The Catalinbread Catlinbread Formula 5 Reissue Overdrive is a Catalinbread overdrive pedal, currently around $159.99. Close alternatives include the ThorpyFX The J Tweed-Style Overdrive was and the Lovepedal Amp 50. It pairs well with the Fender Hot Rod Series Blues Junior 15W 1x12 Tube Guitar and the 1959 Fender Tweed Deluxe.
Catalinbread Catlinbread Formula 5 Reissue Overdrive
Catalinbread · pedal
The Catalinbread Formula 5 Reissue is a recreation of the Portland boutique builder's Formula 5F6 overdrive, modeled on the Fender 5F6 Bassman tweed amplifier circuit from the late 1950s. It delivers the natural warmth and breakup character of a pushed vintage tweed amplifier, with a full-featured American-style tone stack including treble, middle, and bass controls alongside drive and volume knobs. The circuit captures the sag, warmth, and harmonic complexity of tweed Bassman crunch, covering clean American tones through naturally saturated breakup. Favored by blues, country, and classic rock players.
What stands out
“Gain range tops out at tweed-style crunch and cannot reach modern high-gain saturation, making it”
— from the community notes
“Considered one of the most authentic tweed Bassman-style overdrives on the market, with players consistently describing it as capturing the sag and warmth of a real low-wattage tweed amp”
— from the community notes
“The circuit captures the sag, warmth, and harmonic complexity of tweed Bassman crunch, covering clean American tones through naturally saturated breakup”
— from the listing
“Most used in blues and country rigs as either a primary amp-sim drive or a tone-coloring pedal before”
— from the community notes
“Players who want both clean American headroom and high-gain distortion will need supplementary pedals”
— from the reviews
Trade-offs
“The gain ceiling is constrained to crunch, which suits tweed simulation but means external drive is needed for heavier tones”
— from the reviews
- crunch
- warmth
- sag
- american
- drive
- clean
- country
- distortion
Price updated Oct 23, 2026
Genres the Catalinbread Catlinbread Formula 5 Reissue Overdrive is commonly used in
- Blues
- Classic Rock
- Country
- Rock
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Alternative
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Indie Rock
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
Amps that pair well with the Catalinbread Catlinbread Formula 5 Reissue Overdrive
Fender Hot Rod Series Blues Junior 15W 1x12 Tube Guitar
amplifier
29% matchpushes an already-dirty tonePushes an already-dirty tone harder and tightens it up. (crunchy → mid-forward)
Stack Fender Hot Rod Series Blues Junior 15W 1x12 Tube Guitar on top and a crunchy tone tightens toward mid-forward
Comes later in the signal chain
1959 Fender Tweed Deluxe
Fender
28% matchpushes an already-dirty tonePushes an already-dirty tone harder and tightens it up. (crunchy → mid-forward)
Feed a crunchy signal into 1959 Fender Tweed Deluxe and it comes out closer to mid-forward
Comes later in the signal chain
Ceriatone HRM 50
Ceriatone
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Ceriatone HRM 50 takes that crunchy character and pushes it toward mid-forward
Ceriatone Overtone Special HRM Bluesmaster 50
Ceriatone
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Ceriatone Overtone Special HRM Bluesmaster 50 pushes a crunchy tone toward mid-forward
Ampeg V-4
Ampeg
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Ampeg V-4 pushes a crunchy tone toward mid-forward
Marshall 2203KK Kerry King JCM800
Marshall
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Marshall 2203KK Kerry King JCM800 takes that crunchy character and pushes it toward mid-forward
ENGL E610II Savage 120 MkII Head
Engl
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
ENGL E610II Savage 120 MkII Head pushes a crunchy tone toward mid-forward
Roland Cube Street EX
Roland
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Roland Cube Street EX takes that crunchy character and pushes it toward mid-forward
Pedals that stack with the Catalinbread Catlinbread Formula 5 Reissue Overdrive
MXR Micro Amp
MXR
22% matchpushes an already-dirty tonePushes an already-dirty tone harder and tightens it up. (crunchy → clean boost)
MXR Micro Amp pushes a crunchy tone toward clean boost
Z.Vex Super Hard On
Zvex
20% matchpushes an already-dirty tonePushes an already-dirty tone harder and tightens it up. (crunchy → clean boost)
Z.Vex Super Hard On pushes a crunchy tone toward clean boost
Comes earlier in the signal chain
Caroline Guitar Company Parabola State Tremolo
Caroline Guitar Company
15% matchsits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.
