The Vertex Steel String MkII Clean Drive is a Vertex overdrive pedal, currently around $149.99. Close alternatives include the MXR CSP039 Duke of Tone Overdrive and the MXR M104 Distortion+. It pairs well with the Dumble Steel String Singer and the Dumble Overdrive Special Amp Head.
Vertex Steel String MkII Clean Drive
Vertex · pedal
The Vertex Steel String Clean Drive MkII recreates the tonality and feel of the iconic Dumble Steel String Singer amplifier in a stompbox, designed alongside a real Steel String Singer unit for accuracy. Below noon on the gain knob it works as a highly versatile clean boost, with a Filter control dialing in D-style midrange shaping; past noon it sweetens the signal with warm, compressed, vine-ripened drive character. The MkII revision shrinks the footprint by a third versus the original and adds a Jazz/Rock toggle for extra bass-cut EQ shaping. It excels on grittier tones and thick D-style compression, though some reviewers find it grows growly or bass-heavy in front of an already-clean amp with bright pickups.
- compression
- filter
- midrange
- bass
- thick
- clean boost
- response
- jazz
Price updated Aug 24, 2026
Genres the Vertex Steel String MkII Clean Drive is commonly used in
- Jazz
- Blues
- Rock
- Alternative
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Classic Rock
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Funk
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
Amps that pair well with the Vertex Steel String MkII Clean Drive
Dumble Steel String Singer
Dumble
56% match“recreates the tonality and feel of the iconic Dumble Steel String Singer amplifier in a stompbox, designed alongside a real Steel String Singer unit for accuracy”
Dumble Overdrive Special Amp Head
Dumble
29% matchDumble Overdrive Special Amp Head is voiced for Dumble-style amps — Vertex Steel String MkII Clean Drive gives it exactly that
Amplified Nation Trem-Drive Deluxe Head
Amplified Nation
tonal matchAmplified Nation Trem-Drive Deluxe Head is voiced for Dumble-style amps — Vertex Steel String MkII Clean Drive gives it exactly that
Amplified Nation Steel String Singer 50W Head
Amplified Nation
tonal matchAmplified Nation Steel String Singer 50W Head is voiced for Dumble-style amps — Vertex Steel String MkII Clean Drive gives it exactly that
Amplified Nation Trem-Drive Deluxe Combo
Amplified Nation
tonal matchVertex Steel String MkII Clean Drive leans into Dumble-style amps, precisely the platform Amplified Nation Trem-Drive Deluxe Combo wants
Bludotone Custom Amp
Bludotone
tonal matchInto Vertex Steel String MkII Clean Drive, Bludotone Custom Amp is right at home: it's built around Dumble-style amps
Synergy OS module
Synergy
tonal matchSynergy OS module's own voicing points at Dumble-style amps, and Vertex Steel String MkII Clean Drive delivers it
Fender Prosonic
amplifier
tonal matchRun Fender Prosonic after it and the bright edge settles into something more warm
Pedals that stack with the Vertex Steel String MkII Clean Drive
Hughes & Kettner Tube Rotosphere MKII The Analog Leslie Simulator
pedal
14% matchKeep Vertex Steel String MkII Clean Drive's compressed voice out front: Hughes & Kettner Tube Rotosphere MKII The Analog Leslie Simulator goes after Vertex Steel String MkII Clean Drive in the signal chain so its transparent voice doesn't muddy it
ZVEX Fuzz Factory
Zvex
14% matchRun ZVEX Fuzz Factory after it and the bright edge settles into something more smooth
Catalinbread SFT
Catalinbread
14% matchRun Catalinbread SFT after it and the bright edge settles into something more warm
Ashdown Velvet Compressor
Ashdown
12% matchVertex Steel String MkII Clean Drive's compressed character and Ashdown Velvet Compressor's compressed voice sit in the same lane rather than fighting each other
Caroline Guitar Company Kilobyte
Caroline Guitar Company
9% matchCaroline Guitar Company Kilobyte's pristine voice goes after Vertex Steel String MkII Clean Drive in the signal chain — it's not there to compete with Vertex Steel String MkII Clean Drive's own compressed character — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Boss DD-3 Digital Delay
Boss
8% matchRun Boss DD-3 Digital Delay after Vertex Steel String MkII Clean Drive in the signal chain, clear of Vertex Steel String MkII Clean Drive's own gain stage — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
One Control Golden Acorn Overdrive Special
One Control
tonal matchInto Vertex Steel String MkII Clean Drive, One Control Golden Acorn Overdrive Special is right at home: it's built around Dumble-style amps
Donner Dumbal Drive
Donner
tonal matchDonner Dumbal Drive's own voicing points at Dumble-style amps, and Vertex Steel String MkII Clean Drive delivers it
Cheaper alternatives
Maxon OD808
Maxon
71% similarityShared character: pedal, boost, response
Tone City Blues Man
Tone City
71% similarityShared character: pedal, boost, response
NuX NOD-3 Morning Star Overdrive
Nux
71% similarityShared character: bright, pedal, thickness
ProCo RAT 2
Proco
95% similaritysimilar tone character
Electro-Harmonix Flatiron Fuzz
Electro-Harmonix
94% similaritysimilar tone character
Boutique & premium upgrades
Free The Tone Overdriveland ODL-1-CS
Free The Tone
66% similarityShared character: pedal, jazz
Way Huge Pork Loin
Way Huge
95% similaritysimilar tone character
Friedman BE-OD Deluxe
Friedman
95% similaritysimilar tone character
Walrus Audio Warhorn
Walrus Audio
94% similaritysimilar tone character
Similar charactersee all similar tone character →
MXR CSP039 Duke of Tone Overdrive
MXR
72% similarityShared character: pedal, boost, compression
MXR M104 Distortion+
MXR
71% similarityShared character: pedal, boost, bright
Colorsound Power Boost
Colorsound
71% similarityShared character: boost, compression, bright
Beetronics Octahive
Beetronics
70% similarityShared character: original, filter, bright
Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer
Ibanez
70% similarityShared character: pedal, original, boost
Boss JB-2
Boss
70% similarityShared character: pedal, bright, bass
See all alternatives to the Vertex Steel String MkII Clean Drive (cheaper + boutique) →
Questions people ask
What are good alternatives to the Vertex Steel String MkII Clean Drive?+
The closest matches in character are the MXR CSP039 Duke of Tone Overdrive, the MXR M104 Distortion+, the Colorsound Power Boost. Budget picks: Maxon OD808, Tone City Blues Man, NuX NOD-3 Morning Star Overdrive. Boutique upgrades: Free The Tone Overdriveland ODL-1-CS, Way Huge Pork Loin, Friedman BE-OD Deluxe.
What pairs well with the Vertex Steel String MkII Clean Drive?+
Strong matches from rig and tone-complementarity evidence: Dumble Steel String Singer, Dumble Overdrive Special Amp Head, Amplified Nation Trem-Drive Deluxe Head — “recreates the tonality and feel of the iconic Dumble Steel String Singer amplifier in a stompbox, designed alongside a real Steel String Singer unit for accuracy”.
How much does the Vertex Steel String MkII Clean Drive cost?+
Around $149.99 (live listing price, updated Aug 24, 2026).