The Horizon Devices Precision Drive is an overdrive pedal aimed squarely at players who use an overdrive to boost and tighten a high-gain amp rather than as their main source of distortion. Horizon Devices describes it as "the first modern overdrive made by guitar players for guitar players"1, and the company's manual frames its purpose as bringing "the tonal benefits of an overdrive to work properly" in front of a driven amp2. The pedal was designed by Misha Mansoor of Periphery, who co-founded Horizon Devices3.
The maker's own description of what it does: "The Precision Drive can take any set-up, both tube and digital, and turn it into the perfect modern metal rig with its precise tonal carving controls"1. Guitar Pedal X's Stefan Karlsson called it an early entry in a category that has since grown, writing that "There are now several specifically High Gain Tightening and Enhancing Overdrives - while I believe this was the first on[e]"4.
Where it goes in the chain
The manual is specific about placement: "Place the Precision drive before your amp (or pre-amp, if you are not using a traditional guitar amp), not in the FX loop"5. It is a front-end pedal, shaping the guitar signal before the amp's own gain stages.
If you are driving a distortion pedal rather than an amp, the same rule applies. The manual says that when using the Precision Drive in front of a preamp or distortion pedal, such as the 5150OD, the Precision Drive goes before that pedal in the chain2.
The controls
The manual walks through each knob with practical starting points, and the pedal's character comes from how the Attack and Bright controls interact with the Drive and Gate62.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Volume | Sets output level. 6 on the Precision Drive is roughly equal to 10 on a Tubescreamer, so starting at noon is usually a good bet2. |
| Bright | A very bright tone control to help dark or muddy amps cut. It can be harsh in the upper portion of its range on mid or low gain tones2. |
| Attack | Works with Bright to control how much effect the pedal gives, from smoother and chunkier at the lowest settings to edgier and tighter at the highest6. |
| Drive | Drive and saturation. Start near zero and dial up to around 1 to 2 for saturation and thickness; usable up to mid-gain tones2. |
| Gate | Built-in noise gate. Left eliminates most noise with minimal tonal effect; right gives very tight bass response but can interfere with soloing; noon is a good middle ground2. |
A trick the manual suggests for the Drive control: dial in a really dry and clear tone first, then slowly turn the drive knob up to around 1 to 2 until you get the saturation and thickness you want2.
The Bright control's range is deliberate. The manual explains: "We made sure this control could be very bright in order to help make dark or muddy amps cut"2. The trade-off is that the upper end of the range can turn harsh on mid or low gain settings.
The gate, and its limits
The built-in gate is one of the features that sets the Precision Drive apart from most overdrives, which typically leave noise control to a separate noise gate pedal. The manual notes that "Like any gate, as you use your gain, your sound becomes less tight"5, so the gate has to work harder as gain rises.
There is a hard limit to be aware of:
The manual warns that using a lot of gain, whether tons of amp gain, tons of pedal gain, or both, can simply overload the gate and keep it from working properly2. If your rig is running extreme gain, the built-in gate may not be able to silence the noise on its own.
On a clean amp
The Precision Drive is not limited to high-gain rigs. The manual says you can "use the Precision Drive to dial in more mids and crunch, almost acting like a second channel" on a clean amp channel2. Raising the Drive control into its usable mid-gain range turns the pedal into more of a light crunch source than a clean boost.
Related pedals
Horizon Devices keeps the Precision Drive in its current lineup, with an estimated ship time of approximately 3 to 4 weeks1. The pedal lists at $2194, and the maker offers fast free US shipping on orders of $30 or more1. The design traces back to Misha Mansoor, who said of the project, "So I figured I might as well bring that pedal to life, if anything, just so I could have it for myself!"3.
Who uses it
The pedal's user roster includes players from the metal and progressive worlds. Aaron Marshall is quoted on Horizon Devices' own reviews page: "I use mine to tighten and focus my rhythm/riff sounds and it does exactly what I ask of it"3. Review quotes on the maker's product page also come from Misha Mansoor, Ola Englund, Keith Merrow, Rabea Massaad, Alex Wade and Rabea Massaad, with one player, Darren Wingett, noting "I play a lot of live gigs with my Orange OR30 amp" with the Precision Drive1.
Guitar World's demo was presented by Tech Editor Paul Riario7. In the accompanying text, the magazine framed the pedal's purpose plainly: "Given how many rock and metal musicians use ODs to boost and tighten their amps, I would have thought there might be a s[imilar product]" before the Precision Drive arrived7.
Videos
Pete Thorn
Andertons Music Co
Sweetwater
Questions
Can the Precision Drive go in an amp's effects loop?
No. Horizon Devices' manual says to place the Precision Drive before your amp, or before a preamp if you are not using a traditional guitar amp, and not in the FX loop. It is designed to shape the signal hitting the amp's front end, not to sit after the preamp.
Does the Horizon Devices Precision Drive run on a battery?
Yes. The manual states that a 9V battery will work fine as an alternative to a power supply. The pedal runs on a center negative 9V supply and draws 16mA, so it is also easy to run from a standard pedalboard power brick.
Why does the Precision Drive's gate stop working with too much gain?
The manual warns that using a lot of gain, whether tons of amp gain, tons of pedal gain, or both, can simply overload the gate and keep it from working properly. Like any gate, the sound also becomes less tight as gain increases, so the gate has more noise to fight.
Can the Precision Drive be used on a clean amp channel?
Yes. The manual says you can use the Precision Drive to dial in more mids and crunch on a clean channel, almost acting like a second channel. Raising the Drive control toward its usable mid-gain range adds saturation and thickness to a clean amp.
How much current does the Precision Drive draw?
The manual gives a draw of 9 volts and 16mA. That is low enough to share an output with other small pedals on many power supplies, though the pedal also accepts a 9V battery if you prefer to run it without a supply.
Sources (7)
- PRECISION DRIVE, Horizon Devices
- PRECISION DRIVE, Horizon Devices
- Reviews | Horizon Devices, Horizon Devices
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2024-02-05
- Users- Guide- PD, Horizon Devices
- Reviews_1, Horizon Devices
- Watch Paul Riario Demo the Horizon Devices Precision Drive, Guitar World, 2017-09-07
Yvette Young