The Diamond DRV-1 Drive is an overdrive pedal, a compact drive unit intended for everything from light breakup upward. Pedal of the Day's 2019 review describes it as the continuation of a line of Diamond drive circuits: it is based on the J-Drive Mk3, but overhauled to improve the low gain sounds and re-voiced for natural brightness and a more open overall sound1. If you are weighing it against other drives, our Overdrive Pedals page covers the wider field.
Where the circuit comes from
The DRV-1 name reaches back through Diamond's drive pedals, the Diamond Drive, Drive SE, original J-Drive and J-Drive TR, and the DRV-1 Drive continues that lineage1. The same circuit name also appears in the Demeter range: the maker of the DRV-1 Driveulator describes it as a versatile distortion pedal whose Drive control sets the amount of overdrive2, and in Demeter's DD-1 Double Overdrive the second stage of the pedal is the DRV-1 Overdriveulator circuit3. For the earlier Diamond pedal behind this one, see the Diamond Drive and the Drive.
Controls
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Gain | Sets the overdrive level1 |
What reviewers said
Pedal of the Day's reviewer came away warmly, calling it:
"yet another well-crafted, responsive and beautiful-sounding effect, one that's sure to turn heads for years to come"1
Pedal of the Day, 9 September 20191
The same review highlights the re-voicing work as the headline change from the J-Drive Mk3: better low gain sounds, natural brightness, and a more open sound overall1.
Videos
Pedal of the Day
Sources (3)
- Diamond Pedals DRV-1 Drive Overdrive, Pedal of the Day, 2019-09-10
- DRV-1 Driveulator, Demeter Amplification
- DD-1 Double Overdrive, Demeter Amplification
