Description
The Engine: British Amp in a Box and EQ/ Rangemaster Boost
British Overdrive, Distortion, EQ, Boost and Foundation Platform
Unleash raw power and distinct voicing inspired by legendary late 60’s to early 80’s British non‑master volume amps and their sounds, without the ear‑splitting volume.
The Engine is your go‑to pedal for any stage, masterfully voiced to deliver a massive range of iconic rock overdriven tones on various rigs.
Key Features of two all-analog sections:
Iconic British Tones
Dial in iconic rock overdriven sounds effortlessly. Experience a phenomenal gain range, with a plethora of sonic combinations – from ultra transparent overdrive to light crunch or face‑melting high‑gain distortion. Voiced by gigging pros, it sounds very close to a real Plexi, open, responsive, and just downright inspiring to play through.
Accurate Amp-like Feel and Response
Plug it straight into your guitar amp and enjoy the natural, dynamic touch sensitivity and organic breakup of vintage non-master volume amps. Cleans up beautifully with your guitar's volume and shines with both single coils and humbuckers. Authentic thick, punchy lows, clear mids, never boxy or hollow – a perfectly balanced tone.
EQ + Rangemaster-style Boost + Clean Boost
Equalize the tone to your needs. Sculpt classic “treble‑boosted“ amp tones with the powerful Rangemaster-style & Clean boost + EQ section. Engage both channels and experience the magic of stacked tones! Easily achieve great clarity, a tight low-end, or more presence and sustain for your leads – all with British character. Let your notes explode from the amp!
Stage-Ready Foundation Pedal Platform at Any Volume
Proven on stages worldwide, this compact dual pedal delivers legendary British tones at reasonable volumes. Seamlessly integrates with any rig, from vintage tube amps to modern modeling setups. A great, transparent (if desired) pedal platform. Stack your drives/fuzzes with an overdriven foundation and expect great harmonic richness and musicality. Your fuzzes will sound like never before!
By stacking two channels – (A) Overdrive/Distortion and (B) its versatile EQ, Rangemaster‑style and Clean boost shared channel – it’s a highly flexible tool for crafting your unique arsenal of rhythm and cutting lead tones. From vintage amp breakup tones, hard rock/metal distortion, or a new, dirty foundation for your rig, The Engine is a must‑have for musicians aiming to achieve those celebrated British tones on a variety of amps.
The Engine takes you on a journey into the heart of classic British amp tones, all at manageable volumes.
Explore its versatile features with simple controls and discover the tonal possibilities of stacking, EQ-ing and (treble) boosting. Finally, find out for yourself why playing through it is a truly special experience – on stage, at home or in the studio.
Gift with Purchase

