Crazy Tube Circuits Stardust Overdrive

I first came across the Greece-based company Crazy Tube Circuits when I was listening to a Rig Rundown with Nels Cline, as he is a big fan of their pedals, so I thought I’d check ’em out. The first one I got my hands on was the Stardust Overdrive, which is a highly-responsive and amp-like pedal, perfect for almost any guitar situation, and a worthy comrade to take into the studio with you as well.

This pedal, aside from being very pleasing and calming aesthetically, hides a lot of beautiful tones inside it’s otherwise standard-looking appearance. While the Volume, Tone and Gain controls aren’t exactly re-inventing the overdrive wheel, they each take on a significant role to make the Stardust sound great. Lots of Volume on tap, which is pretty essential for any overdrive pedal, in my opinion, and there’s no shortage anywhere here. The Tone control will go low, low, low if you want, but remain present and focused, while the high-end range can light up your overall sound in an instant, with clear, precise bursts of treble laid throughout the entire upper spectrum. Finally, the Gain approaches your sound and transforms it into a warm, wonderful and crunchy tube amp, creating a luscious British tone that sparkles for days.

The Stardust is a beefier version of the CTC Ziggy Overdrive, with more gain on tap and a bigger mid range. This pedal will boost any amp into that sweet part of the stratosphere, and will crank any already-crunchy tube amp to a beautiful breakup point, producing classic and vintage sounds left and right. Check out the Crazy Tube Circuits‘ website to see their whole lineup of pedals, and check back here in the near future for more reviews of their gear – I, for one, can’t wait to see what else their pedal line holds in store!