250 Overdrive/Preamp

DOD was founded in Salt Lake City in 1973, and the 250 Overdrive/Preamp was one of their very first pedals. It helped establish DOD as a serious pedal manufacturer and became one of the most influential overdrive circuits of all time.

The 250 uses an LM741 op-amp for its clipping stage, giving it a distinctive cutting midrange character that differs from diode-clipping designs. The circuit is remarkably simple—just Gain and Level—but produces everything from subtle grit to aggressive distortion depending on where the gain sits.

Youngster guitarists like Randy Rhoads famously used the 250 for its aggressive yet articulate overdrive, and the pedal has been reissued multiple times due to its enduring popularity.