The Dophix Dante is an overdrive pedal from the Italian maker Dophix, announced in April 2020 and available now1. Dophix positions it as the classic overdrive of its collection, sitting alongside pedals like the Michelangelo Overdrive Plus and the LUSSURIA2.
What it does to your sound
Guitar.com described the Dante as allowing use as a slightly dirty boost or for tones that approach full-on distortion1. In a Premier Guitar demo video from NAMM 2022, the presenters described the range from low to high gain settings:
"you can have um a clean um a richer clean full of harmonics... turning the gain up, you reach um you can reach a slight"
They also said the pedal "responds well to the musician's hand and volume knob," which matters for players who clean up an overdrive from the guitar's volume control2.
The controls
The Dante keeps things simple. Guitar.com described "a TS-style control arrangement of volume, tone and gain"1, and the Premier Guitar demo confirmed the same three knobs2.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Gain | Sets the amount of overdrive, from a rich clean full of harmonics up to slight distortion2 |
| Tone | Shapes the treble response2 |
| Level | Sets the output volume2 |
"We have just three knobs. It's very simple gain, tone, tone and level"
History
The pedal first appeared as a prototype under a different name. In February 2018, Delicious Audio reported that Main Ace FX showcased a prototype of a new overdrive pedal called Dante at NAMM, with a two-band EQ3. That early version is covered on the Main Ace FX Dante page. By April 2020 the pedal had been announced as the Dophix Dante Overdrive, with the hand-selected components and TS-style control layout described above1.
Price
The two published US prices differ. Guitar.com reported in April 2020 that "The Dante lists for $199"1. In the June 2022 Premier Guitar demo, the price given was "all the others 299. 99 US"2. Both figures are shown here with their dates; the newer figure is the $299.99 from 20222.
Where it sits in the Dophix range
Dophix positions the Dante as the classic overdrive of its collection, describing it as "the classic overdrive of the Dolfe collections"2. Players comparing it with other overdrives in the classic Tube Screamer mold can also see the Boss SD-1 vs Ibanez TS9 comparison, or browse the wider overdrive pedal category.
Review video
In the Premier Guitar demo from NAMM 2022, presenters walked through the Dophix line and demonstrated the Dante, describing its three knobs, its range from a harmonic-rich clean to slight distortion, and its $299.99 US price2.
Videos
Adrian Raso
Jack JD
Robin Flink
News
Questions
How many knobs does the Dophix Dante have?
Three. The Dante has gain, tone and level controls, arranged in the same volume, tone and gain layout used on Tube Screamer-style overdrives. In a Premier Guitar demo video from NAMM 2022, the presenters described it as very simple: just three knobs covering gain, tone and level.
Is the Dophix Dante a Tube Screamer-style pedal?
Yes, in its control layout. Guitar.com described the Dante as having a TS-style control arrangement of volume, tone and gain when Dophix announced it in April 2020. It is an overdrive pedal rather than a distortion pedal, and Dophix calls it the classic overdrive of its collection.
How much does the Dophix Dante cost in the US?
The price has changed over time. When Guitar.com announced the pedal in April 2020, it listed for $199. In a Premier Guitar demo video from June 2022, the price given was $299.99 in the US. The two figures come from different dates, so both are shown here.
Can the Dophix Dante work as a clean boost?
It can work as a boost, though not a strictly clean one. Guitar.com described the Dante as usable as a slightly dirty boost, or for tones that approach full-on distortion. In the Premier Guitar demo, the presenters described a clean sound full of harmonics at lower gain settings that responds well to the player's hand and volume knob.
Sources (3)
- Dophix announces the Dante Overdrive, Guitar.com, 2020-04-14
- Dophix Galileo, Michelangelo, Dante, Nettuno, David, Perseo, Leonardo & Vitruviano Demos, Premier Guitar, 2022-06-05
- Main Ace FX Unveils Dante Overdrive Prototype At NAMM, Delicious Audio, 2018-02-01
