The Viper Drive is a four-knob overdrive from PB&J Pedals, an up-and-coming pedal manufacturer in North Carolina. What sets it apart from a conventional overdrive pedal is its Drive section: instead of one gain stage, it carries two separate circuits, one for gain in the low end of the sonic spectrum and one for the high range, with a Blend knob to set how much of each is present in your signal. Pedal of the Day's reviewer, Mike B, called it a "4-knob powerhouse overdrive" and wrote that "Nice, big, bold tones come ripping out of this red box."1
The controls
The four knobs divide the pedal's work cleanly. Level is a standard output control, "of course," as the reviewer put it. The two Drive knobs each govern their own circuit: the Low drive knob sets gain in the low end of the sonic spectrum, and the High drive knob sets gain for the high range. Blend is the knob that makes the layout unusual. As Pedal of the Day put it, "This one actually allows you to control how much of each of the Low or High frequencies are present in your signal."1
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Level | Standard level control1 |
| Low drive | Gain for the low end of the sonic spectrum, one of two Drive circuits1 |
| High drive | Gain for the High range, one of two Drive circuits1 |
| Blend | Controls how much of each of the Low or High frequencies are present in your signal1 |
What reviewers said
Pedal of the Day reviewed the Viper Drive on September 20, 2014, and its verdict centered on the dual-circuit design1:
"Being able to mix the Lows and High separately and then blend them together is a HUGE bonus, as the range of tones continues to stretch the more you tinker."
The same review described the sound as "Nice, big, bold tones come ripping out of this red box," and praised the enclosure as nice and compact, ideal for pedalboard placement and space-saving.1
Price
The only price on record is a promotion: on September 20, 2014, Pedal of the Day ran a single-day offer reading "TODAY ONLY! Get your very own Viper Drive for ONLY $145, with FREE SHIPPING!" That $145 figure with free shipping was tied to that one-day offer, so it reflects the pedal's price at that time rather than a standing list price.1
Other PB&J Pedals overdrives
PB&J Pedals built a small family of drive pedals around the same period. The maker's range includes the Surf Drive, the Sweet Clarity Junior, the Malibu Drive and the Boost Factory. Of the Viper Drive, the maker says "Nice, big, bold tones come ripping out of this red box".1
Questions
What does the Blend knob do on the PB&J Pedals Viper Drive?
Blend controls how much of each of the Low or High frequencies is present in your signal. Rather than a single drive circuit, the Viper Drive splits its drive section into two, one for the low end and one for the highs, and Blend lets you set the balance between them. Pedal of the Day's reviewer called being able to mix the Lows and Highs separately and then blend them together a huge bonus, with a range of tones that stretches the more you tinker.
What is the difference between the Low drive and High drive knobs?
The Viper Drive has two different circuits in its Drive section. The Low drive knob sets the gain in the low end of the sonic spectrum, and the High drive knob sets the gain for the high range. Each circuit is adjusted on its own, and the Blend knob then sets how much of each frequency band ends up in your signal.
How much does the Viper Drive cost?
Pedal of the Day ran a one-day offer on September 20, 2014 for the Viper Drive at $145 with free shipping. That was a single-day promotion price, so it reflects what the pedal cost at that time rather than a standing list price.
What does the Viper Drive look like?
The Viper Drive is a red box with a V logo that has a snake in it. Pedal of the Day described the enclosure as nice and compact, ideal for pedalboard placement and space-saving.
Sources (1)
- PB&J Pedals Viper Drive, Pedal of the Day (www.pedal-of-the-day.com), 2014-09-20
