The ThroBak Overdrive Boost is an analog overdrive and boost pedal from ThroBak that reproduces the circuit of the original Colorsound Power Boost, the pedal also known as the Colorsound Overdriver, and adds a master volume the original usually lacked12. ThroBak describes the silicon transistor circuit as covering "everything from a substantial and extremely transparent clean boost to all out silicon fuzz and every tonal variation in between"1, which places it at the loud, open-ended end of the overdrive family rather than with the compressed, mid-focused designs compared in Boss SD-1 vs Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer.
What it does to your sound
The circuit uses three carefully selected TO-18 metal can silicon transistors, the same type used in the original circuit1. At one end of its range ThroBak describes a clean boost that is "substantial and extremely transparent"; at the other, all-out silicon fuzz1. Players looking for where that sits among dirt boxes can compare it with the distortion and fuzz families, and with dedicated boost pedals that stay clean all the way up.
Controls
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Master volume | Added by ThroBak; the original Power Boost and Overdriver usually lacked one1 |
| Treble and bass | Wide-ranging EQ; the builder behind Guitar FX Layouts found they "add a TON of bass or treble", not subtle at all4 |
| Pre-gain switch | Externally switchable pre-gain control, with an internal pot to dial in the best pre-gain for your guitar1 |
| Germanium switch | Engages germanium diode clipping; without it there are no diodes in the clipping circuit14 |
The pre-gain switch inserts or removes the pre-gain pot from the circuit4. The germanium switch is the pedal's most distinctive control: clicking it in brings germanium diodes into the clipping path and, per the Guitar FX Layouts write-up, causes a big volume loss4.
The volume drop when the germanium switch is engaged is a known trait of the circuit. The Guitar FX Layouts builder notes it can supposedly be reduced with six germanium diodes in series, or a germanium diode and an LED in series, in a home-built version4.
Where it came from: the Colorsound Power Boost and Overdriver
The pedal ThroBak reproduced began as the Colorsound Power Boost. Per Aion FX's account, the design was renamed and revised after taking the Power Boost to a trade show in the United States, becoming the Overdriver5. Vintage units are rare in original condition: TONEHOME notes that very few vintage Overdrivers are left unmodded, because the pedal's remarkable volume boost when engaged led many users to add a master volume pot, a feature the reissue pedal carries as well6. Analog Man's vintage page likewise records the master volume as an addition to allow overdrive at usable volumes, on a four-knob layout of Treble, Bass, Overdrive and Master Volume7. The bass and treble controls allow a wide range of tonal options, including a full-on treble boost6.
ThroBak's version builds that master volume in from the start, alongside true bypass switching1.
Availability, price and buying notes
ThroBak's store page lists the Overdrive Boost as unavailable2. The US$389.00 figure is the maker's list price as of 20262.
ThroBak marks the pedal made in the USA2 and backs it with a 5 year limited warranty1. Returns carry a 15% restocking fee, and pedals returned with cosmetic or other damage will not be accepted2.
Questions
Is the ThroBak Overdrive Boost true bypass?
Yes. ThroBak's product page lists a master volume and a true bypass footswitch, so the pedal passes your guitar's signal untouched when it is switched off. That matters on a board where the pedal sits in front of an amp that is already being pushed, since the original vintage units were often left always-on and had no way to take the circuit out of the chain.
What is the ThroBak Overdrive Boost based on?
ThroBak describes it as a reproduction and improvement of the original Colorsound Power Boost guitar effects pedal, also known as the Colorsound Overdriver. The main addition is a master volume control, which the original usually lacked, letting players get the circuit's overdrive at usable stage volumes.
Is the ThroBak Overdrive Boost still available?
No. ThroBak's own store page lists the Overdrive Boost as unavailable, so the pedal is effectively out of production. Used examples turn up on the secondhand market, and the price there is set by sellers rather than by ThroBak's list price.
Where is the ThroBak Overdrive Boost made?
ThroBak marks the Overdrive Boost as made in the USA on its store page. The company builds its pedals in the United States and backs them with a 5 year limited warranty.
What does the germanium switch do on the ThroBak Overdrive Boost?
The germanium switch brings germanium diodes into the clipping circuit. Without it clicked in there are no diodes in the clipping circuit at all, and switching the germanium diodes in causes a noticeable volume drop. Builders discussing the circuit note that the drop can be reduced with six germanium diodes in series, or a germanium diode and an LED in series.
What warranty does ThroBak give on its pedals?
ThroBak gives the Overdrive Boost a 5 year limited warranty, according to the company's product page. Returns carry a 15% restocking fee, and pedals returned with cosmetic or other damage will not be accepted.
Sources (7)
- ThroBak Overdrive Boost effects pedals, Colorsound Power Boost voiced., ThroBak Electronics, 2026
- ThroBak Overdrive Boost, ThroBak Electronics, 2026
- Overdrive Boost by ThroBak, RockBoard (PedalPedia), 2026
- Guitar FX Layouts: Throbak Overdrive Boost, Guitar FX Layouts (tagboardeffects.blogspot.com), 2013-04-11
- Plasma Vintage Drive / Colorsound Overdriver, Aion FX, 2020-07-03
- TONEHOME, TONEHOME - the World of Vintage Guitar Effect Pedals
- Colorsound vintage reissue effects pedals, Analog Man Vintage guitar effects (analogman.com), 2015
