The Eastwood BB-01 Manalishi Drive is an analog overdrive pedal from Eastwood, the guitar builder, and one of six pedals in the Black Box series the company unveiled in early 2022. Delicious Audio's Paolo De Gregorio describes it as "a simple 3-knob take on the Tube Screamer overdrive circuit," designed as a hybrid of the TS and an "amp in a box" pedal1.
How it sounds and how it differs from a Tube Screamer
Compared to the original circuit, De Gregorio writes that the Manalishi Drive "has a wider gain range, easily getting into distortion territory at high gain" settings1. That puts its upper reach closer to what players look for in distortion pedals than in a stock Tube Screamer, though the underlying circuit is the same family.
Eastwood positions it flexibly: "It can be your 'Channel 2' pedal into a clean amp just as easily as it can be your 'Solo' pedal into a clean or driven amp"1.
Controls
The pedal carries three knobs. The Tone control's behavior depends on where it is set1:
- Turned counterclockwise: highlights the low-mids, contributing to "a dirtier, amp-like crunch"1
- Turned clockwise: delivers more traditional TS tones with the classic high-mid hump1
The other two knobs follow the standard overdrive layout of drive amount and output level1.
Power and practical details
The BB-01 runs on either a standard 9V center-negative AC adapter or an internal 9V battery1. The adapter is sold as an optional add-on rather than included1.
The 9V power supply is an optional add-on, so the pedal does not ship with one. A standard 9V center-negative adapter or an internal battery will run it1.
Its compact footprint, 1.75" x 2.75" x 4.9", suits crowded boards1.
The Black Box series
Within Eastwood's Black Box series, the Manalishi Drive stands apart from a straight Tube Screamer-style pedal by design. Eastwood describes it as "a hybrid of the TS and an 'amp in a box'", and says that compared to the original it has "a wider gain range, easily getting into distortion territory at high gain levels"1. Its Tone control shifts character with the Drive setting: turned anticlockwise it highlights the low-mids for a dirtier, amp-like crunch, while clockwise it delivers more traditional TS tones with the classic high-mid hump1.
Videos
Eastwood Guitars
Harsh Tones, Inc.
Questions
Is the Eastwood BB-01 Manalishi Drive true bypass?
Yes. According to Delicious Audio's product page, the Manalishi Drive uses true bypass switching, so when the pedal is off your guitar's signal passes through without the circuit loading it.
Does the Eastwood BB-01 Manalishi Drive take a battery?
Yes. The pedal can be powered by an internal 9V battery or by a standard 9V center-negative AC adapter, so it works either way depending on how you set up your board.
Is the Manalishi Drive analog or digital?
The Manalishi Drive is an analog circuit. Delicious Audio lists it as analog and mono, in keeping with its Tube Screamer-based design.
Is the Eastwood BB-01 mono or stereo?
It is a mono pedal, with a single audio path. That is typical for an overdrive of this type and means one input and one output into your amp or the next pedal.
Does the Manalishi Drive come with a power adapter?
No. The 9V power supply is listed as an optional add-on, so plan to use a battery or a 9V center-negative adapter you already own.
What are the other pedals in the Eastwood Black Box series?
The Black Box series unveiled in 2022 comprised six pedals: two delays, a spring reverb, a vibe, a compressor and the Manalishi Drive overdrive, with prices from $129 to $149.
Sources (1)
- Eastwood BB-01 Manalishi Drive, Delicious Audio, 2022-05-24