I just picked up the Rust Driver, and fellas, I have to tell you, this is one bad, simple brotha FU(@A. We always read of guys getting a pedal and thinking he's found the fountain of youth like some foolish Spanish explorer listening to the token old Indian saying anything for a little whisky, beads and wampum. Or perhaps he/she thinks the pedal is as powerful as Christ's Second Coming. Not the case, this is simple: a pedal that will turn your amp into a livewire, Plexi beast--feedback included. Of course, nothing is like the real thing, but hey, if it's close and sounds good: it's on the green.

The pedal is simple, one knob and a dip switch with three settings: Bright, Normal and Warm. Versatility is not the key here, but rather warm, transparent overdrive on the verge of meltdown. Even though the pedal claims that the knob affects the tone and level of distortion, it really only affects the volume.

I've had the pleasure of owning a Mark Sampson creation: the SMF 15 Watter. It's great, but this pedal adds a whole new dimension of tone to something that is already perfect.

Please check it out.

And no, I'm not a representative of Godlyke or HAO posing as a working man's musician, nor do I believe in overzealous claims of guys who get a Danelectro pedal and think they've found the Holy Grail, when actually they've found
Monty Python's talking, malicious rabbit.

I'm anal, picky and a certified tone freak who has spent thousands of hard earned dollars on crap that sits in my water heater closet. Trust me, a $125 bucks is a bargain in the botique pedal market. If you like transparent distortion verging on feedback, give this puppy a try.

Easy,

MEH

Very Cool.
I have wondered about this pedal.
Can you elaborate more on the AMp you are using it with.
Tubes, what kind of music you play ?
Thanks, Patrick.

Thin Lizzy,

I have an SMF 15 Watter, a boutique amp built by SIB and one of the designers of Matchless amps. Clean, it sounds like a Matchless with liquid reverb; dirty, it saturates like a sponge of kick-ass crunch. As for the Rust Driver, it can do both lead and rhythm quite well...but the best feature is its responsive, liquidy lead tone. It also feedbacks like hell, just like the Plexis, so you have to pay more attention to your volume knob when letting chords ring. Its awesome through my amp, but it didn't sound as good through a Fender Hot Rod Deville; however, in a Vibrolux it made it growl. I guess it favors some amps better than others.

I'd reccommend it simply because it's cheap, and for me, it sounds great. If someone stole it, I'd be pissed, because I'd have to buy another (I stole that tired line from Harmony Central).

To answer your third question, I play Texas rock, singer-songwriter stuff, blues and whatever inspires me. My lead style is really my own sound, but it bears similarities with Clapton and the out of control impulsive, hit or miss what the fuck let's feel it attitude of Buddy Guy. I emphasize hit and miss...totally on or out on Mars with the little robot collecting surface samples.

My pedal board is in the following order from guitar to amp: Fulltone Soulbender, HAO Rust Driver, Mesa Boogie Bottle Rocket, DLS Chorus, SIB Echodrive, Maxon AD-80 and and and Ernie Ball Volume Pedal. Sometimes I use just a Boss/Keely mod Blues Driver (which I love) and the Maxon AD-80. Unfortunately since the Blues Driver isn't true bypass, I can't use it before any of the other effects, otherwise everything sounds like, well, shit. Too bad, it's a great crunch pedal, but when it's off it sucks most of treble from your guitar.


So, feel free to ask me any other questions.

"Y'all know it was a good night when you hear the last call for alcohol and you're still standing."