In the mid 1990s, the Evets Corporation relaunched the Danelectro brand, but instead of offering quirky guitar designs from the '50s and '60s, the initial return of Danelectro introduced a line of new effect pedals to the 1996 NAMM show. The lineup included a chorus, an overdrive, a distortion, a delay, and pedalboard-friendly stage tuner. These retro-themed pedals were housed in heavy-duty die-cast enclosures, and they featured FET switching. They were sold at reasonably accessible prices, but they were quality pedals. Because of that, these somewhat quirky pedals are responsible for the classic sounds heard on countless '90s recordings.
The "Daddy O" covered the overdrive side of the original Danelectro '90s pedal lineup. Borrowing from the design of the Marshall Guv'nor, the Daddy O produces saturated, tube-amp overdrive sounds. It was marketed as a "stack in a box," and if you'll forgive the hyperbole, that description is fairly apt. When you push it, the Daddy O can be rude and powerful, like a good tube amp with the volume dimed. It's responsive to your pick attack, but not as transparent as Tube Screamer variants. Nevertheless, the three-band EQ gives you a lot of flexibility to shape the tone. Overall, the Daddy O provides a smooth range of saturated overdrive tones.
This 1990s Danelectro DO-1 Daddy O shows some minor scuffs, but it is in excellent condition all around, and it functions 100% as it should. The protective plastic is still in place on the battery clip, and it doesn't appear to have been used very much. Search any message board, and you'll find folks who describe the Daddy O as a "sleeper." It's an affordable drive with a lot to offer.