The Pettyjohn Electronics PreDrive3 is an analog preamp pedal that brings its tools into a compact pedal format, with a buffer, an EQ section and a boost of up to 20dB all in one box1. It carries a wood facia enclosure, and a Bass Edition is new for Summer 20261. The stock unit is priced at $499 from the Pettyjohn Electronics Webstore2.
The core idea is a set of tools players normally spread across several pedals. The input and output buffers are driven by a 990-style discrete opamp, and the EQ's mid band comes from the inductor-based MID circuit of Pettyjohn's original FILTER EQ pedal1. On top of the EQ sits a boost of up to 20dB, and a DRIVE/CLEAN toggle engages the Harmonic Drive circuit, which Guitar Pedal X describes as letting the boost be ramped up toward overdrive1.
What it does: buffer, boost, EQ and Harmonic Drive
The PreDrive3 is built around a Dual Discrete Opamp running the input and output buffers, a 990-style design Pettyjohn also used in the earlier PreDrive1. The maker positions the pedal as a first-in-chain tool: the buffer conditions the signal before long cable runs and the rest of the board, and the EQ shapes what everything downstream receives.
The EQ is a three-band design with a distinctive mid band. The HIGHS and LOWS knobs each give a bell curve with 10dB of boost or cut at three switchable frequencies, while the mids use an inductor-based bell curve, again with 10dB of boost or cut, derived from the original FILTER pedal1. Inductor mids are the same approach used in classic studio EQs and wah circuits, and Pettyjohn calls the band "highly musical"1.
The boost side is a two-stage affair. The BOOST knob sets up to 20dB of clean boost, engaged with its own footswitch, and the DRIVE/CLEAN toggle brings in the Harmonic Drive circuit1. Guitar Pedal X's Stefan Karlsson summed up the range: "Where the Boost can be ramped up to an Overdrive - by flicking up the top switch!"2
The controls
Two footswitches anchor the pedal: BUFFER and BOOST. The BUFFER footswitch selects between true bypass and buffer on, and when the buffer is on the EQ section is in the signal path too1. The BOOST footswitch engages the boost set by its knob.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| HIGHS knob + Frequency switch | Bell curve, 10dB boost or cut at 3kHz, 5kHz or 8kHz1 |
| Inductor Mids knob + Frequency switch | Bell curve, 10dB boost or cut at 540Hz, 780Hz or 1.5kHz1 |
| LOWS knob + Freq switch | Bell curve, 10dB boost or cut at 75Hz, 120Hz or 250Hz1 |
| BOOST knob | Sets boost amount, up to 20dB, engaged with the Boost footswitch1 |
| LEVEL knob | Controls the output; active in buffer and boost mode, or in boost mode only, via an internal switch1 |
| DRIVE/CLEAN toggle | Engages the Harmonic Drive circuit1 |
| BUFFER footswitch | True bypass, or buffer on including the EQ section1 |
| BOOST footswitch | Engages the boost1 |
The LEVEL knob's internal switch is worth knowing: it decides whether the level control is always active or only when the boost is engaged, so the same pedal can work as a set-and-forget preamp or as a boost with its own output level1.
Power: 9 to 15V in, 36V inside
The PreDrive3 accepts a 9 to 15V DC input and requires 200mA2. Inside, a custom voltage-boosting circuit takes that input and produces +/-18V rails, a proprietary 36V internal supply Pettyjohn credits for the pedal's high headroom1. For a player, that means the EQ and boost stay clean at settings where a standard 9V pedal would start to strain, without needing a special power supply on the board.
At 200mA, the PreDrive3 draws more current than a typical analog drive pedal, so plan for it on a power supply with adequate current per output rather than a low-current daisy chain.
Versions, mods and prices
The stock PreDrive3 runs a Dual Discrete Opamp in the buffers with a Burr-Brown opamp in the EQ, and lists at $49912. Two mods are offered at order time:
- Deluxe EQ Mod ($100): replaces the EQ's stock Burr-Brown opamp with a second Dual Discrete Opamp12
- Max Mojo Mod ($69): upgrades the HPF with an Emerson Oil-in-Paper cap and the signal path to PRP resistors1
Guitar Pedal X notes both mods together take the price to $668, and characterizes them as "slightly superior / more Mojo / Rare Vintage NOS Components" rather than functional changes2. A Bass Edition, new for Summer 2026, optimizes the EQ and Harmonic Drive circuits for the bass range at no extra cost1.
Lineage and what reviewers said
The PreDrive3 is built as an analog pedal using premium analog parts for low noise, with a buffer that has its own footswitch and Buffer Level control alongside the EQ section1. Its enclosure features a wood facia, which the reviewer appreciated2. Of the pedal overall, the reviewer wrote:
"The PreDrive 3 is an incredibly well made and potent device"
Guitar Pedal X covered the launch in October 2025 and came away impressed with the build:
"The PreDrive 3 is an incredibly well made and potent device"
Stefan Karlsson, Guitar Pedal X2
The same review singles out the wood facia enclosure, with Karlsson admitting "I'm always a sucker for a well-done wood facia!"2 The pedal is hand made in Oregon, USA, with premium analog parts throughout1.
Videos
R.J. Ronquillo
The Tone Shepherd and Pettyjohn Electronics
Questions
What do the Deluxe EQ and Max Mojo mods change?
The Deluxe EQ Mod swaps the EQ section's stock Burr-Brown opamp for a second Dual Discrete Opamp, the same type running the buffers, for $100. The Max Mojo Mod upgrades the HPF with an Emerson Oil-in-Paper cap and the signal path to PRP resistors for $69. Both mods use rarer, higher-grade components than the stock build.
Is there a bass version of the PreDrive3?
Yes. The PreDrive3 Bass Edition is new for Summer 2026, with the EQ and Harmonic Drive circuits optimized for the bass range. Pettyjohn offers it at no extra cost over the standard version.
Is the PreDrive3 true bypass?
Yes, when the Buffer footswitch is off the pedal is true bypass. Switching the Buffer on brings the buffer and the full EQ section into the signal path, so you can choose between true bypass and an always-on buffered EQ depending on your rig.
How is the PreDrive3 different from the original PreDrive?
The PreDrive3 is the third generation of the PreDrive, following the V2 generation demoed around five years ago. Its EQ is derived from the original FILTER EQ pedal's inductor-based MID band, and it moves the whole channel-strip concept into a compact pedal with a wood facia enclosure.
Where is the PreDrive3 made?
Pettyjohn Electronics builds the PreDrive3 by hand in Oregon, USA. The company describes it as a studio-grade preamp made with premium analog parts.
Sources (2)
- PreDrive3, Pettyjohn Electronics, 2026
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2025-10-28
