Cool Cat Fuzz & Drive

rotren · June 27th, 2008, 10:30 AM

Just a got a Cool Cat Fuzz and a Cool Cat Drive the other day. Man, fun pedals!

The fuzz is thick and easy to get a long with. Sounds great with some extra gain pedal after it.

The Drive surprised me even more. I didn't really want it, but I tried and I was impressed enough I bought it too. It's crisp and clear with nice amount of gain. Perfect for single coil guitars. I might very well replace my "normal" OD pedal. It reminds me of a Boss Blues Driver, but so far I like better than the Boss.

These pedals are well built - true bypass and metal casing and solid switch.

And did I mention - they are really cheap!!

Paul in Colorado · June 28th, 2008, 09:05 PM

Just how cheap is real cheap?

rotren · July 2nd, 2008, 04:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paul in Colorado

Just how cheap is real cheap?

$24 for the Drive $29 for the Fuzz. Dat's cheap in my book! :)

Great little pedals. Can't go wrong with some Cool Cats at those prices.

Jaxson612 · July 2nd, 2008, 05:16 PM

I think the sound clips on the website sound great! Any reviews yet?

rotren · July 4th, 2008, 11:28 AM

I put up a video clip here - http://www.dolphinstreet.com/video_clips/video-65.php

I dig this pedal! Sounds great.

rotren · July 8th, 2008, 06:00 PM

The Drive is good too. I really like the tone. Video demo here - http://www.dolphinstreet.com/video_clips/video-66.php

DWBH · July 8th, 2008, 07:09 PM

I'm really gasing for the Drive pedal. I need a good drive pedal for my Telecaster.
And the vibe seems oh so hot as well.

JohnSS · July 9th, 2008, 01:25 PM

The cases and knob layouts look very similar to the Danelectro FAB series pedals, which I think are grossly underrated. Does anyone know if these are the same pedals under a knew name?

Telegazer · July 10th, 2008, 12:34 AM

Looking at the inner workings of the circuit boards, I'm pretty sure they are entirely new designs, although the Vibe in particular seems to be a nice upgrade on the really original Chicken salad, it's a really decent Uni-Vibe clone that only lacks a bit of the original lower frequency thump 'n' throb.

We presently have the new Cool Cat Series Transparent OD, Distortion and Vibe pedals, and all three are sheer winners for their price range.

Rob DiStefano · August 25th, 2008, 09:55 PM

Love the Drive with single coil type pups - it's just killer for anything from a mere subtle hint of ballz to flat out in-yer-face pure rock 'n' roll, with a heavier accent on 'rock'. The build and materials are just crazy good for the stoopid $24 price tag. This just may be the OD prize of the new millennium. Keep 'em comin' Uncle Dano!

theraygun · August 26th, 2008, 03:30 PM

I had the Drive, Fuzz and Transparent OD for a while. I'll preface my thoughts on the fuzz by saying I'm not a huge fuzz guy, but I've owned several fuzzes over the years and I found the Cool Cat to be pretty meh. It sounded decent with the volume rolled back on my guitars, but full on it wasn't very musical.

The Drive pedal sounded pretty great. Nice, warm tone but I ultimately sent it back because there was a pretty significant spike in the upper mids and it made the pedal really bright with my Teles. If the tone control more effectively controlled the brightness, then I'd love it. Dig the Bad Monkey for a few bucks more.

The Transparent Drive was like a Jekyll/Hyde to me. I'd play it one time and dig the tone and then the next time I used it I just hated it. It should be noted that it is not transparent. It definitely imparts some mids. It would be great as a lead boost, but as an always on pedal, it didn't work for me.

I really want to try out the Distortion pedal, because I loved the Fab Distortion.

Listen, these pedals are inexpensive but are well built and give off some respectable tones. They just weren't enough to knock other pedals off my board.

rotren · August 28th, 2008, 10:39 PM

The Drive pedal is very useable. It can give nice biting gain, or be set just for a bit of breakup in a quite transparent way. Anyone needing a pedal for a bit of extra drive should really take a look at this one. It's dirt cheap - a no brainer really.

Demos:
http://www.dolphinstreet.com/video_clips/video-65.php
http://www.dolphinstreet.com/video_clips/video-66.php

TNO · August 29th, 2008, 06:22 PM

What TRG said about the transparent drive. I didn't find it was all that transparent and the gain is jumpy at the lower end-goes from "no drive" to "more drive than I want".

Rob DiStefano · August 29th, 2008, 06:28 PM

Got a chance to A/B the Drive and Transparent Drive using Teles and Strats into 5 and 35 watt tube amps. Both are quite qood, but I find the Drive to be smoother and more consistent in the amount and range of OD it delivers. Can't beat the $24 price tag - arguably the best value around for a mild OD pedal.

