The Buffalo FX Carrera Overdrive is an analog overdrive pedal with a built-in boost character, described by Pedal of the Day as "a low-to-mid gain boostable dirt pedal"1. RockBoard's PedalPedia places it tonally "somewhere between the TD-X and Evolution (or a Boss BD-2 and Rat)"2. It is designed and handmade, with Neutrik fully enclosed panel mount signal and DC jacks and a black enclosure1.
Controls
The Carrera keeps things simple: a Gain control and a two-knob passive EQ section13.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Gain | Adjusts the drive amount. Rolled back for a Klon-like boost, or turned up slowly to drive an amp; Pedal of the Day found it can "make any guitar you've got come alive, regardless of pickup configuration"1 |
| Bass | Passive EQ control, set around the 2:00 mark for a Klon-style boost1 |
| Treble | Passive EQ control, also around the 2:00 mark for that boost voicing1 |
Because the EQ is passive, the reviewer at Livingroom Gear Demos described it as giving "a more natural sounding eq," able to brighten humbuckers, fatten up a strat bridge pickup, or cut low end from a strat neck pickup3.
The boost character
Alongside the gain stage, the Carrera "automatically adds in a boost to the low and upper mids, something that tends to be lacking with just a straight signal boost," according to Pedal of the Day1. That mid lift is what lets it cover Klon-style clean boost territory: with the Gain rolled back and both EQ knobs around 2:00, the reviewer found it easy to dial in a Klon-like boost1. For more on where a pedal like this sits, see Overdrive Pedals.
What reviewers said
Pedal of the Day's verdict was positive: "It's a well-rounded, excellent first stage drive that will bring both your playing and your amplifier back to life," with the reviewer adding that the pedal should be "a workhorse on your pedalboard for many years to come"1.
A demo from Livingroom Gear Demos, published by Delicious Audio in September 2017, used a Fano PX6 guitar into a Tone King 20th Anniversary Imperial amp3.
Videos
ProGuitarShopDemos
gilmourish
intheblues
Sources (3)
- Buffalo FX Carrera Overdrive Boost, Pedal of the Day, 2018-01-17
- Carrera Overdrive by Buffalo FX, RockBoard PedalPedia, 2026
- Buffalo FX Carrera Overdrive, Delicious Audio, 2017-09-26
