FeaturesThe Strawberry Red overdrive is a versatile overdrive pedal that pairs with any amp and creates ‘the’ sought-after overdrive sound guitarists are looking for. Whether you are looking for a clean, high-end guitar amp-like sound or an edgy, highly distorted sound, this classic BJF overdrive pedal does it all.
Specifications
- Input impedance: 390K
- Output impedance: 50K
- Drive voltage: 9V to 18V
- Consumption current: 10, 7 mA
- S / N ratio: -90 dB
- Size: 39 W x 100 D x 31 H mm (not including projections)
- 47 W x 100 D x 48 H mm (including projections)
- Weight: Approximately 160 g
- True-Bypass Switching
- High Quality Aluminum Enclosure
- Power: 9V Battery or Standard DC Power Supply
Bjorn's Description​The HistoryIt has been several decades since the “overdrive” effect was introduced in the guitar world. How many overdrive pedals have been created since then?
The One Control Strawberry Red Over Drive is not an imitation of the sound created by existing equipment. No matter how great or high quality the equipment is, once you start targeting a sound, it ends up being a simulator. While you need sublime spirit to develop an advanced simulator, it cannot become a true original overdrive pedal.
The design and circuitry of the Strawberry Red Over Drive is being demanded by guitarists of all genres of music. Naturally, guitars and guitar amps are necessary equipment for all guitarists. Additionally, high-end guitar amps are in demand and will always be cherished.
So, what if we can offer an overdrive that is equipped with all the necessary sound attributes to sound like a high-end guitar amp? Of course, every model of high quality amplifiers have a different sound. However, there are common sound attributes that are recognized as “good sound” across all guitar amps.
Most importantly, understanding the combination of a high quality overdrive and an amplifier is incredibly crucial. Through my experience, I am confident to say that I truly understand the attributes associated to this "sound". . Hence, the perfect overdrive must do the following:
・It must stimulate the core of the guitar sound
・It must be versatile in order to output the sound that guitarists envisions
・It must maximize the attributes of other equipment (amps, effects, etc)
・Able to provide a spectrum of distortion, from clean to strong
・Able to fully pick up all the expressions that a player manually creates through his own unique playing style
・Able to respond subtle sounds
All these characteristics were thought of when developing the Strawberry Red Overdrive. Nothing was compromised.
The DesignThe Strawberry Red Overdrive can be fully manipulated with Drive knob. From a complete clean boost to low gain bluesy overdrive, powerful hard overdrive and to even more powerful distortion.
If you keep the Drive at the minimum level and increase the Volume knob, it becomes a clean booster at +6dB. You can reduce the gain immediately if you turn down the guitar volume without moving the Drive knob. If you turn off the Drive on and turn down the guitar volume, you can get a clean sound that is rich in harmonic overtones all while maintaining a thick and sensitive sound. Its quick response highlights the best of attributes of your equipment, even when the gain is set to high. Actively using the pickup select switch will allow a variation in the sound expression.
Highly responsive and highly dynamic overdrive pedals can sometimes create a sound that is hard to control. The Strawberry Red Overdrive creates a sound that is easy to manipulate while responding dynamically to your playing style. How? It never loses the core of the guitar sound. The sound created is always dense and stable at its center of gravity.
The Treble control of the Red Strawberry Overdrive controls the mid-treble in the range between -3dB and +6dB. If you turn down the Treble, it can adjust the range between 70Hz and 7KHz. If you set the treble to high, you can boost it to between 700Hz and 7KHz.
Because of these attributes, you can adjust the sound to match your playing style. From a gorgeous distortion that augments the harmonic overtone to warm tones that reduce the treble. No matter what level you set it at, it won’t create an extreme sound that will take away from you player. This allows you to have the freedom to create any elaborate sound by taking advantage of the knobs variability.
The Strawberry Red Over Drive has a Low Cut trim pot (located next to the output) which will enable you to cut out the low-end. While the Strawberry Red Over Drive meets the demands of guitar amp users for a tight low end sound, some users might feel the low coming out stronger than others due to the characteristics of their guitars, amps or the speakers they use. In that case, you can adjust the trim pot to cut the low end to simplify the sound. Its ability to cut the range from 19Hz to 170Hz, down to a maximum -6dB, could avoid the possible hollowness. While adjusting the trim pot, turn off (or bypass) the Red Strawberry Over Drive to avoid any unexpected noise.
One Control introduced its unique super compact cut-out aluminum case for the Strawberry Red Over Drive. This space saving enclosure allows for superior pedal board management. With a standard 9V battery, you can enjoy the sound of the Strawberry Red Over Drive anytime, anywhere. When it’s powered by an adapter, it supports between 9-18V. You will be able to enjoy even more dynamic range and stereo sound when you use it at a higher voltage.
Amplifier PairingIf the Strawberry Red Overdrive is used with a tube amp, you can emphasize the benefit of the amp even further and attain the ultimate drive you're looking for. The Strawberry Red Overdrive pairs beautifully with British style amps and expands the potential of the amp EQ. If you are using a stacking amp, this might flatten the sound when you raise the gain on the amp, but you can get a high resolution sound with the same gain by pushing the gain on the Strawberry Red Over Drive to keep the gain low enough on the amp. The Low-Cut control would be effective and could adjust the balance of the sound.
While American amps tend to have stronger treble, the Strawberry Red Over Drive can balance the level of the tone properly with its Treble Control. The Strawberry Red Overdrive will produce a distortion sound by tightly combining sounds, which is hard to create with American style classic amps.
Have a modern high gain amp? You might think the overdrive is unnecessary as the amp itself realizes distortion but you can attain an even higher resolution sound when you combining the bass response of the Strawberry Red, thanks to the Low Cut Control and Treble controls.
The attributes that are required for a truly high quality overdrive remain the same for both vacuum tubes and transistors. The Strawberry Red will help you recreate that high quality tone when using a transistor amp. If you use the Strawberry Red, a transistor amp and larger speakers, you'll get a sound with a powerful charge and mass. The Strawberry Red Overdrive’s unique compression gives tube amp-like attributes to transistor amps. You can create a solid and deep drive sound that is unheard of among conventional transistor amps when using the pedal with an 18V power adapter.
ConclusionThe sound of the
Strawberry Red Overdrive is different from any overdrive you have heard on the market. It has been described as 'muscular' overdrive but at the same time can create an old, delicate sound. It is truly versatile. The EQ of the Strawberry Red Overdrive responds to various situations and playing styles.
The Strawberry Red Overdrive is one of the best-selling BJF Series FX pedals. it promises 'the' overdrive sound that every guitarists wants.
- Bjorn Juhl
