The Outlaw Effects Dumbleweed Overdrive is an overdrive pedal in a mini-sized housing, with dealers expected to stock it sometime in March 2019. Its name points at its inspiration: gearnews describes it as based on a Dumble amplifier, and the writer is upfront that a pedal at this size and price is a long shot from that territory. The pedal keeps things simple, with Gain, Tone and Volume controls plus a Voice knob, and carries a list price of USD 671.
Controls
The Dumbleweed's control set is deliberately small, which suits a mini housing where space is at a premium1.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Gain | Sets the amount of overdrive |
| Tone | Shapes the treble response |
| Volume | Sets the output level |
| Voice | Global knob that varies the character from darker to brighter |
The Voice knob is the one control that sets the Dumbleweed apart from a bare-bones three-knob overdrive: rather than adjusting a single frequency band, it shifts the pedal's overall character between darker and brighter voicings1.
On the board
The mini housing and its layout are aimed at crowded pedalboards. Like the other three pedals in the 2019 batch, the Dumbleweed has staggered input/output jacks, so you can squeeze them onto your board easily, with patch cables sitting close together rather than side by side1.
The announcement does not describe a battery option for the Dumbleweed, so plan your board's power accordingly1.
Background and release
The Dumbleweed was introduced at the 2019 NAMM Show alongside three other mini pedals: The General Germanium Fuzz, the Phunnel Cloud Phaser and the Late Riser Auto Volume Swell. All four were expected to start appearing with dealers sometime in March 20191. They joined an Outlaw Effects line that already included mini-format drives such as the Dead Man's Hand and the Cactus Juice Overdrive.
What reviewers said
The gearnews writer who covered the announcement was measured about the Dumble-style pitch1:
"I have no idea if this pedal will get you anywhere near it, but it is cheap and small. Might be worth a punt."
In other words, the reviewer saw the value case in the price and the footprint rather than promising a Dumble amp in a box. For players chasing that kind of tone on a budget, the Dumbleweed sits in the broader field of overdrive pedals as a low-cost, small-format option with an extra voicing control1.
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Questions
Is the Outlaw Effects Dumbleweed Overdrive true bypass?
Yes. Gearnews reports that each of the four new Outlaw Effects pedals announced at the 2019 NAMM Show, the Dumbleweed Overdrive among them, is true-bypass. That means the pedal takes itself fully out of the signal chain when switched off, so your guitar's signal reaches the amp untouched until you engage the effect.
What power supply does the Dumbleweed Overdrive need?
The Dumbleweed runs from an external 9-volt power supply, like the other three mini pedals Outlaw Effects announced alongside it. A standard pedalboard supply with a 9V output covers it, and the pedal has no internal power option mentioned in the announcement.
Does the Dumbleweed Overdrive take a battery?
The announcement describes the pedal as running from an external 9-volt power supply and does not mention a battery option. Plan on using a 9V supply rather than expecting battery power.
What does the Voice knob do?
The Voice knob is a global control that varies the pedal's character from darker to brighter. Turn it one way for a darker overdrive voice and the other for a brighter one, alongside the Gain, Tone and Volume controls.
Is the Dumbleweed Overdrive based on a Dumble amp?
Gearnews describes the Dumbleweed as based on a Howard Dumble boutique amplifier, one of the most sought-after amps in the guitar world. The writer behind the announcement was skeptical that a 67-dollar mini pedal gets anywhere near that tone, but noted it is cheap and small and might be worth a try.
Sources (1)
- Outlaw Effects launches Dumbleweed Overdrive, General Germanium Fuzz and more, gearnews.com, 2019-02-05
