First off, let me say that I love Emerson Custom Guitars’ EM-Drive as it is, being a wonderfully transparent overdrive with great character and warm, smooth tones. However, I also like my overdrives to have a little more BITE than the stock EM has got, and that’s where this fantastic mod from my friend Ásgeir over at Pedal Projects in Iceland comes in. Just wait ’til you see what he’s done now.
The Pedal Projects EM+Drive mod provides 3 different versions of this pedal to play with, via a 3-way toggle switch installed on the side. The modded selections are silicon mode and germanium mode, both referring to the diodes that have been added to the pedal to create new and glorious drive sounds. The Silicon mode is a great option for a volume boost and a good overall tube amp sounds. Very warm and organic, this mode will drive your amp in the best way possible, while still maintaining the clarity of your signal and tone. A little bit louder, but sometimes, that’s exactly what you need, right? The Germanium mode eases back just a hair, creating some super-clear, bright, punchy sounds, while not boosting your levels as much at the same time. Loads of sustain coming through the EM in this mode, great for lead runs and fingerpicking clarity as well. The best part of this mod is…you can go back to the STOCK pedal anytime you choose! I wish more mods were like this, because sometimes you just want the old stock sound back…well, usually you don’t, but with a pedal as nice as the EM Drive is off the line, it’s a great option to include.
Ásgeir was nice enough to let me send him my EM and mod it for me to try out and review, and I can’t thank him enough for adding such great bonuses to an already great pedal. The turnaround time is not too bad either, considering you have to send your pedal all the way to Iceland, so cheers to him for getting the job done in a timely manner, and for all the great communication as well. If you haven’t checked out the EM Drive from Emerson Custom Guitars yet, do it now. If you like what you hear but could use a little more grit and grime, send your pedal to get the EM+Drive mod from Pedal Projects!
Submitted by Mike B, Website
