It's Official, the Zendrive is very special, indeed!

[diatonicdude]

Apart from the months of posts respective to the Zendrive, and the mountains of great reviews by users, now both the "Guitar Player" and UK's "Guitarist" mag give an unbiased and out of this world review in their Januray issues.

Anyone read the "Guitarist" review? Us Zendrive users will be pleased to know we have one of the best, if not the best OD pedal going, and it's official, not hype; the ZD is the real deal.

Thanks Alf!

cheers,

DD

[seanc]

i read the one in the UK mag and it was great.

it sure is a bloddy good pedal. wish that stuff would come to perth though...

[drolling]

wish that stuff would come to perth though...Had mine shipped to Canada, no problem. Ordered in September and had it in under a month. Alf sent me a link to USPS to calculate the shipping, so I'm pretty sure he'll send a Zen anywhere there's postal service.

[nsriley]

Boy I can't wait for mine!!!!!! I ordered mine about 5-6 weeks ago from Jeff at ToneFrenzy. He said I might be in a the next batch to be shipped. I am dying over here, but willing to wait as long as I have to!

-Peace
-Nate

[58lespaulman]

I ordered mine going on two months ago, and I am still waiting. But Alf told me It would be soon.

[cmloeffler]

Glad I got mine when I did. I love 'em, and they stack wonderfully.

[fast ricky love]

The Zen is pretty much the ONLY OD I haven't tried out vs my Timmy... is it's gain smoother?

[cmloeffler]

Haven't played a Timmy. It is, however, VERY smooth. As smooth as you can get without a compressor. The ZD2 is even a bit more smooth and definately warmer with the Mullard in it. I've got some tubes on order to try some serious swaps.

[D.G.]

+1

Course, when Splatt reviews it...

:D

[Derek Q]

I have to disagree slightly. The Zen was "officially" cool and special to a lot of us wayyyyy before the magazines caught on.

[jockman]

notwithsatnding the fact that a lotta folks really do love their zen drives:
the magazine reviews make absolutely nothing official;
it's all still hype to me..... until i try one.
*-)
not raining on your parade, just what i think of mag reviews, unless i know the reviewer & their playing.....
dt / spltrcl

Agreed, I just went to the Zen website, listened to some clips, cannot hear what the fuss is all about. Seems to be thin and slightly fizzy sounding imho.
Sorry all. Now let me hear a timmy/tim.

Jon

[BlueHeaven]

I just sent Alf a money order for mine. I'm really hoping all your praise of the Zendrive rings true for me. I'm looking to use it in a small church rig of one of 3 Reverend guitars-Zendrive-Reverend Goblin w/delay in fx loop. I'm not a drinker but to relate it to that I've got plenty of "beer" overdrives but in the ZD I'm looking for "champagne". Not in the sense of pricier or boutique but sweeter and smoother without sounding dull or bloated. The dirt boxes I currently have(and love for THEIR OWN thing) are an OCD, Hotcake, Direct Drive, Drivetrain & Drivetrain II. For that church rig, I'm looking for that sweeter drive that just sounds as close to fat, clean sustain without going the compressor route...I've never liked them myself. Think the Zendrive will get me there? BTW, I have no unrealistic Robben Ford or Larry Carton expectations...as if! lol
Greg

[jockman]

I just sent Alf a money order for mine. I'm really hoping all your praise of the Zendrive rings true for me. I'm looking to use it in a small church rig of one of 3 Reverend guitars-Zendrive-Reverend Goblin w/delay in fx loop. I'm not a drinker but to relate it to that I've got plenty of "beer" overdrives but in the ZD I'm looking for "champagne". Not in the sense of pricier or boutique but sweeter and smoother without sounding dull or bloated. The dirt boxes I currently have(and love for THEIR OWN thing) are an OCD, Hotcake, Direct Drive, Drivetrain & Drivetrain II. For that church rig, I'm looking for that sweeter drive that just sounds as close to fat, clean sustain without going the compressor route...I've never liked them myself. Think the Zendrive will get me there? BTW, I have no unrealistic Robben Ford or Larry Carton expectations...as if! lol
Greg

Very well put.
Please keep us informed if it lives upto (or not) your expectations.

Jon

[BlueHeaven]

jockman,
I'll chime back in in about two months(or more) lol !
The wait begins...and my name aint Job.
Greg

[andybog]

I have been waiting 8 weeks now. Alf said I might be in the next batch:jo

He must have got swamped? Or is preparing for Winter NAMM.

