese Drive were both hand-crafted in Southern California, per Bad Cat's announcement, and were sold through authorized Bad Cat dealers3. The Double Drive that followed was described as made in the USA with a powder coated, die-cast aluminum enclosure1.
What reviewers said
Published coverage of the Double Drive was brief but positive on paper. Gearnews called it a promising design and tied its potential to the reputation of the company's amplifiers2:
"Now, if it can get anywhere near the tone of their amps, I think we could have a real winner2."
Gearnews, November 20202
Delicious Audio's write-up emphasized the pedal's flexibility, highlighting the two-channel stackable design and the range from clean boost to heavy overdrive into a clean amp1.
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Questions
What is the difference between the Bad Cat Double Drive and the Siamese Drive?
The Double Drive is an updated and refined version of the Siamese Drive, which Bad Cat released in 2020 to replace it. Gearnews reported that Bad Cat took the Siamese Drive and refined it further to make it even more amp-like and responsive. The Siamese Drive was built around dual K-style overdrive circuits, and both pedals give each channel its own Gain, Tone and Output controls.
Is the Bad Cat Double Drive made in the USA?
Yes. Delicious Audio described the Double Drive as made in the USA, housed in a powder coated, die-cast aluminum enclosure. The Siamese Drive it replaced was hand-crafted in Southern California, according to Bad Cat's announcement covered by Premier Guitar.
What power supply does the Bad Cat Double Drive need?
The Double Drive runs on standard 9V center negative power, the same arrangement as most guitar effects pedals. That means a typical 9V DC pedalboard supply with a center-negative plug will work. No battery or higher-voltage option is documented for this pedal.
Are the Bad Cat Double Drive jacks top-mounted?
Yes. The pedal uses top loaded audio jacks, which Delicious Audio noted are there for ease of pedalboard mounting. With the jacks on top rather than the sides, the pedal sits closer to its neighbors on a board without cable connectors getting in the way.
Sources (3)
- Bad Cat Double Drive Overdrive, Delicious Audio, 2021-01-22
- The Bad Cat Double Drive, gearnews.com, 2020-11-30
- Bad Cat Burmese and Siamese Drive Pedals, Premier Guitar, 2025-11-11
