The Roger Mayer Voodoo-Blues is a dual-purpose guitar pedal that can be set to provide both overdrive and clean sustain, or run as a clean boost. Roger Mayer describes it as a pedal with clean sustain and overdrive that can be used with chords, and says it produces "a set of very musical overtones with feed forward compression as it slips into overdrive"1. It sits in the maker's Voodoo-Series range of pedals, alongside the Roger Mayer Voodoo Boost1, and belongs to the wider families of overdrive pedals and boost pedals.
Not a Tube Screamer clone
The pedal is designed as an alternative for the Tube Screamer type of overdrive, aimed at what Roger Mayer calls the discerning player2. Mayer is explicit about its lineage: "I have over the years repeatedly refused to make an updated copy or clone of the Tube Screamer"1. The Voodoo-Blues is therefore a completely different circuit, not a copy, even though it addresses the same musical territory.
For context, Roger Mayer positions the Voodoo-Blues as a new design rather than a copy of anything else: on his own page he writes, "I am proud to announce the Voodoo-Blues a revolutionary new design"1. He places it in the wider context of his own overdrive work, saying it "has all the usual features of our Voodoo-Series pedals and is a welcome addition to the range"1. So while the pedal sits in the overdrive territory players know from circuits like the Tube Screamer, Mayer presents it as his own approach to that job, built alongside the rest of his Voodoo-Series pedals rather than derived from another maker's circuit1.
Controls and how it responds
The pedal carries a Fatness control, which Roger Mayer says "does what it says and is not just a simple EQ section"1. Its most practical feature for players who use the guitar's own volume knob is cleanup: "the unit cleans up perfectly with the guitar Volume control"1, so rolling the guitar volume back takes the edge off without needing to bend down and adjust the pedal.
Outputs, battery and power
The Voodoo-Blues offers more output options than a typical single-output overdrive:
- Two direct drive buffered outputs, which can drive long cable lengths with no high frequency loss
- One traditional true hard wire output/bypass
- The buffered outputs are disconnected when the hard wire output is used1
Power runs from either a 9V battery or an external supply:
- Battery: a rapid-change 9V battery compartment; slide the front panel back to access it, with no screws. Battery life is 150Hrs or more using a premium grade alkaline 9 Volt type1.
- External power: a standard DC power jack with a 2.1mm center pin, situated next to the jack sockets. The external AC adapter is not supplied1.
- Voltage and polarity: 9 volt DC, with a regulated output recommended. It uses the standard negative center pin connection protocol used by many leading manufacturers1.
- Current draw: 50mA or more1.
With a current draw of 50mA or more1, the Voodoo-Blues is above what some low-current daisy-chain supplies comfortably share, and Roger Mayer recommends a regulated output1. The adapter is not included, so a battery or your own regulated 9V supply is needed.
Enclosure and weight
The pedal is housed in Roger Mayer's Standard Style enclosure, measuring Width 170 x Depth 112 x Height 57mm and weighing 618g with a battery fitted1.
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Questions
Is the Roger Mayer Voodoo-Blues a Tube Screamer clone?
No. Roger Mayer states on the product page that he has repeatedly refused over the years to make an updated copy or clone of the Tube Screamer, and describes the Voodoo-Blues as a completely different circuit. It is instead positioned as an alternative for players who like the Tube Screamer type of overdrive but want something built from a different design.
Does the Voodoo-Blues come with a power supply?
No. The pedal takes an external AC adapter through a standard DC power jack with a 2.1mm centre pin, situated next to the jack sockets, but the adapter is not supplied. It also runs on a 9V battery through a rapid-change compartment.
What polarity does the Voodoo-Blues use?
It uses the standard negative centre pin connection protocol used by many leading manufacturers, so a common center-negative 9V DC supply is what it expects. Roger Mayer recommends a regulated output.
How long does a battery last in the Voodoo-Blues?
Roger Mayer specifies 150 hours or more using a premium grade alkaline 9 Volt type. The battery sits in a rapid-change compartment reached by sliding the front panel back, with no screws to remove.
What does the Voodoo-Blues do when the guitar volume is turned down?
Roger Mayer says the unit cleans up perfectly with the guitar Volume control, so rolling back the guitar's volume takes the pedal from overdrive back toward a clean sound without touching the pedal.
How much does the Voodoo-Blues weigh?
The maker lists the weight as 618g with a battery fitted. The enclosure measures 170mm wide by 112mm deep by 57mm high.
Sources (2)
- Guitar Effects Pedals by Roger Mayer, Roger Mayer (roger-mayer.co.uk)
- Guitar Effects Pedals by Roger Mayer, Roger Mayer (roger-mayer.co.uk)
