The Keeley Katana Blues Drive is an overdrive pedal from Keeley Electronics, announced as shipping in September 2014. The company describes it as "a unique and modern circuit that delivers layers of rich overdrive tone at a very low noise level," which places it among the quieter overdrives in the maker's range1.
Its circuit has a clear family tree. Robert Keeley, founder and chief engineer of Keeley Electronics, explained the design this way1:
"we've taken the legendary tube clarity of our best-selling Katana Boost's JFET stages and blended them together with a unique overdrive circuit that's been influenced by our award-winning overdrive pedal modifications."
So the pedal starts from the JFET gain stages of the Katana Boost, a pedal Keeley built its reputation on, and adds an overdrive circuit shaped by the modifications Keeley had long performed on other makers' overdrives. If you know the Katana Boost's clean headroom and clarity, the Blues Drive is that foundation pushed into overdrive territory1.
Controls
The pedal carries four controls, which Keeley says make it easy to dial in anything from very low gain to richly saturated lead tones1.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Level | Sets the output volume |
| Drive | Sets the amount of overdrive |
| Bass | Shapes the low end |
| Treble | Shapes the high end |
That four-knob layout gives it more tonal shaping than a typical two-knob overdrive, and the low-gain end of its range suits players who want a touch of grit rather than full saturation. For other takes on the overdrive format from the same maker, see the Keeley Noble Screamer, the Keeley Blues Disorder or the Keeley Manis1.
Build and warranty
Keeley describes the Katana Blues Drive as 100% hand-built in the USA "using the finest components and construction techniques," housed in a "beautifully powder-coated and rugged enclosure"1. The pedal includes true bypass switching, so the circuit is out of the signal path entirely when the effect is off1. It ships with a 2-year limited lifetime warranty backed by Keeley's customer support1.
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Questions
Is the Keeley Katana Blues Drive true bypass?
Yes. According to the announcement of the pedal, the Katana Blues Drive includes true bypass switching, so when the pedal is off your guitar signal passes through without any buffering from the circuit.
Where is the Keeley Katana Blues Drive made?
Keeley builds the Katana Blues Drive in the USA. The company describes it as 100% hand-built, using what it calls the finest components and construction techniques, and housed in a powder-coated, rugged enclosure.
How much does the Keeley Katana Blues Drive cost?
The Katana Blues Drive was announced at a list price of $199 when Keeley Electronics began shipping the pedal in September 2014.
What warranty comes with the Katana Blues Drive?
The pedal carries a 2-year limited lifetime warranty, along with what Keeley describes as world-class customer support.
Who designed the Keeley Katana Blues Drive?
Robert Keeley, the founder and chief engineer of Keeley Electronics, designed the pedal. He described it as combining the JFET stages of the Katana Boost with a unique overdrive circuit.
How is the Katana Blues Drive related to the Katana Boost?
The Blues Drive borrows the JFET stages from Keeley's best-selling Katana Boost and blends them with an overdrive circuit influenced by Keeley's pedal modifications. The result is an overdrive that keeps the clarity the Katana Boost was known for.
Sources (1)
- Keeley Electronics Releases the Katana Blues Drive, Premier Guitar, 2014-09-22
