Blood Drive Overdrive
Raw, touch-sensitive medium-gain overdrive that responds to your hands and cleans up smoothly from the guitar’s volume control.
Blood Drive delivers an immediate, expressive drive response without a separate gain control. Dig in for more bite and aggression, or roll back the guitar’s volume for a cleaner, more restrained sound. Rage sets the output level, while Thirst moves the tonal balance from darker and fuller to more cutting and forward.
$129 · Original enclosure version available
Reverb includes free U.S. shipping. Etsy shipping is shown at checkout.
Raw drive that follows your playing
Blood Drive delivers a raw medium-gain sound with an immediate, touch-sensitive response.
Its gain character is built into the circuit rather than controlled by a separate knob. Play lightly for a more restrained response, or dig in to bring out additional bite and aggression.
The pedal also responds smoothly to the guitar’s volume control. Roll the volume back to clean up the sound, then turn it up again when you want the full drive response—without having to switch the pedal off.
Set it once, work it from the guitar
Blood Drive keeps the controls simple so more of the expression comes from your hands and instrument.
Set the output and tonal balance on the pedal, then use pick attack and the guitar’s volume control to move through its response. Played lightly or with the guitar rolled back, it becomes cleaner and more restrained. Dig in or turn the guitar up to bring back its rawer medium-gain character.
Thirst provides a broad tonal range rather than forcing one fixed voice. Depending on the setting, pickups and amplifier, Blood Drive can sound dark and full or more cutting and forward.
Controls
Rage
Sets the output volume. Despite the name, Rage does not change the pedal’s gain—the medium-gain drive character is built into the circuit.
Use Rage to match your bypassed level or push the amplifier or next pedal harder.
Thirst
Adjusts the overall tonal balance.
Its effect depends on the setting, guitar pickups and amplifier. Blood Drive can move from darker and fuller sounds toward a more cutting and forward response.
Responds to your guitar and your hands
Blood Drive does not force every guitar and amplifier into one fixed sound.
Its response changes with pickup choice, amplifier, Thirst setting, pick attack, and the guitar’s volume control. Depending on the rig and settings, it can move from darker and fuller toward a more cutting, forward character.
Roll back the guitar’s volume for a smoother, cleaner response, or turn it up and dig in to bring out more bite and aggression.
Who Blood Drive is for
Blood Drive is especially well suited to players who want:
A raw medium-gain overdrive
A drive response that follows pick attack
Smooth cleanup from the guitar’s volume control
A straightforward two-control layout
Tonal adjustment from darker and fuller to more cutting and forward
An overdrive whose gain character is already established rather than constantly adjusted
It may not be the right pedal for you if…
You want a separate gain control, heavy distortion, a heavily compressed response, or extensive control over the transistor bias from the pedal face.
The original Blood Drive enclosure
The Blood Drive pedals currently available use the original enclosure design.
Pendletone has prepared a revised visual direction for future production. Once the remaining original enclosures are sold, new Blood Drive units will move to that updated appearance.
The planned change is visual. The pedals available now deliver the same Blood Drive circuit and playing response described on this page.
Hand assembled and individually tested
Each Blood Drive is hand assembled by Pendletone Effects using a professionally manufactured printed circuit board.
Every pedal is individually tested before shipping, then dated, serialized and signed inside the enclosure.
That process helps us verify that each unit is working as intended before it leaves the bench.
Specifications
Effect type: Medium-gain overdrive
Controls: Rage, Thirst
Gain range: Raw, touch-sensitive medium gain
Transistor bias: Internally set
Bypass: True bypass
Switching: Soft-click footswitch
Power: Standard 9V DC, center-negative
Battery operation: Not supported
Power supply included: No
Enclosure: Standard 1590B
Dimensions: 67 × 117 × 52 mm
Dimensions in inches: 2.64 × 4.61 × 2.05 in
Measurement basis: Includes installed knobs and jacks
Input and output: Side mounted
Power connection: Top mounted
Assembly: Hand assembled in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas
Construction: Through-hole components on a professionally manufactured PCB
Shipping and availability
Blood Drive is currently in stock.
In-stock orders normally ship through USPS within two business days of purchase, excluding weekends and holidays. Pendletone Effects currently ships within the United States only.
Reverb: Free U.S. shipping
Etsy: Shipping shown separately at checkout
International shipping: Not currently available
Purchases and returns are completed through the selected marketplace and are subject to the policies displayed there at the time of purchase.
Included with purchase: Blood Drive overdrive pedal. Power supply not included.
Four-year limited warranty
Blood Drive includes a four-year limited warranty for the original purchaser, beginning on the original purchase date. Proof of purchase is required.
The warranty covers manufacturing defects. It does not cover damage caused by abuse, incorrect power, or environmental exposure.
The customer is responsible for shipping the pedal to Pendletone Effects for evaluation. For an approved claim, Pendletone Effects will repair or replace the pedal at its discretion and cover shipping back to the customer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Blood Drive have a gain control?
No. Its medium-gain drive character is built into the circuit. Rage controls output volume, while Thirst controls the tonal balance.
Does it clean up from the guitar’s volume control?
Yes. Rolling back the guitar’s volume produces a smoother, cleaner response without requiring you to switch the pedal off.
What does the Thirst control do?
Thirst adjusts the overall tonal balance. Depending on the setting, pickups and amplifier, Blood Drive can move from darker and fuller toward a more cutting and forward sound.
What does the Rage control do?
Rage sets the pedal’s output volume. It can be used to match the bypassed signal level or push the amplifier or next pedal harder.
Can the transistor bias be adjusted?
The bias adjustment is located inside the pedal rather than on the pedal face. It is set during assembly and is not intended as a normal performance control.
Does it run on a battery?
No. Blood Drive requires a standard 9V center-negative DC power supply.
Is a power supply included?
No.
Why does the current enclosure look different from future versions?
The units currently available use the original Blood Drive enclosure design. Pendletone plans to move to revised artwork after the remaining original enclosures are sold. The planned change is visual.
Let your hands control the drive
Use Blood Drive as a raw medium-gain voice that responds to pick attack and cleans up smoothly from the guitar’s volume control.
Set Rage for the output level you need, shape the tonal balance with Thirst, and let your guitar and playing handle the rest.
$129 · Original enclosure version available
Reverb includes free U.S. shipping. Etsy shipping is shown at checkout.