The Black LTD. Overdriver is a natural overdrive pedal from Mr. Black made for both guitar and bass. It was a Jack Deville original design, built as a limited run of 95 pieces, listed at $179.951. Mr. Black describes it as a pedal you can "run it into a clean amp as a separate overdrive channel, or into a dirty amp to really tear shit up," adding that it "cleans up like an MVP in the bottom of the 10th"1.
The original Black LTD. Overdriver sold out on 18 November 2014, and the Mk. II run also sold out on 27 July 2022. Neither version is a current catalog item12.
What it does
As a natural overdrive, the pedal sits in the same family as other overdrive pedals rather than heavier distortion pedals or fuzz pedals: the aim is added drive and saturation that responds to picking and the guitar's volume control. Mr. Black recorded its sound clips with an SM57 into a clean amp1.
The Mk. II version
Mr. Black later returned to the design with the Black LTD. Overdriver Mk. II, described as "built on the foundation of the legendary Black LTD. Overdriver" and also limited to 95 pieces2. The maker says the Mk. II "doles out heaps of unbelievably-dynamic natural and neutral organic overdrive" and calls it "exceptional on guitar, baritone and bass guitar"2.
Compared with the original, Mr. Black describes the Mk. II as having a punchier lower-mid focus while retaining strong bottom end, sweet high frequency content, and the signature dynamic expression and power of the original2. At full settings, the maker says the Mk. II kicks out heavy saturation and sustain with plenty of output volume available, smooth natural decay, and minimal tonal coloration, and that it cleans up well via the guitar volume knob or light picking2.
Videos
Mike Hermans
Sources (2)
- Black LTD. Overdriver, Mr. Black, 2014-11-18
- Black LTD. Overdriver Mk. II, Mr. Black, 2022-07-27
