| Trying to find info on the infamous ODB-3? Look no further!
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I know that there are already tons of posts on this particular pedal, but the problem with that is, I've been a member for several days now, and JUST HAVE found SLIGHTLY helpful information using the SEARCH feature. Because there are so many posts that contain "ODB-3," it pops up 21 pages of THREADS, and something like 1000+ posts. That's WAAAAAAAAAAAY too much info for someone to "skim" through, and it's taken me this long to go over it myself!
So in an effort to help people, I have taken it upon myself to do a MF-style (though nowhere NEAR as deatailed, I only had 45 min with the thing) "Hands-On" review. Here's what I found out:
First off, construction-
The ODB-3 Bass Overdrive by Boss is built like all Boss compact jobies. Like a feckin' tank. I'm convinced if I had dropped it into water, it would still play fine (how's that for a "wet" signal?). The recessed control knobs that we all know and love are there, so you're not going to accidently kick out your setting. I DO that they would do the Ibanez thing and make them locking. But other than that, it's a good design.
Knobs-
It's got five of the little buggers. Level, which controls the main volume, LowandHigh EQ controls, with that ring knob thing Boss loves so much (I personally cant stand it, but that's just me), Balance (Dry to OD), and Gain. That in THEORY gives you some contorl, right? Read on.
Sound-
Like your classic overdriven overdrive. Dont know what I'm talking about? Plug in your bass, hit the overdrive/hot/distorted/X channel switch on your amp, and then turn on whatever distortion/overdrive/fuzz you use. That's ABOUT the sound this thing makes. Muddy, murkey, just down-right Lake Erie. I mean, the feckin' Hudson is clearer than this pedal's sound! I lowerd the gain hopeing to get some better sounding OD, because I just wanted a little bit of a gutsy grunt, ya? Turning the gain down helped some, but still the sound was murkey. I monkeyd with the EQ, that active on the bass, the settings on the amp, all of it, and I could not for the life of me get that thing to sound clear. I even turned on that seven band EQ pedal that Boss makes (the model number escapes me), scooped my mids, and tried to make it sound clear, but could not get it to. My vocalist thought that it sounded like a buzzsaw getting it on with a weedeater and a Deere at the same time. No clarity, except when I cut the balance back to lower than what I wanted, and then did not get the sound that I was looking for.
AFTER I did that I could tolerate the sound of it, but it was not the sound I needed. It has a decent sound with the balance at about a 3, 3.5. After that, it gets muggy. Maybe if I had cut the bass out on the pedal and worked it that way, I could have got more, but I really would rather not bother finding out.
Conclusion-
I did not care for this pedal one bit. Maybe you guys will like it better, but please, for the love of God, PLEASE try other pedals first. Even the Ibanez DS-7 sounds better. If you're looking for gritty, gutsy metal distortion, or some sweet blusey overdrive, this is not the pedal for you. If you're looking for punkish trashy distortion, or Motograter sounding shite, then this may work for you, but that's just a MAYBE.
Ultimately, the OD-20 Twin was the victor of the distortion that day. But that's for another review on another day.
Sorry if this puts anyone out, I'm just trying to make life easier for people looking for info on it. | 
