The Ages Five-State Overdrive is an overdrive pedal from Walrus Audio, built around a five-position rotary mode knob that switches between five internal gain and clipping combinations. Walrus Audio describes it as "a massively versatile overdrive machine standing at the ready for any amp and pickup combination"123, and the range runs from clean, sparkly and smooth gain at one end to thick, compressed overdrive at the other. The pedal was the maker's first overdrive since 20164.
The standard Ages comes in an olive green enclosure with white, cream and black ink, with artwork of a mythical three-trunked warrior elephant1. Guitar World lists its origin as the USA5.
The five gain states
The core of the pedal is the mode knob, a five-position rotary switch that Walrus Audio says offers five unique internal gain and clipping combinations4. Each position pairs a gain level with a specific clipping circuit, so the character changes as much as the amount of drive.
| Mode | Gain | Clipping | Walrus Audio's description |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | Low | Symmetric silicon soft | Compressed and smooth718 |
| II | Low | Symmetric LED soft | Pushed, open, and sparkly72 |
| III | High | Symmetric silicon soft | Increased saturation and tight2 |
| IV | High | Symmetric LED soft | Saturated, punchy and big2 |
| V | High | Symmetric silicon hard | Heavy compression, thick and chewy2 |
MusicRadar's review walked through the same ladder: mode 1 gives a compressed, smooth low-gain tone, mode 2 is "a little more open, for pushed tones, just on the edge of breakup," modes 3 and 4 are high-gain versions of 1 and 2, and mode 5's symmetric silicon hard clipping offers "the effect of a valve-head and stack being driven hard"8.
For players who want a clean boost rather than drive, Guitar World's reviewer Trevor Curwen found the low-gain modes I and II fill that role, with the gain at minimum and the volume knob around one o'clock giving unity gain5.
The controls
Alongside the mode knob, the Ages carries Volume, Dry, Gain, Bass and Treble controls, a mode switch and a bypass footswitch8.
- Volume: sets the output level.
- Gain: sets the amount of drive within the selected mode.
- Dry: blends the untouched signal back in. Walrus Audio says to "fine-tune each of these gain states with the dry knob for a near infinite supply of gain options"125, and Guitar World listed the dry mix knob as a plus5.
- Bass: boosts or cuts low frequencies before they hit the overdrive4.
- Treble: shapes the high end.
- Mode switch: selects among the five gain and clipping combinations4.
- Bypass footswitch: switches the effect in and out8.
Guitar World's review also credited the pedal with a practical EQ and a compact size5.
Power and setup
The Ages runs on 9V DC, center negative, with a current draw of 100mA min2. Walrus Audio does not include a power supply with the pedal, and MusicRadar confirmed the supply is sold separately8.
Walrus Audio recommends an isolated power supply for all of its pedals and does not recommend daisy chain supplies. No power supply is included with the Ages2.
The pedal is covered by Walrus Audio's limited lifetime warranty4.
Editions
The Ages has been offered in several versions beyond the standard olive green enclosure1.
- Standard: olive green enclosure with the three-trunked warrior elephant artwork, $249.996.
- Blemished: units with cosmetic-only flaws, such as scratches or dents in the finish, priced at $212.496.
- Platinum Edition: a limited run, now sold out at Walrus Audio2.
- Craftsman Series: a collaboration with Simpleton Goods in Oklahoma City, with custom laser-engraved artwork and high-grade leather, hand-cut and hand-stitched by Tyler Carder. The edition comes wrapped in dark green leather, hand stitched with white twine, and is now sold out7.
What reviewers said
Guitar World's Trevor Curwen summed up the pedal's range:
"Capable of low-level transparent boost through to hard-hitting saturation, the Ages offers a versatility that enables it"5
His review credited the pedal with a good range of clipping options, a dry mix knob, practical EQ and compact size, and noted it works with a wide range of guitars and amps and stacks well with other drive pedals5. MusicRadar called it "a space-saver with an epic range of drive tones" and "a super-practical pedalboard option that can be used for clean transparent boost or hot saturated gain"9. Both reviews listed the price at $199 / £17985, below the current $249.99 list price on Walrus Audio's own page6.
Videos
walrusaudioeffects
walrusaudioeffects
Rabea Massaad
News
Questions
Can the Walrus Ages be used as a clean boost?
Yes. Guitar World's reviewer found the low-gain modes I and II work as a clean boost, with the gain set to minimum and the volume knob around one o'clock for unity gain. MusicRadar likewise described the pedal as usable for clean transparent boost or hot saturated gain.
What does the Dry knob on the Walrus Ages do?
The Dry knob blends your untouched signal back in with the overdriven signal. Walrus Audio describes it as a way to fine-tune each of the five gain states, giving what the maker calls a near infinite supply of gain options. Guitar World's review listed the dry mix knob as a plus.
What clipping does each Ages mode use?
Modes I and III use symmetric silicon soft clipping, modes II and IV use symmetric LED soft clipping, and mode V uses symmetric silicon hard clipping. Modes I and II are low-gain, while III, IV and V are high-gain, with V the most compressed and saturated.
Does the Walrus Ages come with a power supply?
No. Walrus Audio states the power supply is not included and sold separately. The maker recommends an isolated power supply for all its pedals and does not recommend daisy chain supplies.
Is the Walrus Audio Ages true bypass?
Yes. Walrus Audio lists true bypass among the pedal's features on its product pages for both the standard and Platinum Edition versions.
Sources (9)
- Ages Five-State Overdrive, Walrus Audio
- Ages Five-State Overdrive, Walrus Audio
- Lüm Texture Engine, Walrus Audio
- Ages Five-State Overdrive, Walrus Audio
- Walrus Audio Ages Five-State Overdrive review, Guitar World, 2020-08-24
- Ages Five-State Overdrive, Walrus Audio
- Ages Five-State Overdrive, Craftsman Series, Walrus Audio
- Walrus Audio Ages Five-State Overdrive review, MusicRadar, 2020-09-07
- Walrus Eras Five-State Distortion review, MusicRadar, 2022-05-03
