catalinbread super charged overdrive

The Super Charged Overdrive has been part of the Catalinbread range for some time and has undergone three style makeovers. It is a high-gain pedal that utilizes old logic chips with internal MOSFETs for its gain structure and clipping. The pedal is described on the Catalinbread website as the audio equivalent of a forced induction high displacement engine, forming the core of the SCOD's distortion capabilities. It is designed like a tube amplifier, where fine-tuned cascaded gain stages create the distortion rather than relying on diodes. The pedal was recognized as a standout when it made a 5W 6V6 amplifier produce sound akin to a full stack. The tonal characteristics for leads are balanced, focused, and sustain extensively, while chords are chunky, tight, and resonant. Lowering the GAIN and CONTOUR settings produces high-wattage British tones, while increasing the GAIN leads to a modern saturation without unnatural compression. Adjusting the CONTOUR knob tightens the low end, adding resonance similar to a sealed 4x12 cabinet. The SCOD is capable of substantial output, with gain levels reaching metal territories, yet maintains a remarkably low noise level. The distortion is natural, avoiding the buzzy "chopping" or "squaring" often associated with high-gain pedals, allowing for coherent chord play without intermodulation issues. Recently, a schematic was developed by freestomp, based on earlier work by MadBean, which reveals the circuit structure featuring two MOSFET boosts surrounding the logic chip, with additional cascaded MOSFET stages resulting in five total gain stages.

The Super Charged Overdrive (SCOD) pedal is engineered to deliver a robust audio experience, characterized by its unique architecture that employs multiple gain stages to achieve its high-gain output. The heart of the SCOD's design revolves around the use of logic chips integrated with MOSFET technology, which provides both gain and clipping functionalities. This design choice not only contributes to the pedal's distinctive tonal qualities but also enhances its responsiveness, mimicking the behavior of traditional tube amplifiers.

The pedal's gain structure is achieved through a series of cascaded MOSFET stages, totaling five in the design. Each stage is meticulously crafted to ensure that the distortion produced is smooth and musical, rather than harsh or overly compressed. The interaction between the gain stages allows for a wide range of tonal possibilities, from subtle overdrive to full-on saturation, making the SCOD versatile for various musical styles.

The user interface of the SCOD includes controls for GAIN and CONTOUR, which significantly affect the pedal's output characteristics. The GAIN control adjusts the overall distortion level, while the CONTOUR knob shapes the tonal response, particularly in the low-end frequencies. By manipulating these controls, users can achieve classic British amp tones or modern high-gain sounds, depending on their preference.

Additionally, the SCOD is designed to maintain a low noise floor, an essential feature for high-gain pedals. This is accomplished through the careful selection of components and the thoughtful layout of the circuit, which minimizes unwanted noise and interference. Consequently, guitarists can play complex chord progressions without encountering undesirable artifacts that often plague high-gain setups.

The schematic provided by freestomp illustrates the pedal's internal workings, showcasing the strategic placement of MOSFETs and logic chips. This detailed representation serves as a valuable resource for those interested in understanding or modifying the SCOD's circuitry. Overall, the Super Charged Overdrive stands as a testament to innovative pedal design, offering musicians a powerful tool for achieving dynamic and rich guitar tones.The Super Charged Overdrive has been part of the Catalinbread range now for a while - as you can see above it`s had three style make overs so far (the top image showsthe SCOD`s current form. ). It`s a fairly high gain beast, and utilises those old Logic chips with their internal mosfets for the circuit`s gain structure and clipping.

Here`s the desc ription from the Catalinbread Website : "SuperCharged OD The audio equivalent of a forced induction high displacement big block make up the heart of the SCOD`s "distortion powerplant". It is designed like a tube amp, fine tuned cascaded gain stages cause the distortion, not diodes. We knew we had a winner when it made our 5W 6V6 amp push air like a full stack. This pedal rocks harder than a Heart 8-track in a Hemi Cuda outside of a high school in 1978! The tone for leads is balanced, focused, and sustains forever. Chords are chunky, tight, and resonant. Turn the GAIN and CONTOUR down for hi-wattage British sounds. Increasing the GAIN brings you into more modern saturation teritories without un-natural compression.

Crank the CONTOUR knob and you tighten up the lowend adding resonance of a sealed 4x12. The SCOD is capable of huge amounts of output and the gain can be down right METAL. Inspite of this the noise level is remarkably low. The distortion is natural without the buzzy "chopping" or "squaring" of your guitar`s signal as often associated with high gain and metal pedals. This means you can play chords with your SCOD and not cause bizarre intermodulation. Pretty gainy stuff! Well, it`s been a while but the boys over at freestomp have come up with a schematic. Head produced this version from a previous schematic drawn up by MadBean: The value crossed out are old incorrect values.

See the circuit structure - two mosfet boosts sandwiching the logic chip. Inside there are more cascaded mosfet stages mean this thing has 5 cascaded gain stages! No wonder it`s go so much gainavailable! 🔗 External reference