The Keeley D&M Drive Label Maker Limited Edition is a limited run of 200 Keeley D&M Drive dual overdrive pedals, created by That Pedal Show in collaboration with Robert Keeley FX1. It is a cosmetic special edition rather than a new circuit: inside it is the regular D&M Drive circuit, the signature pedal of Dan and Mick of That Pedal Show, built by Keeley Electronics12.
The D&M Drive itself is a dual overdrive pedal with a Mick-flavored Boost on one side and a Dan-flavored Drive on the other2. Premier Guitar's 2017 announcement described it as a dual stage overdrive with switchable routing, bringing together Dan's full-range overdrive/distortion on one side and Mick's more mid-humped boosty drive on the other3. The two sides work in single-sided modes or stacked together4.
A dual overdrive built from the regular D&M Drive circuit
The Label Maker edition changes the look, not the sound. On That Pedal Show's demo video, Dan and Mick were clear about what is under the hood178:
"Inside it's the regular D&M Drive circuit that we love dearly"
Dan and Mick, That Pedal Show59
That Pedal Show's own video database likewise lists the Label Maker Edition as linking to the normal version with the same circuit78. The one hardware change on the Label Maker edition is cosmetic as well: the knobs were changed out for Marshall style knobs1.
The D&M Drive that the edition is built from was released in 2017 and, as Guitar World reported, won several awards upon its release10. Mick Taylor designed the Boost section and Daniel Steinhardt specified the Drive section6. Delicious Audio's Paolo De Gregorio called it "a rather straightforward but great sounding dual gain Boost + Overdrive" and said to "Expect it to work well with any amp or rig."11
MusicRadar's Trevor Curwen, reviewing the pedal, found the two halves distinct but complementary6:
"the D&M Drive has turned out to be a real gem among dual overdrive pedals"6
Trevor Curwen, MusicRadar6
A run of 200 and where it was sold
The Label Maker edition totaled 200 pedals, split between two versions1:
| Version | Units | What makes it different |
|---|---|---|
| Label Maker edition | 190 | Printed with the Label Maker graphics, Marshall style knobs1 |
| Naked edition | 10 | No graphics at all, comes with a Dymo label maker and tape1 |
Distribution was split across four sellers: That Pedal Show held 140, while Keeley in the US, Andertons in the UK and Pedal Empire in Australia each had 201. The main launch was at the That Pedal Show store on Friday 9 October at 9pm BST, with the Keeley, Andertons and Pedal Empire allocations going on sale at a later date to be confirmed1. Current TPS Patrons on Patreon were offered an early chance to buy one by email before the public sale1.
This was a limited edition sold in 2020. The regular D&M Drive remains the version to look for, and Keeley has since issued other limited takes on the circuit, including the hand-modded Altered History edition signed by Robert Keeley10.
The D&M Drive line has a history of limited first runs. When the original pedal launched in 2017, the first 100 were sold exclusively through the That Pedal Show store, with a presale beginning Wednesday 26 April at 20:00 GMT+1, before wider release from the official release date of 3 May 2017 through retailers in the USA and Australia512.
The demo
On That Pedal Show's video introducing the edition, Dan and Mick walk through the run, the split between the Label Maker and Naked versions, the Marshall style knobs, and the Dymo label maker that comes with the 10 Naked editions1.
Videos
Andertons Music Co
Questions
Who designed the Keeley D&M Drive Label Maker edition?
The Label Maker edition was created by That Pedal Show in collaboration with Robert Keeley FX, as a limited-edition run of their signature D&M Drive dual overdrive pedal. The underlying D&M Drive itself came from Dan and Mick of That Pedal Show working with Keeley Electronics: Mick Taylor designed the Boost section and Daniel Steinhardt specified the Drive section.
How many Label Maker D&M Drive pedals were made?
The run totaled 200 pedals. Of those, 190 were printed with the Label Maker graphics and 10 were special Naked editions with no graphics at all. Distribution was 140 through the That Pedal Show store, with 20 each going to Keeley in the US, Andertons in the UK and Pedal Empire in Australia.
What is the difference between the Label Maker and Naked editions?
The 190 Label Maker editions carry the Label Maker graphics on the enclosure, while the 10 Naked editions have no graphics at all. Only the Naked editions come with a Dymo label maker and tape so you can create your own labels. Both use the same circuit as the regular D&M Drive, and the Label Maker edition swapped the knobs for Marshall style knobs.
Does the Naked edition come with a label maker?
Yes. The 10 Naked editions, and only those 10, come with a Dymo label maker and tape so you can create your own labels for the bare enclosure. The 190 Label Maker editions with printed graphics do not include the Dymo.
Where could you buy the Label Maker edition in the US?
In the US, 20 of the 200 pedals were sold direct from Keeley, at a later date to be confirmed after the initial launch. The main launch was through the That Pedal Show store on Friday 9 October at 9pm BST, with current TPS Patrons offered an early chance to buy by email beforehand.
Does it use the same circuit as the regular D&M Drive?
Yes. Inside it is the regular D&M Drive circuit, a dual overdrive with Dan's full-range overdrive/distortion on one side and Mick's more mid-humped boosty drive on the other, which can be used individually or stacked.
Sources (12)
- Keeley D&M Drive Label Maker Limited Edition, That Pedal Show, 2020-10-08
- 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
- 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, That Pedal Show, 2017-07-24
- Keeley D&M Drive and Boost review, MusicRadar, 2017-10-25
- Strymon TimeLine, That Pedal Show, 2020-11-13
- Spectacular Reverbs! Strymon NightSky, Chase Bliss CXM 1978, Eventide Blackhole, That Pedal Show (thatpedalshow.com), 2020-11-27
- Keeley Electronics D&M Drive Boost Overdrive, www.pedal-of-the-day.com, 2018-07-02
- Keeley's 'Altered History' is a new hand-modded take on That Pedal Show's D&M Drive, Guitar World, 2022-04-04
- Keeley Electronics D&M Drive, Delicious Audio, 2017-09-25
- The D&M Drive By Robert Keeley, That Pedal Show, 2017-04-25
