The Missing Link Audio AC/OD is a full-amp-stack-in-a-box overdrive pedal from Missing Link Audio, aimed at putting AC/DC's Angus Young tone in a single stompbox. It joined the company's Guitar Legend Tone Series, which Premier Guitar describes as Missing Link Audio's flagship product line, and the press coverage calls it the only Angus and Malcolm all-in-one stompbox on the market1. The circuit is based on Plexi-style Marshall amp tones such as the Marshall JCM Super Lead, and the pedal is designed to recreate Angus Young's sound from the days of "High Voltage" through "Back in Black", with Malcolm-style rhythm tones dialable via a knob2.
What it does to your sound
The AC/OD's design goal is an amp-like overdrive rather than a conventional boost-into-clipping pedal. Delicious Audio's write-up, by Paolo De Gregorio, describes a high impedance input that lets the guitar's natural tone come through, and a circuit built on a pair of carefully chosen premium dual opamps delivering the gain stages' sound uncompressed2. In De Gregorio's view, that uncompressed raw sound of the gain stages is a very underused guitar tone2.
The intended playing approach follows from that: the pedal is designed to be left on all the time and used like an amp, with the guitar's volume control dialing in fat rhythm tones through to lead tones2. On the tone itself, Premier Guitar's coverage states that the AC/OD "absolutely nails the Angus tone from the days of "High Voltage" to "Back in Black""1.
Controls
The layout is simple, with three knobs1:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Volume | Adjusts output level from below unity gain to a significant boost2 |
| Gain | Sets the amount of overdrive1 |
| Tone | Shapes the treble response1 |
A single true bypass on/off footswitch takes the pedal in and out of the signal path1.
Power, build and practicalities
The pedal runs on a 9-volt DC input1, and Delicious Audio notes that a power supply is not included, so you will need your own 9V DC adapter2. The case is die-cast aluminum, described in the press coverage as gig-worthy durability1, and the pedal carries a limited lifetime warranty1. It is made in the USA1.
No battery option or current draw figure is given in the available coverage, only a 9-volt DC input with the power supply not included12. Plan to have a 9V DC adapter on hand.
The AC/OD in Missing Link Audio's range
The AC/OD sits in the Guitar Legend Tone Series, the company's flagship product line1. Missing Link Audio's wider range includes other overdrive designs such as the Peacock Overdrive Handwired Point to Point, the Peacock Overdrive Fillmore Edition, the Big Kahuna, the Highway 41 and the Super Natural, as well as the Anthem Dual Drive (White). For how the AC/OD's Plexi-style approach compares with other circuits, see the site's pages on overdrive pedals and the Boss SD-1 vs Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer comparison.
Videos
Missing Link Audio
TheGuitarGeek
60 Cycle Hum
Questions
Is the Missing Link Audio AC/OD true bypass?
Yes. Premier Guitar's news item on the AC/OD lists a true bypass on/off switch, and Delicious Audio's write-up of the AC/OD Overdrive likewise describes the pedal as true bypass. That means the pedal's circuit is taken completely out of the signal path when it is switched off.
What power does the Missing Link Audio AC/OD need?
The pedal runs on a 9-volt DC power supply. Delicious Audio notes that a power supply is not included, so you will need to provide your own 9V DC adapter or a suitable output from a pedalboard power supply.
Where is the Missing Link Audio AC/OD made?
According to Premier Guitar's coverage of the pedal's release, the AC/OD is made in the USA. It is part of Missing Link Audio's Guitar Legend Tone Series, which the company describes as its flagship product line.
Can the Missing Link Audio AC/OD be left on all the time?
Yes. Delicious Audio's write-up says the pedal is designed to be left on all the time and used like an amp, with your guitar's volume control dialing in fat rhythm tones through to lead tones. That amp-style approach is the intended way to play through it.
What is the difference between the AC/OD and the AC/OD Overdrive?
They are the same pedal family under slightly different names in coverage. Premier Guitar reported the release as the AC/OD, while Delicious Audio's product write-up calls it the AC/OD Overdrive. Both describe the same Angus Young-focused overdrive with Volume, Gain and Tone-style controls, true bypass and a 9-volt DC input.
Sources (2)
- Missing Link Audio Unveils AC/OD Pedal, Premier Guitar, 2022-12-05
- Missing Link Audio AC/OD Overdrive, Delicious Audio, 2022-10-24
