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My 'brother in metal' Dean Cascione with the first two in a series of demos for the new 2013 limited edition DOD Overdrive Preamp 250 in the style of Neoclassic Shred - Finally how it was meant to be!

Live Performance - "Arpeggio Assault"


Dean unintentionally misspoke and meant to say that it "doesn't color your tone when it's off." It's all good!


I have this new 'metallic gold' DOD 250 (by DigiTech) too and it made me replace my favorite 'Neo-Classic 741 Overdrive' scratch-built clone on my pedalboard! I didn't think anything would do that. It's a clone killer LOL. For any fans of the late 70's grey 250 sound this pedal is for you. It features the same 741 op amp based circuit in SMT surface mount format; with true-bypass, LED and modern top mounted power jack. They will probably sell out soon being a limited production run. Hopefully DigiTech will reissue more vintage DOD pedals like this and their new limited edition 'metallic blue' DOD Phasor 201. I have both now!

It's a dead simple circuit. I do like the graphics. It's an attractive box. But any differences between this and a clone are going to boil down to build quality and component variation. Component variation equally impacts their results and yours, so if you're not getting the exact result you want, measure your components and play with the most likely suspects.

If your build quality is what separates your work from the real thing, sharpen up.

I could never justify the cost differential based on the box it comes in personally. If it were a substantially more complex circuit maybe? I don't know. I can do a cooler looking box with etching anyhow.

I didn't mean to imply one sounded better or built better than the other. In fact this new 250 sounds identical except the level pot is now a B100K linear taper instead of an A100K audio taper like I used. But I'm a big fan and collector of DOD and MXR pedals and decided for a change to remove both of my 3 and 4 year old DIY clones from my pedalboard replacing them with their nice modernized equivalents, the new 2013 limited edition DOD Overdrive Preamp 250 and MXR Custom Comp. I still highly prize my first DIY projects because I built them from scratch and not a kit. They are very well built and I'm proud of my work. I now use them at my computer desk with my Line 6 Toneport GX guitar interface and Gearbox amp simulations for headphone practice around the family. Anyway these new "DOD" pedals are great sounding and I'm glad that I got them since they are limited production runs. I hear they are selling fast so there is hope DigiTech revives some more vintage era pedals and updates them like these. They are a hit! Here's my before and after pedlaboard:

Old Pedaltrain Mini rig:


New Pedaltrain Mini rig:

I really missed a trick here. I bought the reissue yellow 250 a couple of years ago from Thomann.de for less than £30, I thought it was ok but nothing special so I sold it. For some bizarre reason they're becoming really popular again, so I wish I'd bought a container full.

I like the Boss style DC and addition of an LED for practical purposes but they kill the aesthetics IMO, especially the LED type and placement - fugly. Nice finish though.

They should have put the LED in the "O" of DOD...

So besides all that what do you guys think if the two demo videos I linked here? I asked my friend Dean to specifically make some neoclassic rock style demos to show off the pedal, just to contrast with all the other general rock riff demos popping up. I think it sounds really good for any genre of guitar music.

snmavronis wrote:So besides all that what do you guys think if the two demo videos I linked here? I asked my friend Dean to specifically make some neoclassic rock style demos to show off the pedal, just to contrast with all the other general rock riff demos popping up. I think it sounds really good for any genre of guitar music.

Well, as it's the same kinda stuff that Yngwie is renowned for, using the same pedal that Yngwie is renowned for....err....what exactly are we supposed to learn from them? He's a good player, not knocking him at all, I just don't see the point in the demo. It's like getting him to play Hendrix riffs through a fuzz face or SRV licks with a TS9 - heard it a million times before.

Yes I understand your point. But in that playing style 'context' it easily captures the recognizable original tone of the late 70's grey 250 because that's what it's based on and marketed as, in contrast to the later 90's re-issue yellow and YJM308 which didn't quite do it for me even though people love them in their own way. That's why many mod those pedals to sound like this new gold 250 and vintage grey 250 or pay outrageous prices for them on eBay. Of course you can easily mod one of the 90's versions but for those not into DIY then I think the new gold 250 is a viable option for $99. I know Yngwie helped make the 250 famous but there is a modern neoclassic resurgence of great players today carrying the torch so to speak, just as there are great players in every genre like blues for example using Tube Screamers or whatever. I just think Dean's "Arpeggio Assault" is great to watch for entertainment value if nothing else and for other people like me into this genre it would make me want this pedal if I didn't already own one. You know how it is tone chasing: Use the same gear as the musicians you like.

i built a 250 , and a while back i was using it for higher gain distortion . i did a clipper switch with leds / diode option , and by chance found some old 741cn chip i used . i honestly didnt think i would use it / like it as much as i have . i am not the guy who has tried hundreds of box's but a very healthy amount . the 250 stands out to me .

recently i have been using it on led , for slightly dirty tones , with a tweed amp tone , reveb and trem . it seems to be very dynamic , harder i pick well i can go from cleanish to nice and gritty , which i really dig .

i have been thinking , when i get time , when the list is wrapped up , i am going to spend some time with the 250 , i would like to make it so i can foot switch between the two modes with no or adjustable volume difference . if you are reading this and you haven't tried a 250 , i would twist your arm to look into it , check out steves info .

i realize this doesn't relate to the demo video , thanks for sharing that by the way , i just wanted to point out how much i enjoy the thing , and thank steve for his excellent work . i know i have his chart with all the component variations .

i have been trying to be a bit more " take the high road " when i am online , rather than the other way around .

thanks steve , seen mr malmsteen five times over the years , since the rising force tour . i walked beside him in a hallway with a women whom i think was his wife / gf / sig other ... he had more eye make up on than she did . my mind was racing , so i addressed him as smoll poiken , which is i think swedish for little boy , as he seemed to be a bit minute in stature . he was a bit shocked hearing that at the aaragon ballroom , in chicago il .

New 250 LTD demo from clean boost to overdrive. Maybe you'll find this one a little more useful:

DOD: Overdrive Preamp 250