Run Caroline Guitar Company Parabola State Tremolo after Catalinbread Catlinbread Formula 5 Reissue Overdrive in the signal chain, clear of Catalinbread Catlinbread Formula 5 Reissue Overdrive's own gain stage
Comes later in the signal chain
Demeter Compulator
Demeter
13% matchshapes the dynamic responseShapes how the tone responds to picking dynamics rather than its frequency or gain.
Catalinbread Catlinbread Formula 5 Reissue Overdrive's crunchy character and Demeter Compulator's smooth voice sit in the same lane rather than fighting each other
Comes earlier in the signal chain
Catalinbread Belle Epoch
Catalinbread
7% matchsits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.
Run Catalinbread Belle Epoch after Catalinbread Catlinbread Formula 5 Reissue Overdrive in the signal chain, clear of Catalinbread Catlinbread Formula 5 Reissue Overdrive's own gain stage — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Comes later in the signal chain
Alexander Pedals History Lesson Vol. 2
Alexander Pedals
7% matchsits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.
Run Alexander Pedals History Lesson Vol. 2 after Catalinbread Catlinbread Formula 5 Reissue Overdrive in the signal chain, clear of Catalinbread Catlinbread Formula 5 Reissue Overdrive's own gain stage — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Comes later in the signal chain
EarthQuaker Devices Swiss Things
EarthQuaker Devices
EarthQuaker Devices Utility Series Buffer Preamp
EarthQuaker Devices
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
EarthQuaker Devices Utility Series Buffer Preamp pushes a crunchy tone toward clean boost
Cheaper alternatives
Electro-Harmonix Spruce Goose
Electro-Harmonix
50% similarityShared character: treble, classic rock, full
Black Country Customs Monolith
Black Country Customs
48% similarityShared character: crunch, warm, distortion
Blackstar LT Dual
Blackstar
48% similarityShared character: headroom, crunch, warm
Maxon OD808
Maxon
48% similarityShared character: crunch, warm, response
Boss SD-1 Super OverDrive
Boss
48% similarityShared character: warm, response, distortion
Mooer Micro Preamp 006 US Classic Deluxe
Mooer
47% similarityShared character: headroom, warm, classic rock
Boutique & premium upgrades
Mad Professor Super Black
Mad Professor
49% similarityShared character: crunch, clean, overdrive
Browne Amplification Alkene Nashville Overdrive
Browne Amplification
49% similarityShared character: circuit, warm, response
Blackstar HT-Metal
Blackstar
47% similarityShared character: crunch, warm, response
Similar character
ThorpyFX The J Tweed-Style Overdrive was
ThorpyFX
63% similarityShared character: sag, warm, overdrive
Lovepedal Amp 50
Lovepedal
58% similarityShared character: sag, circuit, warm
ThorpyFX The J
ThorpyFX
58% similarityShared character: sag, warm, classic rock
Fairfield Circuitry The Barbershop
Fairfield Circuitry
57% similarityShared character: sag, treble, classic rock
Wampler Brad Paisley
Wampler
51% similarityShared character: crunch, warm, clean
JAM Pedals TubeDreamer MK2
Jam Pedals
50% similarityShared character: circuit, treble, warm
Questions people ask
What are good alternatives to the Catalinbread Catlinbread Formula 5 Reissue Overdrive?+
The closest matches in character are the ThorpyFX The J Tweed-Style Overdrive was, the Lovepedal Amp 50, the ThorpyFX The J. Budget picks: Electro-Harmonix Spruce Goose, Black Country Customs Monolith, Blackstar LT Dual. Boutique upgrades: Mad Professor Super Black, Browne Amplification Alkene Nashville Overdrive, Blackstar HT-Metal.
What pairs well with the Catalinbread Catlinbread Formula 5 Reissue Overdrive?+
Strong matches from rig and tone-complementarity evidence: Fender Hot Rod Series Blues Junior 15W 1x12 Tube Guitar, 1959 Fender Tweed Deluxe, Ceriatone HRM 50 — Stack Fender Hot Rod Series Blues Junior 15W 1x12 Tube Guitar on top and a crunchy tone tightens toward mid-forward.
How much does the Catalinbread Catlinbread Formula 5 Reissue Overdrive cost?+
Around $159.99 (live listing price, updated Oct 23, 2026).