The Tech 21 Tri-O.D. is a Tech 21 distortion pedal. Close alternatives include the MXR Super Badass Distortion and the Strymon Riverside. It pairs well with the Vox Mini SuperBeetle Bass and the Synergy SL2 Module.
Tech 21 Tri-O.D.
Tech 21 · pedal
The Tech 21 Tri-O.D. is an all-analog three-mode overdrive from Tech 21 of New York, covering light, medium and heavy overdrive voicings in one enclosure. The lower setting gives a warm, transparent low-gain drive for pushing a valve amp, the middle setting a midrange-forward crunch, and the highest setting a thicker, more saturated distortion. Each mode is independently voiced rather than a single circuit with more gain applied, and the pedal follows Tech 21's amp-like analog design approach with tone shaping intended to stay responsive to picking dynamics.
- midrange
- crunch
- transparent
- analog
- overdrive
- drive
- distortion
- focused single voice character
Genres the Tech 21 Tri-O.D. is commonly used in
- 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. - Rock
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Alternative
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Country
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Blues Rock
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
Amps that pair well with the Tech 21 Tri-O.D.
Vox Mini SuperBeetle Bass
Vox
22% matchPut Vox Mini SuperBeetle Bass in front and the mid-forward tone leans further toward fuzzy
Synergy SL2 Module
Synergy
tonal matchSynergy SL2 Module stacks high gain on top of the mid-forward already here
Friedman BE-Mini Head
Friedman
tonal matchFriedman BE-Mini Head stacks high gain on top of the mid-forward already here
Hughes & Kettner Warp 7
Hughes & Kettner
tonal matchHughes & Kettner Warp 7 stacks high gain on top of the mid-forward already here
Ceriatone 2202H
Ceriatone
tonal matchCeriatone 2202H stacks high gain on top of the mid-forward already here
Friedman Jose LTD
Friedman
tonal matchFriedman Jose LTD layers high gain onto an already mid-forward signal
Peavey 6505 MH 20W Mini Head
Peavey
tonal matchPeavey 6505 MH 20W Mini Head stacks high gain on top of the mid-forward already here
ENGL Marty Friedman Inferno E766
Engl
tonal matchENGL Marty Friedman Inferno E766 layers high gain onto an already mid-forward signal
Pedals that stack with the Tech 21 Tri-O.D.
Fjord Fuzz Odin
Fjord Fuzz
24% matchPut Fjord Fuzz Odin in front and the mid-forward tone leans further toward fuzzy
Suhr Rufus Reloaded
Suhr
24% matchSuhr Rufus Reloaded layers fuzzy onto an already mid-forward signal
Fuzzrocious Cosmic Bull Shark
Fuzzrocious
14% matchKeep Tech 21 Tri-O.D.'s mid-forward voice out front: Fuzzrocious Cosmic Bull Shark goes after Tech 21 Tri-O.D. in the signal chain so its fuzzy voice doesn't muddy it
Wren and Cuff Gold Comp
Wren And Cuff
11% matchWren and Cuff Gold Comp leans toward germanium, and that's a real, usable character to pair with
Alexander Pedals SpaceXpander
Alexander Pedals
9% matchPut Alexander Pedals SpaceXpander after Tech 21 Tri-O.D. in the signal chain, clear of Tech 21 Tri-O.D.'s own gain stage — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Catalinbread Epoch-Set
Catalinbread
8% matchCatalinbread Epoch-Set's warm voice goes after Tech 21 Tri-O.D. in the signal chain — it's not there to compete with Tech 21 Tri-O.D.'s own mid-forward character — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Black Arts Toneworks LSTR Fuzz
Black Arts Toneworks
tonal matchTech 21 Tri-O.D. leans into a clean amp's front end, precisely the platform Black Arts Toneworks LSTR Fuzz wants
Electro-Harmonix EH-1335/EH-3075 Hot Tubes
Electro-Harmonix
tonal matchElectro-Harmonix EH-1335/EH-3075 Hot Tubes's own voicing points at a clean amp's front end, and Tech 21 Tri-O.D. delivers it
Alternativessee all similar tone character →
MXR Super Badass Distortion
MXR
74% similarityShared character: middle, high_gain_settings, crunch
Strymon Riverside
Strymon
74% similarityShared character: high_gain_settings, pedal, analog
Klon KTR
Klon
73% similarityShared character: middle, high_gain_settings, distortion
Beetronics Overhive Mid-Gain Overdrive
Beetronics
73% similarityShared character: boost, pedal, middle
J. Rockett Archer
pedal
72% similarityShared character: middle, high_gain_settings, pedal
Behringer OD300 Overdrive Distortion
Behringer
72% similarityShared character: middle, high_gain_settings, crunch
J. Rockett The Dude V2
J Rockett
72% similarityShared character: pedal, boost, middle
Dunlop MXR Timmy Overdrive, sold as Dunlop CSP027
Dunlop
72% similarityShared character: middle, high_gain_settings, transparent
ThorpyFX Electric Lightning
ThorpyFX
71% similarityShared character: top, high_gain_settings, transparent
Fulltone Fulldrive 2 MOSFET
Fulltone
71% similarityShared character: middle, three_modes, pedal
MXR Van Halen
MXR
67% similarityShared character: high_gain_settings, distortion, s_build_quality
Xotic BB Preamp V1.5
Xotic
94% similaritysimilar tone character
See all alternatives to the Tech 21 Tri-O.D. (cheaper + boutique) →
Questions people ask
What are good alternatives to the Tech 21 Tri-O.D.?+
The closest matches in character are the MXR Super Badass Distortion, the Strymon Riverside, the Klon KTR.
What pairs well with the Tech 21 Tri-O.D.?+
Strong matches from rig and tone-complementarity evidence: Vox Mini SuperBeetle Bass, Synergy SL2 Module, Friedman BE-Mini Head — Put Vox Mini SuperBeetle Bass in front and the mid-forward tone leans further toward fuzzy.