Known and loved for its smooth breakup and sensitivity, Marshall’s Bluesbreaker circuit is a legend unto itself. The Spruce Goose Overdrive is the Electro-Harmonix version of it.

Offering a simple layout with controls for Volume, Gain, Bass, and Treble, it brings true-bypass switching and a toggle Lift switch with three options – the bottom yields a low-gain/natural-sounding clean boost, middle pushes input signal to 9 db of gain, and the top increases input to 21 db with added saturation and compression. It uses a 9-volt power supply and has a press-and-hold footswitch that can be held down for supercharged soloing.

Onstage through a Bassman and a PRS Custom 24-08, the Spruce Goose enriched sets ranging from the Rolling Stones to Michael Jackson and Steely Dan. It was perfect for sculpting boosted lead tones on the fly and shined while stacked with fuzz and time-based modulation effects. Single-coils received correct girth, humbuckers unleashed smooth, organic sustain, and the effective momentary footswitch is an excellent tool for busy pedalboard users.

The Spruce Goose provides rich clarity, indispensable ZZ Top, and earthy clean boost. And, it’s the perfect size for a crowded pedalboard.

This article originally appeared in VG’s January 2024 issue. All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.