Danelectro FAB Overdrive

[kerc]

Spacey-looking pedal, silver plastic (very thick), supernova-bright blue LED, three controls: Level, Tone, & O.D. Can usually be bought for $15-$20, but I got mine brand new off Guitareffectpedals.com for $11.95! How could I lose?

Anyway, take the price off your mind--this pedal sounds so good that it could be sold for $60-$80 easily, and people would buy it. Lots and lots of power...In fact, the booklet included advises you to start with the Level knob at 25%. So it really works as an overdrive, which is supposed to hit your preamp stage really hard.

One of the things I love is that this pedal has a darkish sound, a nice change from most low-cost pedals that usually are trebly. Even with the tone all the way up, it keeps a very warm tone. The O.D. knob adds a fuzz tone to the mix, very meaty and thick. So my guess is that this pedal would work better with bright Fender-like amps (like my Amptramp), although if you're looking for a dark, Josh Homme-like tone, it could work with a dark-sounding amp too.

So to summarize:

Pros: Awesome sounds, absurdly low price, well-built.
Cons: Probably the plastic case, which although thick and strong, could eventually break. It would be cool to enclose it in a Boss or similar three-knob case!

To sum it all up, here's a clip of it all. Recorded with a kinda cheapie RS mic at moderately loud levels. The FAB Overdrive was set at: Level 100%, Tone 50%, OD 0%, so this is a nice test of its amplifier overdriving characteristics.

The mistakes and odd stops were caused by my son telling me to turn down and getting me distracted.



Started on bridge pup, switched at 0:50 to the neck pup, at 1:40 I went back to bridge with bass contour all the way off (less bass), 2:04 neck with bass contour off too, and the next change 'til the end was both pups on, bass contour full on. Interesting control, that bass contour...

http://cyberjammin.net/uploads/Music...ramp_blues.mp3

[oldguy]

Thanks, Kerc! You did a nice job describing the unit and the clip, too. Sounds like a ridiculous price you got that pedal for. As for the plastic housing, I have an old Zoom 505II that I've used for years, but not gigging, only in the house. Plastic seems to have an aversion to being taken out into freezing cold weather, set against very hot sufaces, and being kicked, tripped over, and stomped on by drunks for some reason. Other than that, if it's cared for, no reason a well made pedal w/ a plastic case shouldn't last, IMO.

[Jimi75]

Great review Kerc!
I hae one of these pedals,too and your description nailed it 100%!