The Aaron Graves Overdrive is an overdrive and preamp pedal from Caroline Guitar Co., released in May 2026. On the surface it looks like a straightforward overdrive, but the maker describes it as a Preamp/Power Amp Drive, built around the preamp circuit from the company's Parabola Pawnshop Tremolo and Météore Lo-Fi Reverb pedals, now given a stand-alone outing with a second gain stage and a bass voicing selector12.
Caroline says that whether on its own or stacked with other drives, the pedal brings both clarity and heft, and that it can get gnarlier than expected, with plenty of gain and volume on tap2. Guitar Pedal X's Stefan Karlsson, reviewing the pedal at release, called it "quite a beautifully warm and granular overdrive here with 2 x gain ranges, and a 3-way Bass control," and put it on his acquisitions list1.
Controls
The pedal carries five controls, which set its gain character, voicing and level1:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Level | Sets output volume |
| Hair/Gain | Sets the amount of drive |
| Tone | Sets treble voicing |
| Voice | Two positions: Preamp for higher gain and more compression, or Power-Amp |
| Bass | Three positions: Most Bass, Bass-Cut, or More Bass |
The Voice switch is the heart of the pedal's two gain ranges: in the Preamp position it runs with higher gain and more compression, while the Power-Amp position gives the other character1. The three-way Bass switch then shapes the low end around whichever voice is selected1.
Where it came from
The circuit takes the preamp from two earlier Caroline pedals, the Parabola Pawnshop Tremolo and the Météore Lo-Fi Reverb, and gives it its own enclosure with expanded gain and voicing options1. The pedal also carries a dedication: it honors Aaron Graves, who has long been associated with the brand, and a portion of the sales proceeds goes to Fork & Spoon Records, so that Aaron's friends may continue his work12.
Availability and price
The Aaron Graves Overdrive lists for $199.00 USD on the Caroline webstore2, a figure Guitar Pedal X matched in its review, noting it goes for "$199 and equivalent on the Caroline Guitar Co. Webstore"1. As of the review's date in late May 2026, no UK dealers had stocked it yet1.
Videos
CarolineGuitarCo
Mark Johnston
Steven Cathcart
Questions
What does the Voice control do on the Aaron Graves Overdrive?
The Voice control switches between two gain characters: Preamp, which gives higher gain and more compression, and Power-Amp, which gives the pedal's other gain range. Together with the Hair/Gain control it lets the pedal run as either a preamp-style drive or a power-amp style drive, which is where the pedal's two gain ranges come from.
What are the three Bass settings on the Aaron Graves Overdrive?
The Bass control is a three-way switch with Most Bass, Bass-Cut, and More Bass positions. It sets the low-end voicing of the pedal, so a player can fatten the drive, tighten it by cutting bass, or add still more low end depending on the guitar and amp it is feeding.
How much does the Caroline Aaron Graves Overdrive cost?
The Aaron Graves Overdrive lists for $199.00 USD on the Caroline Guitar Co. webstore, a figure Guitar Pedal X also reported when the pedal was released in May 2026.
Who is Aaron Graves?
Aaron Graves has long been associated with Caroline Guitar Co., and the pedal is named in his honor. A portion of the sales proceeds from the pedal goes to Fork & Spoon Records so that Aaron's friends may continue his work.
What size is the Aaron Graves Overdrive enclosure?
It is a compact edition in a 1590BB-style portrait format, meaning the enclosure stands upright rather than lying flat, which helps it fit on crowded pedalboards.
Sources (2)
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2026-05-28
- AARON GRAVES OVERDRIVE, Caroline Guitar Company, 2026-05
