SMS Earth Drive pedal - now shipping

Brad Sarno · Post by **Brad Sarno** » 10 Nov 2010 9:52 am

Just a heads up. We've got a brand new overdrive pedal called the Earth Drive. It's great on guitar and pedal steel. Warm and open and natural with a wide range from clean to very driven. I'll post audio samples in the next few weeks. The new page is not up yet, but it is available thru our paypal store for pre-ordering. Price will be $165+s/h. All hand-built here in St. Louis. U.S.A. built circuit boards and steel chassis. High quality guts. Here's a photo of the thing.

Brad
http://www.sarnomusicsolutions.com/products/ed.html

Curt Langston · Post by **Curt Langston** » 10 Nov 2010 10:27 am

Looks way cool Brad. Is this an analog overdrive? Will it have an available power supply?

Mark van Allen · Post by **Mark van Allen** » 10 Nov 2010 11:14 am

Very nice, Brad, and I'm sure a stellar build quality. I have a kind of goofy question, do you have an idea how close it would be able to get to the Duncan twin tone high output section? I have settled on that as my fave lap steel drive box, it's got such a big footprint I'd love something smaller. I have a Tubeworks tube driver that's maybe 90% there.
Would love something smaller.

Brad Sarno · Post by **Brad Sarno** » 10 Nov 2010 11:15 am

Yes, it's 100% analog. Very simple with familiar controls. I'm not offering a power supply since there are so many 9v supplies available out there. It's not much of a battery guzzler either, for those who don't like to use power supplies.

Mark, I don't own a Duncan Twin Tube, so it's hard for me to compare. But I do know the Tube Driver quite well, and I much prefer this sound. For a solid state pedal, it's pretty warm and tubey. It's much flatter in it's overall EQ response compared to the gazillions of pedals out there that have the big midrange hump and remove all the bass and high sparkle. This is much more natural and neutral in that regard. A guitar still sounds like itself after it's passed thru it. I liken this more to the sound of a Fender tube amp being lightly pushed or even heavily driven. It has that kind of symmetry. It's not a "fuzz" or "distortion" sound, nor is it like a little class-A type amp sound either. I wanted it to be steel friendly, so we designed the overtones so that there wouldn't be too much of that ghost bass note that you hear from many pedals. It's there to some degree since that's a natural result of overdrive distortion, but we've kept it relatively clear and focused.

Brad

Hook Moore · Post by **Hook Moore** » 10 Nov 2010 1:02 pm

Looks really cool
Hook

Cory Dolinsky · Post by **Cory Dolinsky** » 15 Nov 2010 5:52 pm

cool. sign me up for one. Are we talking dec 1st

also I'm loving my rev. preamp its been 3 years and i still get a little giddy flippin the switch.

thanks Cory

Len Amaral · Post by **Len Amaral** » 15 Nov 2010 7:11 pm

Hey Brad:

Put me on the list for one of these over drive pedals.

Regards,

Lenny

Brad Sarno · Post by **Brad Sarno** » 16 Nov 2010 6:00 am

Cory Dolinsky wrote:cool. sign me up for one. Are we talking dec 1st ...

thanks Cory

Quite possibly yes. My chassis are made locally, and they claim they'll be finished on the 25th. Then just a few days to get them ready. So I'm hoping that by December I've got them moving.

Brad

Cory Dolinsky · Post by **Cory Dolinsky** » 19 Dec 2010 7:48 am

HI Brad,

Did you get your pedals back from the paint shop? Also, is your code name on paypal Michael Sarno.

Thanks Cory

Len Amaral · Post by **Len Amaral** » 19 Dec 2010 8:39 am

I have my Earth Drive unit on order. Can't wait!!!!!

Lenny

Brad Sarno · Post by **Brad Sarno** » 19 Dec 2010 10:07 am

It's here!!!

Tim Sergent · Post by **Tim Sergent** » 19 Dec 2010 10:45 am

Hey, Brad,
What's the chances of you ever putting the SMS Classic in a stomp box...like the Sans Amp Character Series. Would love to have one for fly dates. I have the Sans Amp VT Bass pedal that I'm throwing in my pac-a-seat to use on fly dates since I sometimes don't get the back line amps that I request. We don't fly our amps so some of the smaller back line companies are fairly limited so I run the VT to help out.

Just a thought.....Tim

p.s.

I still haven't place my Christmas order yet, have I? I'll be in touch.

Brad Sarno · Post by **Brad Sarno** » 19 Dec 2010 11:06 am

Tim Sergent wrote:Hey, Brad,
What's the chances of you ever putting the SMS Classic in a stomp box...like the Sans Amp Character Series. Would love to have one for fly dates. I have the Sans Amp VT Bass pedal that I'm throwing in my pac-a-seat to use on fly dates since I sometimes don't get the back line amps that I request. We don't fly our amps so some of the smaller back line companies are fairly limited so I run the VT to help out.

