The EarthQuaker Devices Crimson Drive is an analog germanium overdrive pedal, first released by the company in 2006 as one of its earliest pedals1. RockBoard's PedalPedia describes its range as going "from a gritty treble boost, reminiscent of the Rangemaster, to a rattling overdriven sound"2. The circuit is built around a single germanium transistor and two germanium diodes, and RockBoard's PedalPedia describes the result as "an open sounding drive with excellent harmonics and raw grit that will cut through the most dense mixes"2.
History and the germanium problem
The Crimson Drive was one of the first pedals EarthQuaker Devices released, back in 2006. According to Guitar Interactive Magazine, it "was highly regarded by the few who picked one up but was eventually cut due to a lack of quality germanium transistors"1. That shortage is a familiar constraint with germanium-based designs, which rely on older transistor technology that is no longer widely manufactured.
The pedal returned years later. In 2012, the company reported that it had "recently uncovered a massive batch of excellent NOS black glass germanium transistors that fit the bill," allowing a reissue whose circuit was "exactly the same as it was with the addition of an often requested tone control for fine tuning"1. The reissue was to be released in limited runs rather than as a permanent catalog item1.
The original Crimson Drive was discontinued due to a lack of quality germanium transistors, and the reissue was produced in limited runs1. Availability has therefore been intermittent across the pedal's life.
The pedal's life so far, in brief:
- 2006: original release, one of EarthQuaker Devices' earliest pedals1
- Discontinued: cut due to a lack of quality germanium transistors1
- 2012: reissue announced after the company uncovered a batch of NOS black glass germanium transistors, with a tone control added1
- Availability: limited runs rather than a permanent catalog item1
Circuit and sound
Germanium is the defining feature here. Where most modern overdrives use silicon transistors or op-amps, the Crimson Drive uses a single germanium transistor and two germanium diodes, components associated with the softer, rawer clipping of early boost and overdrive designs2. EarthQuaker Devices positions the pedal's character against that history, describing its low-gain end as a gritty treble boost reminiscent of the Rangemaster, the germanium boost famously associated with 1960s British guitar tones2.
The maker's description of the sound is specific:
"an open sounding drive with excellent harmonics and raw grit that will cut through the most dense mixes"
Players who prefer a more conventional midrange overdrive may want to compare it against circuits like the EarthQuaker Devices Plumes or the EarthQuaker Devices Westwood, which approach overdrive from different directions.
Controls and clean-up
The reissue added a tone control for fine tuning, a control the original did not have1. Beyond that, the pedal responds to playing dynamics in a way germanium designs often do: RockBoard's PedalPedia says it "cleans up nicely using your instrument's volume control and works equally well with single coils and humbuckers"2. That means rolling the guitar's volume knob back tames the drive into a cleaner voice without touching the pedal, a workflow many players build a board around.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Tone | Fine tuning of the drive's top end, added on the reissue; the original had no tone control1 |
| Guitar volume | Rolling it back cleans up the drive, per the maker, working equally well with single coils and humbuckers2 |
Power and practicalities
The Crimson Drive runs on 9V DC, center negative, and draws 3mA2. That is a very light load by pedalboard standards, so it will sit comfortably on any standard isolated supply. The pedal is true bypass, so it stays out of your signal path when switched off, and each unit is handmade by humans in Akron, Ohio2.
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Type | Analog germanium overdrive2 |
| Circuit | Single germanium transistor, two germanium diodes2 |
| Bypass | True bypass2 |
| Power | 9V DC, center negative2 |
| Current draw | 3mA2 |
| Origin | Handmade in Akron, Ohio2 |
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Questions
Is the EarthQuaker Crimson Drive true bypass?
Yes. EarthQuaker Devices describes the Crimson Drive as true bypass, and notes that it is handmade by humans in Akron, Ohio. True bypass means the pedal's circuit is removed from the signal path entirely when it is switched off, so your guitar's signal reaches the amp untouched when the effect is not in use.
Why was the Crimson Drive discontinued?
According to Guitar Interactive Magazine, the original Crimson Drive was highly regarded by the few who picked one up but was eventually cut due to a lack of quality germanium transistors. EarthQuaker Devices later revisited the design after uncovering a batch of NOS black glass germanium transistors, and the pedal was released in limited runs.
Does the Crimson Drive clean up with the guitar volume knob?
Yes. EarthQuaker Devices says the Crimson Drive cleans up nicely using your instrument's volume control, and that it works equally well with single coil and humbucker pickups. Rolling back the guitar's volume lowers the signal hitting the germanium circuit, taking the drive from gritty to cleaner tones.
Is the Crimson Drive like a Rangemaster?
EarthQuaker Devices describes the Crimson Drive as able to go from a gritty treble boost reminiscent of the Rangemaster to a rattling overdriven sound. The connection is in character rather than a direct copy: the circuit uses a single germanium transistor and two germanium diodes, with a tone control added for fine tuning.
How much current does the Crimson Drive draw?
The Crimson Drive draws 3mA, according to EarthQuaker Devices' published specifications. It runs on 9V DC with a center negative plug. That low current draw means it places a minimal load on a pedalboard power supply.
Sources (2)
- Summer NAMM 2012: EarthQuaker Devices Introduce New Pedals, Guitar Interactive Magazine, 2012-07-13
- Crimson Drive Germanium Overdrive by EarthQuaker Devices, RockBoard (rockboard.de PedalPedia), 2026