Get The Engine directly from our DryBell webshop and enjoy an exclusive leather keychain pick holder – a handmade gift we’ve been giving our direct customers since we started.
What Players Are Saying
"I have been a blues/rock guitarist for 40 years and have played through more overdrive pedals than you’ve had hot dinners! It takes something truly exceptional to get me excited about yet another OD…and the talented creative geniuses at DryBell have done just that! ..."
– Richard WongMelbourne, Australia
"Instead of amp-like tone/presence controls, it has a couple of simple controls that allow the player to tune the built-in tone and response to the amp used with The Engine. It makes setup fast and easy so you can get to the playing part."
– Brendan WhelanSunnyvale, CA, USA
"I’ve tried many boost pedals before, but the EQ/Boost side of this pedal provides so many tonal options and really helps create a tone that cuts through."
– Eric RaphaelCanonsburg, PA, USA
“It sounds so insanely close to Hendrix with my Pinehome strat with Wizz pickups that I had to take a break to rethink my life...”
– Johan Kriig AavitslandNorway
"I keep thinking about the Premier guitar review and the words they used - big burly distortion. It is. It makes my clean Blackface style amp sound like a raging Marshall stack!"
– Ian OakshottPortsmouth, UK
“The gain range is wider than expected. It goes from a gentle JTM45 to a modded JCM800, especially with the EQ/Boost side engaged.”
– Pascal D. Canada
"It is amazing when you have the full power of the Plexi. It’s a wall of sound."
– Alfred HollwegHeinersreuth, Germany
"The Engine” is a spectacular marriage of tones that is THE perfect complement to my Tone King Imperial MK II and all my Blackface Fender amps."
– Herb GenellyStevenson Ranch, CA, USA
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Your British Tone Workshop: The Engine’s Versatile Controls
With two stackable channels, The Engine unlocks endless tonal variations. For truly inspiring results, engage and combine both channels to unleash a massive array of incredibly rich diverse tones.
Drive Controls (A-Side)
Level (A)
For optimal tone and response match the (A) overdrive channel's volume to your amp's volume when using it, whether independently or stacked with the B-side.
Gain
Dial in the perfect amount of saturation you want, from subtle crunch to roaring distortion with a simple twist of the knob. Responsive to your pick attack and guitar's volume like a real vintage non-master volume amp.
Tone
Adjust the brightness and presence of the overdrive. Roll it back for a warm, mellow sound, or turn it clockwise for a brighter cutting edge.
Shape
Shape the midrange character of your tone. From a smoother, more laid-back sound to a full-bodied present tone. The most powerful control for adjusting the voice of the overdrive or foundation tone with any amp.
EQ Controls (B-side)
Level (B)
Boost or reduce the output level of EQ/Boost channel B. Enjoy remarkably high headroom and a distortion-free clean boost (22dB), with unity gain at 10 o'clock.
Range
Control specifically chosen mids with a Rangemaster-style boost for classic “treble-boosted“ amp tones. This control adds that unmistakable midrange magic that made the tone of legends like Brian May and Rory Gallagher famous. Perfect for adding clarity, definition and pushing your guitar through the mix.
Low/High
Fine-tune the balance of your desired EQ, between low‑end thump and high‑end sparkle. Complement your chosen boost style or the pedal's overall volume when both channels are engaged. Works seamlessly with any amp.
Order switch (A->B / B->A)
Choose your stacking order to dial in the exact tone you're looking for: Get „more gain“ by placing the EQ/Boost before Overdrive (B > A), or „more volume“ by placing EQ/Boost after Overdrive (A > B).
“This is probably the best overdrive pedal I’ve tried in many many years! It really feels like I’m playing a real tube amp. One thing I often miss in Marshall modelled pedals is that they either lack the low end or that the mids are either too low or too high. The Engine is perfectly balanced, with that low end chug and the mids right where they should be…”
– Bjørn Riis
AirBag, Norwegian prog-rock band & Gilmourish.com
Detailed Description
The Engine Inspiration: Boosted Non‑Master Volume Amp Tones
As mentioned earlier, The Engine E‑1 draws inspiration from the iconic sounds of British amps from the late '60s to early '80s, a period that evolved rock 'n' roll from its roots to its heavier, more aggressive forms.
These early amp tones, heard on countless recordings we all love, were achieved by cranking up non-master volume amps. It was a time when everyone played LOUD and if you wanted your amp to distort, you simply turned it up.
While this produced incredible tones, it also meant high volumes, often impractical for musicians and sound engineers. Balancing volume and achieving rich overdriven tone, especially in live situations, was a challenge. The Engine enables you to get that tone at any chosen volume for your performance and rig configuration.

Our Passion for British Tone
For the past 30 years we’ve been playing amps like these live, we know every nuance of their sound, feel, and response, especially through 4x12 cabinets. We've naturally taken all that sonic expertise and built it into The Engine to create a unique sonic tool for you.


British Overdriven Sound at Your Preferred Volume
The Engine delivers that cranked British tube-like analog distortion on any amp, at reasonable volumes. From intimate practice sessions to full-blown stadium gigs, experience the raw, responsive, and inspiring sonic power of The Engine - the iconic rock tones that have fueled generations of music.
Beyond the classic MIAB pedal: The Dallas Rangemaster Inspired „Treble“ Boost/EQ section
In this era that defined rock music, guitarists often used boost units to push their amps into more distortion. Therefore The Engine includes a very special EQ/Boost section inspired by "treble boosted" amp tones, akin to legends like Eric Clapton, Brian May, Rory Gallagher, Tony Iommi, etc. The Engine goes beyond typical "British Amp in a Box" pedals; it delivers overdriven sounds those early amps couldn't have achieved without a treble booster. A great example is the Dallas Rangemaster.
With its versatile EQ/Boost (section B), The Engine captures the tonal essence of boosted amps, offering their coveted clarity and presence while maintaining manageable volume in every modern situation.

