The Devil Drive is a signature overdrive pedal built for guitarist Jeff Waters of Annihilator, announced by SolidGoldFX in November 2011 at a street price of $175 USD1. It is not a high-gain pedal: the maker describes it as an overdrive that draws its roots from the classic OD-1 circuit, the same design behind the original Boss OD-1 OverDrive1. SolidGoldFX says it "doesn't boast extremely high levels of gain, scooped mids or insane bass. Instead it is designed to be layered and textured with heavy hitting, hard rock amps to deliver its scorching tone or used on its own for some bluesy bite"1.
Where it came from and who it is for
SolidGoldFX built the Devil Drive around the OD-1 overdrive circuit that Jeff Waters, according to the maker, "has used since the very beginning to achieve the tight, articulate metal tones that he and his legendary band, Annihilator, are known for"1. The pedal is a signature take on that design rather than a copy, adding a mode switch and a Tone control the original never had.
Controls and modes
The Devil Drive carries Volume and Drive controls, plus a Tone control and a Mode switch. The Mode switch selects either "Vintage" or "Modern" modes1:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Volume | Output level |
| Drive | Amount of overdrive |
| Tone | Active only in Modern mode |
| Mode switch | Selects Vintage or Modern |
In "Vintage" mode, only the Volume and Drive controls are active, giving you the stripped-down OD-1 style response12. The "Modern" mode engages the Tone control and adds a slight increase in output gain for a hotter signal2.
If you want the Tone control, you have to be in Modern mode. In Vintage mode the Tone knob does nothing, and Modern mode also raises the output gain slightly, so the two modes are not just a tone-shape change.
Power and bypass
The pedal runs on 9-18VDC and uses true bypass switching12.
What reviewers said
In a Guitar World review video from April 2013, Paul Riario tried out the then-new Devil Drive and described it as "an overdrive pedal that will give your sound that extra boost without destroying your amp's inherent tone"3. That matches the maker's layering intent: the pedal is meant to push an amp that already has its own character rather than replace it.
Videos
Guitar World
Pete Thorn
SolidGoldFX | Diamond Pedals
Questions
Can the Devil Drive run at 18V?
Yes. Guitar World's announcement lists true bypass switching and 9-18VDC operation, so the pedal accepts anything from a standard 9V supply up to 18VDC. Running it at 18V is an option some players use for extra headroom, but it works fine at the usual 9V.
Is the SolidGoldFX Devil Drive true bypass?
Yes. SolidGoldFX's press release describes the Devil Drive as having true bypass switching, along with a low-noise design. With the pedal off, your guitar's signal passes straight through unaffected.
What does the Tone knob do on the Devil Drive?
The Tone control only works in Modern mode. SolidGoldFX says that in Vintage mode, only the Volume and Drive controls are active, while Modern mode engages the Tone control and adds a slight increase in output gain for a hotter signal.
Is the Devil Drive a high-gain pedal?
No. SolidGoldFX is explicit that it doesn't boast extremely high levels of gain, scooped mids or insane bass. It is designed to be layered and textured with hard rock amps, or used on its own for some bluesy bite. Jeff Waters uses it to tighten up metal amps rather than replace them.
Sources (3)
- SolidGoldFX Unveils Jeff Waters Signature Devil Drive, Premier Guitar, 2011-11-14
- SolidGoldFX Unveils Jeff Waters Signature Devil Drive Overdrive Pedal, Guitar World, 2011-11-09
- Review: Solid Gold FX Devil Drive Pedal, Guitar World, 2013-04-17
