Danelectro DJ-1 Pastrami Mini Overdrive

After doing some research on the Internet to find out how to get "that sound" (the dirty Chicago Blues sound) out of my harmonica/condenser/solid state amp setup, I found out I could go two ways: a real tube mic preamp or its solid state counterpart. The tube mic preamps are expensive for what they do and I don't need studio quality, so I went the other route. As it turns out, the non-linear characteristics of diodes/leds in the feedback loop of an op-amp (low-voltage, solid-state) spectrally produce the sound of an overdriven preamp tube in the 12A*7 family. Circuits for the Tube Screamer, Blues Breaker and others abound on the 'Net. The Danelectro Pastrami Overdrive falls into this class of circuit. Many published schematics show germanium or silicon diodes used to reproduce the sound, but also suggest that LEDs (a specialty diode that has a higher forward voltage drop and produces visible light) can be used. While I didn't take my Pastrami apart, I've been able to determine (by the led lighting behind the plastic case when this unit is driven) that it probably uses a hybrid approach - signal diodes and leds in combination. This design approach tends to spice up the overdrive and when used in combination with a tie-clip condenser mic and driven into my solid-state Behringer KX-1200 keyboard amp is hard to tell this from the real McCoy!

This is not a metal distortion unit so if that's what you want check out some of the other effects by Danelectro such as the Black Coffee, T-Bone or Grilled Cheese. The Pastrami is all about simulating overdriven tube distortion and it does this very well. Simply dial in the amount of drive using the overdrive control, and set the output level with the "Level" control. It doesn't get much easier than this. Although the unit came with a "suggested settings" sheet, if you know why you are buying this unit, you'll control it beyond the "starter" position.

The only way I could get more authentic with the sound is a bullet mic which typified the '40s and '50s Chicago Blues sound, and pipe it into a Twin Reverb. I've got a bullet coming in the mail thanks to a vintage mic collector on eBay, but why bother with the Twin? I've got an amp and setup now that works great.

As I mentioned, this is a simulation of tube overdrive and it does it in probably the best way you can with a solid state device. There is no audible hiss characteristic of op-amp and other solid-state effects, even with high volume settings. I'm a keyboard and harmonica player and getting that Paul Butterfield or Little Walter sound is a piece of cake. This is the most cost-effective effect that I need to get the sound I want.

As I just bought it, I don't know about reliability. Numerous complaints in this department abound, but Danelectro has been providing effects, amplification, and pickups to the music industry since 1947. These are inexpensive effects! You won't find a better bang for your buck. These are not for "stompers", I will be switching mine by hand when it's sitting on top of my amp. The case is plastic, but Danelectro is shipping these with a "knob guard" which is removable, to prevent "foot damage". I'd feel comfortable using it on a gig without a backup, but for $20 (list $29.99), why not have a backup, just in case? I'll rate this an 8 because of the "no experience" factor.

I have no input for this area, as mine worked fine out of the box, and it came with a battery included - not bad for a company who is already hitting rock-bottom in the price-point department. Why not throw in a battery to get you started? It makes great business sense.

I have no complaints with this unit. I tried out one in the store with my one of my blues harps, my mic and one of the store's amps with all the controls set flat. I've got tube overdrive sound out of a solid-state setup for $20. I was going to build my own from plans I found on the Internet, being an electronic/computer engineer as a career, but the price of this unit was so low, I couldn't have built it for less. My time to buy components, assemble, test, etc. just didn't make sense if I could buy it ready to use for the $20 I spent. When I can cough up another $20, I'll get a backup just to insure I can get "that sound", when I need it. 'Nuff said.

Easiest thing in the world. There are 2 knobs, one adjusts the gain and the other one does nothing. You just press the button and thats it, you can play it straight out of the box without touching it.

If you want total fuzz, where the audience doesn't know what you're playing this is for you. Turning the knobs changes the volume, but not the sound. So you get mute or incredibly loud. However, if you like fuzz and your into playing toneless noise then this will be the greatest pedal ever for you.

If you step on the pedal it turns to dust. It's made of plastic so it takes no punishment at all. however, I'm sure the circuits are very nice. Never gig with this thing, you'll be so very sorry.

Never talked to danelectro

The horror....thr horror.....

i give this pedal a 10 cuz its totally simple only 2 knobs and a button

i use this discontinued version of the squier stagemaster which sounds awsome with it and an ibanez gio but i dont like the way they sound together and i run this all through a marshall mg15ms (very cool amp)

i got this pedal for christmas and by new years it wasnt working it was like one day it worked then the next it stoped hasnt worked since but so im told danelectro is very reliable with customer service so i sent it back and got a complet new pedal it was some sort of a mal function but i would definatly have a back up on stage with me

i heard that danelectro is awsome with their costumer support the people are very easy to talk to

i play punk so the overdrive gives it a good distortion punch but not over powering great soundive been playing for three years i also own a boss overdrive belive me i prefer the danelectro the boos is to over powering

Pretty easy - Drive and Level. Didn't come with a manual, but there are some suggested settings on the Danelectro website.

