The Evil Eye FX Paladin V2 is an overdrive/distortion pedal that remakes a rare 1980s circuit, the Yamaha OD-10MII, with a few key modifications. Pedal of the Day, reviewing it in June 2026, described it as "a modern remake of a unique hidden gem overdrive of the 1980s, the Yamaha OD-10MII, with a few key modifications"1. Compared with the original Paladin, the V2 adds more output volume and reconfigures the clipping options, and it uses high-end German-made hardware and premium internal components with top-mounted jacks1.
What it does
The Paladin V2 sits in the overdrive/distortion territory of a pedalboard, alongside other Overdrive Pedals and Distortion Pedals. Pedal of the Day called it "a powerful, instantly eye-catching unit that's based on a rare circuit from 40 or so years ago"1. The reviewer's summary of its sound: "With a ton of volume, gorgeous crunch and two different clipping modes"1.
The reviewer's overall verdict was strongly positive: "Not for the faint of heart, prepare yourself to be blown away by the sonic prowess this pedal provides"1.
The controls and clipping modes: Si and LED
The pedal's headline feature is its pair of clipping modes, selected between Si and LED1:
| Mode | Clipping | Character |
|---|---|---|
| Si | Symmetrical silicon diode clipping, matching the original OD-10MII circuit | The stock voicing of the Yamaha original1 |
| LED | Asymmetrical LED clipping | Less compression and more output1 |
The Tone control also drew praise. Pedal of the Day found "a powerful tone control that is highly usable across its broad sweep," offering what the reviewer called a ton of nuanced tonal variation1. Switching is silent soft touch true bypass, so the pedal drops out of the chain cleanly when off1.
A Yamaha OD-10MII circuit with more output
The circuit the Paladin V2 is based on has its own history. Aion FX, which documents the OD-10MII lineage, notes that it is very similar to the Fuzztone, a DIY project designed by Dan Coggins (Lovetone/Dinosaural) for the magazine Electronics Today International. The main differences are the clipping diode arrangement and the OD-10MII's inclusion of an input buffer, with most component values different, so the two pedals sound nothing alike2.
Against that baseline, the V2's changes are straightforward. The V2 is a slight update on the Paladin circuit based on extensive customer feedback, and Evil Eye FX have added more output volume and reconfigured the clipping options1. The pedal keeps the stock symmetrical silicon clipping of the original OD-10MII but adds an asymmetrical LED clipping option1.
The Paladin V2 is a revision of an earlier Evil Eye FX Paladin. If you are comparing the two, the differences to look for are the added output volume and the reconfigured clipping options1.
Videos
Pedal of the Day
Questions
What pedal is the Evil Eye FX Paladin V2 based on?
The Paladin V2 is a modern remake of the Yamaha OD-10MII, an overdrive from the 1980s that Pedal of the Day calls a hidden gem. Evil Eye FX kept the original circuit's symmetrical silicon diode clipping and added modifications, including more output volume and a second, asymmetrical LED clipping mode.
What changed between the original Paladin and the V2?
The V2 is a slight update on the original Paladin circuit, made after extensive customer feedback. Evil Eye FX added more output volume and reconfigured the clipping options, so the pedal now offers the stock symmetrical silicon clipping of the OD-10MII alongside an added asymmetrical LED clipping mode.
What is the difference between Si and LED clipping on the Paladin V2?
Si mode provides symmetrical silicon diode clipping, matching the original OD-10MII circuit. LED mode gives asymmetrical LED clipping with less compression and more output. Switching between the two changes how the pedal compresses and how loud it sits in a mix.
Is the Paladin V2 true bypass?
Yes. The Paladin V2 uses silent soft touch true-bypass switching, so the pedal is out of the signal path when off.
Is the Paladin V2 an overdrive or a distortion?
It is described as both: Pedal of the Day covers it as the Paladin V2 Overdrive Distortion, an overdrive/distortion based on a rare circuit from around 40 years ago. Players can think of it as a gain pedal that covers drive-to-distortion territory, with clipping modes that shift its character.
Sources (2)
- Evil Eye FX Paladin V2 Overdrive Distortion, Pedal of the Day, 2026-06-29
- Naos Classic Overdrive / Yamaha® OD-10MII, Aion FX, 2021-02-19