NPD - Way Huge Overrated Special!

Stevie C. · Jan 29, 2016

Got my Overrated Special today from Sweetwater!

Haven't had a ton of time yet to explore this thing, but I definitely like what I've heard so far.
I have 3 overdrives on my board now. This, a Plexi Drive Deluxe, and a Lumpy's ZII.
They are all very different as I'm sure you can imagine.
The Overrated Special is a very transparent overdrive compared to the others for sure.
I have these into a vintage '59 Ampeg Rocket combo(similar to a tweed deluxe) and also a Marshall DSL-1 Head/Half stack.
Mine is #83 of 1000 worldwide.

Came with a cool pick tin that has "0083 of 1000" on it, and has these sweet Silver Joe B. Jazz III picks! Also a couple of buttons.

Here's a gut shot if that helps anyone.

tonyfrancis · Jan 29, 2016

I have one coming in the mail from Sweetwater. The pick tin is pretty cool. :dude:

rob livesey · Jan 29, 2016

We met up with Joe B and Mike H in the afternoon before the show in Leeds UK late last year. I was on stage checking out Joe'sgear, peering in the back of the tweeds etc when I spotted this pedal on stage. All he had was this and a wah.

Later I googled them and tried to find any for sale anywhere, absolutely none, anywhere. So when I saw your post I went searching again. There are a couple of shops in the UK offering these on pre order, so I just ordered one from Andertons. They won't have it until the end of March, so it's a long wait for me!

Hope it's worth the wait!

Cheers for the heads up.
Rob

renderit · Jan 29, 2016

rob livesey said:
We met up with Joe B and Mike H in the afternoon before the show in Leeds UK late last year. I was on stage checking out Joe'sgear, peering in the back of the tweeds etc when I spotted this pedal on stage. All he had was this and a wah.

Later I googled them and tried to find any for sale anywhere, absolutely none, anywhere. So when I saw your post I went searching again. There are a couple of shops in the UK offering these on pre order, so I just ordered one from Andertons. They won't have it until the end of March, so it's a long wait for me!

Hope it's worth the wait!

Cheers for the heads up.
Rob

I suspect you will say it's overrated...

rob livesey · Jan 29, 2016

renderit said:
I suspect you will say it's overrated...

If anyone wants to complain about them they will have no grounds to do so. It says it's overrated right there on the tin ! So what are you moaning about?

Well, Joe sounded amazing as always that night, Les Paul through tweeds (lots and lots of them) and this pedal. If I get 20% of what he has I'll be happy.

Rob

renderit · Jan 29, 2016

I hope you find it is not the elusive "Truth in Advertising"...

fcsnut · Jan 29, 2016

Trying to order one from my local Dunlop dealer, I hope they can get one for me.

Django2014 · Feb 1, 2016

I just ordered mine today. I really wasn't planning on making any gear purchases, but I couldn't resist this one. It should be here Wednesday.

Born Late '58 · Feb 2, 2016

Mine's on the way too--I hope it's got the squish....

Born Late '58 · Feb 6, 2016

Well, mine came today. SN# 0019 of 1000. The family's home, so I couldn't crank it, but so far I'm underwhelmed. :hmm

Reminds me of the Fulltone Secret Freq, but the Fulltone is superior in every way. At least mine is....

EDIT: OK, so I just spent a couple hours with the pedal, at band-level volume, and it actually is pretty cool--I had been hoping (given the iconography of the pedal's face) for a dumblish clone vibe, which the pedal most certainly does not have at low volume. But as JB has indicated (and this is by no means pandering to the rich and famous--I'm still pretty pissed off at Joe for snatching a minty Deluxe Reverb out from under me at Norm's about 3 years ago, so no pandering here. I still dream about that amp, dammit.)--anyway, as he suggested, run it through an amp that's already cooking a bit and, voila, dumblish squish and chirp, while the 500 hz knob can get you into Brian May, cocked-wah territory as well, if you like, a la the Secret Freq, and further, will definitely allow your lead tone to find a frequency "space" in your band's mix).

Just for kicks, I AB'd it with an old school Hermida Zendrive, as well as a Tanabe Dumkudo/Zenkudo Twin Custom, and the dumble vibe (to me, at least) was there across the various spectra those great pedals can produce).

I'd say, if you have a zendrive, or a Tanabe, or even the Fulltone Secret Freq, this pedal might not take you anywhere especially new. But it does look cool as hell, so there's that....

FWIW....

CDaughtry · Feb 6, 2016

https://www.periscope.tv/w/aYVIbjFK...HToyh1uyXXqUyFIjmfQJOFnZy7O8Feau758UMZARO2DQu

Rocker4life · Feb 6, 2016

Proud owner of SN #0590. Great Pedal!

JBLPplayer · Feb 6, 2016

The Trick to these is to start with an amp with some growl already.. To go in dead clean is not the optimum way to run it.. You will hear the difference… :salude
Joe B

PierceLP · Feb 6, 2016

JBLPplayer said:
The Trick to these is to start with an amp with some growl already.. To go in dead clean is not the optimum way to run it.. You will hear the difference… :salude
Joe B

Hey joe i have to ask because im a nerd for the finest details sometimes and i was looking at the green rhino and then i saw this.. and its based off the green rhino.. is it a slightly different voiced green rhino? Different perameter tweaks?

Thanks man!

Stevie C. · Feb 6, 2016

JBLPplayer said:
The Trick to these is to start with an amp with some growl already.. To go in dead clean is not the optimum way to run it.. You will hear the difference… :salude
Joe B

I agree Joe! I love mine into my little Marshall 1 watt, but I think it is even better into the old '59 Ampeg Rocket once it's dialed up a bit!

Stevie C. · Feb 6, 2016

JBLPplayer said:
The Trick to these is to start with an amp with some growl already.. To go in dead clean is not the optimum way to run it.. You will hear the difference… :salude
Joe B

Joe, were you using this pedal at Radio City last year, or not until the Three Kings Tour?

JBLPplayer · Feb 6, 2016

I've used the Overratted since July of 2014. :salude
Joe B

Cliff Gress · Feb 6, 2016

JBLPplayer said:
The Trick to these is to start with an amp with some growl already.. To go in dead clean is not the optimum way to run it.. You will hear the difference… :salude
Joe B

I will try this technique with my Green Rhino. Thanks Joe.

Stevie C. · Feb 7, 2016

JBLPplayer said:
I've used the Overratted since July of 2014. :salude
Joe B

Oh, very cool Joe! Didn't realize you were using it that early?
By the way, here is a pic of you, my son Patrick, and I backstage before the Three Kings show in Bangor, Maine last August.

It was an incredible show, and a thrill to be able to meet you!
Hopefully, I'll be able to meet up with you again someday, and I'll have you sign my Overrated and my JB Fuzz Face too!
Both pedals will be permanent additions to my home pedalboard, and will be used for years to come!
Do you still use the JB Fuzz Face at all? :salude

rob livesey · Feb 8, 2016

I intend to be using mine into some cranked Tweed.

Joe, would you share your preference of settings with us? You have had this pedal the longest amongst us, it would be great to hear your experience.

Cheers,
Rob

NPD - Way Huge Overrated Special!

Member

Member

Member

Well-known member

Member

Well-known member

New member

New member

New member

New member

Les Paul Forum Co-Owner and Moderator

New member

Active member

New member

Member

Member

Active member

Well-known member

Member

Member