The Tone City Double Durple Overdrive/Boost Pedal is a collaboration between Tone City and Pete Honoré, a session guitarist who has played with the likes of Lionel Richie and Tom Jones. What makes this pedal particularly fascinating is that it combines two distinct overdrive circuits, each with its own unique character, into one versatile unit. The Durple side is a low to mid-gain overdrive that feels like a non-master volume amp, while the Double side is a very low gain yet muscly overdrive with a lot of volume. One thing that immediately stands out is that the Double Durple is an exceptional low-to-mid gain overdrive for its price point, especially when you're getting two flavors of overdrive in one pedal. From my perspective, what many people don't realize is that the Durple side addresses the common lack of volume boost problem that many classic overdrives suffer from. The relationship between the gain and volume controls on the Durple is particularly interesting, as each adjustment affects the other in a way that could be considered more akin to a boost with an addable drive than an overdrive. The Double side, on the other hand, is a modded version of Tone City's Blues Man overdrive, with added improvements to volume and tonal options. The smooth/bright toggle switch on the Double side adds a subtle top-end brilliance when set to bright, while the tone control is more of a standard dark to bright EQ control. The pedal enclosure feels sturdy and measures 12cm long, 10cm wide, and 5.2cm tall. The foot switches have a nice click to them and have a fair amount of space between them for individual engagement but not so much that they cannot be engaged simultaneously. In my opinion, the Double Durple is at its best when settings are kept modest, both gains all the way up becomes too mushy, and players with lower wattage amps will want to be mindful of how hard they're pushing the volume on each side simultaneously. This raises a deeper question: how do both sides sound together? This feels like walking a tightrope when both sides are engaged, and the pedal rewards a measured approach. Gain and tonal-wise they pair beautifully, but the Double Durple is at its best when settings are kept modest. Personally, I think the Double Durple is an exceptional overdrive pedal for anyone, from beginners to experienced players, as it offers plenty of edge of breakup and boosted tones. What this really suggests is that the Double Durple is a must-try for anyone looking to expand their overdrive pedal collection.
