The Mythos Erlking is an overdrive pedal from Mythos Pedals built on the Nobels ODR-1 circuit, the green overdrive long associated with Nashville session players. Mythos takes the ODR-1 topology and adds a Bass control to the usual Gain, Level and Tone, which the maker says lets the circuit be dialed in to work with any pickup configuration1. Guitar Pedal X, writing in 2020, put it plainly: "The Erlking goes one better than the original Nobels ODR-1 which it is based on - adding a Bass control dial to the orig[inal trio]"2.
What it does
Mythos describes the Erlking as covering a wide range of dirt duties: "The controls on this pedal are very interactive and there is a ton of flexibility in this circuit. If you need a mild bo[ost, mid gain drive or pretty cranked dirt sound...]"1. In practice that means one pedal that can sit in front of an amp as a mild boost, work as a mid-gain drive, or push into cranked-dirt territory, with the controls interacting rather than acting independently.
The added Bass control is the headline difference from the pedal it is based on. Where the original ODR-1 gives you Gain, Level and Tone, the Erlking adds a fourth knob, expanding the range of the circuit so it can be matched to different pickups and instruments1.
History: an earlier take on the ODR circuit
The Erlking was an early member of the Mythos lineup, which the maker describes as "this nod to that classic green Nashville overdrive"1. Mythos had worked with the ODR circuit before, saying on the page for its Extra Hot "Extra Spicy" Dual Overdrive: "We have dabbled in the circuit in the past with the Erlking, but we wanted to reduce the high end and make it a bit more"4. The Erlking itself is the earlier take; later Mythos pedals refined the idea.
The ODR-1 circuit it draws from has its own history: Nobels describes its 30th Anniversary edition as a "Clone of an old 90's unit!"5, and the company's own history names the ODR-1BC as "Nobels' most recent edition of the well-known overdrive"6.
Availability
The Erlking's status has changed over the years, and the dates matter:
- 2020: Guitar Pedal X listed the "Mythos Pedals Erlking Overdrive (discontinued)" in a November buying guide7.
- 2024: MusicRadar, covering the Mythos Extra Hot for Carter Vintage Guitars, reported that "The Dine In circuit was modified from the now out-of-production Erlking overdrive pedal"3.
- Now: Mythos's own product page says "The Erlking is back! An early member of the Mythos lineup, this nod to that classic green Nashville overdrive has been l[ong requested]" and lists it as returned by customer request1.
The Erlking has been discontinued and later returned to the lineup. The maker's current product page lists it as available again by customer request, which is the most recent word on its status1.
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Questions
Is the Mythos Erlking true bypass?
Yes. Mythos specifies True Bypass Switching on the Erlking Overdrive, so when the pedal is off, your guitar signal passes straight through without going through the circuit. That matters on a pedalboard where several pedals sit in front of the amp, since buffers and bypass schemes stack up and can affect your clean tone.
How much current does the Mythos Erlking Overdrive draw?
Mythos lists the current draw at approximately 25 mA. That is a light load by pedal standards, so it sits comfortably on a standard 9V DC center-negative supply or a daisy chain with other low-draw pedals, as long as the supply's total output covers everything plugged into it.
Is the Mythos Erlking discontinued?
It has been both. In 2020 Guitar Pedal X listed the Erlking Overdrive as discontinued, and a 2024 MusicRadar piece described it as out-of-production. However, Mythos's own product page now says the Erlking is back in the lineup, returned by customer request, so it is available again from the maker.
What circuit is the Mythos Erlking based on?
The Erlking is based on the Nobels ODR-1, the green Nashville overdrive. Mythos takes the ODR-1 topology and adds a Bass control alongside the usual Gain, Level and Tone, which widens the range of pickups and setups the circuit can be dialed into. Mythos had worked with the circuit earlier before refining the approach in later pedals.
What size enclosure does the Erlking Overdrive use?
The Erlking Overdrive uses a 4.82 x 2.63 x 1.60 inch enclosure. Mythos notes it was the first Mythos pedal made in the new folded 125b size enclosure, a compact footprint that fits standard pedalboard spacing.
Sources (7)
- Erlking Overdrive, Mythos Pedals
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2020-03-29
- “You can really fine-tune a ton of sounds”: Mythos Pedals cooks up a delicious exclusive twofer drive for Carter Vintage Guitars with the Extra Hot full of classic Nashville flavour, MusicRadar, 2024-08-09
- Extra Hot "Extra Spicy" Dual Overdrive, Mythos Pedals
- Nobels - die Kultmarke unter den Overdrive Pedalen, Nobels (nobels.de), 2015-10-15
- Die Nobels Geschichte zeigt viele Innovationen, nobels.de, 2017-02-16
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2020-11-05
