Oceanefx Pearl Drive....better than I expected

[9irontele]

I've been in the market for a new OD to replace my fulldrive 2 (non mosfet - old push/pull version) for quite some time. I was wanting a drive that was fairly flexible, as sensitive to pick dynamics as currently possible and stay uncompressed at higher gain settings. My fulldrive 2 is a good OD but the sensitivity to picking dynamics really isn't there and it's also on a TS platform...not really the tone in my head. I have a Zendrive 2, that I really do like but, I want to stack with it another OD and have some flexibility on the fly, etc....

All that being said, I've tried several and did A LOT of listening on youtube and other forums and basically had my mind set on Jetter's Jetdrive, but I stumbled on Oceanefx's website. After listening to the Pearl Drive (several zillion times) on their website, I decided that I was going to keep my eyes open for one or buy one directly from Corby (I'm not associated with Corby and only know his name by his website.) Not two days later, I found one (#63...small footprint) on ebay and snagged it.

I just have to proclaim that this thing is all that I wanted and more. It is BY FAR the most sensitive to pick attack that I have ever ever ever encountered...great tone options with the bass switch, mid and treble knobs and doesn't sound like a TS IMHO. It has something to do with having the cascading transistors and no IC. I would say that it plays in the TIM/Timmy world if anything. I haven't gigged with it, but I hoping to very soon. Anyway, check this guy out...I'm all for intelligent people making intelligent gear that sounds as good or better than they describe.

[playthecray]

I had a small footprint Pearl Drive for a while that I ended up selling on the emporium a few months ago. I agree that the pedal is a nice low gainer, that is touch sensitive and cleans up nicely with the guitar volume. I also enjoyed it as a rhthym pedal. At times I did find it to be a little too compressed. The knobs are a little tricky to tweak as well, I think most of the magic is in the mid knob.

I compared the Pearl Drive extensively with the Zendrive. I was able to get both pedals to sound very similar. In the end, I just favored the Zendrive. I thought the Zen was fatter sounding and the better lead pedal. Both pedals stacked amazing with the TIM. Enjoy it.

[9irontele]

Thanks....I plan on keeping the Zendrive 2 as well. I think that since they are similar, I can use them both live at different settings and have them compliment each other.

[Loop-Master]

Corby at OceanFX makes some killer stuff!

[ari]

That's good to hear -- as I have one coming in the mail. :-)

ari

[vegetablejoe]

I also found my Pearl Drive to have a compressed tone, when a/b'd with my more open-sounding KOT.

[9irontele]

That's strange....well maybe not. I haven't tried a KOT personally but my PD is very uncompressed in my opinion. Actually can't imagine an OD with much less compression.

[Ocean]

hey thanks for the kind words guys!


Later

[alguit]

Corby, the Pearl Drive arrived earlier today. I only had about an hour to play with it into my Budda Twinmaster, but it was a really fun, great, ear-pleasing hour!

I'm going to put it through its paces more this weekend, and next weekend it gets its debut in my church p&W band!

All the best, and I'll talk to you soon,

Alan