The Free The Tone SOV-2-CS is an analog overdrive pedal from the maker's Custom Shop. Free The Tone describes it as an overdrive that reproduces the soft overtones and rich drive sound of a vacuum tube, driving naturally while preserving the guitar's own sound characteristics and picking nuances as tonal differences1. It belongs to the same family as the SOV-2, which the maker called the final form of the SOV overdrive line before that version ended production in 20181.
Tube-style response without tubes
Although the SOV-2-CS carries a tube-inspired brief, Free The Tone is explicit that no vacuum tubes are inside. The maker says the pedal was designed over several years, with various refinements, to obtain soft overtones and dynamics like a tube amp without using tubes1. The circuit is analog throughout, and the power design is central to that aim: a high-performance DC-DC converter takes the 9Vdc input and boosts it to plus and minus 15Vdc to supply the signal circuit1. The standard SOV-2 uses the same approach2.
For a player, the practical meaning is headroom: running the signal circuit well above the usual 9V gives the drive stages more voltage to work with, which is how the maker pursues its tube-style dynamics in a stompbox format1.
Controls and connections
The pedal keeps to a simple three-knob layout1:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| DRIVE | Sets the amount of overdrive |
| TONE | Shapes the treble response |
| LEVEL | Sets the output level |
On the jack plate there are two 1/4-inch standard phone jacks, one input and one output, plus a DC9V input jack for connecting an AC adapter1.
Power
The SOV-2-CS runs on DC9V and accepts either a 9V type 006P battery or an AC adapter1. Current draw is listed at approximately 90mA1, the same figure given for the standard SOV-23. The output load impedance is 10k ohms or higher1.
At about 90mA1, the SOV-2-CS draws more current than many compact overdrives. A battery will work, but a dedicated power supply output rated for the draw is the practical choice; a shared daisy-chain output sized for low-current pedals is not.
Availability and the Custom Shop
The SOV-2-CS is a Custom Shop product, and Free The Tone sells it only through its own online store in Japan. The maker states that retail stores carry it only on special occasions, such as Free The Tone events, store fairs at shops, or similar events1. The list price is 44,000 yen including tax1. Players outside Japan therefore have no regular retail channel for it, unlike the maker's standard line, which includes overdrives such as the OVERDRIVELAND ODL-1.
For context on where this pedal sits, see the site's page on Overdrive Pedals.
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Questions
Does the Free The Tone SOV-2-CS use vacuum tubes?
No. Free The Tone states the SOV-2-CS does not use vacuum tubes, even though it is designed to give the soft overtones and dynamics of a tube amp. The pedal is analog, and its internal power circuit uses a high-performance DC-DC converter to raise the 9Vdc input to plus and minus 15Vdc for the signal circuit, which is the maker's approach to achieving that tube-style response.
Can the SOV-2-CS run on a battery?
Yes. The pedal runs on DC9V and accepts a 9V type 006P battery or an AC adapter. Note that it draws about 90mA, which is a relatively heavy load for a battery-powered pedal, so an AC adapter or a dedicated power supply output is the more practical choice for regular use.
How much current does the SOV-2-CS draw?
Free The Tone lists the current draw at approximately 90mA. That figure comes from the internal DC-DC converter that boosts the incoming 9Vdc to plus and minus 15Vdc for the signal circuit, so a standard low-current daisy-chain output will not suit it.
What is the difference between the SOV-2 and the SOV-2-CS?
The SOV-2-CS is a Custom Shop version of the SOV-2 overdrive. The standard CUSTOM SERIES SOV-2, described by the maker as the final form of the SOV overdrive line, ended production in 2018. The Custom Shop version shares the same core design, including the DC-DC converter power circuit and the DRIVE, TONE and LEVEL controls, but is sold only through Free The Tone's own online store in Japan.
Can you buy the SOV-2-CS outside Japan?
Free The Tone sells the SOV-2-CS only through its own online store in Japan, at a list price of 44,000 yen including tax. Retail stores carry it only on special occasions, such as Free The Tone events, store fairs or similar events, so players outside Japan have no regular retail channel for it.
Sources (3)
- SOV-2-CS｜CUSTOM SHOP カスタムショップ｜Free The Tone, Free The Tone
- OVERDRIVE / SOV-2｜Products 商品紹介｜Free The Tone, Free The Tone
- OVERDRIVE / SOV-2｜Products 商品紹介｜Free The Tone, Free The Tone
