The E.W.S. BD-1 Brute Drive is an ultra compact distortion pedal from the Japanese-based company Engineering Work Store (E.W.S.). Premier Guitar's reviewer described it as "voiced for a smooth, classic distortion sound, and it is right on the mark": not a metal pedal, but well-suited to anything from the softest blues to a pretty blistering hard rock sound. Alongside the distortion circuit it carries a clean boost circuit on its own footswitch, and at a street price of $152 (US, as of the August 2021 review) it sits in the same territory as other distortion pedals and boost pedals.1
The footswitches and controls
The Brute Drive is built around two footswitches, each with its own LED1:
- On/Off footswitch with a red LED, engaging the main distortion
- Boost footswitch with a blue LED, engaging the clean boost circuit on top of the distortion1
The Boost switch is the pedal's second voice: at its maximum it is able to produce 10 dB of low-mid gain, which pushes the distortion into a fatter, more mid-focused place without changing pedals.1
On top sit three knobs:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Volume | Sets the overall output level |
| Tone | Shapes the brightness |
| Gain | Sets the amount of drive1 |
Premier Guitar noted that the carefully planned layout allows the BD-1 to fit its numerous components inside an ultra compact pedal.1
The reviewer's verdict on the sound was warm:
"running the BD-1 into a clean Budda V-40 combo I was quickly delighted with the Brute Drive's creamy distortion."
Jacks and power
The rear panel carries two 1/4" jacks (In/Out) and a 9VDC jack. The pedal can also run on a 9-volt battery, so it works either from a standard pedalboard supply or standalone.1
The Brute Drive's 9VDC jack and 9-volt battery option are the only power arrangements the review describes. No current draw figure is given for the pedal.
Other pedals called BD-1
The BD-1 name is shared by two other, unrelated pedals. Neither is a version of the E.W.S. Brute Drive; they simply carry the same model designation.
| Pedal | Maker | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| BD-1 Bass Driver | Pete Cornish | Bass Driver pedal, new for 2014 |
| Brick Drive BD-1 | Providence | Bass-oriented drive, covered in 20162 |
Pete Cornish's BD-1 Bass Driver has a heavy duty all-metal footswitch with hi-brite LED; its circuit has similarities to the Cornish SS-3 and MXR Distortion+, and with Gain at 0% and Volume at 100% (Bass and Treble at the neutral 50% point) it gives an overall boost of +19 dB.34 Providence's Brick Drive BD-1 uses two footswitches to engage the effect and toggle between clean and drive settings, with an extra Thru output that could be used with a tuner, for example.2
Videos
intheblues
intheblues
Oburigato
Questions
Does the E.W.S. Brute Drive run on a battery?
Yes. Along with its 9VDC jack, the pedal can run on a 9-volt battery, according to Premier Guitar's review. That makes it usable on a board with a power supply or on its own with a battery.
How much boost does the Brute Drive's Boost switch add?
At its maximum, the Boost switch is able to produce 10 dB of low-mid gain, as measured in Premier Guitar's review. The Boost has its own footswitch, so it can be engaged on top of the main distortion sound.
Who makes the E.W.S. Brute Drive?
The Brute Drive is made by Engineering Work Store, a Japanese-based company usually shortened to E.W.S., which is where the pedal's name comes from.
What are the red and blue LEDs on the Brute Drive for?
The pedal has two footswitches, an On/Off footswitch and a Boost footswitch, with two associated red and blue LEDs. The pair of lights shows the state of the two switches, so you can see at a glance whether the distortion and the boost are engaged.
Sources (4)
- E.W.S. BD-1 Brute Drive Distortion Pedal Review, Premier Guitar, 2010-10-29
- Providence Brick Drive BD-1 Bass preamp overdrive pedal, gearnews.com, 2016-06-18
- Pete Cornish BD-1, Pete Cornish, 2014
- Perseid Bass Drive / Cornish BD-1, Aion FX, 2026-07-03
