The Tru-Fi Colordriver 18V Version is a Tru Fi overdrive pedal, currently around $209.95. Close alternatives include the Footloose Effects Red Light and the Sonicake Rude Mouse Distortion. It pairs well with the Fender Bassman Combo Amp and the Fender Twin Reverb Head.
Tru-Fi Colordriver 18V Version
Tru Fi · pedal
The Tru-Fi Colordriver is a USA-made overdrive and fuzz pedal inspired by the vintage Colorsound Power Boost and Overdriver, the pedal used by David Gilmour, Jeff Beck, and Marc Bolan in the 1970s. It adds a master volume control the vintage originals lacked, taming their notoriously massive output, and this 18V version internally boosts a standard 9V supply for extra headroom. Below halfway on the drive knob it produces lower-gain overdrive tones; past halfway it moves into classic British fuzz territory with huge, Fuzz Face-like saturation. Reviewers describe it as gigantic-sounding in the vintage fuzz tradition but in a far more pedalboard-friendly size than the original Colorsound units. Suited to classic rock and blues-rock players chasing Gilmour or Beck style overdrive-into-fuzz tones.
What stands out
“Best suited to players who want one knob to sweep from articulate lower-gain overdrive to massive vintage British fuzz, useful for both rhythm crunch and huge fuzz leads”
— from the community notes
“Below halfway on the drive knob it produces lower-gain overdrive tones; past halfway it moves into classic British fuzz territory with huge, Fuzz Face-like saturation”
— from the listing
“It adds a master volume control the vintage originals lacked, , and this 18V version internally boosts a standard 9V supply for extra headroom”
— from the listing
“Works well straightforward into , in keeping with how the original Colorsound-based rigs were used by Gilmour and Beck”
— from the community notes
“Reviewers describe it as gigantic-sounding in the vintage fuzz tradition but in a far more pedalboard-friendly size than the original Colorsound units”
— from the listing
- fuzz
- overdrive
- gain
- vintage
- huge
- british
- fuzz face
- headroom
Price updated Oct 24, 2026
Genres the Tru-Fi Colordriver 18V Version is commonly used in
- Classic Rock
- Blues Rock
- Alternative
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Rock
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Blues
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Stoner Rock
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
Amps that pair well with the Tru-Fi Colordriver 18V Version
Fender Bassman Combo Amp
amplifier
28% matchWhat Fender Bassman Combo Amp brings here leans toward crunchy — that's worth building a pairing around
Comes later in the signal chain
Fender Twin Reverb Head
amplifier
27% 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)
What Fender Twin Reverb Head brings here leans toward dynamic — that's worth building a pairing around
Comes later in the signal chain
Gibson Les Paul LP-1 Preamp
Gibson
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Put Gibson Les Paul LP-1 Preamp in front and the fuzzy tone leans further toward modulated
Magnatone 510
Magnatone
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Put Magnatone 510 in front and the fuzzy tone leans further toward modulated
Pedals that stack with the Tru-Fi Colordriver 18V Version
Walrus Audio EB-10 Black Edition
Walrus Audio
22% matchgain stackingStacks two gain stages for more saturation than either produces alone. (fuzzy → clean boost)
Put Walrus Audio EB-10 Black Edition in front and the fuzzy tone leans further toward clean boost
Walrus Audio Ages
Walrus Audio
21% matchgain stackingStacks two gain stages for more saturation than either produces alone. (fuzzy → clean boost)
Walrus Audio Ages layers clean boost onto an already fuzzy signal
Caroline Guitar Company Parabola State Tremolo
Caroline Guitar Company
19% 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 Tru-Fi Colordriver 18V Version in the signal chain, clear of Tru-Fi Colordriver 18V Version's own gain stage
Comes later in the signal chain
Walrus Audio Mako D1 High-Fidelity Stereo Delay V1
Walrus Audio
12% 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)
Put Walrus Audio Mako D1 High-Fidelity Stereo Delay V1 after Tru-Fi Colordriver 18V Version in the signal chain, clear of Tru-Fi Colordriver 18V Version's own gain stage — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Comes later in the signal chain
PRS Mary-Cries Compressor
PRS
12% matchshapes the dynamic responseShapes how the tone responds to picking dynamics rather than its frequency or gain.
What Tru-Fi Colordriver 18V Version brings here leans toward fuzzy — that's worth building a pairing around
Comes earlier in the signal chain
Pigtronix Echolution
Pigtronix
11% 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)
Put Pigtronix Echolution after Tru-Fi Colordriver 18V Version in the signal chain, clear of Tru-Fi Colordriver 18V Version'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
Run fuzzy into EarthQuaker Devices Utility Series Buffer Preamp for more clean boost on top
Cheaper alternatives
Maxon FEA-10 Fuzz Elements Earth Overdrive
Maxon
57% similarityShared character: fuzz, overdrive
Black Country Customs Monolith
Black Country Customs
50% similarityShared character: high gain settings, crunch, gain
ProCo RAT 2
Proco
49% similarityShared character: high gain settings, fuzz, crunch
Boutique & premium upgrades
T-Rex DR. Swamp
T Rex
59% similarityShared character: fuzz, vintage charm, classic rock
JHS Colour Box V2
JHS Pedals
49% similarityShared character: headroom, fuzz, gain
Roger Mayer Visage 45
Roger Mayer
49% similarityShared character: fuzz, vintage charm, classic rock
Walrus Audio Melee Floral
Walrus Audio
47% similaritySimilar role and voicing
Similar character
Footloose Effects Red Light
Footloose Effects
60% similarityShared character: fuzz, high gain settings
Sonicake Rude Mouse Distortion
Sonicake
59% similarityShared character: high gain settings, fuzz, gain
Catalinbread Katzenkonig
Catalinbread
58% similarityShared character: high gain settings, higher gain, fuzz
1959 Dallas Tuxedo Treble Booster
pedal
53% similarityShared character: fuzz, full
Electro-Harmonix Satisfaction
Electro-Harmonix
51% similarityShared character: fuzz, vintage charm
Colorsound Power Boost
Colorsound
50% similarity“inspired by the vintage Colorsound Power Boost and Overdriver”
See all alternatives to the Tru-Fi Colordriver 18V Version (cheaper + boutique) →
Questions people ask
What are good alternatives to the Tru-Fi Colordriver 18V Version?+
The closest matches in character are the Footloose Effects Red Light, the Sonicake Rude Mouse Distortion, the Catalinbread Katzenkonig. Budget picks: Maxon FEA-10 Fuzz Elements Earth Overdrive, Black Country Customs Monolith, ProCo RAT 2. Boutique upgrades: T-Rex DR. Swamp, JHS Colour Box V2, Roger Mayer Visage 45.
What pairs well with the Tru-Fi Colordriver 18V Version?+
Strong matches from rig and tone-complementarity evidence: Fender Bassman Combo Amp, Fender Twin Reverb Head, Gibson Les Paul LP-1 Preamp — What Fender Bassman Combo Amp brings here leans toward crunchy — that's worth building a pairing around.
How much does the Tru-Fi Colordriver 18V Version cost?+
Around $209.95 (live listing price, updated Oct 24, 2026).