The Tone City Double Durple Overdrive/Boost Pedal is a collaboration between Tone City and Pete Honoré, a session guitarist with an impressive resume. This pedal is a testament to the power of collaboration, offering a unique blend of two distinct overdrive circuits. The Double Durple is not just a pedal; it's an experience, a journey through the world of overdrive, where the low and mid-gain overdrives of the Durple and Double sides come together in perfect harmony. But what makes this pedal truly stand out is the way it addresses a common issue with classic overdrives: the lack of volume boost. This is a problem that many guitarists have grappled with, and the Double Durple provides a solution that is both innovative and effective.
The Durple side of the pedal is a low to mid-gain overdrive that feels like a non-master volume amp. It's a subtle, yet powerful effect that adds a touch of grit to your sound. The relationship between the gain and volume controls is key to the Durple's character. Each adjustment affects the other, creating a boost-like effect that can be quite considerable past the 12 o'clock mark. The tone control on the Durple is like a low pass filter, with a subtle effect across its range. The mid-control allows you to dial in either a low mid-rumble or a high mid-snarl, though the shape of the Q is broad, so don't expect cocked wah-style sounds.
The Double side, on the other hand, is a very low gain yet muscly overdrive. It's a pedal that thrives in the clean-to-edge-of-breakup territory, with a restrained, touch-sensitive response in the first three quarters of the gain control. The volume control is where the Double really shines, offering a serious kick to your amp. The smooth/bright toggle switch adds a subtle top-end brilliance when set to bright, while the tone control is more of a standard dark to bright EQ control.
What makes the Double Durple truly fascinating is the way the two sides work together. It's like walking a tightrope, and the pedal rewards a measured approach. Gain and tonal-wise, they pair beautifully, but the key to unlocking the pedal's full potential is to keep settings modest. Both gains all the way up can become too mushy, and players with lower wattage amps will need to be mindful of how hard they're pushing the volume on each side simultaneously.
The pedal enclosure is sturdy and compact, measuring 12cm long, 10cm wide, and 5.2cm tall. The foot switches have a nice click to them and have a fair amount of space between them for individual engagement, but not so much that they cannot be engaged simultaneously. The mid-control uses a mini potentiometer, which is a practical necessity given the symmetrical layout opposite the smooth/bright toggle switch. While the feel is less substantial than the full-sized pots, the tactility leaves something to be desired.
In my opinion, the Double Durple is an exceptional low-to-mid gain overdrive for the price point. It's a pedal that offers two flavours of overdrive that have managed to address the common lack of volume boost problem that many classic overdrives suffer from. I encourage anyone just beginning to enter the world of overdrive pedals to try one, as well as overdrive pedal aficionados, as the Double Durple has plenty of edge of breakup and boosted tones to offer. It's a pedal that truly stands out in a crowded market, and it's one that I believe will become a staple in many guitarists' pedalboards.
What makes this pedal particularly fascinating is the way it combines two distinct overdrive circuits into a single, cohesive unit. The Durple side provides a subtle, yet powerful effect, while the Double side offers a low gain, muscly overdrive that thrives in the clean-to-edge-of-breakup territory. Together, they create a pedal that is both versatile and powerful, capable of producing a wide range of tones, from subtle grit to muscly overdrive. Personally, I think the Double Durple is a must-have for any guitarist looking to expand their pedalboard and explore the world of overdrive.
In conclusion, the Tone City Double Durple Overdrive/Boost Pedal is a pedal that truly stands out in a crowded market. It's a collaboration that has resulted in a pedal that is both innovative and effective, offering a unique blend of two distinct overdrive circuits that work together in perfect harmony. If you're looking for a pedal that can provide a wide range of tones, from subtle grit to muscly overdrive, then the Double Durple is definitely one to consider. From my perspective, it's a pedal that will become a staple in many guitarists' pedalboards, and it's one that I highly recommend.
