The Hudson Electronics Overdrive 999 is a hand wired overdrive pedal built on the circuit of "that infamous green overdrive," the Tube Screamer, but heavily modified. Hudson tuned it for more bass, a wider gain range, greater headroom and amp-like clipping, and paired the drive circuit with a powerful active two band EQ based on a vintage recording console1. It sits in the same family of Tube Screamer-derived designs as the Hudson Electronics Sidecar, and players comparing green overdrives can see how the originals stack up in Boss SD-1 vs Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer.
A Tube Screamer with more bass and headroom
Hudson describes the pedal as "a heavily modified version of that infamous green overdrive, tuned for more bass, wider gain range, greater headroom and amp-like clipping"1. The pedal's active two band EQ provides up to 15dB of cut and boost of the high and low bands, giving players control over the added low end and the overall gain structure1.
The Overdrive 999 is discontinued. It now appears under the archived category on Hudson Electronics' own site1, and at launch only 10 of each of the three new pedals were available to the USA market through authorized dealers3.
The controls and the Studer-derived EQ
The pedal's most distinctive feature is its EQ section. Hudson says "the powerful two band Baxandall equaliser section is taken from an old Studer recording console," providing up to 15dB of cut and boost of the high and low bands1. A Baxandall EQ is the treble-and-bass layout found on recording consoles and hi-fi amps, and it lets you cut as well as boost, which is unusual on a drive pedal.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| DRIVE | Sets the amount of overdrive; low DRIVE with pushed TREBLE and VOLUME gives classic treble boost tones1 |
| TREBLE | High band of the Baxandall EQ, up to 15dB of cut or boost; pulling it back with BASS gives the classic mid-focused overdrive1 |
| BASS | Low band of the Baxandall EQ; cranking it with DRIVE slams the front of the amp for fuzzed-up, exploding amp tones1 |
| VOLUME | Pushed along with TREBLE for treble boost sounds1 |
Because the EQ is active and two band, the pedal covers a wide range of sounds from one box31:
- Flat EQ (11 o'clock): just adds grit without messing too much with the natural sound of your amplifier1
- TREBLE and BASS pulled back: the classic mid-focused Tube Screamer overdrive1
- DRIVE and BASS cranked: slams the front end of your amp for fuzzed-up, exploding amp tones1
- Low DRIVE, pushed TREBLE and VOLUME: classic treble boost tones1
Bass, and where it sits in Hudson's range
Hudson states that "the extended frequency response and wide ranging equaliser allow it to work just as well on bass as on guitar"1, which sets it apart from most Tube Screamer-style overdrives, whose mid hump and bass roll-off make them a harder fit for bass. The pedal also predates the designs Hudson became best known for: Michael Hudson went on to release the Broadcast, a console-inspired preamp/overdrive whose current signature version is the Hudson Electronics Broadcast AP-II, and the Hudson Electronics Motorcycle2. For more on the effect type, see Overdrive Pedals.
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Questions
Does the Hudson Overdrive 999 work on bass?
Yes. Hudson Electronics says the pedal's extended frequency response and wide ranging equaliser allow it to work just as well on bass as on guitar. The extra low end the circuit was tuned for, compared with a stock Tube Screamer-style overdrive, and the two band Baxandall EQ with up to 15dB of cut and boost give a bass player ways to shape the tone rather than losing the low end.
Is the Hudson Overdrive 999 still made?
No. The Overdrive 999 now sits in the archived category on Hudson Electronics' own product page, meaning it is no longer available. When it was announced in September 2014 it was a limited run: only 10 of each of the three new hand wired Hudson pedals were available to the USA market through authorized dealers.
Who designed the Hudson Overdrive 999?
The Overdrive 999 was designed by Michael Hudson of Hudson Electronics, who released the pedal around ten years before the maker's Motorcycle page was written. Hudson Electronics is a UK pedal builder whose later designs include the Broadcast series of preamp and overdrive pedals.
How many Overdrive 999 pedals came to the US?
Only 10 of each pedal were available to the USA market through authorized dealers when European Musical Imports announced the Overdrive 999, Blackbird and Buzzard in September 2014, according to Premier Guitar's press release coverage.
Sources (3)
- OVERDRIVE 999, Hudson Electronics UK
- Motorcycle, Hudson Electronics UK
- Hudson Electronics Launches New Pedal Lineup 2023, Premier Guitar, 2014-09-09
