Cor-Tek (the parent company of Cort Guitars) formally announces DigiTech/DOD acquisition and relaunch of DOD Overdrive Preamp 250.
By joining forces and sharing resources on product development, Cor-Tek and DigiTech/DOD plan to enhance their offerings and increase their market presence for years to come. 2023 not only marks the 50th anniversary of Cor-Tek, but also 10 years since the DOD 250 Preamp Overdrive was updated to the latest gold version. Both the Cor-Tek and DigiTech/DOD brands came of age around the same time, in the early 1970s. Founded by Young H. Park in South Korea in 1973, Cor-Tek blazed a trail in the guitar industry, filling a demand for affordable, playable instruments — electric, guitar, and bass — designed to not only look good but sound great. As guitars became more accessible to players, there was an explosion in electric and bass effects. Around the same time, DOD was co-founded by John Johnson and David O. DiFrancesco in Utah, emerging as “America’s Pedals” and introducing the concept of a boutique brand “designed for musicians by musicians.” The next revolution in guitar tone came with the explosion of digital signal processing (DSP). DOD answered the call with the formation of the DigiTech brand, which emerged as a leader in progressive digital-based tone and effects.
DigiTech/DOD longtime marketer Tom Cram, along with several key DigiTech and DOD engineers will step up to lead U.S. operations. From the brand’s current Utah headquarters Tom added, “The team and I are thrilled to join forces with the creative minds at Cort Guitars. We already have a product roadmap in place that leverages our combined areas of expertise. The reintroduction of the DOD Overdrive Preamp 250 is just the beginning, and I couldn’t be more excited.”
Set to make its debut at the 2023 NAMM Show, April 13-15, the updated DOD Overdrive Preamp 250 effects pedal is the first of nine classic models slated to be brought back and promises to be rock solid. The updated version maintains the classic tone and spirit of the vintage gray LM741 250, while further elevating performance. The DOD Overdrive Preamp 250 doesn’t hold back, with loads of output and Gain and Level controls that allow users to overdrive their amp or as a stand-alone distortion. True bypass ensures that the guitar’s tone remains pristine, even when the pedal is off. Board-friendly with a 9V DC power supply, the DOD Overdrive Preamp 250 arrives ready to rock.
Last August, metalcore giants Poison the Well gave the world a gift: They announced they were working on their first studio album in 15 years. They unleashed the first taste, single “Trembling Level,” back in January, and set off on a spring North American tour during which they played their debut record, The Opposite of December… A Season of Separation, in full every night.
PG’s Perry Bean caught up with guitarists Ryan Primack and Vadim Taver, and bassist Noah Harmon, ahead of the band’s show at Nashville’s Brooklyn Bowl for this new Rig Rundown.
Brought to you by D’Addario.Not-So-Quiet As a Mouse
Primack started his playing career on Telecasters, then switched to Les Pauls, but when his prized LPs were stolen, he jumped back to Teles, and now owns nine of them.
His No. 1 is this white one (left). Seymour Duncan made him a JB Model pickup in a single-coil size for the bridge position, while the neck is a Seymour Duncan Quarter Pound Staggered. He ripped out all the electronics, added a Gibson-style toggle switch, flipped the control plate orientation thanks to an obsession with Danny Gatton, and included just one steel knob to control tone. Primack also installed string trees with foam to control extra noise.
This one has Ernie Ball Papa Het’s Hardwired strings, .011–.050.
Here, Kitty, Kitty
Primack runs both a PRS Archon and a Bad Cat Lynx at the same time, covering both 6L6 and EL34 territories. The Lynx goes into a Friedman 4x12 cab that’s been rebadged in honor of its nickname, “Donkey,” while the Archon, which is like a “refined 5150,” runs through an Orange 4x12.
Ryan Primack’s Pedalboard
Primack’s board sports a Saturnworks True Bypass Multi Looper, plus two Saturnworks boost pedals. The rest includes a Boss TU-3w, DOD Bifet Boost 410, Caroline Electronics Hawaiian Pizza, Fortin ZUUL +, MXR Phase 100, JHS Series 3 Tremolo, Boss DM-2w, DOD Rubberneck, MXR Carbon Copy Deluxe, Walrus Slo, and SolidGoldFX Surf Rider III.
Taver’s Teles
Vadim Taver’s go-to is this cherryburst Fender Telecaster, which he scored in the early 2000s and has been upgraded to Seymour Duncan pickups on Primack’s recommendation. His white Balaguer T-style has been treated to the same upgrade. The Balaguer is tuned to drop C, and the Fender stays in D standard. Both have D’Addario strings, with a slightly heavier gauge on the Balaguer.
Dual-Channel Chugger
Taver loves his 2-channel Orange Rockerverb 100s, one of which lives in a case made right in Nashville.
Vadim Taver’s Pedalboard
Taver’s board includes an MXR Joshua, MXR Carbon Copy Deluxe, Empress Tremolo, Walrus ARP-87, Old Blood Noise Endeavors Reflector, MXR Phase 90, Boss CE-2w, and Sonic Research Turbo Tuner ST-200, all powered by a Voodoo Lab Pedal Power 2 Plus.
Big Duff
Harmon’s favorite these days is this Fender Duff McKagan Deluxe Precision Bass, which he’s outfitted with a Leo Quan Badass bridge. His backup is a Mexico-made Fender Classic Series ’70s Jazz Bass. This one also sports Primack-picked pickups.
Rental Rockers
Harmon rented this Orange AD200B MK III head, which runs through a 1x15 cab on top and a 4x10 on the bottom.
Noah Harmon’s Pedalboard
Harmon’s board carries a Boss TU-2, Boss ODB-3, MXR Dyna Comp, Darkglass Electronics Vintage Ultra, and a Voodoo Lab Pedal Power 2 Plus. His signal from the Vintage Ultra runs right to the front-of-house, and Harmon estimates that that signal accounts for about half of what people hear on any given night.
