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This is a thread about the Colorsound PowerBoost and/or Overdriver


Wulver

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A local pedalbuilder made me a clone of one of these just recently (I had a NPD post, but whatever), but the honeymoon period is just about over and oh my god I'm loving this thing. Such a versatile little box. Can use it as an extra EQ stage, as a clean boost for the pushing-amp-to-overdrive thing. It's got a unique gain character to it, and with the gain pushed all the way it makes for a really impressive fuzz-ish thing, sorta reminds me of Leslie West's Mountain tone. I'm seeing quite a few possibilities with it.

 

Haven't the slightest idea why this thing isn't more popular. Anyone else like them, have had some experience with them?

 

[video=youtube;69UZiByEGkQ]

 

[video=youtube;Yf1uJmW_zVk]

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I've got a Divided by 13 Joyride, which is an overdriver clone. I like it quite a bit, but it took a while to "get it" and understand where it fits in my rig. Now it has a permanent spot on my board.... I could do fine without it with humbuckers, but with single coils it sounds phenomenal.

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I am a huge CSO fan. You nailed it really, they're loaded with eq/dirt/fuzz. It's a pedal that takes some serious knob tweaking to learn what all it can do. I've had a throbak, a deviltone, and currently use a Basic Audio Futureman, all of them have been wonderful IMO.

 

The fun:

CSOD.jpg

photo-21.jpg

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Yeah, truth be told I dunno if I've really explored all the possibilities of it, but I've been enticed by it so far. And I'm finally starting to figure out the benefits of dirt stacking....don't have a Big Muff to go with it a la Gilmour, but running it after a Devi Ever Hyperion, it really does make a difference, gives it an extra level of oomph.

 

Might as well put the pic of mine up. Stars provide extra mojo, or so I'm told. :cop:

 

Colorsound.jpg

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I've got the Prescription Electronics clone and it's easily one of my favorite dirt/boost boxes. Ridiculous amounts of volume when you need it, a very unique fuzz with the gain cranked, very responsive EQ knobs. Sounds great running into a 5E3. I also like using it to slam the front end of a Tonebender. I've been toying with the idea of building another one to tweak a few components and see what else it's capable of. Maybe even germanium transistors for kicks.

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Like your Leslie West/Mountain reference, the ODer reminds me of the SamAsh AstroFuzz/Analogman AstroTone. Marketed as a fuzz, the AstroFuzz/Tone has very mild gain characteristics, very overdrive=ish as opposed to fuzzy. While you dont get a LOT of gain, the tone is very nice, super sweet and probably proves excellent for stacking with other gain fx.

 

kind of an esoteric pedal to bring up 'casually' - what brought this gem up in your mind? only reason why i ask is cuz due to the FreekishBlues/JOYO fiasco, i noticed that one of their pedals was citing the Colorsound ODer as a tonal reference... did the negative attention work? is that what brought it to the foreground for you? just a question, no need to get incensed about the FB/JOYO connection i hope! :thu: Colorsound FX have a very large soft spot in my heart after all is said and done - the enclosures, the graphics, the TONE... great fx that are hard to come by!

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I have an Overdriver RI - superb pedal.

 

Before getting the reissue, I had a '79 wide-case, 3-knob Overdriver - that's a great pedal too, but I really wanted the master volume control.

 

I also had a Power Boost RI for a short time and a Throbak Overdrive Boost - the Throbak is great too, but I think the extra options kind of diluted the pedal a bit for me... I could never really settle on a sound and was constantly tweaking it. In some instances options and versatility are good things, but sometimes they can get in the way of playing and making music.

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I have an Overdriver RI - superb pedal.


Before getting the reissue, I had a '79 wide-case, 3-knob Overdriver - that's a great pedal too, but I really wanted the master volume control.


I also had a Power Boost RI for a short time and a Throbak Overdrive Boost - the Throbak is great too, but I think the extra options kind of diluted the pedal a bit for me... I could never really settle on a sound and was constantly tweaking it. In some instances options and versatility are good things, but sometimes they can get in the way of playing and making music.

 

 

see? SEE? TOO MANY CHOICES dilute the result. simple and analog controlled is teh way!

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see? SEE? TOO MANY CHOICES dilute the result. simple and analog controlled is teh way!

 

Truth be told this might be why I limit myself to a small board for effects. Too many options, hell, i wouldn't know what to do. I'm semi-overwhelmed as is. :cop:

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the ODer reminds me of the SamAsh AstroFuzz/Analogman AstroTone. Marketed as a fuzz, the AstroFuzz/Tone has very mild gain characteristics, very overdrive=ish as opposed to fuzzy. While you dont get a LOT of gain, the tone is very nice, super sweet and probably proves excellent for stacking with other gain fx.

