The One Control Blue Bee OD 4K Mini is a compact overdrive pedal built around a circuit descended from BJF's Honey Bee OD. One Control describes it as an amp-like pedal, one of the most famous BJFE overdrives, reworked as a custom model based on the Honey Bee OD with features many players had requested from BJF after playing the original1. It keeps the family's core character, a flat low end reminiscent of an American-style combo amplifier and a sharp, tight top end, while adding an overtone component and more gain1.
One Control's product page currently lists the Blue Bee OD 4K Mini as sold out1.
What it does
The Blue Bee OD 4K Mini is a three-knob overdrive. One Control says the 2-band equalizer has a wide range and lets you easily control the balance of your tone1.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| V | Adjusts the overall volume1 |
| T | Controls the tone, focusing on high-frequency components1 |
| D | Adjusts the strength of the distortion1 |
The maker's own description of the sound is specific: the flat low end and the sharp, tight top end of the Honey Bee character remain, with an added overtone component and more gain1. In other words, it sits at the higher-gain end of the Bee family while keeping the amp-like foundation.
Power and connections
The pedal runs on 9V DC with a center-negative plug and draws only 3.6mA, which makes it an easy load for a shared pedalboard power supply1. Input impedance is 320k and output impedance is 25K1.
Batteries are not included with the pedal, according to One Control's product page1. The listed weight of about 200 grams with a battery inserted indicates the enclosure accepts one1.
At 39W x 100D x 31H mm (47W x 100D x 48H mm including protrusions) and about 160 grams, it is a true mini-format pedal that leaves room on even a crowded board1.
A BJF Honey Bee circuit in a mini enclosure
One Control positions the Blue Bee OD 4K Mini as a custom model based on the Honey Bee OD, designed by BJF1. The original Honey Bee OD is a true overdrive effect, as Delicious Audio's Christopher Scapelliti described it when covering the BJFE-derived One Control line2. Although the BBOD4K is a mini size pedal, One Control says it carries the circuit's character into the smaller box1.
The Bee family at One Control includes several siblings built on the same lineage, among them the Honey Bee OD 4K Mini Standard, the Silver Bee 4K Mini, and the Silver Bee OD Limited BJFE Style Wave.
How it differs from the Silver Bee OD
One Control itself draws the comparison: the Blue Bee's tone "seems to be one step closer to modern than our Silver Bee OD"1. The Silver Bee OD Limited BJFE Style Wave, also drawn from BJF's Honey Bee OD design, is described by the maker as having a tighter, more modern overall sound with sparkling highs, razor sharp edges, and sweet, subtly distorted amp-like tones3. Like the Honey Bee, the Silver Bee offers hugely dynamic breakup, with the amount of overdrive highly controllable by the player's hand3.
"It's a tone that seems to be one step closer to modern than our Silver Bee OD."
The Silver Bee OD Limited is a limited edition in a high quality aluminum enclosure, running on 9V DC center negative like the Blue Bee3. Its Drive knob adjusts the intensity of overdrive, where the Blue Bee's D knob adjusts the strength of the distortion13.
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Questions
Does the Blue Bee OD 4K Mini run on a battery?
One Control lists the pedal at about 160 grams, rising to about 200 grams when a battery is inserted, so the enclosure is built to take one. However, the product page notes that batteries are not included, so you need to supply your own. The pedal's normal power requirement is 9V DC with a center-negative plug, drawing only 3.6mA.
What is the difference between the Blue Bee and Silver Bee OD?
Both are One Control overdrives drawing on BJF's Honey Bee OD design. One Control describes the Blue Bee's tone as one step closer to modern than the Silver Bee OD, with an added overtone component and more gain. The Silver Bee, by the maker's own description, has a tighter, more modern sound with sparkling highs and razor sharp edges.
Who designed the One Control Blue Bee OD?
The Blue Bee OD 4K Mini is a One Control product built to a design by BJF, the designer behind the original Honey Bee OD. One Control says it adds features that many players had requested from BJF after playing the original Honey Bee OD.
Is the Blue Bee OD a Honey Bee clone?
Not a straight copy. One Control calls it a custom model based on the Honey Bee OD: the flat low end reminiscent of an American-style combo amp and the sharp, tight top end remain, but the Blue Bee adds an overtone component and more gain. It is its own pedal in the Bee family rather than a reissue.
Sources (3)
- Blue Bee OD 4K Mini (OC-BLBOD4K-M), One Control USA
- One Control Launches New BJF Baby Blue And Super Apricot Overdrive Pedals, Delicious Audio, 2018-04-30
- Silver Bee OD Limited BJFE Style Wave (OC-SVBODn-BJW), One Control USA
