DOD Looking Glass Overdrive

About the DOD Looking Glass Overdrive

The Looking Glass Overdrive is a collaborative effort between DOD and the boutique pedal company SHOE Pedals. Christopher Venter of SHOE Pedals is renowned for his unique circuits, insightful perspective on classic effects, and minimalist design aesthetic. This partnership between DOD and SHOE preserves Christopher's signature strengths while bringing a mainstream-friendly sound and accessible price point. The Looking Glass Overdrive is designed to provide a sweet and musical drive that excels in various playing situations, from lead tones and rhythm playing to low and high gain applications, and even as a tone-shaping boost.

Designer's Note

Christopher Venter shares his inspiration:

"A few years ago, when I lived in Brooklyn, I was looking for an overdrive that suited me. Most of them are slight variations on a few classic op-amp designs that just didn't do it for me. I tried an absurd number of pedals and found that none of them satisfied me. So, originally intending to only make weird experimental fuzz pedals, I decided to break that rule and make a really cool overdrive that I actually wanted to play. After starting with theory and refining it through extensive play-testing, I came up with the Savior Machine and named it after one of my favorite David Bowie songs.

When DOD approached me about collaborating on a new pedal, I was given free rein to do whatever I wanted (within reason). So, first, I went back to my roots and designed a wild, high-gain fuzz. It sounded great, but I figured that would only really be useful for a select few people. I wanted to make something for EVERYONE. So I decided to revisit my core overdrive concept and redesign it with a completely different approach. The result is the Looking Glass. A super-responsive Class A FET design that I hope will give many players the satisfaction of feeling their overdrive rewards their own unique playing style. It's great for blues, but it's also great for hard rock, indie, experimental music, psychedelic music, shoegaze, alternative, punk, bass, etc., etc. The Looking Glass is like a funhouse mirror that allows you to twist and shape your sound in all sorts of ways while still sounding like the best version of you."

- C.J.M. Venter

Controls and Features

The DOD Looking Glass Overdrive features a user-friendly layout with several controls:

Internal DIP Switches

The input filter control is passive and works well with guitar electronics when you are not using a buffer before the Looking Glass. When using buffered pedals before the Looking Glass, you may want to adjust the left DIP switch (1) which slightly increases the pedal's input impedance.

Using the Looking Glass

Most guitarists/bassists will prefer placing the Looking Glass at the beginning of their effects chain, so start there. A typical effects chain would consist of Overdrive effects first, then Modulation effects (Chorus, Flanger, Phaser, Tremolo, etc.), and finally time-based effects (Delay and Reverb).

Placing the Looking Glass at the beginning of your chain or effects will preserve its character regardless of the subsequent pedal combination. That said, you can always experiment with different placement.

Specifications

• Input: 1/4" TS Unbalanced - 260 kΩ (DIP 1 set to on) / 235 kΩ (DIP 1 set to off)
• Output: 1/4" TS Unbalanced - 1 kΩ
• Current Draw: 4 mA
• Bypass: True Bypass
• Power: 9VDC alkaline battery (not included) / PS0913DC power adapter (optional)
• Warranty: 1 Year

Safety and Compliance Information

General Safety Precautions:

• Read and follow all instructions.
• Do not use this equipment near water.
• Clean only with a dry cloth.
• For indoor use only.
• Do not block any ventilation openings. Install in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions.
• Do not install near any heat sources such as radiators, heat registers, stoves, or other apparatus (including amplifiers) that produce heat.
• Use only attachments/accessories specified by the manufacturer.
• Unplug this apparatus during lightning storms or when unused for long periods.

Electrical Safety:

• Do not expose this equipment to rain or moisture.
• Never defeat the safety purpose of a polarized or grounding-type plug. A polarized plug has two blades, one wider than the other. A grounding plug has two blades and a third grounding prong. The wide blade or the third prong are provided for your safety. If the provided plug does not fit your outlet, consult an electrician for replacement of the obsolete outlet.
• Protect the power cord from being walked on or pinched, especially at plugs, convenience receptacles, and the point where they exit from the apparatus.
• Use only with the cart, stand, tripod, bracket, or table specified by the manufacturer or sold with the apparatus. When a cart is used, use caution when moving the cart/apparatus combination to avoid injury from tip-over.
• Servicing should be performed by qualified service personnel. Servicing is required when the apparatus has been damaged in any way, such as power-supply cord or plug is damaged, liquid has been spilled or objects have fallen into the apparatus, the apparatus has been exposed to rain or moisture, does not operate normally, or has been dropped.
• The power switch on this device does not disconnect it from the mains.
• The mains plug must remain readily accessible. If the unit is mounted in a rack or the unit is otherwise enclosed in a way that the plug is not accessible, an all-pole mains disconnect switch must be incorporated into the unit's wiring to ensure accessibility.
• For 240V operation, use the appropriate CSA/UL certified power cord.

Wiring Instructions (if applicable):

The wires in the power cord are colored in accordance with the following code: Green and Yellow – Earth/Ground; Blue – Neutral; Brown – Live/Hot.

If the wire colors in the power cord of this apparatus do not correspond with the colored markings identifying the terminals in your plug, proceed as follows:

• The Green and Yellow wire must be connected to the terminal in the plug marked with the letter E or by the ground symbol ⚡, or in Green or Green/Yellow color.
• The Blue wire must be connected to the terminal marked with the letter N or in Black color.
• The Brown wire must be connected to the terminal marked with L or in Red color.

This unit may require a different line cord, attachment plug, or both, depending on the power source available at installation. If the attachment plug needs to be replaced, consult qualified service personnel who should refer to the table below. The Green/Yellow wire should be connected directly to the chassis of the unit.

WARNING: If the grounding is removed, some fault conditions in the unit or the system to which it is connected could cause the full line voltage to be present between the chassis and ground. If the chassis and ground are touched simultaneously, serious injury or death may result.

Disposal Information:

When disposing of this product, do not mix it with general household waste. There is a separate collection system for used electronic products according to legislation which requires proper treatment, recovery, and recycling. Household consumers in the 25 EU member states, Switzerland, and Norway may return their used electronic equipment free of charge to designated collection points or to a retail dealer (if you purchase a similar new one). For countries not mentioned above, please contact your local authorities for the correct disposal method. This ensures that your discarded product undergoes the necessary treatment, recovery, and recycling, thereby preventing potential negative consequences for the environment and human health.