The Providence Brick Drive BD-1 is a bass preamp and overdrive pedal with a DI box built in, announced by Providence in June 2016. Rather than a straightforward dirt pedal, it packs several functions into one enclosure: a bass preamp, the company's Vitalizer B circuit, the EQ section from its Dual Bass Station pedal, overdrive, and a DI output for going straight into a mixing desk or recording interface1. It belongs to the wider family of preamp pedals and bass overdrives that let a bass player shape tone, add drive and feed the front of house from a single box.
Controls, footswitches and jacks
The front panel carries four knobs on its top row, each with its own job1:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Main Level | Overall output level of the pedal1 |
| Drive Level | Level of the driven signal1 |
| Mix | Blends the dry bass under the overdrive rather than replacing it1 |
| Drive | Amount of overdrive1 |
The Mix control is the notable one for players who blend clean and driven tone, letting the dry bass sit under the overdrive rather than being replaced by it1.
Two footswitches handle the switching duties:
- One engages the effect1
- The other toggles between the clean and drive settings, so the pedal can work as a two-channel preamp rather than a simple on/off drive1
Connections are all on quarter-inch jacks:
That Thru jack is the practical touch for a pedal aimed at players who also want it to serve as a DI, since it leaves room to keep a tuner in the chain without sacrificing an output1.
Where it came from
The circuit is based on Providence's Dual Bass Station pedal, with the Vitalizer B and Dual Bass Station circuits incorporated into the new preamp1. Providence, described by gearnews.com as based in LA and making a range of guitars, basses and pedals, positioned it as a do-everything unit:
"It's an interesting looking pedal and one that appears to cram a lot into one box"
The BD-1 name has company in the bass-drive world. Pete Cornish's BD-1, released in 2014, is a bass driver with heavy overdrive and active EQ, initially designed for bass guitar and, by Cornish's account, also popular with baritone guitars and drop-tuned guitars2. Aion FX, which traced the Cornish circuit in 2026, described it as the only Cornish effect designed specifically for bass, with increased gain and changed capacitor values relative to the MXR Distortion+ topology to suit bass3. Cornish's Deluxe BD-1 variant uses a heavy-duty custom all-metal footswitch with a large cap and protection ring plus a Hi-Brite LED4.
The BD-1 name also appears on an unrelated pedal: the E.W.S. BD-1 Brute Drive, a guitar distortion reviewed by Premier Guitar in 2021 with an On/Off footswitch, a Boost footswitch and a $152 street price5. It is a different product from a different maker.
Price and availability
When the pedal was announced in June 2016, Providence listed it at an RRP of USD $259.00, described as "coming soon"1. The company stated on its Facebook page that it would be available soon, but no official release date had been announced at that time1.
Videos
Hari Hari Musik TV
Questions
Is the Providence Brick Drive BD-1 for guitar or bass?
The Brick Drive BD-1 is a bass pedal. Providence built it around the company's Dual Bass Station EQ section and Vitalizer B circuit, both drawn from its bass-oriented pedals, and it combines a bass preamp, overdrive and DI box in one unit. It sits alongside other bass-focused drives such as the Pete Cornish BD-1, which was also designed for bass guitar and later found favor with baritone and drop-tuned guitars.
How much does the Providence Brick Drive cost?
When gearnews.com reported on the Brick Drive BD-1 in June 2016, Providence listed it at an RRP of USD $259.00. That was the manufacturer's suggested price at announcement, not a street price, and it was given alongside a 'coming soon' availability statement rather than a firm release date.
What is the Thru output on the Brick Drive for?
Besides its input and quarter-inch outputs, the Brick Drive BD-1 carries an extra Thru output. gearnews.com suggested it as a pass-through for a tuner, so you can send a clean copy of your bass signal to a tuner or another device while the main output feeds your amp or the DI.
Is the Brick Drive BD-1 out yet?
As of the June 2016 announcement, no. Providence stated on its Facebook page that the pedal would be available soon, but the company had announced no official release date at that time. The reported RRP was USD $259.00.
Sources (5)
- Providence Brick Drive BD-1 Bass preamp overdrive pedal, gearnews.com, 2016-06-18
- Pete Cornish BD-1, Pete Cornish, 2014
- Tracing Journal: Cornish BD-1 Bass Drive, Aion FX, 2026-07-03
- Pete Cornish Deluxe BD-1, Pete Cornish, 2017
- E.W.S. BD-1 Brute Drive Distortion Pedal Review, Premier Guitar, 2010-10-29
