The Tonewave FX Preset is an analog pedal from Tonewave FX that works as both a preamp and an overdrive. The maker's own description puts the choice in the player's hands. It belongs to the family of preamp pedals that double as overdrive pedals, and it is built to stay on rather than to be kicked in and out for solos12.
"PRESET is a preamp but also an overdrive… Your choice!"
What it does to your sound
As an always-on pedal, the Preset is meant to give a base tone "the push you need," in Tonewave's words, adding drive and shaping without fundamentally changing the character of the guitar and amp behind it1. Used as a standalone overdrive, it takes on the role players usually assign to a dedicated drive pedal, sitting alongside the likes of the Boss SD-1 and Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer in the broader overdrive family.
Because it is a preamp as well, it can also act as a tone foundation on its own, which is the same basic idea behind other preamp pedals: one box that sets the core gain and EQ of the rig.
Tonewave describes its intent plainly:
"Mainly designed to be an 'always on pedal' capable of giving your base tone the push you need, it is a great OD for itself."
Controls and layout
Delicious Audio's review describes the Preset as "a 5-knob pedal," giving players a fuller set of controls than the two- or three-knob layout common on simple overdrives2. The jacks are top mounted, which keeps the pedal's footprint shallow on a crowded board, and the switching is soft touch2.
The physical layout breaks down like this:
- Five knobs on the top panel, a fuller control set than the two or three knobs typical of simple overdrives2
- Top mounted jacks, keeping the pedal's depth shallow on a crowded board2
- Soft touch switching, rather than a heavy mechanical footswitch2
Specifications
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Type | Preamp and overdrive pedal1 |
| Circuit | Analog1 |
| Bypass | Buffered, soft touch switching2 |
| Power | 9V DC, center negative1 |
| Current draw | 65mA1 |
| Controls | 5 knobs2 |
| Made in | Portugal2 |
Power and bypass
The Preset runs on a 9V DC, center negative supply and draws 65mA1. That is a moderate draw: it is fine for most isolated power supplies, but it is worth checking what your supply has left before adding it to a daisy chain.
The Preset uses buffered bypass, not true bypass. Delicious Audio describes it as "soft touch (buffered) bypass switching"2. A buffer at the front of a chain can help keep the signal strong through long cable runs, and it fits the pedal's always-on role, but players who want every pedal out of the path when disengaged should plan their board accordingly.
Build and origin
The Preset is hand-built in Portugal. Delicious Audio's review describes it as "100% hand soldered and wired, built with top quality components"2, which places it with the small-batch builders rather than the large production houses.
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Questions
Is the Tonewave FX Preset analog or digital?
The Preset is an analog pedal. Tonewave FX lists its circuit type as analog on the product's PedalPedia page, so it processes your guitar's signal with analog circuitry rather than digital conversion. That matters for players who build their boards around analog signal paths or who want a preamp and overdrive that behaves like a traditional stompbox.
What power supply does the Tonewave FX Preset need?
The Preset runs on a 9V DC, center negative power supply, the same standard used by most pedals. It draws 65mA, which is more than some simple overdrives need, so it is worth checking the budget of your power supply or daisy chain before adding it to a board.
Is the Tonewave FX Preset true bypass?
No. The Preset uses buffered bypass with soft touch switching, according to Delicious Audio's review. A buffer keeps the signal strong through long cable runs, which suits the pedal's intended role as an always-on preamp, though players who prefer a fully true bypass signal path should know the difference.
Where is the Tonewave FX Preset made?
The Preset is hand-built in Portugal. Delicious Audio's review describes it as 100% hand soldered and wired, built with top quality components, which places it among the small-batch, hand-made pedals rather than mass-produced production-line units.
Does the Tonewave FX Preset run on a battery?
The published specifications list a 9V DC, center negative power supply and a 65mA current draw. With a draw at that level, a standard 9V battery is not a practical power option, and the specifications make no mention of battery operation, so plan on a mains power supply.
Sources (2)
- Preset by Tonewave FX, RockBoard PedalPedia, 2026
- Tonewave FX Preset Preamp+Overdrive, Delicious Audio, 2020-08-05