The Harley Benton Ultimate Drive is an analog overdrive pedal for electric guitar, sold under Harley Benton's own name. It follows the familiar three-knob overdrive layout: a gain control, a tone control and a level control, plus a switch for low and high peak that shapes the pedal's midrange character. Harley Benton describes its sound as having "a sonic DNA close to that of a cranked tube amp," and claims it covers "from 70s rock tones to fuzz-like saw sounds," so it reaches further into distortion territory than a clean overdrive alone1.
Controls
The pedal keeps things simple. Harley Benton lists one gain control, one tone control and one level control, plus the switch for low and high peak1. RockBoard's PedalPedia sums up how they work together: "Use the Gain, Level and Tone controls as well as the Low and High Peak switch to dial in your favorite OD tones"2.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Gain | Sets how hard the pedal drives |
| Tone | Shapes the top end |
| Level | Sets the output volume against your clean signal |
| Low/High Peak switch | Shapes the pedal's drive character, from lighter to heavier settings12 |
The peak switch is the control that sets this circuit apart from a plain three-knob overdrive. On the closely related Mosky ULTIMATE Overdrive, which shares the High Peak/Low Peak switch layout, the maker describes the switch as taking "the pedal from a clean boost to manic, sustain-laden distortion"3. That gives a sense of the range a peak switch of this kind covers: the low setting leans toward lighter, cleaner drive, while the high setting pushes into heavier, more compressed territory.
Power and size
The Ultimate Drive runs on a 9V battery or a mains adapter, and Harley Benton states plainly that neither is included, so you need to supply your own1. RockBoard's PedalPedia lists the current draw at 6mA2, which is light enough that a battery lasts a long time and the pedal sits comfortably on any standard 9V supply.
No battery or power adapter comes in the box. If you are adding this to a daisy-chained board supply, the 6mA draw leaves plenty of headroom on most outputs2.
For size, Harley Benton lists the enclosure at 38 x 64 x 118 mm, height by width by depth1. That is a compact, standard-format stompbox that fits a normal pedalboard without taking up unusual space.
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Circuit | Analog2 |
| Power | 9V battery or mains adapter, not included1 |
| Current draw | 6mA2 |
| Dimensions | 38 x 64 x 118 mm (H x W x D)1 |
Related pedals and what reviewers said
The Ultimate Drive sits in a family of related circuits. Guitar World reviewed the Joyo Ultimate Drive, whose reviewer Billy Voight noted that "the knobs are Gain, Tone and Level," the same three-control layout4. MusicRadar's buying guide lists the Joyo version with a hi/low gain switch alongside gain, level and tone5. Harley Benton's version carries the low and high peak switch in that same role1.
Harley Benton describes the Ultimate Drive as an analog circuit1. For players digging into the pedal's controls and specifications in detail, the maker's English manual is available as a PDF download2.
Videos
Harley Benton
EytschPi42
SRGuitar
Questions
What does the low and high peak switch do on the Harley Benton Ultimate Drive?
The Ultimate Drive has a switch for low and high peak. Alongside the Gain, Level and Tone controls, RockBoard's PedalPedia says you use the Low and High Peak switch to dial in your favorite overdrive tones. On the closely related Mosky ULTIMATE Overdrive, the maker describes the equivalent High Peak/Low Peak switch as taking the pedal from a clean boost to manic, sustain-laden distortion, which gives an idea of the range the switch covers.
Does the Harley Benton Ultimate Drive come with a power supply?
No. Harley Benton's product page states the pedal operates with a 9V battery or a mains adapter, and that both are not included. The pedal draws 6mA according to RockBoard's PedalPedia, so a standard 9V center-negative adapter or a single battery covers it.
Can the Harley Benton Ultimate Drive get fuzz-like sounds?
Harley Benton says so on the product page: the pedal has a sonic DNA close to that of a cranked tube amp, and the maker claims it covers everything from 70s rock tones to fuzz-like saw sounds. It is sold as an overdrive, so those sounds sit at the drive end of the pedal's range rather than replacing a dedicated fuzz.
How big is the Harley Benton Ultimate Drive?
Harley Benton lists the dimensions as 38 x 64 x 118 mm, measured height by width by depth. That is a compact standard-format stompbox enclosure that fits a normal pedalboard.
Sources (5)
- Ultimate Drive, Harley Benton (harleybenton.com)
- Ultimate Drive by Harley Benton, RockBoard PedalPedia, 2026
- ULTIMATE Overdrive_Hand-Built Effect Pedals_Products_mosky pedal, moskyaudio.com
- Review: Joyo Ultimate Drive Overdrive Pedal, Guitar World, 2014-01-21
- 8 cheap but great guitar overdrive pedal alternatives to boutique classics, MusicRadar, 2020-07-21
