I have a 1986 Tube Screamer that I hate to take to gigs since it might walk away, lol. So I went to buy the EHX East River Drive and my store did not have one but he did have the Crayon. I bought it on a whim. I got it home and compared it to my 86 Tube Screamer. I was able to get it to sound the same. Then I hooked the Crayon up to my Marshall DSL1 on the green channel. It was the best overdrive sound I ever had!
I know I'm a year late on making this comment, but isn't the Crayon a clone of the Xotic BB pre-amp? It also reminds me a lot of my Mantra Overdrive, but the company that makes that is out of business.
Good review. Ive had this pedal since it was released and I feel like a lot of people slept on it. It can be very versatile like you mentioned and most all of its sounds are useable. I really think it would be most beneficial to any musicians having to use different backline gear from gig to gig being that is is so adjustable to make up for differences in gear but I must disagree with your assessment just a tad in the sense that you claim its not necessarily so transparent, I think it can be. Theres a lot more adjustment for anything between transparency, volume boost or saturation but it takes a little effort understanding the interplay between the volume and the gain knobs. Its almost like a 5E3 circuit in that sense.
Good points! There are a lot of sounds in this box and subtle tweaks can make noticeable differences - maybe I haven’t found the “sweet spot” for getting a transparent boost yet, but I don’t doubt it’s in there.
I don't own any overdrive or distortion pedals yet, but out of all pedals of this cathegory I've heard including RATs, Tube screamers, DS-1s, SD-1s, Klons, Muffs, Fuzzfaces and others this one is my favorite. I'm currently having an inner debate whether I should get the Crayon or the Boss OS-2 which is an another versatile thing I really like
This is a good one for your first, I’ve had a variety of ODs in the past and while I don’t think is better at any one thing than those others, it does a lot very, very well. I particularly like what It does with my Telecaster into an amp with a moderate amount of gain.
I actually have not tried the OS-2. I have the DS-1 and have used the SD-1 and BD-1 at various times, and of those, I prefer the SD-1. I’ll take a look at one if I run across it, though!
I have a 1986 Tube Screamer that I hate to take to gigs since it might walk away, lol. So I went to buy the EHX East River Drive and my store did not have one but he did have the Crayon. I bought it on a whim. I got it home and compared it to my 86 Tube Screamer. I was able to get it to sound the same. Then I hooked the Crayon up to my Marshall DSL1 on the green channel. It was the best overdrive sound I ever had!
Nice! Yeah it really plays well with my Marshall DSL40C.
Got one recently. Can't believe I missed out on this pedal for as long as I did. Fantastic OD/Dist tones from this sleeper.
I know I'm a year late on making this comment, but isn't the Crayon a clone of the Xotic BB pre-amp? It also reminds me a lot of my Mantra Overdrive, but the company that makes that is out of business.
Good review. Ive had this pedal since it was released and I feel like a lot of people slept on it. It can be very versatile like you mentioned and most all of its sounds are useable. I really think it would be most beneficial to any musicians having to use different backline gear from gig to gig being that is is so adjustable to make up for differences in gear but I must disagree with your assessment just a tad in the sense that you claim its not necessarily so transparent, I think it can be. Theres a lot more adjustment for anything between transparency, volume boost or saturation but it takes a little effort understanding the interplay between the volume and the gain knobs. Its almost like a 5E3 circuit in that sense.
Good points! There are a lot of sounds in this box and subtle tweaks can make noticeable differences - maybe I haven’t found the “sweet spot” for getting a transparent boost yet, but I don’t doubt it’s in there.
I don't own any overdrive or distortion pedals yet, but out of all pedals of this cathegory I've heard including RATs, Tube screamers, DS-1s, SD-1s, Klons, Muffs, Fuzzfaces and others this one is my favorite. I'm currently having an inner debate whether I should get the Crayon or the Boss OS-2 which is an another versatile thing I really like
This is a good one for your first, I’ve had a variety of ODs in the past and while I don’t think is better at any one thing than those others, it does a lot very, very well. I particularly like what It does with my Telecaster into an amp with a moderate amount of gain.
@@crunchchannel Have you tried the OS-2 by any chance? If you have, how do these compare?
I actually have not tried the OS-2. I have the DS-1 and have used the SD-1 and BD-1 at various times, and of those, I prefer the SD-1. I’ll take a look at one if I run across it, though!
@@crunchchannel Thanks
The circuit is very close if not identical to BB preamp. Quoting Rhett Shull here. ❤🌹