DOD

I’ve used it on a 1966 Princeton amp with a single-coiled guitar. I’ve owned quite a load of ODs and boosts, yet this one is one of the best I’ve come across. I’ve always loved asymmetrical clipping, and the videos convinced me (especiallt that by Andy from PGS). First, the design is really beautiful (yeah, considering the price this also matters!), and there aren’t TOO MANY knobs. A clean, transparent boost, with a bit of dirt, a boot that adds both presence and brightness. From a very light overdrive to a heavy, rock’n’roll sound. Great dynamics. Not a real “sweet spot”, I’d say. It sounds really great no matter what settings are used. What I prefer is its grain, which is certainly the most difficult thing to describe. Nothing Tube-Screamer-ish here, the sound is very transparent yet warm in the same time (a bit more than a Timmy), and compressed just as needed. The only cons I find is I’d have preferred it to be a little less noisy, especially when the gain switch is on in the upper position. Also, activating this switch also provides a little difference in volume. When two worlds collide and “mass produced” meets “boutique”, it can work quite well (even if the price tag is more on the boutique side).

- Controls for depth and speed - Buffered Bypass - Vintage DOD construction - Compact - Powered by 9v battery or DOD style adapter - Solid and reliable UTILIZATION While this is an excellent chorus in many ways, the usability is a little annoying. The controls themselves are very simple, depth and speed/rate. Standard chorus controls, should be self explanatory. It is nice and compact which is nice. Now we get to the fun part. There is a very noticeable volume drop when the pedal is engaged. I had my own pedal converted to true bypass in hopes of rectifying this, to no avail. So it is great for studio work, or on songs that have the chorus all the way through. But for switching the pedal on in the middle of a song is going to be problematic. There is no LED indicator which can be pretty annoying. The adapter is a vintage DOD style, NOT the standard Boss one. There are adapters that will cross the two, but it is just plain annoying to deal with. SOUND QUALITY The sound itself is pretty great. I’ve been through a lot of choruses, and this one really isn’t bad at all, especially for the price you can get them at. Very warm and analog sounding. Anywhere from a slight shimmer to peaks and dives. Low noise, and not very cheesy sounding which seems to be the most common complaint regarding chorus pedals these days. Very similar to, but a little more subtle and refined than the more easily obtainable DOD fx65. OVERALL OPINION If you are after a solid vintage analog chorus at an affordable price, this is probably the one to get. Yes, it has some usability issues, and isn’t the most straightforward to plug in and use. But that is vintage gear in general, and the price you pay for using it. There aren’t really a whole lot of similar sounding chorus pedals to be had at this price point. That said, these aren’t the easiest to get a hold of. There are one or two on ebay from time to time, and they usually go between $70-100. I’d recommend mods for true bypass and a side mounted LED to make it a little more usable. If this sounds like it’s more of a hassle than you’re up for, I’d take a look at the Malekko or Cmatmods chorus pedals.

The DOD FX50 Overdrive Preamp is a simple overdrive pedal for electric guitar. Like all pedals like this, you can certainly use this with other electronic instruments, but since I've only used this one on guitar, I'll be focusing on this application of the pedal for this review. This analog pedal has a basic make up consisting of 1/4" jacks for input and output and both a nine volt battery compartment and power supply jack. It isn't rackable - it's a foot pedal. UTILIZATION It couldn't be easier to use the DOD FX50 Overdrive Preamp. It's only got two parameters for level and distortion, so there aren't any tricks here - what you see is what you have to work with. In some ways I like this, but it's always nice to have a bit more control over your sound. At least you won't need a manual for it... SOUND QUALITY The result of your sound when put through the DOD FX50 Overdrive Preamp is a nice and creamy overdrive sound. It's not going to tear down any walls and isn't groundbreaking by any means, but it definitely gives you a nice and crisp overdrive sound. I like using it for overloading your signal just a little bit, as I find when used with a tube amp it's really all you need. It's kind of a one trick pony, but it's a pony that is definitely good at the trick that it does! OVERALL OPINION While not the most flexible overdrive pedal out there, the DOD FX50 Overdrive Preamp is still very solid. It has a rich sound even though it's not capable of getting too many varying sound. I don't know how hard it would be to get one of these pedals, but most of the old DOD stuff is pretty cheap, so I'd say it's definitely worth it to grab one of these if you're able to and want a nice little overdrive to add to your pedals.

