The David Allen Bazooka Overdrive is a low to mid gain overdrive pedal from David Allen, a maker whose line centers on guitar and bass pickups. As Vintage Guitar put it, "Pickup maker David Allen offers a broad line of guitar and bass pickups"1.
What it does to your sound
Thorn described the design goal this way: "this overdrive was designed to be kind of brown Fender is while veering into Marshall territory"2. In other words, the pedal aims at the warmer, browned-up character of a pushed Fender amp, with the option to lean toward the harder edge of a Marshall. It sits in the overdrive camp rather than among high-gain distortion pedals; players comparing it with other drives can see how it relates to the broader field of overdrive pedals.
Vintage Guitar's reviewer liked how it handled a live signal: "Like focusing a camera lens, the Bazooka smoothed out the jagged edges without sounding like a squashed compressor pedal"1.
Controls
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Chatter | The gain control2 |
| Range | The tone control2 |
| Load | Three-position mini switch for cabinet-style voicing21 |
| Fire | On/off stomp switch1 |
The Load switch
The Load switch is the pedal's distinguishing feature: a three-position mini switch that changes the pedal's response in the manner of different speaker cabinets. Thorn ran through all three positions in his demo2:
- Left position: a response a little more like a 2x12, with things getting fatter in the low mids and the pedal kicking harder2
- Middle position: the brightest setting, with the least amount of bottom end, sounding kind of like a 1x12 cabinet2
- Right position: supposed to be more like a '67 Plexi through a 4x12 cabinet2
Thorn summed up the flexibility the switch gives: "it's really nice and versatile with that switch you can kind of tune it to your rig"2. That cabinet-voicing approach puts the Bazooka in the same broad territory as speaker simulation pedals, though here it is a voicing option inside a drive pedal rather than a standalone cab sim.
Power and price
The Bazooka runs from a 9-volt DC output, and Vintage Guitar noted that even with the stomp switch, mini switch and three knobs, the pedal keeps a tidy footprint on a board1. The review listed it at $250 (list) as of March 20151.
Videos
Pete Thorn
David Allen Pickups
Lance Seymour
Questions
What does the Fire switch do on the David Allen Bazooka Overdrive?
Fire is the pedal's on/off stomp switch, so it simply turns the Bazooka overdrive on and off. The voicing options live elsewhere: a three-position mini switch, called the Load switch, changes the cabinet-style response of the pedal, and the three knobs handle gain and tone. Vintage Guitar noted that even with the stomp switch, mini switch and three knobs, the pedal keeps a compact footprint.
How much does the David Allen Bazooka Overdrive cost?
Vintage Guitar magazine's March 2015 review listed the Bazooka Overdrive at $250 (list). As a list price from that review, the actual street price at dealers could differ, and the pedal's availability today may vary.
What power does the David Allen Bazooka Overdrive need?
The Bazooka Overdrive runs from a 9-volt DC output, as described in Vintage Guitar's review. The review does not give a current draw figure, so check the maker's documentation before powering it from a shared supply.
Is the David Allen Bazooka Overdrive a high-gain pedal?
No. Pete Thorn, demonstrating the pedal for Vintage King, described it as a brand new low to mid gain overdrive. He said it was designed to be kind of brown Fender while veering into Marshall territory, which places it in overdrive rather than high-gain distortion territory.
Sources (2)
- David Allen Bazooka Overdrive, Vintage Guitar magazine, 2016-02-10
- D. Allen Bazooka Overdrive, demo by Pete Thorn/Vintage King, Pete Thorn (YouTube channel), for Vintage King, 2014-12-24
