The Feels is an overdrive/distortion pedal from Ruffian Pedals, and the review that covered it called it the company's flagship pedal. It is built around three controls: a Volume knob, a Gain knob and a single toggle switch that flips between Light and Dark voicings. Pedal of the Day reviewed it in January 2016 as "The Feels Overdrive/Distortion," placing it in the territory shared by overdrive pedals and distortion pedals.1
The controls: Volume, Gain and Light/Dark
The Feels keeps its front panel to three controls, and the reviewer singled out that layout as the pedal's defining feature1.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Volume | The large top knob, with plenty of overall output at your disposal1 |
| Gain | Runs from a small amount of crunch, through a tasty overdriven sound, to a full-on, meaty, chunky distortion while remaining clear and sharp1 |
| Light/Dark toggle | Switches between two voicings: one more treble-based, the other fattening the drive with added low-end frequency1 |
The Gain control's range is wide enough that the pedal can serve as a light crunch or a full distortion, which is why it is described as an overdrive/distortion rather than one or the other. The Light/Dark toggle works like a fixed voicing switch: Light leans toward treble, Dark adds low-end to the drive, so you can preset a brighter and a fuller sound and switch between them mid-song.1
The reviewer's verdict on the layout:
"The control layout of The Feels is brilliant, I love the simplicity and the off-center positioning a lot, as it really makes the pedal different, and stand out more from others in its class."
Build, bypass and power
The Feels is a true bypass pedal, meaning the drive circuit is removed from the signal path when it is off. It is finished in a crystal white powder coating with a blue LED showing when the effect is engaged. Power comes from a 9V center negative DC adapter, the standard polarity for compact pedals, so it will work with a normal pedalboard power supply output.1
The review describes power as a 9V center negative DC adapter and does not mention battery operation, so plan to run the pedal from an adapter or power supply rather than expecting an internal battery.
Where it sits on a board
As a drive pedal that covers both crunch and heavier distortion, The Feels can fill the role usually split between a low-gain overdrive and a distortion pedal, with the Light/Dark toggle standing in for a tone-shaping control. Players comparing it against other drive types may also want to look at fuzz pedals for a rougher clipping character or a boost to push it harder1.
Videos
Pedal of the Day
Questions
Is The Feels true bypass?
Yes. Pedal of the Day's review describes The Feels as featuring true bypass, so when the pedal is off, your guitar's signal passes through without the drive circuit in the way. The same review notes a blue LED to indicate when the effect is engaged, along with a crystal white powder-coated enclosure.
What power supply does the Ruffian Feels use?
The Feels runs on a 9V center negative DC adapter, the same standard used by most compact pedals. The review makes no mention of battery power, so plan on using a dedicated adapter or an isolated output from a pedalboard power supply.
What is the difference between Light and Dark mode?
A single toggle switch on The Feels selects between Light and Dark modes. According to Pedal of the Day, one mode is more treble-based, while the other fattens the drive with added low-end frequency. In practice it lets you choose a brighter or fuller drive voicing without touching a tone knob.
Is The Feels an overdrive or a distortion?
Both, depending on where you set it. Pedal of the Day reviewed it as an Overdrive/Distortion, describing a Gain control that runs from a small amount of crunch through a tasty overdriven sound up to a full-on, meaty, chunky distortion that stays clear and sharp. It sits between the two effect types rather than choosing one.
Sources (1)
- Ruffian Pedals The Feels Overdrive Distortion, Pedal of the Day, 2016-01-27