I'm using this with a Gibson Les Paul Gem Series, '78 Fender Strat, and Jimi Hendrix Strat through a Peavey Delta Blues. I really only use this as a clean boost. It works great for me. I would recommend it to other tube amp users. I have used it like a normal distortion, though, but found that it starts to sound like more like a cheap stomp box when you turn up the gain. I'll give it an 8 because it gives me the sound I'm going for when I use it with my amp.

Well, it's never given me any trouble, but it doesn't look too reliable to me. Wish it had a metal case, but I trust it enough to use without a backup.

Never dealt with them, although they have a pretty helpful web site.

I've been playing or around 4 years and play classic rock and blues. I use my amp's tube overdrive (Peavey Delta Blues, check out my review), so I only use this pedal as as clean boost. I think it is a bit more harsh than a tubescreamer, but I think for the money, this is a fantastic value.

2 knobs...duh

This is perfect for what is supposed to do. Its not meant for a triple rectifier sound, but a chunky fat overdrive. Its sounds like a cheap fuzz box when overdrive is put past 2'o clock

Its small and flimsy but i don't stomp on it, you cant its too small. Good as a boost for solo's but danelectro could've added more protection, I don't use back ups at gigs.

Their website kinda sucks but haven't dealt with them.

I use my metal zone for the sound I usually want, but this is great for a fat and chunky overdrive that just adds some personality to your guitar

2 knobs:level and overdrive. Use the level to match your signal when the overdrive is off and when its on. (overall volume, not overdrive). Use the overdrive knob to add more or less overdrive...duh

For what it is, it actually sounds pretty good. I was expecting a more distorted sound, so I was let down at first. I know it says overdrive, but I can hope cant I? After giving it a second try and listening to it with an open mind, I was impressed. With the o.d.knob 1/2 way or a little more, it does a damn good "overdriven amp sound", but past that level it turns to fuzz. The fuzz-side of the pedal is great for that beatles/revolution or chuck berry/jonny b. good sound. I use it with a les paul copy going straight to a 100 watt stereo. (i recently lost ALL my gear, and am starting from scratch. Dont expect monster metal, but if you want a good o.d., then check this out. Not noisy at all. And your origanal signal really comes through, it does not muddy up your tone. I'm guessing with sounds like that, it probably sounds pretty damn good as a second o.d. used for solo boost.

I dont slam my stuff around, so I trust it. It also came with a see-thru plastic case to fit over it to protect the knobs. I'd go gigging but since I play rock I'd take some kinda backup no matter what pedal i had

Dano is the mother of all gentlemen when it comes to customer service. I've sent them a different mini-and got it back 3 weeks later (a new one)

It sounds great for overdrive, just don't go expecting Pantera or something heavy. It's helped me cause now I'm jammin on older stuff (60's & 70's) and it's helped broaden my musical vocabulary. If I had metal-dist, I'd just be wailing on the same shit I've been playin all my life

Danelectros are fairly easy,knobs are nice to turn and the button is cheap feeling in a good way

i use Session Strat > Boss MT-2 > Dan Pastrami > Rocktek EQ-7 > Boss NS - 2 > DOD FX76 > Crate Limo Amp. My band plays punk - This is an essential pedal to my songs. Lemme show you how a song goes...

starts with guitar doing power chords with MT-2
bass plays simple riffs with an EQ
then goes into vocals, wich is when i tone down to Pastrami turning MT-2 off.
this is the "breakdown" that i play to compliment my backing vocals.
When we get into chorus, MT - 2 switches on Pastrami Off
I play more power chords and then riffs.
Near the middle of the song is when the pastrami really Shines.
I play solo with bass, we both play into same 2-channel amp trough channel switcher and the pastrami. I play call-and-answer chords with my bassist constantly switching channels. This works out well, and because the overdrive is so versitile, the overdriven guitar/bass solo
is purley magnificent and will surley get us somewhere in this business. The song ends with a MT-2 BreakUp and the bassist just slaps his strings until its over.
I HIGHLY RECOMMEND this unit as it is my workhorse to my band and worth every pennie spent(wich isnt much). Works well with chorus wich i use in only one song (try a milkshake). Theres a reason why this pedal won many awards such as the Guitar Player:Editor's Picks

Danelectro's mini's arent very dependable. Apparently Danelectro doesnt think their pedals will be played by punks, they would of made them a metal or at least diecast.
They're made of plastic and you cant jump on one - its not really because of its casing, its the size, try landing on one of these minis.... slip!
As for gigs - we take 3(total) with us as backup. Very light, good for travel, bad for setup when it moves around to much.

The people at Danelectro are nice and gave me ALOT of product information during my time as an ametuer punk looking for the right distortion. Gotta give em a 9 for their horrible website.

This pedal is ideal for punk. If your a starting guitarist (or bassist) who wants to play punk but have no money for those expensive tube amps or mxr's. Danelectro offers all you need for any type of music.

I don't remember if it had a manual or not, but it doesn't matter, because it's as simple as a pedal gets.

