The Earthling Designs Gliss Drive is a boutique overdrive pedal, conceived originally for slide (bottleneck) electric guitar, though it performs well in standard guitar setups as well1. It is an analog pedal built around a discrete BJT op-amp based drive circuit, and its behavior ranges from treble boost and mild overdrive to more aggressive sustain or fuzz-adjacent drive, depending on the settings1. RockBoard's PedalPedia describes its tone as "a dynamic, harmonically rich tone with very low noise"1.
Controls and character
The pedal's main feature is a three-position mode switch that alters the low-frequency response and character of the overdrive1. That switch is what lets the pedal cover its wide range: at one end it works as a treble boost or mild overdrive, and at the other it pushes into more aggressive sustain or a fuzz-adjacent drive1. For a slide player, the low-frequency shaping matters, since slide playing often calls for a midrange-forward, controlled-low-end response; for standard playing, the switch lets the pedal sit differently under single-coils or humbuckers.
If you are weighing the Gliss Drive against more familiar overdrives, its range overlaps with both boost pedals at the clean end and fuzz pedals at the aggressive end, with conventional overdrive pedals in between1.
Power and bypass
The Gliss Drive runs on 9V DC, center negative, and draws 10 mA1. That is a light load, so it fits comfortably on a standard pedalboard power supply. It features hardwire true bypass switching, so the signal passes through untouched when the pedal is off1.
The unit is built to order, so it is not a stock-shelf pedal; Earthling Designs designs and assembles it in Sydney, Australia1.
Videos
Earthling Designs
Earthling Designs
Earthling Designs
Questions
Does the Earthling Designs Gliss Drive work for regular guitar or only slide?
The Gliss Drive was originally conceived for slide (bottleneck) electric guitar, but it performs well in standard guitar setups as well. Its three-position mode switch alters the low-frequency response and character of the overdrive, and its behavior ranges from treble boost and mild overdrive to more aggressive sustain or fuzz-adjacent drive depending on the settings.
Is the Gliss Drive true bypass?
Yes. The Gliss Drive features hardwire true bypass switching, so when the pedal is off, the guitar signal passes through without passing through the drive circuit.
How much current does the Gliss Drive draw?
The Gliss Drive draws 10 mA at 9V DC with a center-negative power supply. That low draw means it can share a standard pedalboard power supply output with other small pedals.
Is the Gliss Drive analog or digital?
The Gliss Drive is an analog pedal. It uses a discrete BJT op-amp based drive circuit.
Is the Gliss Drive built to order?
Yes. The unit is built to order by Earthling Designs, which designs and assembles the pedal in Sydney, Australia.
Sources (1)
- Gliss Drive by Earthling Designs, RockBoard PedalPedia, 2026