- Controls for speed, time, and depth - Stereo outs - Side mounted jacks - Powered by 9v batter or DOD style 1/8th inch adapter - Top mounted battery compartment - LED indicator UTILIZATION The Good: The addition of a time knob gives you a little more control over the fx65 than you would find on a standard chorus. It’s a simple plug and play pedal that sounds fantastic, and they have survived for a while so pretty reliable. The Bad: I still worry about the construction of the actual stomp section. The plastic seems fragile, and is only connected at the top end. The battery compartment has the potential to fall off completely and get lost. The most frustrating aspect is the design of the adapter jack. You can get adapters that will allow you to use a standard boss style plug, but it is an extra step that you have to take. SOUND QUALITY Fantastic. Do yourself a favor and try it in stereo. Definitely one of the best sounding chorus pedals in this price range, and none of the volume drop issues that comparable pedals seem to go through. The fx65 can do anything from a slight warble to underwater madness. Probably not the most intense throbbing type of chorus if that’s what you’re after. Perfect for 80s stuff, but really adds a great shimmer to any clean channel. OVERALL OPINION This is till my favorite budget chorus. No, it doesn’t sound quite as good as a Jam Pedals Waterfall. But $300 seems a little steep for you, the fact that these can be picked up under $40 is a blessing. They definitely blow away the EHX and MXR offerings in my opinion, at a fraction of the price. I do know of people that prefer the earlier DOD460, but I did encounter volume drop issues with that model. If you are looking for a cheap, solid sounding chorus, this is a great choice.

Initially I borrowed it from a friend and found it so good that I bought it from him for £120 as he hadnt got to grips with the programing as he had lost the instructions booklet. With some careful selections of chorus you can get some nice sounds of Pink Floyd or U2 and also the Heavy distortion as well if you choose.You can also select the same sounds on the 3 different pads within a bank but set the volume different so you can switch volume by foot during a song. You can step up through the program banks by foot but you cannot go back. So once you have clicked forward, to go back you have to keep stepping on through the 9 banks until you get there again. The unit is gigged and is robust for my use, but I have treated it with respect. I have kept it as found some good sounds in this unit and good and I have found it has many choices of sound and is simpler to use than some other pedals on the market. Once you play around with the sounds and get to know it, I have found it to be an excellent unit for the Rock scene. This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

This is a basic distortion pedal, though the name would imply that it's somehow better or more elaborate than that. it's not capable of being edited with a computer, or controlled by midi. It's a tube pedal, and it sounds like it too. It is not rackable. UTILIZATION Editing on this pedal is pretty basic. There is a volume knob, a gain knob, and two tone knobs. There is really no need for a manual, as this is simple enough. SOUND QUALITY This is really the only area of interest with this pedal. This is not your average overdrive. A lot of overdrive pedals seem to try (and fail) to emulate the sound of a tube amp being pushed really hard. This one actually will succeed with that effect, although it will do it at a much lower volume. This is great for bands who like to rehearse somewhat quieter than they play live, or whose rehearsal rooms aren't ideal acoustically and can't handle loud guitar tones. I will say this, though; if you actually own a great tube amp, and play it with a single-coil pickup guitar like a Strat, this pedal might not really be what you are looking for. In fact, it might be a waste of time, considering you can get a superior tone with just your guitar and amp. However, for many people, this pedal would really be a great treat. I know that people who own Marshalls sometimes complain about their lack of clean tone character, and this pedal has certainly helped them in that regard. Another cool thing about this pedal is its use in conjunction with other distortions. It helps give a raw, physical quality to great fuzz tones (like those from the Big Muff or similar products), and it also helps with amp distortion considerably (like on the aforementioned Marshalls). This thing can be useful, depending on what you want to get out of it. OVERALL OPINION I wasn't expecting much out of this pedal, as DOD products have sometimes left me disappointed (and angry). I think that for the price, this is a good deal, as long as you don't expect too much out of it. Expecting a great, rocking distorted tone is too much. What this pedal provides is just a small boost to put you over the edge. I'd highly recommend it to someone who can't get that natural distortion from their amp that they want, or someone who needs to put their distortion a little bit more over the edge.

The DOD FX51 Juice Box is an overdrive pedal that has 1/4 inch connections and is powered by a nine volt battery or power supply. It is an analog pedal and isn't rack mountable as it is a stomp box. UTILIZATION The configuration of the DOD FX51 Juice Box is really easy to follow as the parameters are pretty standard. The pedal has knobs for level (sweet), lows (pulp), high (tang), and gain (juice). The juice box analogy is kind of strange, but it works out fine as it doesn't make it any harder to follow. All users should be able to figure out how to use this pedal easily and quickly because of this easy make up and a manual really isn't necessary because of this. SOUND QUALITY The sound quality of the DOD FX51 Juice Box is about average for an overdrive pedal, and isn't anything that will blow you away in my opinion. The sound is pretty decent, but doesn't impress me all that much because it isn't all that full sounding. I have used the pedal for live shows using a Fender Strat and a '76 Fender Twin Reverb, so I know I'm getting a good idea of what the pedal sounds like as it isn't being colored by anything. It will work for getting basic overdrive tones but isn't really versatile and there are a ton of other overdrive pedals that I would rather have than this one, even if it will cost me a bit extra. OVERALL OPINION I first used the DOD FX51 Juice Box about three years ago and since then really haven't used it all that often even when I have access to it as I'm just not a fan of its tone. The best part about the pedal, like most DOD pedals is the price because it is so cheap and accessible to players on all budgets. If you are looking for an overdrive pedal to mess around with and to get your feet wet with tones, this will work fine but I can't say I would recommend it for anything else like recording or live shows. All in all, the DOD FX51 Juice Box is a decent overdrive pedal at best.

