Spun Loud unleashes all-new transistor-based overdrive design, the Litigator

Spun Loud has introduced the Litigator Overdrive, an original transistor-based overdrive pedal that aims to reproduce the British blues-rock tones of the 1960s. 

Distancing itself from other pedals with similar objectives, the Litigator Overdrive is not simply a clone of Marshall's often-replicated Bluesbreaker pedal, and instead utilizes an original design in a bid to achieve a bold, blues-rock bark.

Of the pedal, owner of Dirty Haggard Audio Nick Rogers said: "The world needs more original-design overdrives like the Litigator. The drive character is... unlike other overdrives I've used, more of a full-spectrum saturation as opposed to a more typical upper-midrange bite."

Featuring a transistor-based, all-analog design that creates a fuzz-like character, the Litigator is adjusted using volume, gain and tone controls, which open up a dynamic spectrum of sonic range.

Rolling off the gain delivers a hint of crunch, while cranking it up creates wailing overdrives. Likewise, the tone control can be dialed back or boosted for cutting highs and extra sparkle.

The pedal uses two gain stages to achieve a unique creamy, sparkly overdrive that is "not found in most overdrive pedals", and maintains extreme clarity even when plenty of dirt is applied.

Other functional appointments include Neutrik jacks, a premium soft-click Gorva footswitch, and high-quality Wurth and WIMA capacitors.

In terms of aesthetics, the sleek pedal features original artwork designed by Seattle-based artist Daniel Chesney.

Spun Loud's Litigator Overdrive is built by hand in Bellingham, Washington, and will be available from February 11 for $135. For more info, visit Spun Loud.

And if you're worried about fitting new pedals on your already cramped pedalboard, you might want to read about D'Addario's new game-changing expandable 'boards.