Overdrives enhance the sound of your guitar.
Stomp boxes are so called because to use them, musicians repeatedly step on the units to achieve a variety of sounds while playing electrical instruments such as guitars. These devices are also called effects pedals. There are a number of types. The overdrive effects pedal works in conjunction with the amplifier and other components to distort and augment sound. Smart People Factory (SPF) and Death By Audio (DBA) are two boutique manufacturers of overdrive effects pedals. The models vary in value based on the type of versatility and sound your music requires.
Versatility
The SPF Green Line overdrive stomp box has a mud switch that lets you access a wider range of frequencies (high and low) for the drive and tone controls on the board. This feature gives the SPF overdrive unit more versatility than the DBA overdrive unit. In addition, the DBA unit only has two knobs: one for volume and the other for drive. The SPF unit has a third knob that controls tone.
Power
Typical overdrive stomp boxes are powered by battery, DC power or both. This is the case for the SPF overdrive unit, which accepts a 9-volt battery in addition to the DC power supply. The DBA Interstellar overdrive unit is powered via DC only. This makes the DBA unit slightly less accommodating in certain situations, such as impromptu performances or those where power connections are limited.
Sound
The DBA unit augments the sound produced by your amplifier, providing fuller and more overwhelming audio. The SPF unit provides the same sound-augmenting capabilities, but because of it's versatile control knobs, you can also achieve a variety of sound tweaks and distortions.
Price and Durability
The Green Line overdrive unit from SPF sells for $230 from the company website, as of August 2011. Death By Audio's Interstellar overdrive unit retails for $180, as of August 2011. Either purchase offers comparable ruggedness because both models are made with metallic casing and components that hold up well to the rigors of being a mobile stomp box.
Tags: overdrive unit, achieve variety, August 2011, Death Audio, effects pedals, Green Line