The Drunk Beaver Olbia Overdrive is an overdrive pedal built on an evolved version of the Centaur circuit, the design behind the Klon, released in January 2026. Drunk Beaver describes it as "our evolved take on the Centaur circuit, engineered to address the original's limitations and expand its tonal" range, delivering what the maker calls "complex, harmonically rich grit"1.
Controls
Where most Klones offer a single tone control, the Olbia carries an active 3-band EQ alongside the usual gain and level controls1.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Bass | Active EQ band at ±80Hz |
| Mid | Active EQ band at ±800Hz |
| Treble | Active EQ band at ±1.5kHz |
| Volume | Output level |
| Drive | Amount of overdrive |
| Clean | Clean level |
Circuit and power
The Olbia's clipping is a two-stage arrangement: first a red LED, externally visible through a facia aperture on the pedal, then the same NOS Soviet D2 germanium diodes used in Drunk Beaver's Lviv Liontaur Overdrive1.
The pedal runs internally at 15V, which the maker says provides increased headroom and a more open, uncompressed feel at the input1. Instead of the charge pump circuitry common to Klone designs, the Olbia uses a modern supply: "Outdated, noisy charge pumps (such as the 7660) have been replaced with a silent, modern power supply for studio-quiet o[peration]"1.
The name
The pedal is named after Pontic Olbia, an ancient city near designer Vitalii Bobrov's hometown. The Greeks wrote the name as OΛBIO (Olbio), and the city is known as Olvia in Ukraine1.
What reviewers said
Guitar Pedal X's reviewer, Stefan Karlsson, called the Olbia "easily my favourite Drunk Beaver Overdrive and as I keep saying my favourite ever Klone - which makes it one of my very" favorite overdrives overall1.
Videos
Jackson Brooksby
Mind the G.A.S.
Questions
Is the Drunk Beaver Olbia Overdrive a Klon clone?
It is a Klone in the sense that it is built on the Centaur circuit, the design behind the original Klon. Drunk Beaver describes the Olbia as an evolved take on that circuit, engineered to address the original's limitations and expand its tonal range, rather than a straight copy. The changes include an active 3-band EQ, different clipping diodes, and a modern internal power supply.
What diodes does the Drunk Beaver Olbia use for clipping?
The Olbia uses two clipping stages: first a red LED, which is externally visible through a facia aperture on the pedal, and then the same NOS Soviet D2 germanium diodes that Drunk Beaver used in its Lviv Liontaur overdrive.
How much does the Drunk Beaver Olbia Overdrive cost?
As of January 2026, the Olbia goes for $175 / €175 / 649 PLN on the Drunk Beaver Rocks webstore.
Does the Olbia have a charge pump?
No. Drunk Beaver replaced the outdated, noisy charge pumps found in many Klone designs, such as the 7660, with a silent modern power supply, which the maker says keeps the pedal studio-quiet.
Why is it called Olbia?
The pedal is named after Pontic Olbia, an ancient city near Drunk Beaver designer Vitalii Bobrov's hometown. The Greeks wrote the name as OΛBIO (Olbio), and it is known as Olvia in Ukraine.
Sources (1)
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2026-01-23
