Electro-Harmonix Operation Overlord User Manual

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OPERATION OVERLORD

Stereo Multi-Instrumental Overdrive

Congratulations on your purchase of the OPERATION OVERLORD, an advanced,
full-featured stereo overdrive and distortion pedal. With the OVERLORD’s broad
range of options and controls you can dial in great drive sounds for keyboards,
synths, guitars, basses, and more. Active 3-band EQ controls, footswitchable
BOOST mode, and a dry blend provide versatility for different tones and
instruments. The OVERLORD also features two independent distortion channels
for use with stereo setups. Whatever your rig, use the OVERLORD to dial in your
tonal inspiration.

- MODES OF OPERATION: NORMAL VS. BOOST -

The OVERLORD operates in two modes: NORMAL and BOOST. The NORMAL
mode uses three amp-like JFET gain stages for low to medium gain sounds.
When in NORMAL mode, use the GAIN knob to control the amount of overdrive.
The BOOST mode adds a classic pedal-style overdrive circuit before the JFET
stages to increase overall distortion. BOOST is engaged with the BOOST
Footswitch and is active when the blue LED is lit. In BOOST mode, both the
GAIN and BOOST knobs are active, and the BOOST knob controls how much
additional gain from the BOOST circuit is fed into the main JFET circuit.

- USING BOOST MODE AS AN INDEPENDENT PEDAL –

The OVERLORD’s BOOST circuit can also be configured to operate on its own,
without the NORMAL mode’s JFET gain stages. To enable this, remove the 4

screws on the bottom of the OVERLORD and locate the slide switch at the
bottom of the PCB. Being careful not to touch any components, slide the switch
in the direction labeled “BOOST INDEPENDENT.”

When independent BOOST mode is enabled, the BOOST circuit is active by itself
when the BOOST LED is lit and the BYPASS (red) LED is off. In this setting, the
GAIN and BOOST knobs are disabled. All other controls function normally. When
NORMAL mode is engaged (red LED lit), the pedal functions as usual, with the
BOOST mode feeding into the JFET gain stages.

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- CONTROLS -

Tip: The GAIN Knob, INPUT LVL switch, and DRY knob all work together. If
the INPUT LVL switch is set properly, turning the DRY knob should not
significantly change the overall volume. However, varied settings of the INPUT
LVL switch could produce some interesting higher- or lower-gain sounds. Feel
free to experiment with this switch – setting it “wrong” might sound great,
and won’t damage the circuit!

GAIN Knob – The GAIN knob controls the amount of overdrive/distortion. As
you turn GAIN clockwise, the amount of input gain increases.

BOOST Knob – The BOOST knob controls the amount of extra gain fed into the
main circuit when the BOOST and NORMAL modes are engaged (both LEDs lit).
As BOOST is turned clockwise, the amount of distortion increases.

DRY Knob – The DRY knob mixes a clean unaltered signal with the distortion
produced by the OVERLORD. At the minimum position of the DRY knob, the
output is 100% overdrive effect, and at the maximum position the output is
100% clean. This function is useful for preserving the harmonic integrity of your
playing, which is especially useful for keyboards or bass. For guitarists, this
feature can be useful if you are stacking the OVERLORD with other drive pedals,
or are playing it through an overdriven amplifier.

INPUT LVL Switch – This switch controls the overall input level of your
instrument into the OVERLORD. Use it to set an appropriate gain level for a
variety of instruments. Set the switch to HI for low-level instruments, like a
single-coil guitar or vintage electric piano. Set the switch to NORM for
humbucker guitars and most modern keyboard workstations. Use the LO setting
for high-output instruments, like some synthesizers or boosted guitars.

BASS Knob – Active control of the level of the bass frequency range.

MID Knob – Active control of the level of the middle frequency range.

TREBLE Knob – Active control of the level of the treble frequency range.

VOL Knob – This knob controls the overall volume output of the OVERLORD. As

this knob is turned clockwise, the output level increases.

BYPASS Footswitch and red LED – This footswitch selects whether the
OVERLORD is engaged or in buffered bypass mode. When the effect is engaged,
the red LED will be lit.

BOOST Footswitch and blue LED – This footswitch toggles Boost mode on
and off. When in Boost mode, the blue LED will be lit.