I’ve had the Earth Drive on my board for a few years, now, but haven’t commented on it because I don’t use any other OD pedals, so have nothing to compare. It’s second to last in my effects chain, right before delay, that way it colors anything else I might have engaged (just a wha-wha and Pigtronix Envelope Phaser, at the moment,) though mostly I use it alone as a slightly gritty OD. I also use an Xotic EP Booster at the front of my chain, always on and set somewhere between 10- and 2-o’clock depending on the guitar, essentially as a buffer substitute to help with a touch of signal boost and to push the envelope filter.
At times I increase the drive on the ED to push further into the grit, but lately I’m running barely any drive, a lot of volume, and tone just a bit left of noon on the dial. This gets me right in a sweet spot of slightly gritty drive on the edge of breakup without losing clarity or getting harsh highs.
Of course whatever amp all of this feeds into makes a difference, too. when jamming elsewhere it sounds great through my DRRI with Cannabis Rex speaker. Out here in the jam shed, I run it into a somewhat modded ’75 TR with a Celestion Copperback and a Cannabis Rex in it, and it sounds so good I have a hard time putting the guitar down. This setup is also very transparent and if I’m playing poorly, there’s nothing to hide behind.
One of these days I’ll record one of my looper jams to share as a demo. I’d asked if anyone here had used the Copperback before, and said back then that I’d provide a review once I’d tried it out. Just gotta get a round tuit!