The Fulltone Full-Drive 1 is an overdrive pedal released in 2018. It is built on the classic Tube Screamer circuit with several hot-rodded additions, and it carries a three-way Mode switch that adds two extra settings beyond the vintage Tube Screamer arrangement1. Sweetwater's Don Carr, in his demo video, calls it "full tone's classic mid forward medium drive pedal"2.
Despite the name, it is not a reissue of the original Full-Drive. Aion FX describes it as a new product that is essentially a single-channel Full-Drive II with tweaks to sound more like the late '90s units1, and Don Carr frames it the same way: "full drive one is a smaller version of the very famous 1990s full tone full drive"2.
Controls and the Mode switch
The pedal keeps the familiar three-knob layout: Volume, Tone and Overdrive2. The Mode switch is what sets it apart from a straight Tube Screamer style pedal: it is a three-way switch offering two extra settings in addition to the vintage Tube Screamer circuit1.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Volume | Sets output level2 |
| Tone | Tone shaping2 |
| Overdrive | Drive amount2 |
| Mode switch (center) | Vintage: the classic mid forward medium gain setting2 |
| Mode switch (other positions) | Two extra settings beyond the vintage Tube Screamer circuit1 |
One thing to know when switching modes: in Comp Cut mode the output level is considerably lower, as Don Carr demonstrates, so the Volume knob needs to come up to match the other settings2.
The announcement of the pedal referenced Enhanced Bypass, but the user manual only mentions true bypass, so it appears there was a last-minute change between the announcement and the shipped pedal1.
Power, bypass and the board
The Full-Drive 1 runs on either 9 or 18 volts, with 18 volts giving higher headroom2. It is true bypass, which means there is no buffer in the pedal2. Its enclosure was deliberately downsized, which Don Carr describes as a better fit for today's bare-bones boards2. Like other Fulltone pedals it is handmade in the USA3.
Where it sits in the Fulltone range
Players comparing it with the rest of the Fulltone line should keep the lineage in mind: it is a single-channel version of the Full-Drive II concept rather than a return of the original Full-Drive1, and it has no boost function, offering only overdrive3. The later Full-Drive 3 is a separate model in the same family. For the wider context of this kind of mid-forward overdrive, see Overdrive Pedals and the Boss SD-1 vs Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer comparison.
What reviewers and demos found
In the Sweetwater demo, Don Carr plays a Gibson Les Paul Standard through an Orange Rocker 32 and works through the Mode switch settings, noting the classic mid forward medium gain character of the Vintage mode and the lower output of Comp Cut2. Writing when the pedal was first announced in December 2017, gearnews.com's Jef observed that the pedal has no boost function, offering only overdrive, and remarked that "Fulltone's handmade pedals are built like tanks, in my experience"3. The pedal's list price was still to be confirmed at that point3.
Aion FX traced the circuit in 20261.
Videos
FulltoneMusicalProductsLLC
Brett Papa
Questions
Is the Fulltone Full-Drive 1 true bypass?
Yes. The user manual only mentions true bypass, and Aion FX notes there appears to have been a last-minute change between the announcement, which referenced Enhanced Bypass, and the pedal as shipped. In the Sweetwater demo, Don Carr confirms it is true bypass, which means there is no buffer in the signal path when the pedal is off.
Is the Full-Drive 1 a reissue of the original Full-Drive?
No. According to Aion FX, the Full-Drive 1 is not a reissue of the original Full-Drive but a new product that is essentially a single-channel Full-Drive II with tweaks to sound more like the late '90s units. Don Carr of Sweetwater describes it as a smaller version of the very famous 1990s Fulltone Full-Drive.
What chip is in the Fulltone Full-Drive 1?
The pedal is built on the JRC4558 chip, the same operational amplifier associated with the vintage Tube Screamer circuit the Full-Drive 1 is based on. Don Carr points this out in the Sweetwater demo video.
Why is Comp Cut mode quieter on the Full-Drive 1?
In the Sweetwater demo, Don Carr notes that in Comp Cut mode the volume is considerably lower in output level than the other Mode switch settings. Players switching to Comp Cut should expect to adjust the Volume knob to match their level.
Does the Full-Drive 1 have a buffer?
No. Because the pedal is true bypass, there is no buffer in it, as Don Carr explains in the Sweetwater demo. Players who want buffering on their board would need to add it separately.
Sources (3)
- Tellurion Dynamic Drive / Fulltone® Full-Drive 1, Aion FX, 2026-07-03
- Fulltone Full-Drive 1 Overdrive Pedal Demo, Sweetwater, 2019-05-08
- Fulltone goes back to basics with new Full-Drive 1 overdrive pedal, gearnews.com, 2017-12-12
