The Rock Stock Pedals Raven Overdrive is a compact overdrive pedal offering low to mid-gain tones, hand wired in Columbus, Indiana. It keeps things simple with three controls: Volume, Tone and Gain, and true bypass switching on standard 9VDC power.1
What it does to your sound
Pedal of the Day's reviewer, Mike B, described the Raven as "both a versatile pedal you can change at a moment's notice, and it's also a set-it-and-forget-it low to mid-gain" drive, calling it a good fit for the front end of a signal chain.1
With the Tone and Gain controls sitting around 10:00, the reviewer found the pedal "produces a nice, warm low overdrive, just barely pushing" the amp. Chords ring out with precision and single notes stay clear and bold, without coloring the sound of the pickups or the amp.1
The Tone control drew particular praise: "not muddy but comforting when turned down, not harsh but bright and lively" when turned up, with what the reviewer called a great mid-range sound.1
Gain range and controls
The pedal carries a wide overdrive range across its three knobs:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Volume | Sets output level |
| Tone | Shapes the treble response |
| Gain | Sets the amount of overdrive |
At the top of its range, the reviewer found that with the Gain cranked the Raven provides "ample output to cut through any mix, and enough gain to kick your amp into gorgeous overdrive."1
Power and switching
The Raven runs on standard 9VDC power and uses true bypass switching, so the circuit is removed from the signal path when the pedal is off.1
Appearance
The enclosure carries watercolor bird graphics, which the reviewer summed up by saying "The Raven just looks gnarly."1
Videos
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Questions
Is the Rock Stock Pedals Raven Overdrive true bypass?
Yes. The Raven Overdrive uses true bypass switching, so when it is switched off your guitar's signal passes through the pedal without going through its circuit. For a player, that means the pedal should not load down or dull your clean tone when it is not in use, which matters if you run it on a board with other effects.
What power does the Raven Overdrive need?
The Raven Overdrive runs on standard 9VDC power. It uses the same center-negative supply format as most compact pedals, so a typical pedalboard power supply or a dedicated 9V adapter will run it. Check the maker's current draw figure before sharing a supply output with other pedals.
Where is the Rock Stock Pedals Raven made?
The Raven Overdrive is hand wired in Columbus, Indiana, by Rock Stock Pedals. It is a small-shop American-built pedal rather than a mass-produced import, and the review that covered it noted the hand-wired construction alongside the pedal's watercolor bird graphics.
How much gain does the Raven Overdrive have?
The Raven is a low to mid-gain overdrive. With the Tone and Gain controls around 10:00 it produces a warm, low overdrive that barely pushes the amp, while cranking the Gain gives enough drive to kick an already working amp into overdrive and ample output to cut through a mix.
Sources (1)
- Rock Stock Pedals Raven Overdrive, Pedal of the Day, 2015-05-15