The Breakdown is a boost/overdrive pedal from Danelectro, announced in March 2019 alongside the Eisenhower Fuzz as the first two pedals in a new line of vintage pedals1. Where most overdrives put several knobs on the box, the Breakdown keeps it to two controls: a six-position "Break Up" selector and a Volume knob2. The pedal is a modern revival of a rare 1968 circuit, the Univox UD50 Uni-Drive34.
Danelectro tells the story of the original pedal on its product page: a famous guitar god used it to record his first album in 1968, the planet went nuts, and the pedal then inexplicably disappeared4. The Breakdown brings that circuit back, built with through-hole components to mirror the ethos of the classic era2.
The Break Up selector and Volume controls
The Breakdown's whole personality lives in its six-position "Break Up" selector. Rather than a gain knob, the selector attenuates the input to the pedal: each position changes how hard your guitar signal hits the pedal, and in turn the front of your amp21.
Danelectro describes the result plainly: the control "takes your guitar signal and slams the front of your amp with increasing punch"4. The two halves of the switch have very different jobs:
| Positions | Character | What they do |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 3 | Ear-friendly | Lower gain, "leave on all the time" potential43 |
| 4 to 6 | Full drive | Hit the amp input increasingly hard for break up45 |
Danelectro's own copy draws the line in color: positions 1 through 3 "are ear-friendly and have 'leave on all the time' potential," while positions 4 through 6 "grab you and knock you back against the nearest piece of concrete"4. Pedal of the Day's reviewer read it the same way, finding modes 1 to 3 meant as always-on settings with lower gain that still keep the tone you want from a boost, and modes 4 to 6 offering higher gain exploration that lets you really drive your amp3.
The Volume control sets the output level3. That is the whole control set: one knob and one switch, in what the reviewer called "a neat and tidy, rustic-looking package"3.
A revived Univox Uni-Drive circuit
The Breakdown is based on the rare Univox UD50 Uni-Drive, a 1968 pedal34. Premier Guitar's announcement tied the pedal to its source more directly: "The Breakdown evokes the tone used by a guitar god to record his first album in 1968"2. Danelectro does not name the player, and the original pedal then vanished from the market4.
Inside, the pedal uses three 2N3904 silicon transistors3, and Danelectro says it is built with through-hole components to mirror the ethos of that classic era2. The maker describes the result as "incredibly organic sounding"4.
"Tone-shaping, signal boosting, classic rock and crunchy guitars are the name of the game."
The Breakdown and the Eisenhower Fuzz
The Breakdown was announced at the same time as the Eisenhower Fuzz, and the two share more than a release date. MusicRadar reported them as the first pedals in Danelectro's new vintage line5, and Pedal of the Day called the Breakdown the Eisenhower Fuzz's twin brother7. Both pedals feature silent true bypass switching and die cast cases25.
The difference is what they do to your signal: gearnews placed the Breakdown "more in the boost/overdrive vein" next to the fuzz6. Both launched at $149 each in March 20195.
What reviewers said
Pedal of the Day reviewed the Breakdown in June 2020 and summed it up as a win: "we absolutely love it overall," with tone-shaping, signal boosting, classic rock and crunchy guitars as the name of the game, at a price the reviewer said would not break the bank3. Guitar World's Paul Riario demoed both the Eisenhower Fuzz and the Breakdown when the pair was announced1.
Videos
Premier Guitar
Danelectro Official
Danelectro Official
Questions
Is the Danelectro Breakdown true bypass?
Yes. The Breakdown uses silent true bypass switching, so the pedal's circuit is taken entirely out of the signal path when it is off. It comes in a die cast case, as does its sibling, the Eisenhower Fuzz.
What transistors are in the Danelectro Breakdown?
The Breakdown uses three 2N3904 silicon transistors, according to Pedal of the Day's review. Danelectro also says the pedal is built with through-hole components to mirror the ethos of the classic era the circuit comes from.
How much gain does the Danelectro Breakdown have?
Pedal of the Day measured the design as offering +35dB of gain on tap. Positions 1 through 3 of the Break Up selector are lower-gain, always-on settings, while positions 4 through 6 push the front of the amp much harder.
Is the Breakdown related to the Danelectro Eisenhower Fuzz?
Yes. The Eisenhower Fuzz and The Breakdown were announced together in 2019 as the first two pedals in Danelectro's vintage pedal line. Pedal of the Day called the Breakdown the Eisenhower Fuzz's twin brother.
What was the Univox Uni-Drive?
The Univox UD50 Uni-Drive was a rare 1968 pedal. Danelectro says a famous guitar god used it to record his first album, after which it disappeared. The Breakdown resurrects that circuit in a modern pedal.
Sources (7)
- Watch Paul Riario Demo the Danelectro Eisenhower Fuzz and Breakdown Pedals, Guitar World, 2019-04-30
- Danelectro Unveils Eisenhower Fuzz & Breakdown Pedals, Premier Guitar, 2019-03-20
- Danelectro The Breakdown™ Boost Overdrive, Pedal of the Day, 2020-06-09
- The Breakdown™ & Eisenhower Fuzz™, Danelectro
- Danelectro unveils new 'vintage pedals', The Eisenhower Fuzz and The Breakdown overdrive, MusicRadar, 2019-03-21
- Danelectro Eisenhower Fuzz, Breakdown Overdrive: Aged look, vintage sounds, gearnews.com, 2019-03-22
- Danelectro The Eisenhower Fuzz™, Pedal of the Day (www.pedal-of-the-day.com), 2020-05-12
