The GUPtech Queen of Crow Dual Overdrive is a two-channel overdrive pedal built as a tribute to one of the most sought-after overdrives in the effect world. GUPtech describes it plainly: "This is our dual Overdrive based on the AnalogMan version of the Blues Breaker, the King of Tone."1 The Gold Rush Edition page goes further and labels it a "King of Tone Tribute."2 Where the original is famous for long waiting lists, the Queen of Crow offers the same basic circuit idea as a pedal you can buy off the shelf, built by hand in Saguenay, Québec, Canada.1
The pedal houses two independent overdrive circuits in one 1590BB enclosure, the double-wide box typical of dual pedals.1 Each channel has its own controls, and several further options live inside the pedal, which we cover below. It is listed at the maker's own page, priced at £93.00 GBP.1
The controls and internal switches
Each side of the Queen of Crow is an independent overdrive circuit, and GUPtech fits each channel with an internal switch for hard or soft clipping.3 That choice matters to how the pedal responds: hard clipping pushes the waveform harder against a ceiling for a more saturated drive character, while soft clipping rounds the wave off for a smoother, more open overdrive. Because the switches are internal, you set them once and close the box up.
Inside the pedal you also find:
- A dip switch for the High Gain mode on each side1
- Internal trimpots for the presence control of each channel1
The presence trimpots let you fine tune the top end of each channel to your amp and guitar without adding knobs to the front panel. The high gain dip switch is a feature of later units only, and the serial number tells you which you have13.
If your serial number is after #4050, your pedal has the internal high gain dip switch, one for each side. Earlier units do not have it.1
Power: 9V center negative, 21mA
The Queen of Crow runs on 9V DC with a center negative plug, and only that. GUPtech states the power requirement as "9Vdc Center Negative ONLY," and the limited edition pages add a warning: "Using more than 9V will blow some capacitors."34 Current draw is a modest 21mA, light enough that the pedal is easy on a pedalboard power supply.1
The pedal also carries an onboard 18VDC charge pump, which GUPtech notes means "no need to wire it to a 18VDC outlet anymore."1 In other words, the internal circuitry sees the higher headroom of 18V operation while you still feed the pedal a standard 9V supply. Do not try to give it 18V at the jack; the charge pump does that job itself.
Never plug the Queen of Crow into a supply above 9V. The maker warns that more than 9V will blow some capacitors.3
Versions and limited editions
The Queen of Crow has appeared in several versions, all sharing the same core circuit. The standard pedal comes in Purple and Purple Red color options.1 The Gold Rush Edition is "exactly the same circuit as the original GUPtech QoC, in a unique Gold box," and it is sold out.2
| Version | Colors | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Queen of Crow | Purple, Purple Red | 1 |
| Douche Edition | Pink | 3 |
| Spooky 2026 | Blue Purple, Blue | Limited edition, released 2026-10-014 |
| Gold Rush Edition | Gold | Same circuit as the original, in a unique Gold box2 |
The Spooky 2026 edition was released on October 1, 2026 as a "super limited sparkling" run.4 It is a variant of the Queen of Crow offered in Blue Purple and Blue color options.4
How it behaves
GUPtech is candid about one quirk of the circuit. In the maker's own words1:
"Quick Note : This pedal ain't go a lot of volume, unity in boost mode is at full volume half gain, goof around"1
In practical terms, the volume control does not have a lot of boost on tap. If you use a channel as a boost, you reach unity volume with the volume control around full and the gain around half, and you set your levels from there1.
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Questions
Is the GUPtech Queen of Crow a King of Tone clone?
GUPtech describes it as a dual overdrive based on the AnalogMan version of the Blues Breaker, the King of Tone, and the Gold Rush Edition page calls it a King of Tone Tribute. It is a tribute circuit rather than a licensed copy, built by GUPtech in Saguenay, Québec, Canada, and it adds features of its own, such as an onboard 18VDC charge pump.
Does my Queen of Crow have the high gain dip switch?
Only units with a serial number after #4050 have the internal dip switch for the high gain mode, one for each side of the pedal. Earlier units do not have it. If your serial is after #4050, the switch is inside the pedal, so you need to open the enclosure to reach it.
Why is the Queen of Crow quiet at low volume settings?
GUPtech notes that the pedal does not have a lot of volume on tap. In boost mode, unity volume is reached with the volume control around full and the gain around half, and the maker suggests working from there. If the pedal seems quiet at lower settings, that is simply how the circuit is voiced.
What diodes and op-amp does the Queen of Crow use?
GUPtech wires the circuit with 1N914 and BA283 diodes and a JRC4580 op-amp chip. The same component set is listed for the standard pedal and for the limited editions, including the Douche Edition and the Spooky 2026 edition.
Where is GUPtech based?
GUPtech makes all of its pedals in Saguenay, Québec, Canada. The Queen of Crow is built there in a 1590BB enclosure, the common double-wide pedal box size used for two-footswitch dual pedals.
