Exar Turbo Overdrive

Can't be much easier

It depends very much on the amp You are using this unit with. When I bought it, i had a Hughes&Kettner 30, a quite good sounding solid state amp. In this setup I did not like it at all. I also used it with Hughes&Kettner and Engl tube amps. It was good for boosting the signal and adding some crunch. But only with level between 12 and 3 o clock and drive at about 9. Everything above was not satisfying at all. At the moment I am using it in front of a Matchless Chieftain and it sounds just great. I can get lots of good sounds - from a realy great crunchy sound to nearly metal like distortion. It is very good for rhythm parts - The chords are very accentuated with a very good bass response. I think I can best describe it as thunder. Very angry sound. It really rocks. Also nice for lead parts - very sensitive and with a long sustain. Only with drive way up it produces some noise but still much less than other more expensive devices

I did not have any problems up to now and own it since about 7 years. It looks very well builded. I don't think I will get any problems with it.

I think they sell only in Poland. Would be even difficult to contact them, I guess

I use it for everything from rock to metallica. The price I paid for it was very close to nothing. I think it was 60 Zloty. That is about 15?. I think if I would see it again for a price like that I would buy two ore three of them just to have different settings or be able to put it in different positions (sounds also very nice in front of a wah). So I plan to buy a second one next time I go to Poland even if they are more expensive now for reasons mentioned above. So if You ever go there - try it!

it has three knobs: level, drive, and tone. Not exactly tough to figure out.

I usually have the drive and tone cranked all the way up for a warm fuzzy tone, but with the tone at 1 o'clock you can get a thick grunge sound. I have also experimented with the drive down for a bluesy crunch.

It is well constructed. The box is steel which made it interesting coming through the airport. I like that the 9 volt battery ports are just two copper bits sticking out the casing rather than the flimsy plastic ports connected with a wire. On more than one occasion I have left it on for hours but the battery did not die.

I bought it in Poland when I was studying there and haven't had any problems with it so far.

I tend to play harder rock and this pedal suits me perfectly. I have an older tube amp and the lead channel wasn't the right sound and this pedal has filled my want of fuzz just fine. It is made in Poland and I would be very angry if someone stole it because it is integral to my sound and I have never seen them in the US.