Electro-Harmonix Germanium OD Vintage Overdrive

The Germanium OD produces classic '60s Germanium transistor overdrive. The Germanium OD is a true bypass pedal keeping your signal clean when you're not using it. In addition to a GAIN control, the Electro-Harmonix Germanium OD allows you to control BIAS for attack and the circuit VOLTS for that sweet spot found when a battery's voltage dips. Dial up that slightly torn speaker sound OR dial in total Germanium "Satisfaction."

Check out a review on our blog.

Sound Clips:
(*note: all clips were played using a Washburn P3 electric with a Seymour Duncan SH-2 Jazz in the neck, and a SH-4 JB in the bridge position. All clips were recorded direct with no amp. All clips also have a section of a clean signal with no effect at the beginning to give you a reference point).

Sound clip 1: All knobs are set to 10, bridge pickup. You can hear how the Germanium OD really allows your playing dynamics to cut through. Play lightly and the tone is very clean (even though the Gain is maxed out). Play harder and the OD really kicks in and sounds great.

Sound clip 2: All knobs are set to 10, both pickups. The same basic clip as clip 2, but with the guitar pickup selector switch in the middle.

Sound clip 3: Gain 8, Bias 4, Volts 3, bridge pickup. This is where I find the Germanium OD the most interesting. The Bias and Volts controls are very inter-dependent. You can get some really cool vintage sounding fuzz sounds out if you play around with these. In this clip the guitar signal almost cuts out and/or sounds like a torn speaker, (but in a very cool "intro riff" sort of way I think).

Sound clip 4: Gain 5, Bias 10, Volts 6, both pickups. A classic sounding OD with a little bit of that "torn speaker" tone that EHX describes.