The Tone City Sweet Cream v2025 Transparent Overdrive is a mini-sized transparent overdrive pedal. Pedal of the Day describes it as "smooth-sounding and full of dynamics like amp-like response", and notes that it can push the distortion channel of your amp to make the distortion more plump1. It sits in the maker's line of compact drives alongside the Tone City Bad Horse and the original Sweet Cream, and it is available from Osiamo Music Gear1.
What it does
As a transparent overdrive, the Sweet Cream v2025 is built to add drive without stamping its own character all over your tone. Pedal of the Day's review describes the sound as smooth-sounding and full of dynamics, with an amp-like response, and highlights its use for pushing an amp's distortion channel into a plumper distortion1. The pedal comes in a yellow enclosure; the review's demo video shows "this yellow monster in action"1.
The controls
The v2025 carries over the Sweet Cream's most distinctive feature and adds two new ones1:
- Touch: a unique control that adjusts the ratio of distortion and clean signal, changing the overall response and feel of the pedal, such as EQ and compression1
- Tone: adjusts the brightness, new in this version1
- Toggle switch: selects between two different clipping modes, also new in this version1
Pedal of the Day found that although it is a mini-sized pedal, "the controls are usable at almost any setting from 0 to 10", making it versatile and easy to use1.
The two toggle positions
The toggle switch gets you two different clipping modes:
| Toggle position | What it gives you |
|---|---|
| Right | The original version tone1 |
| Left | Slightly higher distortion with more sense of compression1 |
How it differs from the original Sweet Cream
The version 2025 is an update of the original Sweet Cream rather than a new circuit from scratch: a Tone knob and a toggle switch have been added to the original version1. That means players of the original get the same core transparent drive and Touch control, with added brightness shaping and a second clipping voice. The same v2025 treatment has been applied across Tone City's mini line, including the Bad Horse v2025 Boost Overdrive3 and the Golden Plexi v2025 Overdrive Distortion, which likewise gained a toggle switch in its 2025 version2.
If you are comparing the Sweet Cream v2025 with an original Sweet Cream, the added Tone knob and toggle switch are the difference to look for1.
Videos
Pedal of the Day
Questions
What does the Touch control do on the Tone City Sweet Cream?
The Touch control adjusts the ratio of distortion and clean signal, which changes the overall response and feel of the pedal, including EQ and compression. It is a unique feature of the Sweet Cream and lets you shape how the pedal sits with your playing rather than just adding gain.
What do the two toggle positions do?
The toggle switch selects between two different clipping modes. Switching to the right gets the original version tone, while turning to the left produces a slightly higher distortion with more sense of compression.
How is the newer Sweet Cream different from the original?
In the version 2025, a Tone knob and a toggle switch have been added to the original design. The Tone knob adjusts brightness, and the toggle selects between the original clipping and a higher-compression mode.
Is the Tone City Sweet Cream a mini pedal?
Yes. Pedal of the Day describes it as a mini-sized pedal, and notes that despite the small footprint the controls are usable at almost any setting from 0 to 10.
Sources (3)
- Tone City Sweet Cream v2025 Transparent Overdrive, Pedal of the Day, 2025-10-21
- Tone City Golden Plexi v2025 Overdrive Distortion, Pedal of the Day, 2025-09-20
- Tone City Bad Horse v2025 Boost Overdrive, Pedal of the Day, 2025-10-03
