The Mad Pedals Panda Drive is an overdrive pedal built around what the maker calls a tone mojo circuit, featuring 1% resistors, 5% capacitors, and special diodes from Europe, which Mad Pedals says combines for "creamy smooth grit that sits well in any setting"1. Like other Mad Pedals designs, it is a small-batch builder's take on a familiar gain circuit rather than a mass-produced pedal: each unit carries a custom one-of-one paint job, and the Panda Drive's is a mandarin paint job with Mandarin writing, with the company stating "No pedal we build will ever be the same"1. It sits alongside the company's other drives such as the Mad Pedals Psyger Drive and the Mad Pedals Fort Knox Solid Gold Standard Overdrive, and the maker reports that "This drive really sounds good at any setting"1.
Controls and circuit
The Panda Drive keeps the control layout simple: Tone, Gain and Volume knobs, with the functions written in Mandarin above them1. Inside, the tone mojo circuit uses 1% resistors, 5% capacitors and special diodes sourced from Europe, according to Pedal of the Day's review1.
| Control | Function |
|---|---|
| Gain | Sets the amount of drive |
| Tone | Shapes the treble response |
| Volume | Sets the output level |
The component choices and diode selection are where the design departs from a straight Klon-style build, and the reviewer tied them to the pedal's character: "All this combines for a creamy smooth grit that sits well in any setting"1.
The one-of-one paint job
Every Panda Drive leaves the shop with a unique finish. Per Mad Pedals tradition, the pedal is a custom one-of-one paint job, and the maker states that no pedal it builds will ever be the same1. The example Pedal of the Day reviewed wore a mandarin paint job with Mandarin writing above the knobs1. For players, that means no two examples look alike: the circuit is consistent, but the enclosure is not.
What reviewers said
Pedal of the Day's verdict, from October 2014, was that "This drive really sounds good at any setting"1. The review framed the pedal as a special one for its close resemblance to the Klon Centaur, with the added component-grade touches and the custom finish setting it apart from a standard clone1.
Questions
What circuit is the Mad Pedals Panda Drive based on?
Pedal of the Day's review describes the Panda Drive as closely resembling the Klon Centaur, calling it "a Klon on steroids with a mandarin paint job." The tone mojo circuit inside uses 1% resistors, 5% capacitors and special diodes from Europe, according to the same review.
How many Panda Drive pedals were made?
Each Panda Drive is a custom one-of-one paint job. Mad Pedals states that no pedal it builds will ever be the same, so every example carries a unique mandarin finish with Mandarin writing above the knobs.
Sources (1)
- Mad Pedals Panda Drive, Pedal of the Day, 2014-10-22