One Day As I was Searching For A Better Distortion Than Amp Distortion, I Came Across This Pedal On Musiciansfrien.com. I Read The Description, Heard A Few Sound Clips And Was Blown Away. I bought This Pedal For The Main Reason Of That It Has A Bus-Load Of Gain And 3 EQ's Intead Of The Usual Crappy 2 EQ And Gain. I Paid Like 50 For It, And For What Its Worth Off The Hook Like The Name Implies, Death Metal. The Pedal Itself, Is The Perfect Death Metal Stomp Box, Assumeing You Know How To EQ. You Can Get Anywhere From Extremely Scooped-Mids To Peircing Leads To Heavy Metal Overdrive Tones. The Range Of Tones Is Outstounding, Its Possible To Get Disturbed, Dimmu Borgir, Godsmack, Carcass, Pantera, And Opeth Tones From This Bitch. The Gain On It Is Fuckin "Whoa!". The Gain Is So High That The Best Application For Is Nothing Less Than Heavy Metal. Words Cannot Describe The Crazy Amount OfGain This Thing Has. The Battery Placement Is Great As Well, Right At The Top Of The Pedal. Very Easy To Get Too. Like AllThings Man Made, This Thing Has Some Flaws. The Only Problem I Have With ThisPedal Is That The Placement Of The AdapterJack Is Set On The Side Kinda Awkwardly Under The Output. If You Can Look Past That, Just Shutup And Play. It Can Be A Bit Too Bass Heavy At Time Depending How The Low EQ Is Set The Quailty And Construction Are Pretty Well Made, So Far In The 3 Years I've HadIt, its Survived Being Dropped On Concrete, Dropped out A Car Window, Run over With A Bike, Been Thrown Againt The Wall, And Beer Spilt On It. Dod Did A Damn Good Job Puttin This Bitch Together. Overall, If you Like Gain By The Busloads, And Extreme Amounts Of Tone Shapeing, Then Definately Buy This Pedal, Plug In, Power Up And Play. This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

The DOD 250 Overdrive Preamp Vintage is the original of this pedal that has since been reissued in more recent years. I had used the reissue first a little while back but just got the chance to try out this original version a few months ago. It's got a basic configuration, with 1/4" connections for input and output as well as an old school jack for a power supply. It isn't rackable as it's a foot pedal. UTILIZATION The DOD 250 Overdrive Preamp Vintage is really easy to use. It shares it's make up with the reissue as well, so having already had used that version, it was pretty obvious what to do here. Even if you don't have experience using any versions of the 250, this pedal couldn't be simpler. It just has knobs for gain and level and that's all the control you've got. I'd be surprised if you could find an original manual for this, but it's really not worth the time anyway. SOUND QUALITY The sound of the DOD 250 Overdrive Preamp Vintage is extremely full bodied and is overall a great sounding overdrive in my opinion. You can use it both for all out gain and for just a light overdriven boost as well. It's the perfect pedal to put at the front of your chain to give yourself varying amounts of boost. It's definitely more of a preamp than an overdrive, although it can give you some pretty gnarly drive when you turn it up. I like this vintage version over the reissue, although I haven't had the chance to shoot them out side by side. OVERALL OPINION The DOD 250 Overdrive Preamp Vintage will definitely cost you a pretty penny if you can find one, and while it's a great sounding pedal, I can't say that any one pedal is worth this price unless you're really a collector of vintage pedals or are a professional with a budget for gear. It sounds awesome but for the price you could get a few great pedals. It's absolutely worth a look if you come across one, but don't expect too many of them out there to be affordable.

