Not For Sale
Model Description:
The DOD FX50-B Overdrive Plus was introduced in 1986 and stayed in production until 1997. The FX50‑B was the successor to the more familiar ‘First Series’ DOD Overdrive Preamp 250 (1978‑1982) and the short‑lived FX50 Overdrive Preamp (1982‑1985). Not only is it also bright yellow but also it is a tad larger than the 250 with three controls instead of two. Shortly after its release, the FX50‑B was updated in 1987 to include a ‘boost’ function when the Drive control was maxed out, giving it more of a distorted/fuzz‑like effect, providing more versatility than its predecessor. DOD – founded in 1973, based in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA – was always considered a budget range of effect pedals, despite it playing an important part of guitar effect history, with the Overdrive Preamp 250 probably DOD’s pre‑eminent example. The FX series of pedals was introduced in 1982 with models released gradually over subsequent years to total over 90 models! As with many pedals produced in the late 1980s and early 1990s, stomp boxes generally became more generic and, frankly, a bit ‘ordinary’ and less interesting, as well as less desirable to collectors. The ‘FX’ series of pedals is a lot less distinctive and less recognisable than the earlier pedals they replaced (think also Ibanez pedals post‑‘9’ series). Since 2008, DOD has been owned by Harman International Industries (who also own Digitech), although DOD pedals remained out of production from 2008 to 2013, when the brand was resurrected, reissuing the ‘first series’ pedals, including the 250. Once can’t help comparing the FX50‑B with a ‘first series’ 250 – they are different animals. In terms of sound and utility, they are pretty average with little to make them stand out from the crowd. The FX50‑B does, though, provide classic overdrive tones in a now‑vintage package. Consequently, the under‑the‑radar DOD FX50‑B is a bit of a bargain in the vintage effect market and makes an ideal entry point into vintage effect pedal addiction and, ultimately, obsession. Grab one while you can – a good one can be picked up for about the same price as a modern pedal, at least for now.
Pedal Description:
First things first, those in the know will be aware that CRAVE Guitar’s arbitrary cut‑off year for inclusion is normally 1989. However, as CRAVE Effects breaks another golden rule by including non‑American effect pedals, I think I can also legitimately relax the restriction by ‘a bit’, so as to embrace this pedal, especially as the model had already been around for 3‑4 years with a classic ancestry. This example has been around for several decades at the time of writing, so here it is, for your consideration. Plus… it was sold to me as a 1980s pedal but on further research, it was possibly made in 1990 (hard to be 100% definitive). Lesson: do your research FIRST! Anyhoo… to the point. Here we have a sunflower yellow 1990 DOD FX50‑B Overdrive Plus. Aesthetically, I admit that it is a bit bland and, well, very 1980s. This particular example is in superb condition and it came in its original box (but sadly no user manual), suggesting that it might have spent most of its life boxed and not being used. The front of its box proudly proclaims, “Made In U.S.A.” and “America’s Pedal”, just in case you were in any doubt of its country of manufacture. In operation, the Overdrive Plus is as straightforward as you might expect from an overdrive pedal, with the controls comprising standard Level, Tone and Drive controls. It also sounds like it is supposed to… except that the ‘boost’ facility is probably the one thing that makes this model a bit different from the norm, creating a definite fuzzy vibe. When pushed, the effect kinda straddles the boost/overdrive/distortion boundaries, all in one box. It can be a bit noisy by modern standards; common for budget pedals of the era. Some criticise it for lack of a warm mid boost, suggesting how it can sound brittle or harsh. OK, so it might not get some pulses racing like an Ibanez TS‑808 Tube Screamer Pro in full flow but a) what else can, and b) a vintage Ibanez TS‑808 in average condition will cost at least 10 times as much as a pristine DOD FX50‑B. In truth, I maintain that the TS‑808 has been overhyped for the money and, consequently, a bit of a let‑down in absolute terms. The FX50‑B is also a lot cheaper than its predecessor, the DOD Overdrive Preamp 250. Overall, in summary, a DOD FX50‑B represents great value‑for‑money and, by definition, it diverges from its more illustrious peers. Indeed, as mentioned above, the DOD Overdrive Plus is a bit of a snip and CRAVE Effects can’t resist a bargain‑basement vintage stomp box.
Features:
- Made by DOD in Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S.A. in 1990
- The ‘Level’ knob controls the output volume
- The ‘Tone’ knob controls the amount of treble or bass
- The ‘Drive’ knob controls the amount of distortion (and boost when pushed) added to the signal
- The treadle‑style footswitch controls whether the effect is on or off
- Standard ¼” input and output mono jack sockets
- LED status indicator to show when the effect is in use
- 9V DC power supply input or 9V battery
- Dimensions: 5” x 3” x 2” – 127mm x 76mm x 51mm (L x W x D)
- Weight: 1.2 Lbs – 550g
- Original box with some documentation but no instruction manual
Detail Gallery:
