I see this pedal on a lot of boards from guitar players who play at Off Broadway. I have it as well and wouldn't do a show without it. Also, Brad Sarno is a pedal genius, a fantastic steel player, photographer and overall great guy who deserves the support.
Like most of you, I have been through dozens of OD pedals, most of them I've liked but eventually sold, never quite satisfied. Of course there are thousands of nice pedals out there, and I still love to experiment with pedals, especially with ODs, but I will never sell my Sarno Earth Drive - it is Superb!
I can't say enough good things about this overdrive myself. I know there's a lot of really good boutique drives out there, some I've yet to get my hands on. But I've turned around and sold almost everything I've ever owned but not this time. I play mostly Telecasters through lower wattage amps and they will have to pry this thing from my cold dead hands. I feel like up until I got hold of this drive I was just sifting through different flavors of scat. Never satisfied one way or the other. Like one phrase would kind of sound okay then stuff might go thin then maybe come back around. Fiddle with knobs some more and never find the sweet spot consistently. This drive is plug and play, a full sweep of great tones and the amp responds in a very natural even organic way. Thirty years ago I had a ROSS Distortion box that I used until it couldn't go anymore and as I remember it was pretty good. Since then I can't even guess how many OD's I've ditched. But the ED is my number 1 and my back up is a Bearfoot Honey Bee, a great drive too but the ED is so far above the fray there's no fiddle fartin' around when I need to get the job done right.
High praise indeed. My Honey Bee and Cmat Mods Scenic Drive are my two best low gain drives - got an opportunity to buy an ED for 350 $AUD. Might have to pull the trigger on this one. Strat, Tele, 335, Vox AC15 & Blues Jnr IV for my dual lower-gain wet/dry rig or my Laney VC30 210 (Jensen 10" speakers, all stock, UK made early VC30) if I need more headroom. I think this pedal would work with any of those, yeah? If i really want to blast the roof off I break out my HiWatt T20 and two 112 cabs, V-Type & Greenbacks.
You convinced me. I do original Metal yet in the same tunes I flat pick quite a bit.If I go from my extreme dirt sounds to dead clean it sounds startling and thin. I have gone though every expensive low gain pedal in the book from pricey Klon clones, ts, and super pricey MIJ pedals. All are crap!!! Literally seconds with the Earth Drive and BINGO!!! problem solved!!! So Thankyou, thankyou, thankyou!
The very best low gain OD I have ever heard! I suspect it is in the Bluesbreaker family as there really isn't another basic design that would keep the mids flat and also give you tube like asymmetrical distortion.
The Earth Drive topology is a little closer to a Tube Screamer than a Bluesbreaker. All 3 use symmetrical diodes in a soft clipping configuration though.
hi curtis, do you think this pedal will sound that well with vox type amp? i have hotcake and timmy and thinking about adding the earth drive to have a trio that will stack good together...thx
@mrkulturembargo, I myself would love to know what this box might be based on too! This has been my #1 and I've never been able to find any info on the net as to its circuit of origin. Art
The gorgeous clean tone to start with doesn't hurt.
First thing I thought I would push it with the drive down volume up
Prefer it
I see this pedal on a lot of boards from guitar players who play at Off Broadway. I have it as well and wouldn't do a show without it. Also, Brad Sarno is a pedal genius, a fantastic steel player, photographer and overall great guy who deserves the support.
Seen on Sonic Youth's guitarists boards, Something For Kate's Paul Dempsey used one - it's highly sought after as they are only made to order.
Surprised not to see the Earth Drive on any of your pedalboards, since you seemed so impressed with it - i like my a lot.
Thanks for the demo.
This overdrive is a hidden gem! So under appreciated!
Like most of you, I have been through dozens of OD pedals, most of them I've liked but eventually sold, never quite satisfied. Of course there are thousands of nice pedals out there, and I still love to experiment with pedals, especially with ODs, but I will never sell my Sarno Earth Drive - it is Superb!
Do you find yourself going back to tried and true pedals mostly ? I do like this very natural
I can't say enough good things about this overdrive myself. I know there's a lot of really good boutique drives out there, some I've yet to get my hands on. But I've turned around and sold almost everything I've ever owned but not this time. I play mostly Telecasters through lower wattage amps and they will have to pry this thing from my cold dead hands. I feel like up until I got hold of this drive I was just sifting through different flavors of scat. Never satisfied one way or the other. Like one phrase would kind of sound okay then stuff might go thin then maybe come back around. Fiddle with knobs some more and never find the sweet spot consistently. This drive is plug and play, a full sweep of great tones and the amp responds in a very natural even organic way. Thirty years ago I had a ROSS Distortion box that I used until it couldn't go anymore and as I remember it was pretty good. Since then I can't even guess how many OD's I've ditched. But the ED is my number 1 and my back up is a Bearfoot Honey Bee, a great drive too but the ED is so far above the fray there's no fiddle fartin' around when I need to get the job done right.
+Larry Rosenhoffer Larry, I totally agree. it is a fantastic pedal.
High praise indeed. My Honey Bee and Cmat Mods Scenic Drive are my two best low gain drives - got an opportunity to buy an ED for 350 $AUD. Might have to pull the trigger on this one.
Strat, Tele, 335, Vox AC15 & Blues Jnr IV for my dual lower-gain wet/dry rig or my Laney VC30 210 (Jensen 10" speakers, all stock, UK made early VC30) if I need more headroom.
I think this pedal would work with any of those, yeah?
If i really want to blast the roof off I break out my HiWatt T20 and two 112 cabs, V-Type & Greenbacks.
I've been wanting to try one of these for a while now. Keep coming back to your demo. Nice job Curtis!
Gary Jarvis they're great pedals. It made my vibrolux have that dynamic response of a tweed deluxe. Fantastic pedal and worth every penny!
One of a few OD's that respond/sound great!!
You convinced me. I do original Metal yet in the same tunes I flat pick quite a bit.If I go from my extreme dirt sounds to dead clean it sounds startling and thin. I have gone though every expensive low gain pedal in the book from pricey Klon clones, ts, and super pricey MIJ pedals. All are crap!!! Literally seconds with the Earth Drive and BINGO!!! problem solved!!! So Thankyou, thankyou, thankyou!
The very best low gain OD I have ever heard! I suspect it is in the Bluesbreaker family as there really isn't another basic design that would keep the mids flat and also give you tube like asymmetrical distortion.
The Earth Drive topology is a little closer to a Tube Screamer than a Bluesbreaker. All 3 use symmetrical diodes in a soft clipping configuration though.
What good is a drive pedal demo with absolutely no lead playing in it?
hi curtis, do you think this pedal will sound that well with vox type amp? i have hotcake and timmy and thinking about adding the earth drive to have a trio that will stack good together...thx
Cant tell how much of the dirt is amp and how much is pedal.
What amp is being used here? Sounds great
Milkman Creamer I think
WOW THAT SOUNDS EXACTLY LIKE MY OLD WAMPLER ECSTACY DRIVE WITH THE BASS ALMOST OFF. Hmmmm....
Sounds great.
this is actually better(:
does anyone knwo, which circuit this is based on?
@mrkulturembargo, I myself would love to know what this box might be based on too! This has been my #1 and I've never been able to find any info on the net as to its circuit of origin. Art
@@artshaw7079 Thx Art :)
Howz about a clean boost, just a clean boost, drive all the way down volume up????????????????
Exactly what I was thinking
sounds alright but the pedal art is pretty weak.