Tips and Ways to Use the Engine E-1
The Engine excels with a clean amp platform, but it's far from limited to just that. Explore its multiple possibilities – whether as your always-on tone foundation, a dynamic overdrive/distortion, or a versatile booster.
Using The Engine as a Foundation Preamp
The Engine's tonal versatility lies in its ability to blend amp-like overdrive /distortion with expressive EQ and a high-volume boost, offering endless combinations to sculpt your unique foundation tone – that’s the main concept. This unique design philosophy is why The Engine bears the label 'Foundation Preamp'.
Experienced musicians know the power of versatile pedal platforms; you'll find endless inspiration stacking your other pedals with The Engine. This is where the real tonal magic happens and The Engine is a step forward with its integrated ‘treble’ booster. With The Engine, the possibilities for crafting your signature sound are limitless.
Setting the Amp for Foundation Tone
To use The Engine as a Foundation Preamp, start by setting your amp to a clean tone and placing the pedal in front of it. Consider leaving some headroom on your amp for the B-side’s EQ/Boost capabilities when needed. Set your amp to a flat EQ, where all frequencies are balanced.
Adjust your amp's volume to the desired level, engage the A-side and match its volume to your amp’s volume. Then, dial in a slightly dirty or more overdriven tone on The Engine's A-side, which becomes your British "always on" foundation tone, stackable with the B-side. Read more about setting up foundation tone in our blog below.

Stacking with other Pedals
The settings above create a gritty, amp-like, and inspiring foundation – the perfect platform for stacking other effects or simply enjoying its standalone tone. The Engine will dramatically enrich the sound of your entire pedalboard. Such a setup harmonically enhances everything from drives and fuzzes to modulation.
For example, placing a Uni-Vibe style pedal in front of The Engine creates that famous 'Hendrix-like' harmonic richness, impossible to get with just a clean amp.
For more tips on setting up your amp and guitar for foundation tone, check out our blog below.

Using The Engine as Overdrive/Distortion or Versatile Booster
The Engine excels not only as a foundation preamp but also as a versatile standalone booster, overdrive, or distortion. Achieve transparent or colored tones by engaging either channel independently or combining them for a wider range of sounds. The key difference between foundation and standalone modes is footswitch usage.
In foundation mode, the pedal is always active, providing a consistent tonal base. In standalone mode, you can toggle each channel on or off individually, or combine them by pressing both footswitches simultaneously.

Order Switch (A->B / B->A): A Practical Feature
Experiment with the stacking order of both A and B sides with the Order switch. Achieve different tonal results by adding a clean boost, Rangemaster-style midrange push, or precise bass/treble EQ shaping, before or after overdrive. It's a very handy feature, just push the button.
With all these powerful features and flexible design, The Engine is ready to fuel your next sonic adventure.
Experience the Magic
Embark on a sonic journey into the heart of British rock tone with The Engine. This versatile pedal empowers you to explore, experiment and express your unique musical voice. Take the next step – order The Engine now!
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Get The Engine Fast & Start Rocking!
Shipping & Delivery
Directly from DryBell
The Engine ships with a gift directly from our workshop in Croatia.
Worldwide Shipping
Choose Standard or Express insured DHL delivery for international orders, typically arriving in 2-3 working days.
Track Your Order
Receive a tracking number to follow The Engine's journey.
Fast Dispatch
Orders typically ship within one working day for speedy delivery.
Important Note*
DryBell is not responsible for any import taxes, customs charges, or administration fees in countries outside of the EU
Easy Returns
14-Day Trial Period
Not thrilled with The Engine? Return it within 14 days for a full refund. You can keep your DryBell pick‑holder gift.
Learn More
See our Shipping Policy & Return Policy.
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User Manual & FAQ
Related Blogs and Press Reviews
The Engine Award Badges
Technical Specifications
Power
9V/100mA standard power supply (not included).
Works also at 18V, then the A-side offers increased headroom. B-side doesn't change its tone at 18V.
Battery operation
No
Configuration
Dual-channel design with a pushbutton Order switch for flexible signal routing.
Controls
Level A, Gain, Tone, Shape, Level B, Range, Low, High
Input impedance
900kΩ/1kHz
Output impedance
250 Ω/1kHz
A Side Max gain
53.0 dB/mid-range freq.
B Side Max gain
41.0 dB/mid-range freq.
Bypass
Buffered, both channels share high-headroom, low-noise, and full bandwidth buffer.
Dimensions (L x W x H)
120 x 95 x 35 mm /
4,72 x 3,74 x 1,38 inch
Weight (W/O package)
0,43 kg / 0,95 lb
Finish
Dark blue metallic matte / powder coated
Additional Tech info
Consult User Manual.
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