June 27th, 2008, 10:30 AM	#1 (permalink)
rotren Tele-Meister Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Canada, but born and raised in Sweden. Age: 38 Posts: 199	Cool Cat Fuzz & Drive Just a got a Cool Cat Fuzz and a Cool Cat Drive the other day. Man, fun pedals! The fuzz is thick and easy to get a long with. Sounds great with some extra gain pedal after it. The Drive surprised me even more. I didn't really want it, but I tried and I was impressed enough I bought it too. It's crisp and clear with nice amount of gain. Perfect for single coil guitars. I might very well replace my "normal" OD pedal. It reminds me of a Boss Blues Driver, but so far I like better than the Boss. These pedals are well built - true bypass and metal casing and solid switch. And did I mention - they are really cheap!! __________________ Free guitar lessons - from country to rock to blues

June 28th, 2008, 09:05 PM	#2 (permalink)
Paul in Colorado Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Fort Collins, CO Age: 55 Posts: 4,330 3 Photos	Just how cheap is real cheap? __________________ www.tuatha.net

July 4th, 2008, 11:28 AM	#5 (permalink)
rotren Tele-Meister Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Canada, but born and raised in Sweden. Age: 38 Posts: 199	I put up a video clip here - http://www.dolphinstreet.com/video_clips/video-65.php I dig this pedal! Sounds great. __________________ Free guitar lessons - from country to rock to blues

July 8th, 2008, 06:00 PM	#6 (permalink)
rotren Tele-Meister Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Canada, but born and raised in Sweden. Age: 38 Posts: 199	The Drive is good too. I really like the tone. Video demo here - http://www.dolphinstreet.com/video_clips/video-66.php __________________ Free guitar lessons - from country to rock to blues Last edited by rotren; July 8th, 2008 at 08:56 PM. Reason: wrong url

August 28th, 2008, 10:39 PM	#12 (permalink)
rotren Tele-Meister Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Canada, but born and raised in Sweden. Age: 38 Posts: 199	The Drive pedal is very useable. It can give nice biting gain, or be set just for a bit of breakup in a quite transparent way. Anyone needing a pedal for a bit of extra drive should really take a look at this one. It's dirt cheap - a no brainer really. Demos: http://www.dolphinstreet.com/video_clips/video-65.php http://www.dolphinstreet.com/video_clips/video-66.php __________________ Free guitar lessons - from country to rock to blues

July 2nd, 2008, 05:16 PM	#4 (permalink)
Jaxson612 Tele-Meister Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Somewhere in the swamps of Jersey Posts: 110	I think the sound clips on the website sound great! Any reviews yet?

July 8th, 2008, 07:09 PM	#7 (permalink)
DWBH Tele-Meister Join Date: May 2008 Location: Portugal Age: 17 Posts: 109	I'm really gasing for the Drive pedal. I need a good drive pedal for my Telecaster. And the vibe seems oh so hot as well.

July 9th, 2008, 01:25 PM	#8 (permalink)
JohnSS Tele-Meister Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: NYC Posts: 221	The cases and knob layouts look very similar to the Danelectro FAB series pedals, which I think are grossly underrated. Does anyone know if these are the same pedals under a knew name?

July 10th, 2008, 12:34 AM	#9 (permalink)
Telegazer Tele-Meister Join Date: May 2008 Location: Republic of Korea Posts: 106 9 Photos	Looking at the inner workings of the circuit boards, I'm pretty sure they are entirely new designs, although the Vibe in particular seems to be a nice upgrade on the really original Chicken salad, it's a really decent Uni-Vibe clone that only lacks a bit of the original lower frequency thump 'n' throb. We presently have the new Cool Cat Series Transparent OD, Distortion and Vibe pedals, and all three are sheer winners for their price range.

August 25th, 2008, 09:55 PM	#10 (permalink)
Rob DiStefano Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Park Ridge, NJ Age: 62 Posts: 4,782	Love the Drive with single coil type pups - it's just killer for anything from a mere subtle hint of ballz to flat out in-yer-face pure rock 'n' roll, with a heavier accent on 'rock'. The build and materials are just crazy good for the stoopid $24 price tag. This just may be the OD prize of the new millennium. Keep 'em comin' Uncle Dano!

August 26th, 2008, 03:30 PM	#11 (permalink)
theraygun TDPRI Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Columbus, Ohio Posts: 77	I had the Drive, Fuzz and Transparent OD for a while. I'll preface my thoughts on the fuzz by saying I'm not a huge fuzz guy, but I've owned several fuzzes over the years and I found the Cool Cat to be pretty meh. It sounded decent with the volume rolled back on my guitars, but full on it wasn't very musical. The Drive pedal sounded pretty great. Nice, warm tone but I ultimately sent it back because there was a pretty significant spike in the upper mids and it made the pedal really bright with my Teles. If the tone control more effectively controlled the brightness, then I'd love it. Dig the Bad Monkey for a few bucks more. The Transparent Drive was like a Jekyll/Hyde to me. I'd play it one time and dig the tone and then the next time I used it I just hated it. It should be noted that it is not transparent. It definitely imparts some mids. It would be great as a lead boost, but as an always on pedal, it didn't work for me. I really want to try out the Distortion pedal, because I loved the Fab Distortion. Listen, these pedals are inexpensive but are well built and give off some respectable tones. They just weren't enough to knock other pedals off my board.

August 29th, 2008, 06:22 PM	#13 (permalink)
TNO Tele-Meister Join Date: Apr 2003 Posts: 207	What TRG said about the transparent drive. I didn't find it was all that transparent and the gain is jumpy at the lower end-goes from "no drive" to "more drive than I want".

August 29th, 2008, 06:28 PM	#14 (permalink)
Rob DiStefano Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Park Ridge, NJ Age: 62 Posts: 4,782	Got a chance to A/B the Drive and Transparent Drive using Teles and Strats into 5 and 35 watt tube amps. Both are quite qood, but I find the Drive to be smoother and more consistent in the amount and range of OD it delivers. Can't beat the $24 price tag - arguably the best value around for a mild OD pedal.