The NUX '6ixty5ive OD is an analog overdrive pedal from NUX, part of the company's Reissue Series. NUX says the circuit is inspired by the Vemuram Jan Ray, a boutique overdrive, and describes the pedal as offering "the punchy clear tones of the Classic Black Panel Fender amps from the 60's"1. It is a compact, lightweight pedal aimed at players who want a low- to mid-gain drive that keeps the character of the underlying amp.
What it does
NUX positions the '6ixty5ive as a take on the black-panel Fender style of overdrive. The company's description of the circuit breaks down into three claims1:
- an op amp in the circuit "Simulates the Characteristic Overdrive of Black Panel Tube Amplifiers"1
- the gain stage is built around a JRC4558 op amp, the chip family long associated with this style of circuit1
- the pedal is inspired by the Vemuram Jan Ray, a boutique overdrive1
In practical terms, that places it among the transparent-style overdrives, the family of pedals that aim to add drive without masking the voice of the guitar and amp.
Where the circuit came from
The pedal's stated inspiration, the Vemuram Jan Ray, has a documented lineage of its own. On That Pedal Show, the hosts put it plainly123:
"some say inspired by (some say a copy of) the Timmy pedal"
Writing in Guitar Pedal X, Stefan Karlsson noted that the Jan Ray, along with the Mayflower, is "somewhat evolved and differentiated" from the Timmy2. Independent circuit analyses back that connection up: Coda Effects published a Jan Ray schematic guide alongside Timmy-related material in November 20154, and the Guitar FX Layouts technical analysis of the Jan Ray identifies the circuit's core as an LM1458 dual op-amp, noting that "Any dual op-amp will work (4558, LM833, TL072, etc)"5. The same analysis describes the Jan Ray's clipping arrangement as 4 diodes, 2 on the board and 2 on the switch, which gives the option of the Timmy's compressed mode5.
The Jan Ray circuit itself has a documented variant: Guitar FX Layouts reports that units with serial numbers below 4000 were said to be different, with a 3k3 resistor at gain pot 1 changed to 33k, setting the minimal gain higher5.
NUX's Reissue Series applies this approach of revisiting known circuits across a wider range. Other pedals in the family include1:
Power and practicalities
The '6ixty5ive runs on 9 Volt DC or a 9V battery, with a current draw listed as under 20 mA1. That is light enough for nearly any pedalboard power supply, and the battery option makes it usable without a supply at all. True-bypass hardware switching means the pedal is out of the signal path entirely when off1.
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Input impedance | 1M ohm1 |
| Output impedance | 10K ohm1 |
| Power | 9 Volt DC or 9V battery1 |
| Current draw | Under 20 mA1 |
| Bypass | True-bypass hardware switching1 |
| Dimensions | 121(L) x 77(W) x 48(D) mm1 |
| Weight | 230g1 |
Its 1M ohm input and 10K ohm output impedances are in the normal range for an overdrive placed after the guitar and before an amp, and at 121(L) x 77(W) x 48(D) mm and 230g it sits in standard compact-pedal territory for enclosure size1.
For readers weighing it against the wider field, the pedal's closest relatives by circuit family are the Jan Ray and the Timmy discussed above, and more broadly the transparent overdrive category covered on the Overdrive Pedals page.
Videos
NUX
NUX
Mike Hermans
Questions
Is the NUX '6ixty5ive OD true bypass?
Yes. NUX lists the pedal with true-bypass hardware switching, so when it is off, the signal passes through a mechanical switch rather than any electronic circuitry. Combined with its 1M ohm input impedance and 10K ohm output impedance, that keeps the pedal from loading down your guitar's pickups or the pedals around it when it is not engaged.
Does the NUX '6ixty5ive OD run on a 9V battery?
Yes. NUX specifies power as 9 Volt DC or a 9V battery, so the pedal can run either from a standard center-negative adapter on a pedalboard power supply or from a battery inside the enclosure. Its current draw is listed as under 20 mA, which is light enough for most power supplies.
What pedal is the NUX '6ixty5ive OD based on?
NUX says the '6ixty5ive Overdrive is inspired by the Vemuram Jan Ray. The Jan Ray itself is a boutique overdrive whose lineage is debated: on That Pedal Show, the hosts noted it is described by some as inspired by, and by some as a copy of, the Paul Coelo Timmy pedal.
How much current does the NUX '6ixty5ive OD draw?
NUX lists the current draw as less than 20 mA. That is a modest figure by pedal standards, so the pedal fits comfortably on a shared output of most pedalboard power supplies without needing its own dedicated line.
What is the NUX Reissue Series?
The Reissue Series is NUX's line of pedals that revisit well-known circuit designs at a lower price. The '6ixty5ive Overdrive is described by NUX as coming from its bestselling Reissue Series, and the line includes other pedals such as the Tube Man, Morning Star, Horseman and Ace of Tone.
Sources (5)
- '6ixty5ive OD, NUX Audio, 2026-04-14
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2024-06-20
- Dream Overdrives: Timmy, Jan Ray & Amp11. And A Bit On Ethics, That Pedal Show, 2016-07-22
- Coda Effects, Coda Effects, 2015-11
- Guitar FX Layouts: Vemuram Jan Ray, Guitar FX Layouts (tagboardeffects.blogspot.com), 2013-03-07