[guitarman_1]

Expectation can lead to disapointment a lot of the time. This pedal wont
be one of those experiences. Im amazed that one can form opinions on a pedal they've never played or owned, specially after hearing one on a computer system. I happen own the Zendrive and had one since the begining. The reviews are right on the money.This pedal will go from smooth and fat to crunch and more. It has to do with the voice knob, and the way it changes the bias. I will never claim the pedal is the best ever or is for everyone,as it wont make a bad player sound like Robben, or a solid state amp like a Dumble, but in the right hands, this pedal will get you as close to the elusive Dumble tone, and a few others with no problem, and all for a mere $155.00. Thats a real deal. We are blessed to be in this era of killer amps and pedal builders. I have owned the almost all the boutique pedals made. The Zendrive, Timmy and Klon occupy a special place in my board. They are unique and the best at what they do. We all have different taste, thats why there are so many variations on Vox, Marshall Fenders etc. But to say the Zendrive is thin and raspy off of a clip, is just not right. The clips honestly suck! Its playing one that makes you a believer in a hurry. Buy one, if you dont like it , return it. Alf wont have a problem with that all, or better yet resell it for more.
Sorry for the rant, but hey Robben, Carlos,and Brad, and a mess of others cant be all wrong.

[diatonicdude]

notwithsatnding the fact that a lotta folks really do love their zen drives:
the magazine reviews make absolutely nothing official;
it's all still hype to me..... until i try one.
*-)
not raining on your parade, just what i think of mag reviews, unless i know the reviewer & their playing.....
dt / spltrcl

Splatt, what you say makes perfect sense, of course. However, IMHO it is not hype (the reviews here have been over many months, not a number of "new pedal syndrome" weeks), and if someone reviewing hasn't actually got one of their own or hasn't really anything to gain from their review (unbiased, therefore!) and subsequently goes to press with superb reviews with probably the two biggest guitar mags, then I guess that's as official as it can get (coupled with some gob smacking reviews from GREAT PLAYERS and knowledgeable gearheads here at TGP)!

Jockman, I always personally think sound clips are more of a "here's how it sounds through my rig and in my hands" situation and shouldn't be taken as the definitive take on the sound of the pedal in question, for obvious reasons. Again, IMHO, Scott Lerner's & Garth Webber's clips are anything but thin/thizzy (tribute band name, I wonder :) ), more of the opposite FWIW.

Guitarman1, you got your post in before I submitted this one, and I have to say you mentioned something I forgot, and that is that this pedal isn't for everyone. Well said! Yes, it isn't for heavy rockers or metalheads, but surely for everyone else who seeks a totally versitile, superb OD, which is probably the best ever made!!

Anyway, enjoy your music guys,

Cheers,

DD

[Marcello]

each day there's a new zendrive thread, amazing ! It seems that everyone on TGP has one LOL

[fast ricky love]

Hey Guitarman_1, can you elaborate on the differences with a Timmy...? Thanks!

[guitarman_1]

Ill try, but the pedals are not that close at all sound wise. The zendrive is smoother and fatter tonally.Its voiced around fender type amps.The Zendrive is not as transparent tonally as the Timmy, but it has more range in tonal colors and about the same gain.
On the other hand the Timmy is transparent and made to work better into a pushed amp. Its OD character is on the brighter side and, its voiced like a Marshall type circuit. Its nowhere near as smooth as the Zendrive as an OD, but it rocks harder into a pushed amp. I love both, and feel that owning both is a must. I will say the Zendrive is better used as an ODand the Timmy is better as a clean boost pushing other pedals. Just my opinin though. I love Pauls amps and pedals, and have the upmost respect for Alf, and Paul.
Sorry I cant be that much more help. But you can easily own both, and not feel like you have wasted the money on one or the other. They will both get plenty of use.
Thanks.
O

[fast ricky love]

That was a fine description, thanks!

[jpagey]

Another satisfied ZD user. I've had one since it was released. I like it so much, I asked Alf to build a ZD/Mos in one pedal--which is way cool.

I had Alf build me a double, stackable ZD with one side (A) being lower gain than normal--it should be here soon and I can't wait. The only "problem" I have is I keep finding new settings I like. Lately, the tone has been at 12 o'clock and the voice at 2-3 o'clock. But I like them both at 12 or 1 o'clock or the tone knob at 9 o'clock and the voice at 3 o'clock. But it sounds great in all those settings...