The Colorsound Overdriver is an overdrive pedal. Close alternatives include the Friedman Plexi-Drive Mini Overdrive and the 1959 Dallas Tuxedo Treble Booster. It pairs well with the Marshall JTM45 45W Tube Guitar Amp Head and the Fender Vibrolux 6G11.
Colorsound Overdriver
Unknown brand · pedal
The Colorsound Overdriver, released around 1970 by British company Sola Sound, was one of the first true overdrive pedals ever made, originally built as the Power Boost before being rehoused as the Overdriver for the American market. Built around germanium transistors, it ranges from a transparent, dynamic, super clean boost through amp-like drive to near-Fuzz-Face-style saturation, with bass and treble controls offering a wide tonal range including a full treble-boost setting. It is closely associated with David Gilmour's tone on Pink Floyd's Shine On You Crazy Diamond, and was also used by Jeff Beck, Joe Perry, and Marc Bolan.
What stands out
“• [Pro] Truly transparent at low drive settings — one of the most natural-sounding British drives available; adds volume”
— from the community notes
“The Colorsound Overdriver, released around 1970 by British company Sola Sound, was one of the first true overdrive pedals ever made, originally built as the Power Boost before being rehoused as the Overdriver for the American market”
— from the listing
“with bass and treble controls offering a wide tonal range including a full treble-boost setting”
— from the listing
“• [Rig] Bass and treble controls enable powerful frequency shaping; responds beautifully to guitar volume control cleanup from driven to near-clean”
— from the community notes
“and fuzz all accessible on one unit”
— from the community notes
- transparent
- british
- treble
- driven
- fuzz
- clean boost
- plexi amp tone
- amp like
Genres the Colorsound Overdriver is commonly used in
- Alternative
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Blues
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Classic Rock
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Blues Rock
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Indie Rock
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Rock
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
Amps that pair well with the Colorsound Overdriver
Marshall JTM45 45W Tube Guitar Amp Head
amplifier
42% matchThe JTM45's clean, warm British voice gives the Colorsound's transparent boost real vintage breakup to push into.
Comes later in the signal chain
Fender Vibrolux 6G11
amplifier
37% matchsits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor. (fuzzy → modulated)
Run fuzzy into Fender Vibrolux 6G11 for more modulated on top
Comes later in the signal chain
Marshall Bluesbreaker
Marshall
37% matchfills a frequency gapFills in a frequency range the other side doesn't cover, instead of piling more onto what's already there. (bright → warm)
The Bluesbreaker's natural compression gives the Colorsound's transparent British boost a dynamic amp voice to push into.
Comes later in the signal chain
Marshall JCM800 2203
Marshall
37% matchgain stackingStacks two gain stages for more saturation than either produces alone. (mid-forward → fuzzy)
Put Colorsound Overdriver in front and the mid-forward tone leans further toward fuzzy
Comes later in the signal chain
Orange Rockerverb 50 MkIII 2-Channel 50W Head
Orange
35% matchgain stackingStacks two gain stages for more saturation than either produces alone. (mid-forward → fuzzy)
Colorsound Overdriver stacks fuzzy on top of the mid-forward already here
Comes later in the signal chain
Milkman Sound Creamer 20W Combo
Milkman Sound
34% matchgain stackingStacks two gain stages for more saturation than either produces alone. (mid-forward → fuzzy)
Colorsound Overdriver layers fuzzy onto an already mid-forward signal
Comes later in the signal chain
Marshall Origin 20 Combo
Marshall
34% matchpushes an already-dirty tonePushes an already-dirty tone harder and tightens it up. (crunchy → clean boost)
Feed a crunchy signal into Colorsound Overdriver and it comes out closer to clean boost
Comes later in the signal chain
3rd Power Dragon 25 112 Combo
3rd Power
34% matchgain stackingStacks two gain stages for more saturation than either produces alone. (mid-forward → fuzzy)
Colorsound Overdriver layers fuzzy onto an already mid-forward signal
Comes later in the signal chain
Pedals that stack with the Colorsound Overdriver
Ibanez Tube Screamer
Ibanez
27% matchThe Screamer's mid-forward boost stacks with the Colorsound's own transparent, British-voiced boost.
