All user reviews for the Fulltone OCD V1.1

The Fulltone OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Drive) is an overdrive pedal designed for use with electric guitar but suitable with any type of electronic instrument.  The pedal is pretty basic in make up as it has standard 1/4 inch connections and requires nine volts of power.  This isn't a rack mountable piece of gear - it is a stomp box.

UTILIZATION

Using the Fulltone OCD is very easy as it only has a few parameters that need to be accounted for.  It has knobs for volume, drive, and tone and also has a high pass/low pass filter.  Even if you don't have much experience using overdrive pedals, I don't think that you'll have much trouble figuring out what is going on here because there isn't all that much to it.  I don't think that a manual is necessary, although I haven't seen it so I can't speak to how well put together it is.

SOUND QUALITY

The sound quality heard from the Fulltone OCD is very impressive overall.  It has a very realistic sounding tone and works great in a variety of situations.  I have used the pedal for recording with a Fender Strat and a '76 Fender Twin Reverb and I've always been happy with the tone that I am able to achieve with this combination.  The best way that I can describe the sound of this overdrive pedal would be to say that it is very authentic sounding and definitely has an analog feel to it.

OVERALL OPINION

I've been using the Fulltone OCD for only a few months but it has definitely won me over in the short time that I've been using it.  I've used a lot of different distortion pedals and tend to know right off the bat which ones I'll like and end up using and which ones I won't, so I knew pretty early on that this would be a pedal that I would continue to use for a while.  I've overall been very impressed with the pedals made by Fulltone as they are all very authentic sounding and full of life.  While you might pay a little more for the OCD than you would some other overdrive pedals, it is definitely worth it as more times than not you will be getting a superior pedal.

(Originally written by Topprog/translated from Audiofanzine FR)
I own the OCD version 3 (June 2007).

Analog overdrive/distortion. The housing is a bit larger than a MXR pedal. On/off switch and big blue LED (red on version 4). Volume control (with amazing +30-dB boost). Very effective drive and tone controls (the tone knob is a HF filter).

But the best feature is the voicing switch to select between HP (high peak = British sound) and LP (low peak = US sound). The pedal produces a vintage sound, so it's also modern since vintage is trendy!!!

Nice look (OCD logo), sturdy (professional product), hand-made in Californian, numbered, manufacturing month and year.

The LED is very bright when the effect is on!

9-volt battery or 9/12/18 volt PSU operation.

UTILIZATION

The housing could have the same format as the Fulldrive because it's a pity that you can't switch between HP and LP with your foot due to the position of the switch (What to do? Use two OCD!!!).

Very effective controls. They are very close to each other so be careful not to change the tone setting when you turn the volume if you have thick fingers!

High-class bypass: no noise when bypassed and almost no noise when the effect is on.

Slight level difference between LP and HP (louder).

SOUND QUALITY

I was looking for an overdrive with a clear sound because my amp (Peavey Bandit) produces a very colored and muddy distortion with high settings.

I use it with an 18-volt PSU and there is almost no difference with the other operation voltages.

I plugged it directly to the clean channel of my amp.

It can be used as a clean booster when the drive control is set to 0. When you set drive to maximum you get a very fat, fuzz-like distortion (especially with humbucker pickups).

But I think this pedal wasn't conceived for such extreme settings. It's amazing for rhythm parts and soloing when the drive is set between 9 o'clock and 4 o'clock: clarity, brilliance, dynamics, linearity, power...

The sound is always clear and brilliant... It's clearly audible when you turn the effect on. It's a pedal that makes itself heard! It emphasizes the sound character of your guitar and your amp... It enhances qualities but also bad things. So it's not a pedal for beginners! If you don't play properly (especially arpeggios and solos) the pedal will highlight every mistake you make.

The response is linear: it faithfully reproduces the signal regardless of level and drive settings. My Strat still sounds brilliant and warm, and my Aria Pro II still has its fat humbucker sound.

The pedal adds no warmth nor coldness (but it does sound warmer with a tube amp than with a solid-state).

Power: the volume raises rapidly and you get a killer boost!! I never set the volume control above 2 o'clock. Watch out for your ears (I'm not joking!) especially when you use the HP voicing (mid/high boost).

Dynamics: This pedal is like magic... It enhances the sound responsiveness (almost as if you would play with a tube amp). Depending on the strength of your attack you'll get an articulated clean or crunch sound. Increase the volume of your guitar and you'll get a perfect overdrive with a long sustain for solos!!! You don't need to change anything on the pedal, and you will still be able to recognize the character of your guitar... It's surprising in the beginning, but it's certainly worthy of its name (obsessive/compulsive!) because you won't be able play without it once you try it. The three knobs and the HP/LP switch provide you a wide range of overdrives: Buddy Guy, Rory Gallagher, S.R.V, AC/DC, Led Zeppelin and many more depending on your guitar and your amp.

It's magic!!!!

Update, 9 March 2009: It sounds even better with a Line 6 Spider Valve 112 (tube + emulation)!!! The sound is a bit less aggressive than with a solid-state. I'll definitely keep this pedal!!!

OVERALL OPINION

I've been using it for three months and it fulfills my needs for a clean and transparent blues sound.

Is it the best distortion pedal in the world? I don't know... But it has a unique dynamic range you won't easily find with other pedals, even tube models.

It transcends my amp, which is simply a good solid-state amp.

I had the opportunity to use it with a Fender Hotrod and it was stunning (the LP voicing is very similar to the drive channel of this amp...). I read on different forums that many professional musicians with high-class amps use it (for example I bought it to a Texan who wanted to buy version 4, he played a vintage Strat + Pro Reverb!!!).

It enhances the sound of your setup in every application even if you need some time to get used to it.

The price is on the same level as other high-class pedals.

I strongly recommend it.

I also recommend you to visit the manufacturer's website where you'll find sound samples to get a better idea of the sound.