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Average Price: $175

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$176+

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Description

Unlock the full potential of your guitar's tone with the Sarno Music Solutions Earth Drive. This overdrive effects pedal is designed for musicians who crave a rich, dynamic sound without sacrificing the natural character of their instrument. Crafted with precision and attention to detail, the Earth Drive delivers a warm, tube-like overdrive that enhances your sound without overwhelming it.

At the heart of the Earth Drive is its unique circuit design, which ensures a smooth, natural overdrive that's ideal for both subtle boosts and full-bodied crunch. Whether you're playing blues, rock, or jazz, this pedal offers a versatile range of overdrive tones that blend seamlessly with your guitar's original sound. The Earth Drive is particularly celebrated for its ability to retain the lower-end frequencies, providing a full and balanced tone that many other overdrive pedals lack.

The Earth Drive's intuitive control layout makes it easy to dial in your desired sound. With just three knobs for Gain, Tone, and Level, you can effortlessly adjust the depth and character of your overdrive. Its robust construction ensures reliability on stage and in the studio, while its true bypass switching maintains the purity of your signal chain when the pedal is not in use.

Key Features:

  • Unique circuit design for smooth, natural overdrive
  • Retains lower-end frequencies for a balanced tone
  • Simple control layout with Gain, Tone, and Level knobs
  • True bypass switching for signal integrity
  • Suitable for a wide range of musical styles

Product specs

Brand Sarno
Model Earth Drive
Finish Green
Year 2010s
Made In United States
Categories Overdrive and Boost Pedals
Pedal Format Standard

FAQs

What kind of tones can I expect from the Sarno Music Solutions Earth Drive?

The Sarno Music Solutions Earth Drive delivers warm, natural overdrive tones that preserve the character of your guitar and amp. It excels at adding a smooth, dynamic boost to your sound without altering the original tone, making it suitable for blues, rock, and country genres.

Is the Sarno Earth Drive suitable for use with both electric guitars and bass guitars?

Yes, the Sarno Earth Drive is designed to work well with both electric guitars and bass guitars, providing a transparent overdrive that enhances the natural sound of the instrument without excessive coloration.

Does the Sarno Earth Drive work well with other pedals in a signal chain?

The Sarno Earth Drive is known for its versatility and can be easily integrated into a pedalboard, working well with other effects pedals. It maintains clarity and dynamics, making it a great choice for stacking with other overdrive or distortion pedals.

What power supply does the Sarno Earth Drive require?

The Sarno Earth Drive operates on a standard 9V DC power supply, which is typical for most guitar pedals. It can also run on a 9V battery for added convenience.

How does the Sarno Earth Drive compare to other popular overdrive pedals?

The Sarno Earth Drive is praised for its transparent and dynamic overdrive, setting it apart from other pedals that may color the sound more significantly. It is favored by musicians seeking a natural boost that retains the integrity of their original tone.

Curtis Kent

Curtis Kent

Earth Drive - Boost / Overdrive Guitar Pedal

Video thumbnail for Earth Drive - Boost / Overdrive Guitar Pedal by Curtis Kent

Earth Drive - Boost / Overdrive Guitar Pedal

Curtis Kent

Curtis Kent

Video thumbnail for Sarno Music Solutions Earth Drive Demo by Maxwell Caplin

Sarno Music Solutions Earth Drive Demo

Maxwell Caplin

Maxwell Caplin

Video thumbnail for Sarno Music Solutions Earth Drive by Jimmy Burkard

Sarno Music Solutions Earth Drive

Jimmy Burkard

Jimmy Burkard

Video thumbnail for Sarno Music Solutions Earth Drive Overdrive Boost by Pedal of the Day

Sarno Music Solutions Earth Drive Overdrive Boost

Pedal of the Day

Pedal of the Day

Video thumbnail for Earth Drive by Sarno Music Solutions by Visual Guy

Earth Drive by Sarno Music Solutions

Visual Guy

Visual Guy

Video thumbnail for SARNO MUSIC SOLUTIONS || EARTH DRIVE || DEMO BY TINKERCITY MUSIC by Tinkercity Music

SARNO MUSIC SOLUTIONS || EARTH DRIVE || DEMO BY TINKERCITY MUSIC

Tinkercity Music

Tinkercity Music

Reviews

PROS

  • Highly versatile with wide range of tones using tone and drive knobs

  • Transparent sound with subtle mid-hump, less pronounced than Tube Screamer or Klon

  • Excellent presence and warmth, enhancing touch response

  • Easy to use with intuitive control layout

  • Works well at the front of amp chains, especially with low-wattage amps

  • Ideal for both boost and drive applications

  • Well-regarded by users with experience across multiple pedal brands

CONS

Owner Insights

We analyzed real musician discussions from forums and Reddit to find what players love, question, and tweak about Sarno Music Solutions Earth Drive.

Comparisons

  • Owners find the Earth Drive superior to the Soul Food, Zen Drive, DIY Klon clones, and Full Drive 2 for its rich, creamy overdrive that maintains chord clarity.