Just a thought.....Tim

Tim,

a real tube preamp simply won't fit in that small of a package. There's a 300+ volt power supply in there that's larger than a guitar pedal, and then that has to be well spaced away from the gain and tone circuits to keep noise and hum down. To do a tube preamp right, it does take some real estate. But you're onto something there. It doesn't have to be a full rack-space. I'm working on a design that's more built around the Black Box but is a true preamp with 3-knob EQ. Likely it would be bigger than a Black Box, but maybe not by much. It would not have effects, just bare boned pure 100% tube preamp. So yeah, maybe like a LARGE guitar pedal, and it wouldn't have a stomp button, but would always be on. Switchable US/Euro mains voltage too for those who fly back and forth.

Brad

Don Drummer · Post by **Don Drummer** » 19 Dec 2010 12:04 pm

Brad,if it works for Pedal Steel and you built it I want one. Don D

Tim Sergent · Post by **Tim Sergent** » 19 Dec 2010 12:39 pm

Brad,
That sounds like it would work. I have an Anvil briefcase that I was carrying a Pod in and then later, I think they are putting one of my Black Boxes in it. Or something that small wouldn't take up much room in a suitcase or a duffle bag.

That VT Bass pedal helps out on fly dates, but like you said...it's not tube. The distortion pedal looks great. Would like to try one of those too since I seem to be having to use one more often these days..........

Brad Sarno · Post by **Brad Sarno** » 21 Dec 2010 3:40 pm

more pic's

Pit Lenz · Post by **Pit Lenz** » 22 Dec 2010 7:20 am

a real tube preamp simply won't fit in that small of a package. There's a 300+ volt power supply in there that's larger than a guitar pedal, and then that has to be well spaced away from the gain and tone circuits to keep noise and hum down. To do a tube preamp right, it does take some real estate. But you're onto something there. It doesn't have to be a full rack-space. I'm working on a design that's more built around the Black Box but is a true preamp with 3-knob EQ. Likely it would be bigger than a Black Box, but maybe not by much. It would not have effects, just bare boned pure 100% tube preamp. So yeah, maybe like a LARGE guitar pedal, and it wouldn't have a stomp button, but would always be on. Switchable US/Euro mains voltage too for those who fly back and forth.

Brad, what on earth made your decision to discontinue the tonic preamp?
Perfect size for a flydate with all the bells and whistles aboard...
I LOVE MY TONIC!!!
Pit

Mitch Druckman · Post by **Mitch Druckman** » 22 Dec 2010 1:25 pm

Looking forward to some Earth Drive sound clips.

Tom Wolverton · Post by **Tom Wolverton** » 31 Dec 2010 2:02 am

I played a five hour gig tonight with the Earth Drive. It worked great. I A/B'ed it with my SDTT pedal and the sound is similar but smoother and (to me) easier to control. Thanks Brad. I think you got a winner here.

Brad Sarno · Post by **Brad Sarno** » 31 Dec 2010 8:28 am

Thanks for the great feedback Tom! I've been wanting to get my hands on a SD Twin Tube for a while now to check out. I'm so glad to hear you feel the Earth Drive holds up well against it.

Thanks,
Brad

http://www.sarnomusicsolutions.com/products/ed.html

Randy Beavers · Post by **Randy Beavers** » 6 Jan 2011 6:44 am

I've been testing the Earth Drive for a few days now. I think it's GREAT! It's the smoothest sounding overdrive I've heard. Among the other drives I own and compared it to are the Zendrive, Zendrive II, Keeley modded Sparkle Drive, and a Timmy. The Timmy has been my favorite until now because of its transparency, especially on the top end. However, the Earth Drive is even more transparent letting the tone of the guitar come through even when the drive control is wide open.

To me, most pedals mask the original tone of the guitar to where it just sounds like a regular guitar player playing slide. This transparency I'm talking about is that it still sounds like your pedal steel, but into a tube amp that's pushed from slight saturation all the way to full out.

I think it's a great tool to have in the bag. Also, build quality looks like it will take all the bumps and bruises the road can throw at it.

Another great product from Sarno Music Solutions!

Thanks again Brad.

Paddy Long · Post by **Paddy Long** » 6 Jan 2011 2:15 pm

Brad are you able to put up some sample sound clips on your site at some stage ?? Sounds like the answer to a long search !!!

Brad Sarno · Post by **Brad Sarno** » 6 Jan 2011 4:22 pm

Actually, Randy sent me 3 audio samples he made. We're getting real close to posting them on our new Earth Drive web page (which doesn't really exist yet). I'll put a link here in this thread when they're up and running.

Brad

www.sarnomusicsolutions.com

Brad Sarno · Post by **Brad Sarno** » 12 Jan 2011 11:37 am

New page is up, and with Randy's audio samples:

http://www.sarnomusicsolutions.com/products/ed.html

Brad

Cory Dolinsky · Post by **Cory Dolinsky** » 12 Jan 2011 2:54 pm

THIS THING ROCKS!!!!!!!

Thanks Brad for making such a great pedal. What i really like is when you play two or more notes together it doesn't get washed out or other weird overtones. Everything stays very defined.

Randy do you place yours after the Volume pedal. Also do you remember your settings on those clips. They sound awesome.

Thanks,
Cory

The Steel Guitar Forum

SMS Earth Drive pedal - now shipping

SMS Earth Drive pedal - now shipping

finally