The Big Tone Music Brewery British Overdrive is an overdrive and distortion hybrid pedal that puts two classic Marshall pedal circuits in one box. Premier Guitar's reviewer described it as a pedal that "effectively unites the relatively unsung Marshall Bluesbreaker and Guv'nor pedal circuits in a single, very impressive" unit1. It belongs to Big Tone Music Brewery's EQ'd Vintage Series, a line of fuzzes, overdrives, and distortions that add parametric EQ functionality to classic dirt circuits12.
Two circuits, one pedal
A two-way toggle above the knobs selects between the pedal's two voicings. In vintage mode it uses Bluesbreaker-style silicon clipping diodes; in crunch mode it switches to Guv'nor style LED clipping diodes1. Guitar Pedal X's Stefan Karlsson described the same arrangement as a 2-way Mode/Voicing toggle that switches to a separate circuit, taking the pedal "from Vintage Bluesbreaker to Crunchy Plexi," with a JTM45/Bluesbreaker style voicing in Vintage Mode and a Plexi-style circuit in Crunch Mode3.
The controls
The British Overdrive carries six knobs arranged as two concentric sets on top and two single knobs below, which is where the parametric EQ of the EQ'd Vintage Series shows up. The left concentric knob set controls bass and treble, the right set handles midrange and isolates and fine-tunes specific midrange frequencies, and the two lower knobs are for level and gain1.
| Control | Function |
|---|---|
| Left concentric set | Bass and treble1 |
| Right concentric set | Midrange, plus fine-tuning of specific midrange frequencies1 |
| Lower left knob | Level1 |
| Lower right knob | Gain1 |
Premier Guitar's reviewer summed up that EQ section in one line: "Fantastically powerful and versatile EQ."1
Inside the box
The construction is through-hole wired, with the EQ section on its own dedicated board situated neatly at a right angle to the board that is home to the drive circuitry1. For power, the pedal offers ample room for a 9V battery and a 9V DC jack1.
The footswitch is a pop-free soft-touch relay. Premier Guitar's reviewer noted, "It's especially nice (and quiet) when you're using the British Overdrive" in high gain situations1.
The British Overdrive runs on either a 9V battery or a 9V DC adapter: the compartment has "ample room for a 9V battery and a 9V DC jack," so both fit comfortably1.
Where it sits among British-flavored drives
The British Overdrive is one of several pedals that chase Marshall-style dirt. Its two modes cover both the lower-gain Bluesbreaker side and the harder-edged Guv'nor side, which places it between the typical overdrive and distortion categories, and it sits alongside Big Tone Music Brewery's own Classic Distortion in the same series12. What sets it apart from a straightforward single-circuit clone is the parametric midrange control, which lets a player dial in and fine-tune specific midrange frequencies rather than working with a fixed voicing1.
Questions
Does the Big Tone British Overdrive take a battery?
Yes. Premier Guitar's review notes that inside the enclosure there is ample room for a 9V battery, alongside a 9V DC jack for a standard power supply. That makes it usable either on a pedalboard with a DC supply or running on battery power.
What is the difference between its vintage and crunch modes?
A toggle switch selects between the two modes. Vintage mode uses Bluesbreaker-style silicon clipping diodes for a JTM45 and Bluesbreaker style voicing, while crunch mode uses Guv'nor style LED clipping diodes for a Plexi-style circuit. Guitar Pedal X describes it as going from Vintage Bluesbreaker to Crunchy Plexi.
Which circuits is the British Overdrive based on?
Premier Guitar's reviewer describes it as effectively uniting the relatively unsung Marshall Bluesbreaker and Guv'nor pedal circuits in a single pedal. Vintage mode covers the Bluesbreaker side and crunch mode covers the Guv'nor side.
What does the British Overdrive cost?
Premier Guitar's 2021 review listed the street price at $199.
Does the British Overdrive have a relay footswitch?
Yes. Premier Guitar's reviewer found the footswitch to be a pop-free soft-touch relay, and noted that it is especially nice and quiet when using the British Overdrive in high gain situations.
Sources (3)
- Big Tone Music Brewery British Overdrive Review, Premier Guitar, 2015-11-17
- Big Tone Music Brewery Unveils 8 New Pedals, Premier Guitar, 2015-06-10
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2021-03-11
