The Teisco Overdrive is an analog overdrive pedal built for light to medium gain. Josh Scott of JHS Pedals describes it as creating "the sound of a light to medium gain overdrive," and places its circuit in the spirit of soft clippers like the Tube Screamer and the Timmy1. If you know the Boss SD-1 vs Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer debate, this sits in that same family of gentle, touch-sensitive clipping rather than hard distortion.
The pedal came out of Teisco's new pedal lineup from the recently revived classic musical company2. Teisco had long disappeared as a guitar brand, then reappeared at Winter NAMM in 2018 as a maker of effects pedals1. The Overdrive was unveiled at NAMM 2020 alongside a Distortion pedal and an Interface, with the Overdrive listed at $129 as of January 20203.
The controls: Level, Gain, Treble, Bass and the Kick switch
The Overdrive keeps a simple layout: two gain and volume knobs plus a two-knob EQ and a toggle321.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Gain | Controls the input volume3 |
| Level | Sets your volume output2 |
| Treble | Treble EQ control for sculpting tone2 |
| Bass | Bass EQ control for sculpting tone2 |
| Kick toggle | Boosts the overdriven sound up a couple of notches into mid-gain territory2 |
The Treble and Bass controls are, in Josh Scott's words, "really powerful," and the Kick switch "gives you a little more gain and a mid-bump when you engage it"1. Guitar.com describes that same switchable mode as turning the Overdrive into a medium-gain dirt box3. Pedal of the Day notes that the two-knob EQ is always welcome, as it lets you sculpt your tone much more than a single tone control would2.
What reviewers said
Pedal of the Day's review describes the overall sound as "a simple but crunchy, punchy low-mid gain boost with no frills and a lot of drive under the hood"2. The same review praises the build: "The premium zinc housing is bright and heavy duty, too, ensuring a long life on any pedalboard or in any rig"2.
"It's designed and built in the spirit of soft clippers like the Tube Screamer and the Timmy (or even my Morning Glory)... it works great with humbuckers and single coil pickups."
That pickup flexibility means the pedal is not tied to one kind of guitar, and the powerful EQ gives you room to tailor it either way1.
The Overdrive was announced at NAMM 2020 at $129, alongside the Teisco Distortion at $149 and the Interface at $1293. Pedal of the Day also reviewed the Teisco Delay later in 2020, part of the same revived pedal line.
Questions
Is the Teisco Overdrive analog?
Yes. Guitar.com described the Overdrive as one of the latest additions to Teisco's growing series of analogue pedals when the company unveiled it at NAMM 2020. It is a straightforward analog overdrive circuit with no digital processing, built in the spirit of soft-clipping designs like the Tube Screamer and the Timmy.
What does the kick switch do on the Teisco Overdrive?
The Kick toggle boosts the overdriven sound up a couple of notches into mid-gain territory. Josh Scott of JHS Pedals describes it as giving you a little more gain and a mid-bump when you engage it, which turns the pedal from a light to medium gain overdrive into a medium-gain dirt box.
Does the Teisco Overdrive work with single coils and humbuckers?
Yes. Josh Scott of JHS Pedals writes that the pedal works great with humbuckers and single coil pickups, so it should sit well in either kind of rig. The two-knob Treble and Bass EQ also lets you sculpt the tone to suit different pickups.
How much does the Teisco Overdrive cost?
When Teisco unveiled the Overdrive at NAMM 2020, Guitar.com reported a list price of $129, with the pedal available from January 2020. The Distortion and Interface pedals from the same announcement were listed at $149 and $129 respectively.
Sources (3)
- TEISCO'S BIG COMEBACK, JHS Pedals, 2018
- Teisco Overdrive, Pedal of the Day, 2020-07-09
- NAMM 2020 Demo: Listen to Teisco raise a ruckus with new Overdrive, Distortion pedals, Guitar.com, 2020-01-17
