The Sentimental Bob Electronics Albert is an overdrive and boost pedal from Sentimental Bob Electronics, a small builder whose pedals are built to order. Guitar Pedal X's Stefan Karlsson reviewed it in September 2024 as an OCD-derived hybrid: the tone stack is circa OCD 1.3, while the various constituents and components are a mix covering 1.4 / 1.7 / 2.0 and GE versions of the OCD. Pedal of the Day covered it in April 2023 as an OCD-style drive with a wide range of sonic options12.
Controls and switching
The Albert carries five knobs and switches on the drive side plus two footswitches. Guitar Pedal X lists the controls as Volume, Filter (High Peak / Low Peak, an LPF shelving filter), Tone, Drive, and a Clipping switch between MOSFET (Standard) and GE1.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Volume | Sets output level1 |
| Filter (LP/HP) | Shifts the peak of the Drive knob from low to high, going from a more natural sound to a more aggressive and marshaloid sound2 |
| Tone | Tone shaping; the Std/Fat switch adds in more low frequencies, making the Tone knob more flexible2 |
| Drive | Adds gain to the value set by the Boost knob when the Boost switch is activated2 |
| Clipping switch | Mode 1 features standard Mosfet transistors; in the second mode Soviet germanium diodes are added to the circuit2 |
| Std/Fat toggle | Adds in more low frequencies2 |
| Bypass footswitch | Engages and bypasses the pedal1 |
| Boost footswitch | Engages the boost section1 |
The two clipping modes sound noticeably different. Pedal of the Day found the Ge mode has slightly less compression and a slightly brighter attack than the standard MOSFET mode2.
The boost section
The boost on the Albert is not a separate boost pedal in the usual sense. Pedal of the Day is explicit: "The Boost section is not an independent effect like in Tephra, it just enhances your tone and volume when engaged"2. The Drive knob interacts with it, adding gain to the value set by the Boost knob when the Boost switch is activated, so the two sections work together rather than in parallel2.
If you are comparing the Albert with the Tephra from the same builder, the boost behaves differently: on the Tephra the boost is an independent effect, on the Albert it is not2.
Circuit and power
The overdrive section is built around a high-quality and high-cost op-amp IC, the OP275 from Analog Devices2. Inside the pedal there is a voltage doubling circuit with an additional power filter, so when the supply voltage is 9V, the operational amplifier in the pedal is powered by 18V2. The bypass is made on Japanese latching relays, which consume current only at the moment of switching2.
Where it came from and what reviewers made of it
The Albert is part of what Guitar Pedal X calls the Sentimental Bob Electronics Trifecta, alongside the Tephra and Tacana, and all three cost around $180 to $190 including delivery1. Karlsson's verdict on the circuit's parentage:
"it's for sure OCD-derived for me - and gives you an enhanced and extended range delivery of that core classic kind of Marshall-y style crunchy output"
Pedal of the Day came away with a similarly practical picture of how it sits on a board: "the Albert Overdrive is really a user-friendly, plug-and-play type of pedal. Boasting a wide range of tones to experiment with, it sounds great on its own or when stacked with other dirt pedals"2.
Buying one
Because Sentimental Bob Electronics builds to order, the Albert is not an off-the-shelf purchase. Guitar Pedal X reports that building can typically take 1 to 2 weeks, and then another week or 2 for shipping, which means roughly a month from payment to delivery1.
Videos
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Sources (2)
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2024-09-26
- Sentimental Bob Electronics Albert Overdrive Boost, Pedal of the Day, 2023-04-06
