SOFADIO Guitar Distortion Pedal, True Bypass

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There’s nothing fancy about this pedal. It’s basically an analog delay circuit with usual controls.

The volume knob adjusts how loud the delay signal is. The delay volume is mixed with the dry signal. At maximum, the delay level is equal to the dry signal. At minimum, there’s only the dry signal with no delay signal. I like this better than having a mix knob where at maximum, the dry signal would be cut completely. Though if you’re looking to use this pedal with a stereo wet-dry type signal path, this would not work for you.

The feedback knob controls how many repeats you will get. At minimum, you get exactly one repeat. At maximum, you get a near infinite repeats. I like that at maximum, the feedback doesn’t get too out of control. You can certainly get the “analog delay squeal” type sound with this but it doesn’t completely overload the signal to a point where you need to ride the volume knob. I much prefer it over other analog delays that I have. I could just set the volume knob where I want and not have to worry about the feedback squeal getting too loud.

The delay knob sets the delay time/interval between repeats. At minimum, you get an interval that is reminiscent of a ring modulator type effect. At maximum, you get a longer interval but nothing close to a more robust digital delays. I will measure the intervals to get an exact millisecond and update this review with my findings. I would say that it’s not a very long interval and this is the aspect of this pedal that is disappointing to me.

The pedal is, indeed, true bypass with no buffer in line when the pedal is off. When the pedal is on, it doesn’t change the tone of your dry signal very much which I appreciate. Other pedals can color your tone drastically but this pedal is a very transparent sounding signal path when the pedal is on.

I will record a video to show you how this pedal sounds. I’m currently having a lot of fun with making weird noises and sounds with this pedal. If you want a nice sounding and straight forward analog delay pedal, I would highly recommend this one. This pedal is definitely going on my main pedalboard in the next gig!

I was instantly intrigued by this thing, with its fat switch, cool art, cute little topper for the switch, and coy name … simply “distortion.”

Like most inexpensive mini pedals, it’s imported and comes in a metal housing, so it doesn’t feel too fragile but likely won’t last forever. I like that it’s wide enough to have normal instead of tiny knobs. If you’re new to pedals, also know that these don’t have battery compartments so you’ll need a supply.

Sound wise, despite the very metal art, it’s an older-school distortion sound, like from pedals designed in the late 70s.

Obviously this is some kind of clone … but of what?

Based on the fat switch that boosts the volume substantially (probably the rarest feature it has), the fact it’s a distortion rather than an overdrive, the lack of a MOSFET switch, and the tone control rather than a filter, my best guess is that it’s a variant of the DS1 circuit modified with a fat switch — that’s common mod, and the Waza Craft DS1 has a custom mode that’s often described as “fat” too — rather than a variant of the Fat Rat, Blues Driver, or Klon, other pedals that have or sometimes are modded with fat switches. I have a DS2 Keeley mod clone and confirmed I can get reasonably similar sounds out of the two, but wouldn’t bet my life on this being the DS1 specifically – even with both on normal mode this one sounds quite a bit fuller, more different than I’d expect.

Comparing this with assorted other clones of late 70s pedals (including of the Turbo Rat and Distortion+) I was really impressed how loud and full it is. If you want this kind of sound, good for punk, grunge, and some metal, it’s a great buy, though personally I gravitate toward distortions with a little more clarity and personality, often built in amp distortions or newer pedals. Of course, you can always back off the gain and use it to shape the sound before your amp distortion, too.

Update: Another reviewer said they thought it might be an obsessive clone, so I tested against another clone I have. I don’t think this quite has that same personality (which I love), and the fat switch definitely sounds a lot different from the HP/LP switch on the obsessive, which pretty dramatically emphasizes high and low frequencies. I wouldn’t bet my life on this either, maybe I have two different obsessive clones with very different components or significant modding to the circuit in one, but this doesn’t seem a match to me.

wish they told you it didn’t come with 9v plug but it plays good