The Engine

340.00

Shipping calculated at checkout.

In stock

SKU: DB2438
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

he Engine guitar pedal surrounded by a multitude of DryBell keychain pick holders.

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

Artistic dark photo of DryBell The Engine pedal, captured beautifully by musician Alberto Barrero.

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.

DryBell The Engine pedal in a guitar case, with a light dusting on the guitar!

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.

Kruno and Tom Demonstrating DryBell The Engine – Recording Session
Kruno and Tom Demonstrating DryBell The Engine – Recording Session

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.

DryBell The Engine guitar pedal next to a Marshall amp.

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.

Bjørn Riis’ pedalboard 2024, featuring DryBell The Engine and Module 4.
Bjørn Riis’ Pedalboard 2024

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.

DryBell The Engine guitar pedal stacked with a fuzz pedal, with fuzz placed before The Engine.

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.

DryBell The Engine and Vintage Echoplex Delay. Photo by Mick Hayes.

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!

In stock

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

In stock

User Manual & FAQ

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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The Engine™ is a trademark of DryBell Guitar Effects.

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