Drunk Beaver Pedals Recreates The Legendary Polish Tube Screamer With Their XR Series OD-1 Pedal

Polish pedal makers recreate the Exar OD-1, a cult classic version of the Tube Screamer, at an affordable price.

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A Clone Of A Clone?

My first “real” overdrive pedal was a classic Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer, purchased from my local Guitar Center in my teens. That pedal would go on to color the sound of every song, riff, and melody I put together for years to come. Reading that, you’d think I’m a massive Tube Screamer fan, but truth is, I have a love hate relationship with the iconic green overdrive pedal.

However, my latest encounter with a Tube Screamer has been nothing short of wonderful, thanks to the Drunk Beaver Pedals XR Series OD-1. Before we dive into why, let’s dive into the features and background on this little green box. Drunk Beaver Pedals is one of my all time favorite pedal companies and recently launched this XR series, which brings a more affordable price tag to some iconic circuits. the XR OD-1 is a recreation of the cult classic Exar OD1, a Tube Screamer variant made in Poland that features more low end, and asymmetrical clipping. This ends up delivering a pedal that’s almost closer to the Boss SD-1 than a true Tube Screamer, but trust me, that’s a good thing.

Demo Time

I’m playing my trusted MIM Strat into the OD-1, which then hits the Hot Wet American Bummer from Oneder Effects and the Donner White Tape for some shimmery delays. All those pedals run into my “amp” which is the UAFX Dream, paired with the Walrus Canvas Stereo before hitting the UA Volt276.

Why Do I Like It So Much?

While I typically don’t get to excited about more Tube Screamer clones, there are a few key things that make the OD-1 worth your time and consideration. First off, these are listed for $90 from Drunk Beaver directly, and that’s a bargain considering the sound and the reputation of the builder. Second, this is a great sounding overdrive that remains clear, even at the highest volume and gain settings.

This clarity makes it particularly effective for the fast paced punk music that I prefer, where I need each note, chord, and arpeggio to remain intelligible. There’s a great Fat Mike quote about making sure you have a clear enough signal so you can hear the interesting chords in NOFX songs. I like to try to include that line of thinking in my own punk playing, and the XR Series OD-1 is a perfect fit.

So we’re talking about a Tube Screamer that’s actually more like the far superior Boss SD-1, and it’s $90, and it sounds really great for high gain guitar playing? That’s a really freaking great product to bring to market! It may not be the most innovative or creative product, but it is a really great product! Even better, there’s not an ample supply of Exar OD-1 or Exar clones on the market, despite the pedal’s status as a favorite amongst true pedal junkies. While we have two more XR series pedals left to review, I can see the OD-1 being a long time favorite of mine.

TLDR: Exar OD-1 clone that sounds really good and boasts solid build quality despite low price.