10 Best Overdrive Pedals UK 2024 | Boss, Earthquaker and More

This offering from Fulltone might not have the reputation of some of the other pedals in our ranking, but that's because it is so young in comparison. Given time, we're confident that this will become just as fundamental to the overdrive pedal story as the ProCo, the TS9 and the many other classics. 

With a soundscape ranging from classic rock to metal, and even hardcore, this stompbox provides cranked tones. What is impressive, however, is the amount of clarity that it maintains regardless of how you dial it in. Therefore, it's perfect for those new to experimenting with pedals, as well as those who have plenty of experience. 

There was no way we could write an overdrive article and not include the famous TS9. You're likely to hear this tube screamer circuit every time you bang on Radio X, and it's many guitarists' first overdrive. There's no doubt that over the years they've tried others, but they often come back to where it all started.

It works as well on its own as it does stacked alongside other overdrives and was instrumental in moulding the late Stevie Ray Vaughan's signature sound. The chances are you'll buy one of these at some point, so it's not a question of if, more a question of when?

The ProCo RAT is a legendary pedal, and you don't get that reputation without being outstanding! Thankfully, the RAT 2 is a faithful recreation, and this distortion pedal can do it all, from clean boost to fuzz. Yeah, you heard that right, it can go all the way to fuzzy town.

While it provides a wide range of different tones, it excels when used for stadium rock, rhythm or lead tones. Moreover, this pedal has a long list of celebrity devotees, including guitarists such Graham Coxon, Alex Turner and even the nicest man in rock, Dave Grohl.  

Earthquaker is one of the top boutique pedal manufacturers, so the fact that you can get hold of any of their pedals for this price is outstanding. Add to that the fantastic tonal range, and you're definitely on to a winner. 

This pedal has three different clipping voices, which is plenty of headroom for supreme clarity and finely tuned tone control that sculpts the low end. We also appreciate the stylised enclosure, and from what we've heard, if you like how it looks, you'll love how it sounds!

MXR have teamed up with esteemed manufacturer Paul Cochrane to produce this custom, and much prized, transparent overdrive. Usually, getting hold of one of his Timmy pedals is a nightmare, as Paul builds them by hand one at a time. This collaboration allows more players to get their hands on the goods.

While transparent sounds don't add much, the subtleties of these pedals are what many people love about them. You see, stompboxes such as the Timmy can add a little gain to the signal, without distorting the original EQ. They've got much more in the tank too, including three different clipping modes that offer plenty of tonal flexibility. 

If you've never heard of the Klon Centaur pedal, then we urge you to go and have a read on the internet before continuing on any further, you'll thank us for it! For those already in the know, you're probably aware that to get hold of one of those pedals, you'll likely need to sell everything you own. 

Thankfully, Electro Harmonix has made an affordable clone that will get you similar tones, without the need to re-mortgage your house. Offering all the sounds from clean boost to fully-saturated distortion, this is a fantastic pedal for aficionados on a budget. 

While many regard the Ibanez TS9 or TS808 to be the holy grail of tube screamers, it was Maxon who built them for the company from the 70s until the early 00s. Therefore, you can expect that their own take on this particular circuit is going to get you pretty close to that sound.

Packaged in the same colour enclosure as the Ibanez, the Maxon has three dials, each of which offers plenty of flexibility. That said, it is known to lose a little bit of clarity when the drive knob is pumped too high, so be wary of that. 

Behringer is the name when it comes to finding quality tones at economical prices, and their OD300 is no different. With a 4-band EQ, this is a straightforward and easy-to-grasp pedal that punches well above its price bracket.

It might not provide the best sonics in the game, but that's not to say that this wouldn't be a welcome addition to many boards. Possibly consider this one as a stepping stone whilst saving money for other pedals, or for players who rarely use overdrive or distortion. 

Capable of providing plenty of different sounds thanks to its toggle switch, which goes from original to ultra distortion, this offering from Mooer is a dependable piece of kit. Taking inspiration from the classic Boss DS-1, it has smooth distortion that works best when paired with an already overdriven amp. 

This is a mini pedal, so is ideal for those looking to add another stage of overdrive to their pedalboard, without taking up too much space. It doesn't have quite the same amount of gain as other distortion pedals, so if you're looking for supersaturation, other offerings will likely work better. 

Getting the ball rolling is the BD-2 from Boss. Now, just because this is propping up the ranking doesn't mean it's any less quality than the others. In truth, this is right up there with some of the best bits of gear in the biz and is a pedal that is favoured by players such as Paul Weller, John Mayer and even Tom Morello.

The circuitry is different from the rest of the Boss overdrive family, as this favours to boost the bass and the mids whilst lowering the treble, hence its name. It might not be for everyone, but if you're looking for something versatile for a decent price, this is as good a pedal as any.