The Dirty Boy T.A.E. Preamp Boost/Overdrive is a boost and overdrive pedal made by Massive Unity Ltd., designed with Danny Gomez. Pedal of the Day reviewed it in December 2018, describing it as a preamp boost overdrive, and it combines two functions players often use together: a clean-ish boost to push an amp and an overdrive stage for dirt. It sits in the wider family of overdrive pedals and boost pedals, and its preamp framing also connects it to preamp pedals.12
What it does
The pedal's effect type is given by Pedal of the Day as "Preamp Boost Overdrive", meaning it works as a preamp-style stage that can boost the signal going into an amp and add overdrive on top. Pedal of the Day's 2018 product page names the full unit as the "Massive Unity Ltd. DIRTY BOY T.A.E. Preamp Boost Overdrive" and credits Danny Gomez as the designer.2
When Pedal of the Day returned to the circuit in September 2024, reviewing the newer Dirty Boy Preamp, the reviewer looked back at the T.A.E. as the earlier version of the idea1:
"Many moons ago, we had the opportunity to check out a revolutionary Boost/Overdrive pedal from Massive Unity Ltd. called the Dirty Boy T.A.E. Preamp."
That 2024 review places the T.A.E. as the predecessor of the Dirty Boy Preamp, the first release from Dirty Boy as its own company under Danny Gomez.1
Where it went from here
The circuit did not stay in the past. Warm Audio and Dirty Boy brought the original preamp circuit back as a standard-format pedal, the Dirty Boy Jr. Overdrive.3
The T.A.E. itself dates from the Massive Unity Ltd. era and was reviewed in 2018. Players looking for the same preamp circuit today will find it reissued in the Dirty Boy Jr. Overdrive rather than under the original T.A.E. name.13
Videos
Pedal of the Day
Sources (3)
- Dirty Boy Preamp, Pedal of the Day (pedal-of-the-day.com), 2024-09-03
- Massive Unity Ltd. DIRTY BOY T.A.E. Preamp Boost Overdrive, Pedal of the Day, 2018-12-11
- Warm Audio Dirty Boy Jr. Overdrive, Delicious Audio, 2026-08-04
