In 2019, I came across a pedal that didn't exist.

Yeah, cue the Twilight Zone theme song.

This was a DOD Overdrive/Preamp that predated the “Gray Box” 250 pedals that everyone – including me – assumed was the first version ever made. The pedal was encased in a large gray bent metal case that looked more Electro-Harmonix than DOD, and was conspicuously missing the "250" model number. The composition and DOD logo were different, but it still had the same charm and quirky feel as vintage DOD from the 1970s. The sticker on the backplate of the pedal said "DOD Electronics Company" and listed the address founder David Oreste Di Francesco's personal account, as well as a number: 75. According to my interview with David himself a year later, I had found the 75th DOD pedal. never made and one of the first ten DOD Overdrive/Preamps (250) ever sold. This pedal represented the genesis of “America’s Pedal”. For a pedal historian, it was the equivalent of discovering the Dead Sea Scrolls.

The internals featured a hand-etched floating/loose PCB and the same DOD 250 circuit, but with some modifications. The internal parts dated to 1972 and, according to David, were salvaged from old radios and electronics he collected when he first started making his effects.

The JHS Overdrive preamp is a faithful replica of this hard-to-find V1 of DOD's most popular pedal. The controls are simple. The level control adjusts the overall output of the circuit and allows you to cut or boost the signal. The level control on this version has been modified (corrected) from the original wiring of Unit #75, giving this pedal much more volume when pressed. The Gain control adjusts the amount of gain inside the overdrive circuit. Increasing “Gain” creates more clipping as it pushes the op-amp and clips hard into overdrive. We also added a slider switch to this production version, which was not included with the original DOD 250. While researching the No. 75 "Big Box" pedal, I acquired a second large unit that used completely different clipping. arrangement. It seemed only right to offer this switch so you could explore these two variants for yourself.

This DOD 250 “Big Box V1” circuit definitely looks like a 250, but with a few changes: more overall gain/grit and more unique lows/mids. This is a must-have addition to any DOD collectors line, or for anyone curious about how it all started.

The standard Overdrive / Preamp will be part of our normal JHS range. Buy yours today and discover the story of one of the greatest overdrive/preamp circuits ever created.

THIS PEDAL REQUIRES A STANDARD 9V DC CENTRAL NEGATIVE POWER SUPPLY, CONSUMES 51MA AND MEASURES 4.7″ X 3.7″ X 1.66”