I got a surprise package in the mail the other day from Nick over at Greer Amps: the yet-to-be-released Southland Harmonic Overdrive, their newest killer pedal creation. I’d seen the pictures on Instagram and was excited to test this baby out, knowing it was gonna rock after previously testing out a couple of other Greer pedals. Well, let’s just say it did rock…and then it rocked some more!
The Southland was Greer’s next step up from their wildly popular Lightspeed Organic Overdrive, which is a more transparent, light and mild overdrive. Having more pronounced gain and chime than it’s less driven little brother, the Southland takes it to the next level, and features a nice array of tonal possibilities, from a gorgeous clean boost sound to an almost distorted, bordering-on-fuzz overdrive section, that is as powerful as you’ll need, but not powerful enough to annoy.
One of the things I love about Greer Amp’s pedals are their simplicity: most just feature a basic 2-or-3 knob control setup: get in, dial it down, get out, easy as can be. The depth in both the Drive and Range controls here coax a vast variety of tonal options, making a seemingly simple pedal actually a huge sound machine. With the Drive at about 10:00, you get a brilliant boosted signal, picking up the little nuances and touches of your individual playing style, while still retaining the tone of your guitar. Up around 1:00, it gets a little bit thicker, with wonderful harmonics and crystal clear single notes abound, not to mention some sweet sustain when using it with chords. Give that Drive knob a full twist to the right, and listen to this guy rock your face. When this pedal is pushed, the overdrive is super-creamy and thick, with no ear-piercing highs or muddy lows, just a straight-up rock ‘n roll machine, conjuring up sounds of the tasty riffs from the ’70s we all know and love.
If you’re looking for a sweet-sounding, focused, mid-level overdrive with just enough gusto and presence to cut through any mix and deliver clean, gooey overdriven sounds, look no further than the Southland. Special thanks to Nick and Greer Amps for letting me review this guy before it was even released, what a treat! This is our 3rd Greer pedal review, and their pedals just keep getting better. Stay tuned for a review of the Lightspeed Organic Overdrive coming soon – check out their website and see what pedals and amps they have to offer you!
Specs:
Amazing mild to medium overdrive and crunch!
Thick harmonics, amazing sustain!
Focused midrange (without the annoying hump), and extended presence range, to help cut through the mix!
True Bypass!
Uses 9Volt battery or standard neg. center, 2.1mm power supply.
Built with top quality components. Lifetime Warranty to the original owner!
Submitted by Mike B, Website
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