Walrus Audio Monument CS
Walrus Audio
27% matchfills a frequency gapFills in a frequency range the other side doesn't cover, instead of piling more onto what's already there. (warm → bright)
Colorsound Overdriver leans bright right where the warm tone needs it
Comes later in the signal chain
MXR M117R Flanger
MXR
27% matchColorsound Overdriver leans toward transparent, and that's a real, usable character to pair with
Comes later in the signal chain
MXR Micro Amp
MXR
26% matchgain stackingStacks two gain stages for more saturation than either produces alone. (fuzzy → clean boost)
MXR Micro Amp stacks clean boost on top of the fuzzy already here
EarthQuaker Devices Grand Orbiter
EarthQuaker Devices
25% matchsits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor. (fuzzy → modulated)
Keep EarthQuaker Devices Grand Orbiter after Colorsound Overdriver in the signal chain, clear of Colorsound Overdriver's own gain stage
Comes later in the signal chain
Source Audio L.A. Lady
Source Audio
23% matchgain stackingStacks two gain stages for more saturation than either produces alone. (low gain → fuzzy)
Into a low gain tone, Colorsound Overdriver brings a pull toward fuzzy that's missing
Wampler Cory Wong
Wampler
19% matchshapes the dynamic responseShapes how the tone responds to picking dynamics rather than its frequency or gain.
Colorsound Overdriver's own transparent character is the real reason this is worth trying
Comes earlier in the signal chain
J. Rockett Monkeyman
J Rockett
19% matchgain stackingStacks two gain stages for more saturation than either produces alone. (mid-forward → fuzzy)
Colorsound Overdriver stacks fuzzy on top of the mid-forward already here
See all 11 pedals that pair with the Colorsound Overdriver →
Alternativessee all similar tone character →
Friedman Plexi-Drive Mini Overdrive
Friedman
67% similarityShared character: plexi tone, treble, vintage charm
1959 Dallas Tuxedo Treble Booster
pedal
62% similarityShared character: treble, fuzz, full
Carl Martin CM0026 PlexiRanger Overdrive
Carl Martin
60% similarityShared character: natural, overdrive
Colorsound Power Boost
Colorsound
59% similarityShared character: overdrive, boost, treble
One Control Purple Plexifier
One Control
55% similaritySimilar voicing: dynamic, crunchy
Wampler Plexi Drive
Wampler
54% similarityShared character: overdrive, plexi tone, boost
EarthQuaker Devices Westwood
EarthQuaker Devices
54% similarityShared character: overdrive, boost, treble
Dean Markley Overlord
Dean Markley
54% similarityShared character: overdrive, boost, treble
Mad Professor Mad-Rbo
Mad Professor
53% similarityShared character: overdrive, boost, treble
Crowther Hot Cake
Crowther
53% similarityShared character: overdrive, boost, transparent
Analog Man King of Tone
Analog Man
53% similarityShared character: overdrive, boost, treble
JHS Morning Glory
JHS Pedals
52% similarityShared character: overdrive, boost, treble
See all alternatives to the Colorsound Overdriver (cheaper + boutique) →
Questions people ask
What are good alternatives to the Colorsound Overdriver?+
The closest matches in character are the Friedman Plexi-Drive Mini Overdrive, the 1959 Dallas Tuxedo Treble Booster, the Carl Martin CM0026 PlexiRanger Overdrive.
What pairs well with the Colorsound Overdriver?+
Strong matches from rig and tone-complementarity evidence: Marshall JTM45 45W Tube Guitar Amp Head, Fender Vibrolux 6G11, Marshall Bluesbreaker — The JTM45's clean, warm British voice gives the Colorsound's transparent boost real vintage breakup to push into..