The Way Huge STO, short for Super Terrific Overdrive, is a compact overdrive pedal from Way Huge's Smalls range, designed by Jeorge Tripps as the company's take on the classic Nobels ODR-112. Way Huge describes it as delivering "smooth, silky overdrive that sounds like the purr of a freshly tuned-up muscle car," and says it gradually butters up your tone while preserving the fundamental character of your guitar and amp3.
It is a simple three-knob pedal: Volume, Tone and Drive1. Way Huge calls that setup "just about the fastest and easiest ride to overdriven paradise"3. The pedal is sold as a special batch run3.
A smooth overdrive from the Smalls range
The STO sits in Way Huge's Smalls range, the company's line of compact pedals that also includes drives like the Red Llama, the Supa-Lead and the Conspiracy Theory Professional Overdrive1. Way Huge itself was an early boutique builder that made little more than 3,000 stompboxes in total before its original run ended, and it was later re-introduced under Dunlop, whose new editions made the pedals widely available and affordable56.
The three controls keep the pedal straightforward:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Volume | Sets the output level |
| Tone | Shapes the frequency balance |
| Drive | Sets the amount of overdrive |
Way Huge gives the Drive knob special recognition, saying its range is wide and responsive and makes it sound like your amp is breaking up of its own natural accord, but without excess volume3. Guitar World reported that the pedal aims to deliver the smoothest of overdriven tones, with a seamless transition from clean to dirty and the ODR-1's much-sought-after mild midrange bump7.
The manual notes one practical detail: disconnect the input jack to preserve battery life when the pedal is not in use4.
The STO's power supply has the positive voltage on the outer sleeve, meaning it uses a center-positive plug rather than the center-negative standard of most modern pedals4. Check your power supply's polarity before plugging in.
How it differs from the Nobels ODR-1
The STO is a reimagining of the Nobels ODR-1, which Guitar World called one of country guitar's great secret sauce effects units7. Delicious Audio noted that Way Huge joined a growing list of builders with a clone of the Nobels ODR-1 in their pedal roster8, and Guitar World has since grouped the STO alongside the Browne Amplification Atom as ODR-1-derived designs, though notably less cloned than the Tube Screamer9.
The ODR-1 itself has a long-standing reputation among players. The DIY layout site Guitar FX Layouts called it "one of my favourite overdrives, and a nice alternative to the usual TS derivatives"10, and Nobels' artist roster describes it as producing a fat and natural overdrive sound11.
Way Huge did not copy the circuit outright. Two changes define the STO721:
- Op amp: the STO uses a 4741 quad op amp in place of the ODR-1's 45587.
- Input stage: instead of the discrete FET input found in the original Nobels ODR-1 circuit, the STO has a FET op-amp input, which Guitar.com reported was chosen for an "even smoother, more pillowy sound"12.
Guitar World also observed that the STO's control layout is more reminiscent of the Nobels ODR-mini in shape than of the full-size ODR-17.
Price and availability
The STO lists for $149.99, as reported by Guitar.com at launch in July 20211. gearnews.com gave the launch RRP as USD 149 / GBP 1392, and a 2023 UK review lists the pedal at £11912. Way Huge describes the pedal as a special batch run3.
When the pedal first surfaced in July 2021, Guitar World noted it was available on Reverb before Way Huge had officially listed it on its own website7.
Videos
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Questions
Is the Way Huge STO based on the Nobels ODR-1?
Yes. The STO is Way Huge's take on the Nobels ODR-1 circuit, part of a wave of ODR-1-inspired pedals that also includes the Browne Amplification Atom. Way Huge reinterprets the design rather than copying it outright: the STO uses a 4741 quad op amp in place of the ODR-1's 4558, and a FET op-amp input stage instead of the original's discrete FET input.
What does STO stand for?
STO stands for Super Terrific Overdrive. The name fits the Way Huge house style of playful pedal names, and the pedal sits in the company's compact Smalls range alongside drives like the Red Llama and the Supa-Lead.
What op amp does the Way Huge STO use?
The STO uses a 4741 quad op amp in place of the 4558 found in the Nobels ODR-1. Its input stage also differs from the original: instead of the ODR-1's discrete FET input, the STO has a FET op-amp input, which Guitar.com reported was chosen for an even smoother, more pillowy sound.
How much does the Way Huge STO cost?
The STO listed for $149.99 when it launched in July 2021, with gearnews.com reporting an RRP of USD 149 / GBP 139 at the same time. A 2023 UK price of £119 also appears in published coverage. Way Huge describes the pedal as a special batch run.
Sources (12)
- Way Huge launches its own ODR-1-inspired Super Terrific Overdrive, STO for short, Guitar.com, 2021-07-05
- Way Huge Smalls STO: a super smooth overdrive pedal, gearnews.com, 2021-07-05
- WAY HUGE® SMALLS™ STO OVERDRIVE, Jim Dunlop (jimdunlop.com)
- WM25.pdf, Jim Dunlop, 2021
- Dunlop re-introduces Way Huge effects pedals, MusicRadar, 2009-03-17
- Way Huge celebrates 30th anniversary with the Red Llama Overdrive MKIII, MusicRadar, 2022-07-05
- Way Huge aims to capture the magic of a Nashville session favorite with its new STO overdrive pedal, Guitar World, 2021-07-02
- Way Huge STo Super Terrific Overdrive, Delicious Audio, 2023-01-05
- Keeley's Noble Screamer combines two iconic drive circuits, Guitar World, 2023-09-19
- Guitar FX Layouts: Nobels ODR-1, Guitar FX Layouts (tagboardeffects.blogspot.com), 2014-03-20
- Nobels - die Kultmarke unter den Overdrive Pedalen, Nobels, 2015-10-15
- The Browne Atom is a tasteful overdrive with a sound of its own, guitar.com, 2023-06-19
