T
he DOD 250 Preamp
Overdrive debuted in
the late ‘70s, alongside
the very similar MXR
Distortion+ and Micro Amp. While
the Distortion+ has a very distinct,
and, dare I say, one-dimensional
quality, and the Micro Amp had
a very singular purpose (clean
boost), the 250 was harder to
pigeon hole. The Distortion+ offers
a thick, compressed germaniumderived character while the 250 was
transparent. Of course, it wasn’t
really transparent, but its tone
shaping qualities are subtle and,
32
TONE TALK //
perhaps most significantly, it leaves
the midrange alone.
The 250 fell into obscurity, but then
obscurity has slowly become myth.
I first picked up an original “gray
spec” (so-named for the gray box
that housed the 250 when it was
first released) in the early ‘90s, and
it was more than 10 years before
I was finally persuaded to let it go
(more on that below) and I’m here
to tell you, brothers and sisters, the
legends are true. But don’t take my
word for it: here are five builders
who agree the DOD 250 still has
something to offer.
The Legacy of the DOD 250: 5 Killer Clones