The Free The Tone OVERDRIVELAND ODL-1-CS is a custom shop overdrive pedal, listed by the maker under its CUSTOM SHOP line as an overdrive effect1. Free The Tone describes it as a pedal born to be glossy and present, like the now hard-to-find DUMBLE amp, and to express the individuality of the player1. The circuit was developed with the late-model DUMBLE OVERDRIVE SPECIAL used as the reference, and the drive circuit design also took cues from the sounds and signal routing of Brian May and Gary Moore and the equipment they used1.
How the circuit is laid out
The OVERDRIVELAND is built from two large sections: a normal channel circuit and a drive circuit. In the drive channel, the signal flows through the drive circuit first and then through the normal channel circuit1. The normal channel, which is the basic circuit of the pedal, was deliberately designed without clipping diodes or LEDs, according to Free The Tone1.
The controls cover both sections:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| NOR LEVEL | Normal channel level |
| DRV LEVEL | Drive channel level |
| TONE | Tone control for the normal channel EQ |
| GAIN | Gain |
| PUSH | Adjusts the signal level sent from the drive circuit to the normal channel; Free The Tone says this controls the sense of sound pressure1 |
| HI-CUT | High cut |
| DRIVE | Drive |
| EQ ON/GLASS switch | EQ ON activates the TONE circuit; GLASS bypasses it |
| ROCK/JAZZ switch | Voicing switch |
| DC9V/VARIABLE switch | Selects the power supply mode |
| Voltage adjustment trimmer | Sets the internal supply voltage1 |
The EQ ON/GLASS switch changes the character of the normal channel noticeably. With GLASS selected, the TONE circuit is bypassed, and Free The Tone says this gives a glassy tone like a blackface Fender Vibroverb with the Bright switch on1.
Power: 9V in, adjustable voltage inside
The pedal runs on a 9V battery (006P type) or a DC9V center-negative AC adapter, and draws 95 mA at DC9V1. Input impedance is 500k ohms or higher, and the output load impedance is 10k ohms or higher1.
The internal boost circuit draws high current. Free The Tone says that when using a 9V battery, the power switch must be set to the DC9V side1. At 95 mA1, a battery-only daisy-chain setup is also worth thinking twice about.
The DC9V/VARIABLE switch chooses between two supply modes. On the standard version, you can select either the external DC9V input or the internal boost power supply of DC14.5V1. On this custom shop version, setting the switch to VARI connects the external power supply to the internal boost circuit, which then feeds the OVERDRIVELAND's audio circuit. The voltage supplied to the audio circuit can be adjusted continuously from DC10V to 19V, and Free The Tone says this changes the clipping point and the drive sound1.
The custom shop version and related pedals
The ODL-1-CS sits in Free The Tone's custom shop range alongside the OVERDRIVELAND ODL-1, the OVERDRIVELAND ODL-1A-CS and the SOV-2-CS1. The variable internal supply is what sets the custom shop version apart: the standard version offers a fixed choice between external DC9V and the internal DC14.5V boost, while the custom shop version lets you sweep the supply from DC10V to 19V with the trimmer1. If you are comparing overdrive pedals more broadly, the site's Overdrive Pedals page covers the type, and the Boss SD-1 vs Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer comparison looks at two of the most common reference points players use when describing drive pedals.
Videos
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Questions
Does the normal channel use clipping diodes?
No. Free The Tone states that the basic circuit, which is the OVERDRIVELAND's normal channel, was deliberately designed without clipping diodes or LEDs. The drive section is a separate circuit, and in the drive channel the signal passes through the drive circuit first and then through the normal channel circuit.
What does the Push knob do on the OVERDRIVELAND?
The PUSH control adjusts the signal level sent from the drive circuit into the normal channel. Free The Tone describes it as a way to control the sense of sound pressure, so turning it up pushes more drive signal into the clean-ish normal section and gives the pedal more weight and presence.
What is the VARI mode on the custom shop OVERDRIVELAND?
VARI is a power supply mode on the custom shop version. With the DC9V/VARIABLE switch set to VARI, the external power supply feeds an internal boost circuit, and the voltage delivered to the audio circuit can be adjusted continuously from DC10V to 19V. Free The Tone says changing this voltage alters the clipping point and the drive sound.
How much does the Free The Tone OVERDRIVELAND cost?
Free The Tone lists a manufacturer's price of 62,700 yen for the OVERDRIVELAND, as stated on the maker's custom shop product page dated 25 October 2026. The figure is given in Japanese yen and is not converted here.
Sources (1)
- OVERDRIVELAND / ODL-1-CS｜CUSTOM SHOP カスタムショップ｜Free The Tone, Free The Tone (freethetone.com)
