Xploration • Curation • Recommendation
Drunk Beaver's momentous Pedal Drop #40 Druzhkivka Grunge is a cool evolution of the DOD FX69 Grunge Distortion
Key Points
Druzhkivka Grunge Distortion (PD #40) is a heavily modified homage to the DOD FX69, blending a DS-2–style discrete op-amp gain stage with a tweaked EQ and doubled clipping using a quad of NOS Soviet KD521 diodes for higher clipping threshold and more dynamics. Slider pots with built‑in LEDs replace rotary knobs for visual, precise control.
Forty units are available on the Drunk Beaver Rocks Webstore, priced at $175 / €175 / 649 PLN. This is a rapid‑prototyping release with referenced circuit inspirations included, and the post lists all 40 Pedal Drops to date.
By cool evolution we mean a DOD Grunge Distortion mixed with a DS-2 style gain stage instead of the Opamp, you get a tweaked EQ and a higher clipping threshold!
The Druzhkivka Grunge is Vitalii’s heavily modified homage to the infamous 90’s DOD FX69. He’s taken this classic high-gain distortion and radically evolved it for modern pedalboards, starting with a completely redesigned gain stage that utilizes a discrete op-amp architecture — similar to the beloved DS-2 — for a more dynamic and responsive feel.
To open up the distortion and breathe more life into the circuit, the clipping section has been doubled, utilizing a quad setup of NOS Soviet KD521 diodes instead of the standard pair. Then combined with a meticulously tweaked EQ section, this pedal delivers a highly usable, roaring 90’s tone.
To top it all off with style, the traditional rotary knobs have been replaced by four slider potentiometers - featuring built-in LEDs, giving you precise, highly visual control over your sound.
40 units will be available as soon as you see this post - they go for $175 / €175 / 649 PLN on the Drunk Beaver Rocks Webstore.
As usual, this is a rapid-prototyping project which has no time for demos - so for this occasions I have references for each of the circuits which inspired this particular design!
Note that further below you get the full list and picture of all 40 Pedal Drops to-date!
Video sound references for DOD Grunge and Boss DS-2
40 Pedal Drops in 4 years!
Favourites in BOLD
- 2022 PD #01 Kherson Drive (SoundJS SD-5 Super Overdrive / Boss SD-1) [Don't Have!]
- 2022 PD #02 Mykolaiv Grunge (Boss PW-2)
- 2022 PD #03 Zaporizhzhia Preamp (Vox Distortion / MXR Distortion+ / DOD250)
- 2022 PD #04 Donetsk Muff (Ibanez JD-01 Het Driver / Ram's Head)
- 2023 PD #05 Dnipro Jet Flanger (Ibanez FL-9 Jet Flanger)
- 2023 PD #06 Kropyvnytskyi OverDrive (Exar OD-02 OverDrive)
- 2023 PD #07 Luhansk Hammer (Ibanez Thrash Metal x Exar HM-03 Hammer)
- 2023 PD #08 Odesa Envelope Filter (MXR Enveloper Filter)
- 2023 PD #09 Kharkiv CMOStortion (Ibanez MT-10 Mostortion)
- 2023 PD #10 Sumy Treble Booster (Germanium RangeMaster)
- 2023 PD #11 Cherkasy Fuzz (Anta Fuzz-Wah)
- 2023 PD #12 Chernihiv Moon Metal (Marshall ShredMaster x Exar Moon Metal)
- 2023 PD #13 Simferopol Venta OD (Venta PE-12 Overdrive)
- 2023 PD #14 Kyiv Lead (Boss SD-2 Lead channel)
- 2023 PD #15 Zhytomyr Sunset (Sunn Beta Lead Preamp)
- 2023 PD #16 Poltava DOA Muff (Op-amp Big Muff)
- 2024 PD #17 Rivne Compressor (Dyna Comp x Ross Compressor)
- 2024 PD #18 Chernivtsi Trembita (Optical Tremolo)
- 2024 PD #19 Khelnytskyi OD (Boss OD-1 x Boss OD-3)
- 2024 PD #20 Ternopil Pentode Preamp (Voc AC15 Pentode Channel)
- 2024 PD #21 Lviv Liontaur (Klon Centaur) [Red & Yellow Editions]
- 2024 PD #22 Vinnytsia Echo Machine (Ibanez EM-5 Digital Delay)
- 2024 PD #23 Lutsk Deluxe Preamp (Fender 5E3 Deluxe)
- 2024 PD #24 Uzhhorod Xtortion (Boss XT-2)
- 2025 PD #25 Ivano-Frankivsk Fuzz (Boss FZ-3)
- 2025 PD #26 LA Metal (Ibanez LM7 LA Metal]
- 2025 PD #27 Volnovakha Super Fuzz (Univox Super-Fuzz)
- 2025 PD #28 Hostomel Tube Driver (TubeWorks Real Tube RT-901)
- 2025 PD #29 Bucha Square Wave (Univox Square Wave Fuzz)
- 2025 PD #30 Kherson Drive Retro [see PD #1] (SoundJS SD-5 Super Overdrive / Boss SD-1)
- 2025 PD #31 Kharkiv Supercharged CMOS (Mad Professor Stone Grey Distortion x Catalinbread Supercharged Overdrive)
- 2025 PD #32 Okhtyrka Honey Bee (BJFE Honey Bee)
- 2025 PD #33 Irpin Bee Baa (Roland AF-100 Bee Baa Fuzz)
- 2025 PD #34 Mariupol Jazz Preamp (Roland Jazz Chorus Preamp)
- 2026 PD #35 Mykolaiv Broadcast Attack (Magnetic Saturation Overdrive)
- 2026 PD #36 Chernihiv Sonic Distortion (Ibanez / Maxon SD9)
- 2026 PD #37 Bashtanka Muff (Big Muff 2)
- 2026 PD #38 Voznesensk Dino Drive (T-Rex / Dinosaural Tube Bender)
- 2026 PD #39 Huliaipole Anarchy Fuzz (Massively Evolved Germanium-infused Jordan Boss Tone)
- 2026 PD #40 Druzhkivka Grunge Distortion (DOD Grunge x Boss DS-2)
Previous: 4 of a Kind - Iconic Pedal Pouches
![Drunk Beaver releases Pedal Drop #37 - the Bashtanka Muff on Π Pi Day [3.14] - a cool Big Muff 2 OpAmp Fuzz take](https://d6a2e7ghqts3o.cloudfront.net/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/571/2026-GPX-Drunk-Beaver-Bashtanka-BM2-700.jpg "Drunk Beaver releases Pedal Drop #37 - the Bashtanka Muff on Π Pi Day [3.14] - a cool Big Muff 2 OpAmp Fuzz take")
