Description
"In 2019 I stumbled across a pedal that didn’t exist.
Yeah, cue the Twilight Zone theme song.
It was a DOD Overdrive / Preamp that predated the “Gray Box” 250 pedals that everyone– myself included –had assumed were the first version ever made. The pedal was encased in a large gray folded metal enclosure that resembled Electro-Harmonix more than DOD, and it was conspicuously lacking the “250” model number. The typeset and DOD logo were different, but it still had the same charm and quirky feel of the vintage 1970s DOD. The sticker on the pedal’s backplate said “DOD Electronics Company” and listed the home address of founder David Oreste Di Francesco, as well as a number: 75. According to my interview with David himself a year later, I had found the 75th DOD pedal ever made and one of the first ten DOD Overdrive / Preamps (250) ever sold. This stompbox represented the genesis of “America’s Pedal.” For a pedal historian, it was the equivalent of uncovering the Dead Sea Scrolls.
The internals featured a floating/loose hand-etched PCB and the same DOD 250 circuit, but with a few changes. The internal parts dated as early as 1972 and, according to David, were harvested from old radios and electronics he scavenged when he started building his first effects.
The JHS Overdrive Preamp is a faithful replication of this unobtainable V1 of DOD’s most loved pedal. The controls are simple. The Level control adjusts the overall output of the circuit and lets you cut or boost the signal. The level control of this version has been modified (corrected) from the original wiring of the #75 unit, giving this pedal much more volume on tap. The Gain control adjusts the amount of gain inside the overdrive circuit. Turning up “Gain” creates more clipping as it pushes the op-amp and hard clipping into overdrive. We’ve also added a slider switch to this production version, which wasn’t included with the original DOD 250. While researching the #75 “Big Box” pedal, I acquired a second early big-box unit which used a completely different clipping arrangement. It only seemed fair to offer this switch so that you could explore these two variations for yourself.
This “Big Box V1” DOD 250 circuit definitely feels like a 250, but with a few changes: more gain/grit overall and more unique low/mids. This is a must-have addition to any DOD collector’s lineup, or for anyone who's curious about how it all started.
The standard Overdrive / Preamp will be part of our normal JHS lineup. Buy yours today and experience the history of one of the greatest overdrive/preamp circuits ever made."
Delivery & Returns
Shipping Policy
Free Shipping- Most orders $50.00 and over ordered from themusicden.com SHIP FOR FREE, but there are two exceptions: Orders that are being shipped to a location that is not in the lower 48 United States will NOT ship for free. Also items marked as "Oversized" will NOT ship free. Those orders will ship using our Standard Shipping rate.
Standard Shipping- This is the default shipping method for orders shipping to a US state that is not in the lower 48, such as Hawaii or Alaska, Puerto Rico, or an APO/AE order. Whether an order is shipped USPS or UPS is at The Music Den's discretion depending on what the situation may require.
Orders made through www.themusicden.com will only ship to United States. We are unable to ship internationally.
It may take one to two business days to process an order before it is actually shipped out.
Shipping costs will not be refunded for returns. The buyer must assume all shipping costs when returning an item.
School Servicing- Items will be delivered to the school on our next scheduled weekly visit.
In-Store Pickups- You can choose to pick items up at our Randolph Store. Please call ahead to make sure that your item is at the store before coming to pick it up. Be prepared to present identification and the purchasing credit card during pickup.
Curbside Pickups- Between 10am-5pm, Monday-Friday, you can choose to pick items up at our Randolph Store and have them brought out to you. Please wait for a confirmation email that your item is ready to be picked up. When you arrive you can call the store at 973-927-5800. Be prepared to present identification and the purchasing credit card during pickup.
30 Day Easy Return Guarantee
The Music Den wants you to be fully satisfied with your purchase. The Music Den has a cash back return policy for all online returns 30 days from the date of sale. (Note: This does not apply to Reverb. Please see Reverb for their specific policies. For In-store purchases please refer to your receipt.) Please read the items below carefully to ensure that your Item Return is done correctly.
To return an item purchased online from www.themusicden.com, you must notify The Music Den within 30 days from the date of the sale to receive an RA#.
All returns must have an RA# (Return Authorization Number). To receive an RA#, Please call 1-800-479-1189 or click here to send us an email. Do not forget to mention your customer number and order number so that we can expedite your request.
All Returns must be received by the Music Den within 10 days of the day you received the RA#.
All shipping costs are the responsibility of the customer and are non-refundable.
The following items cannot be returned: Sheet Music, Books, Reeds, Strings, Harmonicas, Microphones, Clothing, CD's, Videos, DVD's, and Software.
Returned items must be in their original condition and packaging. Returned items not in their original condition will be charged a 15% restocking fee.
Special orders can only be returned at the discretion of a Store Manager with a restocking fee added. All deposits on special orders are non-refundable.
When you ship your item, make sure that your RA# is printed clearly on the outside of the package.
Ship the item to:
The Music Den
1030 Route 10 West
Randolph, NJ 07869
For answers to any questions about our return policy, please call 1-800-479-1189 or click here to send us an email.
