The Keeley D&M Drive is a dual overdrive pedal from Keeley Electronics built in collaboration with Daniel Steinhardt and Mick Taylor, the duo behind the YouTube channel That Pedal Show. One side carries a Mick-flavored Boost, the other a Dan-flavored Drive, and the two circuits can run on their own or stacked together, with a switch choosing which side comes first12.
Released in 2017, the pedal was positioned as covering the full range of drive tones, from clean boost to searing rock leads34. Guitar World reported that it won several awards upon its release4.
Boost and drive in one box
The D&M Drive is a dual-format design featuring overdrive and boost sections that can be used individually or stacked, with the option of putting the boost before or after the drive1. As That Pedal Show put it when the pedal launched: "You can boost the drive or drive the boost"2.
The two sides have distinct characters. The Drive side is Dan's full-range overdrive/distortion, while the Boost side is Mick's more mid-humped, boosty drive3. MusicRadar's reviewer Trevor Curwen found the Drive side could "go from low-level gritty raunch to the throaty sound of a full-on driven amp with all of the sustain and rich harmonics," while the Boost side has "emphasised midrange with a frisson of frequencies that add more authority to the sound of single coils"1.
A practical extra for pedalboard users: when used with a loop switcher, the pedal allows one-touch switching for any combination of drive, boost and stacking order5.
The controls
Each side has its own Level, Tone and Gain controls, and the two sides differ in sound and in how they react to your amp and pickups6. Guitar.com's review listed the independent level, gain and tone controls for each channel, plus a selectable pedal stacking order switch7.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Gain (each side) | Dials from a little low-level overdrive upward1 |
| Tone (each side) | Focuses the top-end to suit your rig1 |
| Level (each side) | Sets the output of that side6 |
| Stacking order switch | Selects whether the boost or the drive comes first7 |
On the Boost side, the Tone control gives any kind of frequency boost or cut, blending with the Gain6. Guitar.com's reviewer Ed Oleszko would have liked some sort of internal presence control on the boost side to control sparkling high frequencies, a small criticism in an otherwise positive review7.
The designers and the circuits behind it
The pedal was created by Robert Keeley in collaboration with That Pedal Show, giving Dan and Mick their own signature pedal with Keeley Electronics14. Mick Taylor designed the Boost section and Daniel Steinhardt specified the Drive section1.
The circuits have recognizable ancestors. The Drive section was specified by Daniel to offer a bit more drive than his favorite Analog Man King Of Tone, and since he likes Tube Screamers and Klons, there is more than a hint of those in how the pedal gets more out of your amp1. In 2022, Guitar World described the two sides more directly, calling the Boost side a Klone and the Drive side an O.C.D.4
"The D&M Drive is a dual overdrive that brings together Dan's full-range overdrive/distortion on one side, and Mick's more mid-humped boosty drive on the other."
How the boost compares to the Keeley Katana
Keeley describes the Boost side as "somewhere in between a clean boost like the high voltage Keeley Katana and a germanium modded professional overdrive," with insane amounts of headroom and a distinct mid-range voice that can be dialed in3. Gearnews similarly reported a mid-tone boost similar to the Katana pedal in terms of headroom and tone8. In short: Katana-level headroom, but voiced with a mid hump rather than flat.
What reviewers said
Reviews were positive across the board. Pedal of the Day called it "a perfect storm of boost and overdrive" and said "The Drive side is simply brilliant"6. Delicious Audio's Paolo De Gregorio described it as "a rather straightforward but great sounding dual gain Boost + Overdrive"9.
MusicRadar's reviewer liked the stacking options in particular, noting that "the Boost before the Drive ups the saturation quota" and that both routing options have their relative merits1. The criticisms were minor: the power input placement noted above, and the missing internal presence control on the boost side17.
On That Pedal Show's own channel, Mick demonstrated the pedal's range, noting that "the dnm drive does a lot of things either in singular sided modes or stack together"10.
A later Label Maker Limited Edition, released in 2020, kept the regular D&M Drive circuit inside with new artwork options11.
Videos
ProGuitarShopDemos
Andertons Music Co
That Pedal Show
Questions
Can you stack the boost and drive on the Keeley D&M Drive?
Yes. The two circuits can be used individually or stacked, and a selectable stacking order switch lets you put the boost before the drive or the drive before the boost. Reviewers found both routings useful, with the boost placed first pushing the drive into more saturation.
Which order should the boost and drive go in on the D&M?
Either order works, and the pedal has a switch to choose. MusicRadar's reviewer liked the boost before the drive for upping the saturation, while the reverse order keeps the boost's character intact for pushing the amp. Both routing options have their relative merits.
What power does the Keeley D&M Drive and Boost need?
It requires a nine-volt PSU and cannot be battery powered. MusicRadar also noted that the position of the nine-volt power input could make some types of connectors awkward, so check your patching before you buy.
Who designed the Keeley D&M Drive and Boost?
It was created by Robert Keeley of Keeley Electronics in collaboration with Daniel Steinhardt and Mick Taylor of the YouTube channel That Pedal Show. Mick designed the Boost section and Daniel specified the Drive section.
How is the D&M's boost different from the Keeley Katana?
Keeley describes the boost side as sitting somewhere between a clean boost like the high voltage Katana and a germanium modded professional overdrive. It offers high headroom like the Katana but with a distinct mid-range voice that can be dialed in.
Sources (11)
- Keeley D&M Drive and Boost review, MusicRadar, 2017-10-25
- The D&M Drive By Robert Keeley, That Pedal Show, 2017-04-25
- Keeley Electronics Announces the D&M Drive, Premier Guitar, 2017-05-03
- Keeley's 'Altered History' is a new hand-modded take on That Pedal Show's D&M Drive, Guitar World, 2022-04-04
- Keeley D&M Drive, That Pedal Show, 2017-07-24
- Keeley Electronics D&M Drive Boost Overdrive, www.pedal-of-the-day.com, 2018-07-02
- Keeley D&M Drive Review, Guitar.com, 2017-07-25
- YouTube 'That Pedal Show' duo get signature Keeley D&M Drive effect, gearnews.com, 2017-05-03
- Keeley Electronics D&M Drive, Delicious Audio, 2017-09-25
- Mick's Vlog: New Pedalboard Q&A Plus Maxon OD9 & Tru-Fi Colordriver Additions, That Pedal Show (YouTube), 2018-11-06
- Keeley D&M Drive Label Maker Limited Edition, That Pedal Show, 2020-10-08
