I recently started getting more into pedals and watched the JHS episode with Roy Mitchell-Cárdenas. One part of the discussion is about using guitar pedals with bass and how using an EQ pedal can compensate for the lost lows.
With that in mind I was on Reverb browsing guitar overdrives and came across the Ashdown Pro-FX Retro Drive. This shop was selling them brand new at a steep discount and after I started ‘watching’ the listing I was sent an offer for an additional 15% off. I thought why not? I’ll take a flier on it. All in I paid just over $30.
The pedal’s build quality is top notch and I think it looks pretty cool as well. Once I started playing with it I could definitely hear the low end loss and less overall ‘thump’. I bumped up the faders on my EQ pedal at 80hz and 150hz and it brought the low end right back. I am able to adjust the settings to where I like it, where my sound has just a little bit of grit (no longer squeaky clean) and I am able to play with my tone control without things becoming too clanky. Even without using the EQ pedal I still quite like the sound of the Retro Drive.
Now here's the fun part. As the gain is cranked up things move more into what to me sounds like the distortion and fuzz territory. It's a sound I don't have a current use for but it sure has been a lot of fun to play around with! It's quite responsive - the harder I play the more 'crunchy' things become than when I use a lighter touch.
I've wondered why this pedal is being sold at such a steep discount, but I sure am happy it is!
With that in mind I was on Reverb browsing guitar overdrives and came across the Ashdown Pro-FX Retro Drive. This shop was selling them brand new at a steep discount and after I started ‘watching’ the listing I was sent an offer for an additional 15% off. I thought why not? I’ll take a flier on it. All in I paid just over $30.
The pedal’s build quality is top notch and I think it looks pretty cool as well. Once I started playing with it I could definitely hear the low end loss and less overall ‘thump’. I bumped up the faders on my EQ pedal at 80hz and 150hz and it brought the low end right back. I am able to adjust the settings to where I like it, where my sound has just a little bit of grit (no longer squeaky clean) and I am able to play with my tone control without things becoming too clanky. Even without using the EQ pedal I still quite like the sound of the Retro Drive.
Now here's the fun part. As the gain is cranked up things move more into what to me sounds like the distortion and fuzz territory. It's a sound I don't have a current use for but it sure has been a lot of fun to play around with! It's quite responsive - the harder I play the more 'crunchy' things become than when I use a lighter touch.
I've wondered why this pedal is being sold at such a steep discount, but I sure am happy it is!
