The Pneuma Drive is a dynamic overdrive pedal from Countdown Audio Guitar Effects, and it was the builder's first pedal. It is an analog design, hand crafted in the USA, aimed at amp-like edge of break up and crunch tones. Delicious Audio's Paolo De Gregorio described it as "an extremely dynamic pedal that provides natural sounding distortion without getting buzzy or fizzy"1.
It also has a second life as a booster: the same page says the Pneuma Drive "can also be used to boost an amp with up to 20 db of almost clean boost"1. That puts it in territory shared with dedicated boost pedals, though its main character is as an overdrive that responds to picking dynamics.
How it sounds and how the Drive knob works
Countdown Audio describes the Pneuma Drive's analog circuitry as yielding "amp like edge of break up and crunch tones"1. The pedal's dynamic character means it tracks how hard you play, which is where the "dynamic overdrive" label comes from.
The Drive knob shapes more than just the amount of distortion. According to Delicious Audio, it "will increasingly color the tone with a slight mid boost at higher values," while at minimum it "affords a neutral tone with very little coloration, with a modest but pleasing rise in mid frequencies as it is increased"1. In practice, that means low settings keep your amp's basic voice intact, and higher settings lean the pedal toward the mid-forward character players associate with overdrives like the Boss SD-1 and Ibanez TS9.
Build and hardware
The pedal's listed hardware features are:
- True Bypass1
- Hammond enclosure1
- High quality made in USA Switchcraft jacks1
- 9 Volt battery compartment1
The Pneuma Drive houses a 9 Volt battery compartment, so it can run on battery power as well as a supply1.
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Questions
Is the Countdown Audio Pneuma Drive analog or digital?
The Pneuma Drive is an analog pedal. Delicious Audio's product page describes its analog circuitry as yielding amp-like edge of break up and crunch tones, and the pedal is presented throughout as a dynamic analog overdrive rather than a digital modeler or multi-effects unit.
Does the Pneuma Drive have true bypass?
Yes. The pedal's listed features include True Bypass, so when it is switched off your guitar's signal passes straight through to the amp without the pedal's circuitry in the way. It also uses high quality made in USA Switchcraft jacks for its connections.
How much clean boost can the Pneuma Drive give?
According to Delicious Audio, the Pneuma Drive can be used to boost an amp with up to 20 db of almost clean boost. That makes it usable as a boost pedal in front of a cranked amp, in addition to its main role as a dynamic overdrive.
Where is the Countdown Audio Pneuma Drive made?
The Pneuma Drive is hand crafted in the USA. It is built in a Hammond enclosure with high quality made in USA Switchcraft jacks, and it was the first pedal released by Countdown Audio Guitar Effects.
Does the Pneuma Drive change the mids as you turn up the drive?
Yes. Delicious Audio describes the Drive knob as increasingly coloring the tone with a slight mid boost at higher values. At its minimum the pedal affords a neutral tone with very little coloration, with a modest but pleasing rise in mid frequencies as it is increased.
Sources (1)
- Countdown Audio Pneuma Drive, Delicious Audio, 2019-11-27