The Bowman Overdrive is an overdrive and boost pedal from Bowman Audio Endeavors, the pedal company of guitarist James Bowman. Its circuit is based on an original Klon pedal, and specifically James Bowman's personal one, which gives the design an unusually direct line to the boost and overdrive circuit it follows1.
Circuit and origin
The Klon circuit is one players know well, and Pedal of the Day introduced the Bowman Overdrive as "a circuit that might be familiar to a couple of you, the infamous Klon". The review's account of its origin is direct: "The Bowman is a direct descendent of an original Klon pedal, James' personal one, in fact."1
Delicious Audio, which added the pedal to its Klon Clones Shopping Guide, described it as B.A.E.'s take on the Centaur's transparent overdrive circuit and called it "a faithful recreation using quality components"2.
Controls and what it does
The pedal keeps the layout players expect from a Klon-style overdrive:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Gain | Sets the amount of overdrive |
| Tone | Shapes the voice of the drive |
| Output | Sets the level sent to the amp |
Pedal of the Day summed the controls up as "Gain, Tone and Output are the parameters you know and love"1.
As for how it performs, Pedal of the Day's reviewer found the results against the original Klon were close, saying James "was able to get results that are pretty spot on", and described the pedal in play as one that "crushes amps and delivers the goods, as you'd expect"1.
Price and where it sits
Pedal of the Day noted the pedal sells "for roughly 90% LESS than what the originals are currently going for", placing it well below the market price of an original Klon pedal1.
Bowman Audio Endeavors describes the Bowman Overdrive as selling for "roughly 90% LESS than what the originals are currently going for" relative to original Klon pedals1.
Questions
What controls does the Bowman Overdrive have?
The Bowman Overdrive carries three controls: Gain, Tone and Output. Pedal of the Day described them as the parameters you know and love, meaning the familiar layout Klon-style overdrives have used since the original. Gain sets the amount of drive, Tone shapes the high end, and Output sets the level the pedal sends to your amp.
Is the Bowman Overdrive a Klon clone?
Pedal of the Day called it a direct descendent of an original Klon pedal, specifically James Bowman's personal one, and Delicious Audio listed it in its Klon Clones Shopping Guide, calling it a faithful recreation using quality components. So it is a Klon-derived overdrive rather than an unrelated design.
Who makes the Bowman Overdrive?
The Bowman Overdrive is made by Bowman Audio Endeavors, the pedal company of guitarist James Bowman. The circuit is based on his own original Klon pedal, and the company's lineup also includes the Fortune and Glory Boost.
What enclosure does the Bowman Overdrive use?
Both Pedal of the Day and Delicious Audio describe the pedal as using UV-printed, silver powder-coated Gørva Design S90 enclosures.
Sources (2)
- Bowman Audio Endeavors Bowman Overdrive, Pedal of the Day, 2021-03-03
- Bowman Audio Endeavors The Bowman Overdrive, Delicious Audio, 2021-08-06
