The KHDK Gojira Drive is a harmonic overdrive pedal designed with Joe Duplantier of Gojira, released as a limited edition of 333 pieces in July 20221. KHDK describes it as a "natural amp-like harmonic overdrive" built to unlock Duplantier's signature tone, and says it is versatile enough to cover a range of sounds, from what the maker calls "pure raging metal" to an AM radio sound1. It is now sold out at the maker1.
The pedal uses an all-new circuit rather than a clone of an existing design, and its distinguishing feature is an active EQ section with bass and treble controls that can boost or cut, not just cut1. MusicRadar's reviewer called it "a big part of Joe Duplantier's tone" and noted the brand-new circuit at the heart of it2.
What it does: Joe Duplantier's harmonic overdrive
KHDK positions the Gojira Drive as a "natural amp-like harmonic overdrive designed with Joe Fucking Duplantier to give you his tone"1. The design brief, as MusicRadar reported at the announcement, was a "natural amp-like overdrive" inspired by Joe's love of complex harmonics2. The maker says the pedal is "versatile and inventive for a variety of tones," ranging from heavy metal drive to lo-fi AM radio textures1.
The pedal sits in KHDK's line of artist-collaborative limited editions, alongside pedals designed with players like Gary Holt and Nergal of Behemoth. Like those runs, it was a fixed batch: 333 pieces only, sold on a first-come, first-serve basis1.
KHDK gives two basic recipes for using it:
- With a dirty amp: set Drive higher to get your desired amount of harmonic overdrive, and use Volume to set the output level1.
- As a boost for an overdriven amp: set Volume higher and Drive lower, and the pedal's EQ becomes a pre-EQ tone sculpting tool in front of the amp1.
The controls: active bass and treble
The control set is Drive, Bass, Treble, Volume and a bypass switch2. What sets it apart from a standard three-knob overdrive is the active EQ: both the bass and treble controls boost when turned clockwise and cut when turned counterclockwise, with a flat response at the 12 o'clock position2.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Drive | Sets the amount of pre-gain, which affects compression and saturation1 |
| Bass | Pre-bass control: neutral in the center, clockwise boosts the bottom end, counterclockwise cuts it1 |
| Treble | Active treble control: flat at 12 o'clock, boost clockwise, cut counterclockwise2 |
| Volume | Sets output volume. KHDK warns the output gets loud on the max setting1 |
Because the EQ is active and placed before the drive stage, the bass and treble knobs shape what the clipping circuit sees, not just the final output. That is what makes the pedal usable as a pre-EQ tool in front of an already overdriven amp1.
Power: 9V, 10V maximum
The Gojira Drive runs on a 9V DC center negative power supply with a 2.1mm barrel connector, and KHDK specifies a maximum of 10V1. MusicRadar's review spec sheet lists the same 9V requirement2.
KHDK specifies a stabilized DC supply. The 10V maximum means higher-voltage power supplies used with some pedals are off the table here1.
The look: hand-printed artwork
Each pedal is individually silk-screen printed by hand, with organic flowing line artwork that KHDK says honors Joe's love of nature1. MusicRadar's review describes the artwork, by Dan Kurz, a previous KHDK collaborator, as featuring a crying planet and tree motif, and notes the review unit came in a limited-edition blue finish, with a black option also offered2.
What reviewers said
MusicRadar's review found the pedal at its best at medium gain. The reviewer wrote2:
"At medium gain settings, the Gojira Drive is exceptionally responsive with a fiercely sharp attack that will cut its way through the densest of mixes"2
The same review credited the pedal as a significant part of Joe Duplantier's recorded tone, and highlighted the brand-new circuit as the basis of the pedal's character2.
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Questions
How many KHDK Gojira Drive pedals were made?
The Gojira Drive was a limited edition of 333 pieces, sold on a first-come, first-serve basis. Each pedal was handmade in KHDK's custom shop in the EU and individually silk-screen printed by hand. The run was announced in July 2022 at a price of $249.99.
Is the KHDK Gojira Drive still available?
No. KHDK's product page lists the Gojira Drive as sold out. It was a one-time limited run of 333 units, so finding one now means looking at the secondhand market rather than buying new from the maker.
Where is the KHDK Gojira Drive made?
Each pedal is handmade in KHDK's custom shop in the EU. MusicRadar's 2022 news coverage of the announcement described the shop as being in Prague, with silk-screen, hand-printed graphics on every unit.
How do you use the Gojira Drive as a boost for an overdriven amp?
KHDK says to set the Volume control higher and the Drive control lower. In this role the pedal's active bass and treble controls work as a pre-EQ tone sculpting tool in front of the amp, letting you shape the low and high end before the amp's own gain stage.
Sources (3)
- Gojira Drive guitar pedal by KHDK and Joe Duplantier, KHDK Electronics
- KHDK Gojira Drive pedal review, MusicRadar, 2023-01-24
- KHDK and Joe Duplantier partner for the Gojira Drive to "unlock" his tone, MusicRadar, 2022-07-27
