The One Control Cranberry Over Drive is a compact overdrive pedal designed by Bjorn Juhl. One Control positions it as a lower gain version of the company's Strawberry Red Overdrive, with a low cut trim pot installed inside that lets you shape the low-end frequency response1. The maker's own description of what it does for a player:
"With moderate compression and fast response, this pedal promises a superb lead boost for any genre of music."
In other words, it is aimed at players who want a quick, compressed lead voice rather than a wide-open, high gain drive. The pedal is currently listed as sold out at One Control, shown at $144.99 USD alongside a regular price of $181.99 USD1.
What it does: a compressed, fast lead boost
The Cranberry sits at the lower gain end of One Control's berry-named overdrive line. One Control states plainly that "The Cranberry is a lower gain version of the Strawberry Red Overdrive," and that a low cut trim pot has been installed1. For a player, that means two things: the drive range stays in boost and low-to-medium overdrive territory rather than pushing into heavy distortion, and the internal trimmer lets you decide how much low end the pedal keeps, which can tighten up a lead sound.
The Strawberry Red family it comes from has a documented history as a flexible gain pedal. One Control says the Strawberry Red Overdrive's single gain knob "will take you from a low gain treble booster style of effect, up to low gain and medium gain overdrives before noon on the dial"2. MusicRadar's review of the Strawberry Red found that "It can also work as a clean booster, with a useful 6dB on tap"3. The Cranberry inherits the same family character, at lower gain, with the added low-end control.
The controls
The Cranberry keeps the control set simple: three knobs on the outside and one trimmer inside, in a high quality aluminum enclosure1.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Volume | Output volume1 |
| Drive | Sets the gain and distortion of the circuit1 |
| Treble | Allows you to change the tone from "soft" to "slightly biting"1 |
| Low (internal trimmer) | Trimmer switch that sets the low-end frequency response1 |
The Treble control's range is worth noting for what it tells you about the pedal's intent: One Control describes the endpoints as "soft" to "slightly biting," which suits a lead boost that never gets harsh1. The internal Low trimmer is the main thing that separates the Cranberry from the Strawberry Red it is based on. Where the Strawberry Red Overdrive RC gives you a front-panel LOW knob that "adjusts the low-end boost/cut"4, the Cranberry moves that shaping inside the box as a set-and-forget trimmer, keeping the exterior minimal.
Power, size and placement on a board
The Cranberry runs on a 9V battery or a standard DC power supply at 9 V, drawing only 4 mA1. That current draw is low enough that battery use is practical and the pedal puts almost no load on a shared power supply. True-Bypass Switching means the signal passes straight through when the pedal is off1.
At roughly 160 g in a high quality aluminum enclosure, it is a small pedal that fits easily into a crowded board1.
Where it sits in the Strawberry Red family
The Cranberry is one of several variations on the Strawberry Red circuit in One Control's range1:
- Strawberry Red Overdrive: the gain knob spans treble booster style effects through medium gain overdrive2
- Strawberry Red Overdrive RC: adds a front-panel LOW knob for low-end boost or cut4
- Strawberry Red Overdrive DLX: its DRIVE control "adjusts the overdrive gain. The gain increases clockwise," per Delicious Audio's write-up5
Against those, the Cranberry is the lower gain, lead-boost-oriented variant, with its low-end shaping moved to an internal trimmer rather than a knob1.
Videos
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Hans Johansson
Guitar Bonedo
Questions
Does the One Control Cranberry Over Drive run on a battery?
Yes. One Control lists its power as a 9V battery or a standard DC power supply, so it runs either way. Current consumption is a very low 4 mA, which means a battery lasts a long time and the pedal is easy to place on a shared daisy chain.
Is the Cranberry Over Drive true bypass?
Yes. One Control specifies True-Bypass Switching, so when the pedal is off the signal passes through without the circuit in the path. Like any true bypass pedal, long cable runs after it can benefit from a buffer elsewhere on the board.
How much current does the Cranberry Over Drive draw?
One Control lists current consumption at 4 mA at 9V. That is far below what most overdrive pedals draw, so it places almost no demand on a power supply and is well suited to battery use.
What does the low trimmer inside the Cranberry do?
It is a trimmer switch that sets the low-end frequency response. One Control describes the Cranberry as a Strawberry Red Overdrive with a low cut trim pot installed, so the internal control lets you shape how much low end the pedal passes, tightening the sound for lead work.
Sources (5)
- CRANBERRY OVER DRIVE (OC-CBODn), One Control USA
- STRAWBERRY RED OVERDRIVE 4K (OC-SROD4Kn), One Control USA
- One Control Strawberry Red Overdrive review, MusicRadar, 2015-09-18
- STRAWBERRY RED OVERDRIVE RC (OC-SRODRCn), One Control USA
- One Control Strawberry Red Overdrive DLX, Delicious Audio, 2022-01-17
