The Big Lloyde F-6 Overdrive is an overdrive pedal handcrafted in America by Big Lloyde, a builder from Loon Lake, WA1. It gives you a full three-band EQ rather than a single Tone knob, a wide-ranging Drive control and plenty of headroom, and Pedal of the Day's reviewer found that "with an overdrive like this, it's possible to conjure up almost any drive sound you can think of"1.
Controls
The F-6 carries five knobs: Level, Drive, Treble, Bass and Mid Shape1.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Level | Goes from a subtle boost up to a scorching decibel enhancer, boosting the guitar's signal to cut through a mix1 |
| Drive | A great sweep of tonal possibilities, from a clean boost to a warm and creamy overdrive1 |
| Treble | Part of the three-band EQ1 |
| Bass | Part of the three-band EQ1 |
| Mid Shape | Shapes the mids alongside Treble and Bass, allowing an intense and surprising range of tonal possibilities1 |
The reviewer singled out the EQ section: "The EQ is also bad-ass here, and features 3 separate controls, not 1 Tone knob or 2 Treble and Bass like you might usually see"1. That makes the F-6 a more flexible mid-shaping drive than the usual single-Tone overdrive; if you want to compare it with the classic two-knob approach, see the Boss SD-1 vs Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer comparison.
Switching, buffer and build
The F-6 uses relay true bypass switching built around what the reviewer calls "the superior Carling foot-switch"1. When engaged, a high impedance JFET input buffer helps prevent "tone suck"1, so the circuit is designed to keep your guitar's natural voice intact while the effect is on.
Build details from the review1:
- Durable enclosure by Pedal Parts Plus, 125B size (2.6" x 4.8")
- Through hole plated PCB, manufactured in U.S.A.
- Handcrafted in America
Power
The F-6 runs from an internal battery snap as well as an external DC jack, and draws 12mA1. That low draw means it sits easily on a pedalboard supply alongside other pedals.
What reviewers said
Pedal of the Day's review (Mike B, April 2015) was enthusiastic across the board. The reviewer found plenty of headroom in the circuit1, praised the three-band EQ, and summed the pedal up as "most certainly a pedal that needs to be heard by the masses"1.
Videos
ProGuitarShopDemos
ProGuitarShopDemos
Brett Kingman
Questions
Does the Big Lloyde F-6 take a battery?
Yes. The F-6 Overdrive runs from an internal battery snap as well as an external DC jack, so you can power it with a battery or a standard pedalboard supply.
Is the Big Lloyde F-6 true bypass?
Yes. The F-6 uses relay true bypass switching built around a Carling footswitch. When engaged, a high impedance JFET input buffer helps prevent tone suck while the pedal is on.
How much current does the F-6 Overdrive draw?
The F-6 draws 12mA, according to Pedal of the Day's review. That is light enough for most daisy-chained or isolated pedalboard power supplies.
What size is the Big Lloyde F-6 enclosure?
The F-6 comes in a durable 125B size enclosure measuring 2.6 inches by 4.8 inches, made by Pedal Parts Plus.
Where is the Big Lloyde F-6 made?
The F-6 is handcrafted in America by Big Lloyde of Loon Lake, Washington, with a through hole plated PCB manufactured in the U.S.A.
Sources (1)
- Big Lloyde F-6 Overdrive, Pedal of the Day, 2015-04-13