 

 

I have an ATF on my board and while it is an AWESOME sounding fuzz particularly into smaller amps, I don't think it has the same amount of asskicking beef an ODer does. Mike's well-voiced mods to the Tone circuit certainly added versatility to a fairly limited sounding pedal, but the ODer has a ton more boost and a bigger overall sound I think.

 

The other pedals I've tried that have a similar thing happening are the Skreddy Screw Driver and Black Cat OD-1, though neither are specifically going for the ODer sound they still have some traits that can put you in the neighborhood.

 

I lubs mah durty boosts!

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Yeah see I need one of these bad - always wanted one but for one reason or another I've not jumped on one. The RX gets super high marks (as does the ThroBak) - I need to just do it already. I play through tweed-style amps and finding a dirt box that sounds good boosting these guys when they are already cranked up is a challenge for sure.


Incidentally, I have a Fuzzfaceless Mk.1 Tonebender shipping to me this week - I can't fricking wait to hear this thing through my amps...


 

 

Do it, they sound wonderful through Tweed amps. It makes my 5E3 dance across the floor at high volumes.

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I've built a few of these, and just really like them. They work well with all sorts of amps and guitars. The one advantage with a scratchbuild or copy of the original is that it will have a "level" control that the originals didn't.

 

Folks seem to have the hardest time adjusting to the gain control - the sweep is goofy. It goes from clean...clean...clean...a little dirty...fuuuUUZZ, But it's all cool, and the tone controls are GREAT. Hard to believe the CSOD is a circa 1971 technology critter - Old School fun, for sure.

 

Here's a pic of my current scratchbuild.

csod2.jpg

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I've built a few of these, and just really like them. They work well with all sorts of amps and guitars. The one advantage with a scratchbuild or copy of the original is that it will have a "level" control that the originals didn't.


Folks seem to have the hardest time adjusting to the gain control - the sweep is goofy. It goes from clean...clean...clean...a little dirty...fuuuUUZZ, But it's all cool, and the tone controls are GREAT. Hard to believe the CSOD is a circa 1971 technology critter - Old School fun, for sure.


Here's a pic of my current scratchbuild.

csod2.jpg

^ nice build, I love the knobs :thu:

my Smittydrver was an exact clone with no master volume. I had to add one myself because the volume boost was insane and I couldn't use it as is. after I added the MV though it's my favourite boost. it's like three pedals in one, clean boost, dirty boost and really sweet fuzz. you're right about the sweep of the gain knob, it's bizarre but all the tones in there are amazing. it's the only pedal I've ever played that sounds good with it's gain maxed. it's very open sounding and non-compressed, the treble and bass knobs put it over the top. it is the shit

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One of my all time favorite pedals! I owned a clone by VintageFX for a little while, before deciding to build one myself. Here it is:

 

DIYD.jpg

 

Folks seem to have the hardest time adjusting to the gain control - the sweep is goofy. It goes from clean...clean...clean...a little dirty...fuuuUUZZ

 

I highly recommend a C1K (1K reverse taper) pot for the gain. It provides a better range of control.

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I use a Smittydriver clone, love it

 

 

It's hard to categorize the Overdriver. It's not really a boost, ovedrive or distortion all though it does all three well. Like a lot of vintage style pedals it isn't just plug and play like modern effects. There is a learning curve. It is definitely worth the time to figure it out. One of my favorite pedals.

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I've built a few of these, and just really like them. They work well with all sorts of amps and guitars. The one advantage with a scratchbuild or copy of the original is that it will have a "level" control that the originals didn't.

 

Folks seem to have the hardest time adjusting to the gain control - the sweep is goofy. It goes from clean...clean...clean...a little dirty...fuuuUUZZ, But it's all cool, and the tone controls are GREAT. Hard to believe the CSOD is a circa 1971 technology critter - Old School fun, for sure.

 

Here's a pic of my current scratchbuild.

csod2.jpg[/quote

 

I've built it both ways and I think I prefer it without the level or master volume pot.

]

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Prescription Electronics, won every show out. They're not in business any more, but available quite often..It's been my go to for years. I now have 2 spares (because not having one on my pedal board, would put me in a panic state, haha)..... I'm a player "sessions/tours" in Nashville. The opinions in town are, that the PE sounds closer to the originals than the Colorsound re-issues and it does have a volume and drive setting, unlike the ones from the 70's, but like the Colorsound re-issues also have..The re-issues and the Throbak brand, are said to be smoother; to smooth, compared to the originals..PE overdriver has more character, and is more raw, like the original 70's Colorsound,w/the added master volume, being the only circuit difference..I can't agree or disagree about the re-issues, I personally haven't demoed one..But I know several guys who sold there Throbaks to get the PE version..And to me, it does blows the Throbak away. Throbak has to many circuit options and changes..Germanium option, input gain and so on..There all great, because of the phenomenal circuit. And the guitar clean-up is phenomenal, making this circuit usable for every style of music. But there you go...Opinions from Music City (it's not just country music)..The rock seen is now, the new Brooklyn

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