It’s always a surprise when you open a box from EarthQuaker Devices, and in our experience, always a positive one. Today’s featured pedal is no different, and has actually vaulted to near the top of our list of their overdrive effects. The Gray Channel, based on the classic DOD 250 Preamp Overdrive, is a dual-channel dirt box with so many options it’s dizzying, and more tones than you can shake a guitar at. Clean, powerful, exciting and dirty, let’s see what this gray guy is all about…
Green and Red are the respective sides present on the Gray Channel, and each one features a Gain and Output Level knob. The Gain knobs are BIG, so much so that, with a little practice, you can adjust them on the fly with your foot, right in the middle of a performance. There’s plenty of output available, and the gain range moves gently and smoothly as it increases, from an excellent clean-ish sound to a whole big ball of dirt. The real fun starts when you move to the toggle switches, which let you select from different clipping options on each channel, providing a plethora of sonic embellishment you’re not likely to soon forget.
The Green Channel’s toggle switch has three clipping diode selections to choose from: Si (Silicon), which gives you a bright, fuzzy, tube breakup tone; Ge (Germanium), which is a bit looser, but has bigger low end and a bit less output; and N (None), which takes the diodes out and acts as a clean boost. The Red Channel features three clipping modes as well: LED (LED) produces a loud, clean and touch-sensitive sound; FET (MOSFET) offers a more compressed sound with tighter crunch; and N (None) mode again, which acts the same way here as on the Green Channel. As you’ll hear in the video below, there are an insane amount of tonal options lurking within these modes, and when combined with the Gain knobs, you can really make any type of overdrive sound you desire come to life.
Two drives in one magnificent pedal, more dirt tones than you will be able to handle and the now-expected design and craftsmanship we’ve all come to know and love from EarthQuaker Devices – good luck getting this thing off your pedalboard once you put it on. By taking the character and charm of a classic pedal, adding some modern options and sounds and giving it an extra side to work with, the Gray Channel is everything we all look for in a pedal of this type, and one that just did not disappoint in the slightest. Thanks as always to Jamie and Julie and everyone in Akron, OH at EarthQuaker Devices for letting us into your world of gear – stay tuned for more EQD device reviews and demo in the near future!
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