The Pedaltrain Daylight Overdrive is a compact three-knob overdrive pedal, and it marks a notable turn for its maker: Pedaltrain, long known for its pedalboards, entered the effects market with the Daylight and its companion, the Nightlight Distortion, as its two debut stompboxes1. Pedaltrain describes the Daylight as "a symmetrical overdrive, with a musical and textural gain sound," and says it offers "a ton of headroom, where glassy notes have space to breathe and come to life"2.
Before release, the circuits spent a year being shared with session players in Nashville, tested across various guitar and amp combinations21. The pedal is designed, built and tested in Nashville, Tennessee, and carries a list price of $199.992.
The controls: Level, Tone and Drive
The Daylight keeps its control panel to three knobs, and Pedaltrain suggests a simple starting point: "Start with each control at 12:00 (high noon), and then experiment"2.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Level | Controls the volume of the output2 |
| Drive | Controls the amount of overdrive/distortion2 |
| Tone | Controls the darkness/brightness of the tone2 |
A Guitar Pedal X review noted that both debut pedals share identically labeled controls, Level, Drive and Tone, "all with even and predictable tapers," which makes the knobs behave smoothly across their rotation rather than bunching their effect into one part of the sweep3. Delicious Audio described the Tone knob as "perfectly calibrated to offer musical-sounding brighter, wormer or downright fat tones, depending on the player's needs"1.
Power: 9V, under 10 mA
The Daylight runs on 9V DC only, through a 2.1mm center-negative barrel connector, the standard arrangement for most pedalboard power supplies2. External power is required: there is no battery clip inside, and the power supply is not included with the pedal2.
Because there is no battery option, the Daylight needs a spot on a powered pedalboard from the start. Its draw of less than 10 mA is light enough that it places almost no strain on an isolated supply or even a shared daisy chain2.
Where it came from
Pedaltrain built its reputation on pedalboards, and the Daylight represents its first step into making the pedals that sit on them. Delicious Audio reported in August 2024 that the company "just entered the actual pedal arena by releasing their two debut stompboxes," with the circuits designed and built in Nashville1. Guitar Pedal X had covered the pair in July 2023, when the two pedals were priced at $199 each on the Pedaltrain webstore32.
The development process was unusually player-driven for a first pedal. Pedaltrain says it "spent a year sharing the pedals with session players in Nashville" before release2, and Delicious Audio similarly noted the pedal "went through a whole year of testing by renowned Nashville session players with various guitar/amp combinations"1.
The First Edition matched set
Alongside the standard individual pedals, Pedaltrain offered a Daylight and Nightlight Distortion First Edition matched set. Only 100 of each First Edition pedal were made, for 100 sets total, finished in Rainbow's End sparkle black powder coating, with each circuit handmade by the designer himself, Aaron Wahl4. Guitar Pedal X noted the matched set carried early serial numbers and a $100 premium on top of the individual pedal prices3.
The standard Daylight enclosure has its own look: a black sparkly paint base coat, mostly covered by a flat white overlay paint on the front face, so the sparkle shows through less than on the Nightlight3.
What reviewers said
Guitar Pedal X's review was positive about the pair as a debut, calling them "a superb effects pedal debut" with "beautiful harmonic textures and superior dynamics"3. On the Daylight specifically, reviewer Stefan Karlsson found its behavior with the guitar's volume knob stood out:
"the Daylight reminds me very much of that - in terms of its superb guitar volume cleanup and dynamics"3
He was comparing it to the Keeley Modded Boss BD-2 Blues Driver, meaning the pedal cleans up well as you roll back your guitar volume, a quality players often prize in an overdrive3. That comparison is the reviewer's own, not a claim of shared circuitry: Pedaltrain describes the Daylight and Nightlight as "two brand-new, all-original circuits" rather than clones of existing designs2.
Buying and returns
The Daylight lists at $199.992. Note Pedaltrain's own policy before ordering: "Guitar effects pedals and electronic devices are not eligible for returns (all sales final)"2. The pedal carries a one-year limited warranty against defects in materials and workmanship in the USA2.
Videos
pedaltrain
pedaltrain
pedaltrain
Questions
Does the Pedaltrain Daylight take a battery?
No. There is no battery clip inside the pedal, so external power is required. It runs on 9V DC only through a 2.1mm center-negative barrel connector, and the power supply is not included with the pedal.
Is the Daylight Overdrive true bypass?
Yes. Pedaltrain states the pedal uses standard mechanical true-bypass switching, so with the effect disengaged your signal passes through without active buffering.
What is the Daylight and Nightlight First Edition matched set?
A limited paired release of the Daylight Overdrive and Nightlight Distortion. Only 100 of each First Edition pedal were made, finished in Rainbow's End sparkle black powder coating, with each circuit handmade by designer Aaron Wahl in Nashville, Tennessee.
Is the Daylight Overdrive a clone of another pedal?
No. Pedaltrain describes the Daylight and its companion Nightlight Distortion as two brand-new, all-original circuits rather than copies of existing designs. A Guitar Pedal X reviewer did note its volume cleanup and dynamics reminded him of a Keeley Modded Boss BD-2.
Where is the Pedaltrain Daylight made?
It is made in the USA. Pedaltrain says the Daylight is designed, built and tested in Nashville, Tennessee, and the circuits were shared with Nashville session players for a year of testing before release.
Can I return a Pedaltrain Daylight Overdrive?
Not through Pedaltrain's own policy. The maker's product page states that guitar effects pedals and electronic devices are not eligible for returns and all sales are final. The pedal carries a one-year limited warranty against defects in materials and workmanship in the USA.
Sources (4)
- New Pedal: Pedaltrain Daylight Overdrive, Delicious Audio, 2024-08-05
- Pedaltrain Daylight Overdrive, Pedaltrain
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2023-07-25
- Daylight Overdrive & Nightlight Distortion, Pedaltrain
