The DLS Effects Reckless Drive is a compact two-channel overdrive and distortion pedal built around two sides, Normal and Boost, each with its own set of controls. Vintage Guitar's announcement described it as "a two-channel overdrive/distortion effect with independent Volume, Gain, and Mix controls for each (Normal and Boost)"1. DLS Effects' own product page bills it more broadly as a distortion, overdrive, preamp, equalizer and booster, and sums it up as "It's an Overdrive when you want it, and a Reckless Distortion when you need it!"2. It sits in the territory covered by Overdrive Pedals and Distortion Pedals, with a foot in Preamp Pedals and Boost Pedals as well.
The two channels
The Normal and Boost sides are set independently, with a Volume, Gain and Mix control for each1. There is one interaction worth knowing: as Guitar Interactive's Jonathan Graham explained, "the Normal volume drives the Boost channel. This makes the boost volume relative to the normal volume"3. In practice, the Boost side is stacked behind the Normal side rather than being a completely separate path, so changes to the Normal volume carry through to the boost.
The controls
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Volume, Gain, Mix (per channel) | Independent level, drive and blend controls for the Normal and Boost channels1 |
| Bass | Master bass control, described by RockBoard's PedalPedia as "extra wide, dynamic"21 |
| Treble | Master treble control, also described as extra wide and dynamic21 |
| Attack switch | Adds brightness; RockBoard's PedalPedia calls it "a subtle control that changes the edge and brightness, and can even make solid state sound like a tube amp"21 |
Switching, jacks and enclosure
Bypass is true bypass, using a 3P3T switch. Guitar Interactive noted that this means "no tone sucking when switched Off"3. The jacks are Amphenol, and the pedal is housed in a die-cast aluminum enclosure finished with powdercoat, which Guitar Interactive described as a durable finish13.
The pedal is small enough for a crowded board: 3.7 inches wide by 4.7 inches long by 1.7 inches high, weighing 1.5 lbs13.
The name: Drive or Driver?
Both names are in circulation for the same pedal. Vintage Guitar's 2014 announcement called it the Reckless Drive1, while DLS Effects' product page and Guitar Interactive call it the Reckless Driver23. DLS announced the release in March 20143.
Videos
Premier Guitar
musictoyznetwork rasch
gearmanndude
Questions
Is the DLS Effects Reckless Drive true bypass?
Yes. Vintage Guitar reported that the pedal offers true-bypass switching built around a 3P3T switch. Guitar Interactive's Jonathan Graham described the same switching, noting that there is no tone sucking when the pedal is switched off, so the guitar's signal passes through untouched when the effect is bypassed.
What does the Attack switch do on the Reckless Drive?
The Attack switch adds brightness to the drive sound. Vintage Guitar described it as a switch that adds brightness, while DLS Effects calls it a subtle control that changes the edge and brightness of the tone, and says it can even make a solid state amp sound like a tube amp.
How big is the DLS Effects Reckless Drive?
It measures 3.7 inches wide by 4.7 inches long by 1.7 inches high, according to both Vintage Guitar and Guitar Interactive Magazine. Guitar Interactive also lists the weight as 1.5 lbs, describing the pedal as extremely light and compact.
Are the Normal and Boost channels independent?
Each channel has its own Volume, Gain and Mix controls, so the two sides can be set independently. Guitar Interactive's Jonathan Graham noted one interaction: the Normal channel's volume drives the Boost channel, which makes the boost volume relative to the normal volume rather than fully separate.
Is the pedal called Reckless Drive or Reckless Driver?
Both names appear. Vintage Guitar's announcement called it the Reckless Drive, while DLS Effects' own product page and Guitar Interactive Magazine call it the Reckless Driver. They refer to the same two-channel overdrive/distortion pedal.
Sources (3)
- DLS Effects Intros Reckless Drive, Vintage Guitar magazine, 2014-02-27
- Reckless Driver by DLS Effects, RockBoard PedalPedia, 2026
- Dual Overdrive & Distortion by DLS Effects, Guitar Interactive Magazine, 2014-03-12