DOD's VoFX is a vocal effects processor pedal and microphone preamplifier. This is an older effects processor, as modern vocal effects boxes like this one are sure to feature a whole lot more with better tracking. The studio that I work at has one of these lying around for whatever reason, but I've never seen it used by any clients or used it myself until I decided to whip it out recently to mess around with. As far as the basics go, it's got an XLR input and an XLR output, as well as 1/4" connections for hi impedance input and both a left and right output. It also has an 1/8" 'Karaoke' input for plugging in a CD player, iPod, or whatever else you might want to sing with. The unit is powered up by a nine volt power supply that comes with it and it isn't rack mountable since it's a foot controlled pedal. UTILIZATION Using the DOD VoFX will take a bit of getting used to, but once you dive into it most users will be able to get the hang of it. It's all digital so you'll scroll through the preset effects using the scroll wheel on there, with a written outline of what number corresponds to what effect. It's got all sorts of different effects in here! A manual might be necessary for new users, but I haven't seen it so I can't speak to it's make up. SOUND QUALITY The sound quality of the DOD VoFX is about average, at least by modern digital effects standards. I don't know the exact year this was manufactured, but it's definitely not new and it shows. More recent vocal effects pedals will feature harmonizing and the like, but this has mostly more traditional effects, including reverb, echo/delay, modulation effects like phasing, flanging, etc, as well as EQ, compression, and controls for the mic preamp itself. The sounds in general are pretty cool, but I wouldn't record with it or anything like that... OVERALL OPINION You can most likely get the DOD VoFX on the cheap, as it's certainly a bit outdated. Keeping this in mind, it can still do a lot for you and would be useful to have in a live setting. If you're after something that will give you the ability to self harmonize, this isn't going to be it, although you can pitch shift. I'd look at something a bit more recent for something like that, otherwise it's at least worth looking into getting a used VoFX if you're after more traditional effects for your voice.

The DOD 680 Analog Delay is a guitar effects pedal that can be used with any electronic instrument. I've only got experience using the 680 with electric guitar, but you can deifnitely use it for anything. The pedal is analog, as the name states, and it has 1/4" connections for input, and both a 'local' output and a 'remote' output, which is essentially just two separate outputs, and you've got control over the level for each independently. It has a power cord attached to it that you plug directly into the wall. The pedal isn't rack mountable as it's a foot pedal. UTILIZATION The make up of the DOD 680 Analog Delay is really easy to understand. It doesn't have as much control as I'd like, but the trade off is that it's a really simple pedal. The parameters that you have to work with include knobs for delay time, repeat, and local and remote mix, which allows you to send different amounts of the effect to the two separate outputs. I haven't seen a manual for the 680, so I can't say that I know anything about it. SOUND QUALITY The tone of the DOD 680 Analog Delay is outstanding all the way around. Even for having a limited amount of parameters, it's definitely possible to get a number of different delay sounds. I just recorded an album where we used this pedal for the bulk of our delay guitar parts, and it was able to satisfy the need for both short and longer, more spacey delay sounds. It's a great pedal for getting a super spacey lead guitar sound, especially if you throw some overdrive into the mix. It's definitely got the grit and fullness to it that you'd hope to have with any analog delay. It can also get some pretty crazy sounds if you mess with the delay time rapidly. OVERALL OPINION I'm overall a huge fan of the DOD 680 Analog Delay. It seems to be a little known pedal, and it doesn't seem like there are an excess of these floating around. Until I just used the DOD 680 Analog Delay on a session, I hadn't even heard of this pedal for whatever reason. The price seems to be pretty reasonable if you can find one used, but that might not be as easy as finding some other pedals out there. Overall, this is probably my favorite pedal that DOD has made...

The DOD R-430 is a dual channel graphic equalizer, suitable for use in the recording studio or for live sound reinforcement. It is an analog piece of gear, with input and output connections for each channel, both in the form of 1/4" and RCA. It is a rack mountable piece of gear, only taking up one space in a traditional rack system. UTILIZATION There's nothing hard about using the DOD R-430. It's a simple graphic equalizer, with 15 bands on each of the two channels. The frequencies range from 25 Hz to 16 kHz, so pretty much the whole spectrum that you'd like covered is covered here. Each channel also has a low cut button, an in/out button, and a knob for setting your output gain level. That's pretty much all that there is to it, so a manual shouldn't be needed. SOUND QUALITY While I wouldn't say that the sound of the DOD R-430 is anything to really write home about, it has a good enough sound to get the job done most of the time. I don't know that I'd recommend using it in the recording studio over using it for live sound, as it seems better suited for live shows. Most of this probably has to do with the fact that it is a graphic equalizer, as I find parametric EQs to be a lot more helpful in a recording studio setting. You do have a good amount of control here, but it's best for eliminating a larger width of frequencies rather than zeroing in. It won't color your sound other than the changes you make to it, but really doesn't bring much to the table in terms of sound beyond being able to make simple EQ moves. OVERALL OPINION I can't say that I would encourage you to seek out the DOD R-430 specifically if you're in the market for a graphic EQ, as there are plenty to choose from in this price range that will do the job just fine. Although it doesn't necessary stand out, it does the job just fine and should be the in conversation if you're looking for something inexpensive. So while there are certainly adequate substitutes for the DOD R-430, it's still a very solid graphic EQ on it's own...