The Hudson Electronics Sidecar is an overdrive pedal from UK builder Hudson Electronics. Its front end is a modified version of the classic 808 overdrive circuit, which Hudson tuned for a bigger low end, a wider gain range and more headroom than a stock Tube Screamer-style design1. Where an 808 clips with silicon diodes, the Sidecar's clipping section uses a pair of germanium diodes, chosen for what the maker calls their "softer" response characteristics, retaining playing dynamics and feel1.
Hudson describes the pedal's range broadly: it can cover classic overdrive and distortion, and at extreme settings, fuzz and boost1. The drive character comes from the germanium clipping paired with a high-performance, high-fidelity audio operational amplifier in the signal path12.
An 808 circuit, reworked
Guitar World's Tube Screamer clones buying guide places the Sidecar among pedals "largely based on the classic TS808," noting that its front end provides greater low-end response, a wider range of gain and more headroom than a standard 808, and that its two germanium diodes deliver a slightly softer response that keeps dynamics intact5.
The clearest departure from the 808 formula is the tone shaping. As Pedal of the Day's reviewer Mike B put it2:
"Unlike the 808 circuit it's loosely based on, there's a 2-knob EQ section instead of one lone Tone knob"2
That two-knob section is a Baxandall equalizer, a design Hudson says draws inspiration from a vintage Studer recording console, placed after the drive section1. For a player used to a single Tone knob, this is the big functional difference: cut and boost on both ends of the spectrum rather than a single tilt toward treble.
The controls
The Sidecar has four knobs, with the EQ sitting after the drive stage1.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| LEVEL | Sets the overall output1 |
| DRIVE | Regulates how hard the pedal is driven1 |
| BASS | Low end cut or boost, +/- 15 dB at 85 Hz, shelving1 |
| TREBLE | High end cut or boost, +/- 15 dB at 8800 Hz, shelving1 |
The Drive control's sweep is wide: Mike B found it "starting slow and mellow and moving quickly to crunchy and distorted"2. On That Pedal Show's Tube Screamer comparison, the hosts also pointed out a switch on the unit for different clipping and compression settings, alongside the bass and treble controls6.
Power: 9 to 24V, 50mA
The Sidecar runs on a standard 9 to 24 volt DC regulated power supply with a 2.1mm negative tip barrel, drawing 50mA1. There is no battery option, so it lives on a powered pedalboard or a wall adapter.
The wide voltage range is a feature rather than a footnote. Hudson says152:
"Running at higher voltages will give you more headroom, less distortion and less compression and sag. This is perfect for use on bass, baritone and low tuned guitars."1
JHS Pedals, covering Hudson's line, noted the same flexibility: "all these pedals also run at 24 volts. You can put 9, 12, 18, or 24"7. For a bass player or a guitarist tuning down, running the Sidecar at 18 or 24V keeps the low end cleaner and less compressed than it would be at 9V.
What reviewers said
The Sidecar has drawn strong words from several corners of the press.
- JHS Pedals called it "an incredibly unique overdrive pedal for this day and age, or really for any time in history," praising its germanium clipping7.
- Mike B at Pedal of the Day concluded it is "a drive that will contend with anything you put it up against"2.
- On That Pedal Show, Mick named it one of his favorite Tube Screamer style pedals8.
In a Guitar World interview with That Pedal Show's Dan Steinhardt and Mick Taylor, asked about a favorite TS-inspired pedal, the answer was blunt: "Hudson Sidecar. Without any shadow of a doubt for me"9.
A later That Pedal Show video revisited the pedal, with Mick calling it his other favorite among Tube Screamer style drives8.
Videos
Eirik Stordrange
A77.STUDIO
Music Villa
Questions
What does running the Sidecar at 24V do?
Hudson says running the Sidecar at higher voltages gives more headroom, less distortion and less compression and sag, which the maker describes as perfect for bass, baritone and low tuned guitars. The pedal accepts 9, 12, 18 or 24 volts through a standard 2.1mm negative tip barrel connector, so no special supply is needed.
Is the Hudson Sidecar a Tube Screamer clone?
Not a straight clone. The front end is a modified version of the classic 808 overdrive circuit, tuned by Hudson for a bigger low end, wider gain range and more headroom, and the clipping uses germanium diodes rather than the 808's silicon pair. Guitar World describes it as largely based on the TS808 rather than a copy of it.
What is the Baxandall EQ on the Sidecar?
It is a two-band shelving equalizer that sits after the drive section, drawing its design from a vintage Studer recording console. The Bass control gives up to 15 dB of cut or boost at 85 Hz and the Treble control gives up to 15 dB of cut or boost at 8800 Hz, replacing the single Tone knob of a standard 808 circuit.
Does the Hudson Sidecar take a battery?
No. The Sidecar is powered by a standard 9 to 24 volt DC regulated power supply with a 2.1mm negative tip barrel connector, drawing 50mA. There is no battery option, so it needs a pedalboard power supply or a wall adapter.
Sources (9)
- SIDECAR - HUDSON ELECTRONICS UK, Hudson Electronics UK
- Hudson Electronics Sidecar Overdrive, Pedal of the Day, 2016-03-10
- Hudson Electronics Sidecar Overdrive, Pedal of the Day, 2016-03-05
- Pillion Overdrive, PedalPCB.com
- Best Tube Screamer clones: top alternatives for all budgets, Guitar World, 2022-03-30
- Tube Screamers: TS808, TS9 & TS10, JHS Bonsai, Walrus, RYRA & Hudson, That Pedal Show (YouTube), 2018-08-02
- WHY YOU NEED TO KNOW HUDSON ELECTRONICS, JHS Pedals
- Because The World Needs Another Tube Screamer Video Is Mick’s TS808 Still King?, That Pedal Show (youtube.com), 2022-12-16
- That Pedal Show's Dan Steinhardt & Mick Taylor rate legendary pedals, Guitar World, 2022-10-31
