The Frost Giant Electronics Mourningstar Advanced Overdrive is a 3-in-1 mid-hump overdrive honed for metal players. A mode selector switches between three circuits: a TS9-style mode, an SD-1-style mode, and a third, supercharged "Mourning Star" variant which, in Guitar Pedal X's words, "ups things to another level"1. It is designed for spiking high-gain amps but also works on its own, and it sits among the wider family of overdrive pedals alongside distortion and boost designs.
What it does
The pedal takes on the TS9 and SD-1, two of the most familiar mid-humped overdrive circuits, and adds a third Mourning Star variant of Frost Giant's own. Where a classic Tube Screamer or SD-1 gives you Volume, Gain and Tone, the Mourningstar adds High, Mid and Low controls, an extensive 3-band EQ laid over the Screamer and SD-1-style format1. That extra EQ is what makes it usable in front of a high-gain amp, where the mid focus of a TS9 or SD-1 is often wanted but their fixed tone controls are not.
The three modes are selected with a single switch:
| Control | Function |
|---|---|
| Volume | Output level |
| Gain | Drive amount |
| High | Treble band of the 3-band EQ |
| Mid | Middle band of the 3-band EQ |
| Low | Bass band of the 3-band EQ |
| Mode | Selects TS9 / Mourning Star / SD-1 |
What reviewers said
Guitar Pedal X's Stefan Karlsson reviewed the pedal at its January 2026 launch. On its character:
"I feel this is a really great mid-hump overdrive on its own - while it's seemingly mostly been honed for spiking the front of high gain amps."
That reading matches the design brief: the pedal is pitched at players who want a mid-hump overdrive to tighten and push a high-gain amp, with the Mourning Star mode as the most aggressive of the three settings. For a player comparing the two reference circuits side by side, the site's Boss SD-1 vs Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer comparison covers the ground the Mourningstar's TS9 and SD-1 modes draw on1.
Videos
Dirty Demos
Kyle Bull
Dirty Demos
Questions
What is the Frost Giant Electronics Mourningstar Advanced Overdrive?
It is a 3-in-1 mid-hump overdrive aimed at metal players. A mode selector switches between TS9, Mourning Star and SD-1 circuits, and the usual Screamer and SD-1-style format gains Volume, Gain, High, Mid and Low controls, adding an extensive 3-band EQ. It is designed for spiking high-gain amps but also works on its own.
How much does the Mourningstar Advanced Overdrive cost?
As of January 2026, the Mourningstar Advanced Overdrive goes for $189 and equivalent on the Frost Giant webstore, according to Guitar Pedal X's review of the pedal's launch.
Sources (1)
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2026-01-09
