The DPE Pedals Chromosome Dual Overdrive is a dual overdrive pedal: two different circuits, each heavily modified, built into one enclosure and designed to interact better together1. It sits in the overdrive family, and Pedal of the Day opened its review by calling it "a real gem for you all today"1.
Two overdrive circuits in one pedal
The Chromosome brings, in Pedal of the Day's words, "2 classic circuits, complete with some great additions, into the mix"1. Each side can be run independently or run in series, so the pedal works as two separate drives on one board or as a stacked pair where one feeds the other1. A later Pedal of the Day review of a DPE preamp pedal looked back on "the gloriousness that was the Chromosome Dual Overdrive," placing it among the maker's earlier releases2.
The controls: right side and left side
The two sides are laid out differently, because the circuits are different.
Right side: tweed-based drive. This side carries Volume and Gain controls, plus a Presence knob and a Fat switch1.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Volume | Output level |
| Gain | Amount of drive |
| Presence | Adjusts the "presence/brightness" that flows through the gain stages1 |
| Fat switch | Directly tied to the Presence knob; adds more fatness, with impact depending on the Presence setting. If Presence is off, the Fat switch will not make a difference1 |
Pedal of the Day described the right side as "mostly transparent overdrive but always adds a bit of sparkle to the original tone"1. With gain at zero and presence at 100%, the reviewer found "a unique almost dirty treble boost type sound," and called it "a great setting for hitting Left Side Drive, or to run a Strat on neck pickup!"1. For a cleaner kind of push, that treble-boost style setting can also pair with a dedicated boost pedal.
Left side: modified D-Style drive. This is the second drive in the chain, with Level, Gain and Tone parameters all working as they normally would, plus two extra controls1.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Level | Output level |
| Gain | Amount of drive |
| Tone | Standard tone shaping |
| Voice | Limits the level of gain available as well as adjusting the amount of low end that flows through the circuit; more Voice means more gain and less low end1 |
| Depth | Lets you select the bass frequency response range1 |
The stated goal of the left side, per the review, was "to keep the majority of the same tonal characteristics of a D-Style pedal but adjust the attack and response that it gives throughout the gain ranges"1. Players comparing D-style circuits with the more mid-focused Tube Screamer approach can see how the two families differ in the Boss SD-1 vs Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer comparison.
Construction
Each DPE Pedals effect is hand built one by one using through-hole construction and is fully tested before shipping1. The graphics for the Chromosome Dual Overdrive were done by Joshua Lutz at JML Studios1.
Videos
Pedal of the Day
Questions
Can the two sides of the Chromosome be used together?
Yes. Each side of the Chromosome can be run independently, or the two can be run in series, so the output of one drive feeds the other. Running them together is where the pedal's design shows itself: the two circuits are heavily modified to interact better together, and the right side's treble boost style setting is described as a great way to hit the left side drive.
What circuit is the left side based on?
The left side is a modified D-Style overdrive. The stated goal was to keep the majority of the same tonal characteristics of a D-Style pedal but adjust the attack and response it gives throughout the gain ranges. Its Level, Gain and Tone controls work as they normally would, with Voice and Depth added on top.
What does the Fat switch do on the right side?
The Fat switch is directly tied to the Presence knob. If Presence is off, the Fat switch will not make a difference. When Presence is up, the switch adds more fatness, with the size of the impact depending on where the Presence control is set.
How do you get a treble boost sound from the Chromosome?
On the right side, set the gain to zero and the presence to 100%. Pedal of the Day describes this as a unique, almost dirty treble boost type sound, with the Fat switch heavily involved. The reviewer called it a great setting for hitting the left side drive, or for running a Strat on the neck pickup.
Is the DPE Chromosome hand built?
Yes. According to Pedal of the Day, each DPE Pedals effect is hand built one by one using through-hole construction and is fully tested before shipping. The graphics for the Chromosome Dual Overdrive were done by Joshua Lutz at JML Studios.
Who did the graphics on the Chromosome?
The graphics for the Chromosome Dual Overdrive were done by Joshua Lutz at JML Studios, according to the Pedal of the Day review.
Sources (2)
- DPE Pedals Chromosome Dual Overdrive, Pedal of the Day, 2024-09-07
- DPE Pedals DC-30 EF86 Valve Preamp, Pedal of the Day, 2025-08-24