I have played a 67 Guild X175 Archtop, Fender Strat with a Dimarzio Fast Track 2 pickup in the neck, an electric/acoustic Yamaha, and a great new Jay Turser Custom Pro SG(this deserves a review of it's own). For $20 this little pedal is awesome. I own a Peavey Ultra 212 combo, and at clubs I've played it through some Marshall stacks. This pedal definitely enters the fuzz realm when you crank the overdrive knob. It isn't very noisy either. One night after a band practice I accidentally kicked it and knocked off the volume knob. Luckily it didn't even snap off the inner knob arm(whatever it's called) all I had to do was put the outer casing back on. It does a good hard rock sound, and a great early punk/hardcore sound as another reviewer mentioned.

I own a Metal Zone but it doesn't fit the songs that I pay with my band right now. The Pastrami is a cheap effective pedal. I've gigged with it about a dozen times and I've been using for 5 months steady. I will probably get another as a backup since it's so inexpensive. But yes I've used it without a backup. It's the only thing I've brought to gigs so far as well as band practice.

Never had to.

If this were broken, lost or stolen you're damn right I'd buy another. At $20, why not? It's the only pedal in my signal chain at this point, though that will change shortly. Obviously it would be nice if it wasn't constructed with a plastic casing, but for $20 something has to give.

Easy as pie.

I look for an overdrive/boost pedal to add a very smooth, creamy low level distortion to the input signal. Not crunch or fuzz, let alone metal-land. This is NOT an easy task for a pedal to achieve ... and very, very, very few overdrives have pleased my old ears. My verdict - *IF* you feed this pedal with a low gain pickup(s) (single coil) you can achieve a decent overdrive boost with the pedal's "overdrive" knob set between zero (7 o'clock) and maybe 8 o'clock, with the appropriate amount of "level" knob dialed in to avoid clipping. In that case, it works quite well. Other than that, this is a fuzzy crunch box and not an overdrive/boost. 'Nuff said.

Not to be used as a stomp box, should be used as a set-and-forget pedal. I'd never gig without pedal backups.

Whatever.

Playing fretted instruments since '55 - gigged out for 11 years - use Strats and Teles and old tube amps - this pedal is useful as a true overdrive/boost ONLY under certain conditions (read above), and when those conditions are met it'll do the job.

This is so simple! Two knobs: level & overdrive. One on/off button. Small unit!

This pedal gets a pretty decent sound. When I bought it, I was impressed with how such a small and inexpensive pedal could work so well. I've noticed very little excess noise coming from the unit.

The biggest problem I've had is that the level is very sensitive. I rarely turn the level knob very far (only 9 o'clock or so). The overdrive is kept in the opposite direction (3:00 or so). With the overdrive down and level up, it works nicely as a boost. The guitar volume and strength of your playing greatly effects the sound that comes out of the pedal (though I haven't tried it with a compressor yet). I'm no pro on tube amps, but to my ear, it sounds like a pretty decent simulation of overdriven tubes.

I've been able to pull everything from a hot boost, to warm distortion, to tight fuzz. However, if you want harmonics, they're not going to be there. The sound is warmer and cleaner/nicer than that of the Big Muff or Rat.

I use a Mexican-made Fender Stratocaster and a Peavey KB-80 Keyboard amp. The other effects I use vary (DOD FX85 Harmonic Enhancer, Dano PB&J Delay, Dano BLT Slap Echo, Dano Chicken Salad Vibrato). I haven't yet used it in conjunction with any other distortion pedal (I also own a Big Muff (Russian) and a Rat2).

I've used it with a Fender Jazz Bass and it's worked pretty decently. I haven't used it in any live settings yet, so I don't know how well it'll work in a group.

Also, I've used it mainly with a 9V battery and that's lasted quite awhile!

Pretty dependable. Haven't had a problems with it yet. I haven't read all the reviews on this, but I've never heard of one breaking. The plastic is pretty thick. I wouldn't play baseball with it or anything like that. Maybe shuffleboard...

I e-mailed them with a question once and never heard back. Haven't had any urgent concerns requiring customer support.

I play a lot of my own original work (modern rock, blues, etc.) as well as covers of Pearl Jam, Pink Floyd, Smashing Pumpkins, and other similar artists. I've been playing 5 or 6 years.

With as inexpensive as it is, if it were lost or stolen, I'd just buy another. However, my ownership of other fairly reliable distortions makes it sort of an extra. It's small and light, so that makes it easy to tote around (I've carried it in the pocket of my flannel shirt).

I love that this inexpensive pedal sounds so good and is so versatile, but I hate that the level is so sensitive! I haven't used it in any groups, so in a practice setting, it can make things pretty loud!

As I said earlier, it has a fairly nice/clean sound with few harmonics. If you want a nastier sound, with harmonics, and good fuzz at a low volume, try the classics like the ElectroHarmonix Big Muff, ProCo Rat, etc.

Not much else to say. As inexpensive as it is, it can't hurt anyone to give it a try!