DOD OVERDRIVE PREAMP 250 and DOD PHASOR 201 – REISSUED for 2013
Marc Johnson | Nov 26, 2013 | Comments 3
Don’t forget to check out the video at the bottom of the page.
When David Oreste Di Francesco and John Johnson teamed up and started making pedals, nobody could’ve anticipated what a big impact they would have on the world of gear. DOD pedals was a benchmark in pedal manufacturing. And, the DOD Overdrive Preamp 250 and Phasor 201 still remain two of their most revered pedals til this very day. What do you do with two of the most sought after pedals in the known universe when they become impossible to find? You make a few more. For 30 Pedals in 30 Days, TheToneKing.com looked under the hood of the reissued for 2013 Overdrive Preamp 250 and DOD Phasor 201 and asked ourselves, “What’s in these babies that make them such classics?”
If you check out the current DOD site, the only two pedals you will find are the 2013 reissues of the Overdrive Preamp 250 and the Phasor 201. Why? Because much of the DOD line has been taken over by DigiTech. Which is fine and dandy, but suspiciously absent from the DigiTech line have been the Preamp 250 and the Phasor 201. Considering that these are two of the most popular pedals to come out of DOD’s catalogue, it was only a matter of time before they hit the streets again.
The Phasor 201 is credited with being one of the first phaser effect pedals ever made. It was also probably the most influential. The Phasor 201 was as simple as it got. One knob controlled the depth and speed of the phase effect, and that was it. Well, you had a button to turn the damn thing on and off, but did I really need to remind you of that? It was from that simple, elegant design that just about every phaser after it said, “Well, shit! How can we make us some of these?” Of course, as the years have passed, many phaser pedals have tried to overcomplicate things. But, that’s always the case with these things. Take something that’s simple and sounds good and make it complicated and sound like a deflating car tire.
DOD’s Phasor 201 has a smooth and velvet phase that works especially well over sustained chords. The effect seems to welcome more complicated chord voicings that would be too dissonant with other phasers. In the 2013 reissue, DOD opted with keeping things old-school with only a few minor improvements. First, you have a bright LED indicator light that may also be used to help land commercial airliners. Second, the Phasor now has true-bypass. Rejoice! For the original would color your tone when it wasn’t engaged. Now, the only thing affecting your sound when the Phasor is off is how many Rum and Cokes you’ve had that night. Also, if you like pedalboards – And, what lunatic doesn’t – the Phasor now takes 9V DC power supplies as easy as a cheerleader on prom night.
Then, there’s the Overdrive Preamp 250. Another pioneer in its field, it’s no surprise that the Overdrive Preamp 250 has become one of the most sought after pedals ever. Again, DOD knew not to mess with a good thing. Like the Phasor, the 2013 reissue has only the minor improvements of a brighter LED, true-bypass circuitry, and some 9V power supply love.
If you crank the Overdrive Preamp 250, you would swear that “250” referred to the number of decibels this thing was putting out. For reference, 210 db is about the level of a one-ton bomb. Of course, if you survive the initial impact of the punch that this pedal puts out, you might still get pulverized by the amount of gut busting gain that’s available. Of course, the Overdrive Preamp 250 isn’t just for kicking you in the throat. It can be subtle too. If you’re looking for just enough overdrive for gentle ballads or light rock, the Overdrive Preamp 250 will let you cry on its shoulder. And, whenever you feel like being a man again, you can crank the Gain and Level and the Overdrive Preamp 250 will show you how it’s done.
DOD is a legend in the world of pedals. They were boutique before that was even a word. And, the Overdrive Preamp 250 and Phasor 201 are two of their biggest achievements. Although these are only out for a limited time, they are certainly two of the highlights of TheToneKing.com’s 30 Pedals in 30 Days event. If you’re looking for something classic, take a look at the guys who invented classic. Check out DOD!
For prices on the Overdrive Preamp 250, Phasor 201, or any DOD gear, check out: Sweetwater.com
Click here to enter into TheToneKing.com’s 30 Pedals in 30 Days Randall Give-Away!
Official RD1C Give-Away Page: https://thetoneking.com/gear-give-away/2013-2/randall-rd1c-give-away/
Official Product Write-Up: https://thetoneking.com/dod-overdrive-preamp-250-and-dod-phasor-201-reissued-for-2013/
Randall Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/randallamplifiers
Product Page: http://www.dod.com/en-US
Unboxing Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZBk1LdAtYpw
Official Full-On Demo & Review: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n0oGOznbPhU
[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n0oGOznbPhU’]
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About the Author: Marc published his first novel Becoming in 2010. It’s a kick-ass book with monsters and dreams and stuff, and you should buy it. Since then, he’s written thousands of articles for TheToneKing.com, many of which have been picked up for circulation by manufacturers and other news outlets. His next book, Drugs and Pancakes, should be available early 2014 if his alcoholic editor can find time to work on it in-between destroying his liver and screaming about punctuation. He graduated from Roosevelt University with honors, which means that he’s not as dumb as he looks. He’s been playing guitar for over 25 years, which is almost twice as long as most of his students have been alive.