    Source
  • A user plans to compare the Earth Drive with the Halberd, suggesting curiosity about potential sound overlap between these two overdrive options.

    Source
  • The Sarno Earth Drive is noted for having significantly more drive on tap compared to the Greer Lightspeed.

    Source
  • Users suggest the EQD Speaker Cranker as an affordable alternative, achieving 90% of the desired tones for half the price.

    Source

Features and functionality

  • Users appreciate the mellow clipping and articulate tone, even with the tone knob maxed out, noting the lack of fizz or harshness at high gain settings.

    Source
  • The tone control on the Earth Drive is praised for its usability, considered among the best by experienced users.

    Source

Use cases and applications

  • The pedal is praised for its suitability as an "always-on" drive, with one owner using it consistently for over a year.

    Source
  • It’s been noted that the Earth Drive is ideal for achieving tones similar to the Cocteau Twins' solos, particularly from "Heaven or Las Vegas."

    Source
  • There's anecdotal evidence that Andy Summers used the Earth Drive during The Police Reunion tours for his overdrive tones.

    Source
  • This pedal is notably popular among pedal steel players, appreciated for its ability to smooth out unwanted frequencies.

    Source
  • Nels Cline reportedly uses the Sarno as a Klon alternative, which may lead to redundant sounds for those already using a Klon KTR.

    Source
  • The Earth Drive is highly recommended for Americana-influenced indie music, similar to bands like Wilco and modernized Tom Petty.

    Source

User experience

  • One user regrets selling their Earth Drive and plans to repurchase, indicating strong user satisfaction and loyalty.

    Source

5.0 out of 5

Based on 0 Reviews and 1 Rating

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Artist usage

Add artist
See how Lee Ranaldo uses Sarno Music Solutions Earth Drive

Lee Ranaldo

Singer, Guitarist

Sonic Youth

...
Verified via YouTube

He's using one in this video (at 2:30). Also seen on the inside photograph of his LP "Last Night on Earth".

See how Nels Cline uses Sarno Music Solutions Earth Drive

Nels Cline

Guitarist

Wilco

...
Verified via Tonereport

"The SMS Earth Drive is excellent," says Nels Cline who started using it because it travels well due to its size.

See how Jeff Tweedy uses Sarno Music Solutions Earth Drive

Jeff Tweedy

Singer, Guitarist

Wilco

...
Verified via YouTube

In the music video for Jeff Tweedy's song "Feel Free", his studio pedalboard appears and contains a Sarno Music Solutions Earth Drive.

See how Bill Frisell uses Sarno Music Solutions Earth Drive

Bill Frisell

Guitarist

The Bill Frisell Band

...
Verified via Photo

A Sarno Music Solutions Earth Drive can be seen in this photo of Bill's pedalboard.

See how Aaron Dessner uses Sarno Music Solutions Earth Drive

Aaron Dessner

Guitarist

The National

...
Verified via Photo

Can be seen in a pedalboard picture from a 2017 guitar magazine interview.

See how Peter Sagar uses Sarno Music Solutions Earth Drive

Peter Sagar

Singer, Guitarist

Mac DeMarco

...
Verified via Photo

Shown in a September 15, 2021 Instagram Story posted by Peter. Seen towards the bottom right corner.

See how Bryce Dessner uses Sarno Music Solutions Earth Drive

Bryce Dessner

Guitarist

The National

...
Verified via NYTimes.com - Video

The item can be seen 9:32 into this video

See how Jessica Dobson uses Sarno Music Solutions Earth Drive

Jessica Dobson

Singer, Guitarist

The Shins

...
Verified via Photo

In this Instragram photo from Oct 2015, Jessica gives fans a shot of her current pedalboard. The SMS Earth Drive can be seen in the middle right.

See how Sean Lennon uses Sarno Music Solutions Earth Drive

Sean Lennon

Singer, Guitarist

The Plastic Ono Band

...
Verified via Premierguitar

"I really like the [Sarno Music Solutions] Earth Drive, which sounds like an amp—more like an overdrive than a fuzz."

See how Buck Meek uses Sarno Music Solutions Earth Drive

Buck Meek

Guitarist

Big Thief

...
Verified via Delicious Audio - The Stompbox Exhibit's official blog about Guitar Pedals and Effects

Buck Meek of Big Thief includes the Sarno Music Solutions Earth Drive on his pedal board, as highlighted in Paolo De Gregorio's article on Delicious Audio. This overdrive pedal, often likened to the Klon style and recommended by Nels Cline, is a key component of Meek's setup.

See how Kellin Quinn uses Sarno Music Solutions Earth Drive

Kellin Quinn

Singer, Keyboardist

Sleeping with Sirens

...
Verified

Kellin Quinn uses the Sarno Music Solutions Earth Drive pedal, as shown in his personal home rig pedal board featured in his Instagram story.

See how Jake Cinninger uses Sarno Music Solutions Earth Drive

Jake Cinninger

Guitarist

Umphrey’s McGee

...
Verified via YouTube

At 22:45 in the Premier Guitar video titled "Umphrey's McGee Rig Rundown: Jake Cinninger & Brendan Bayliss Guitar Gear Tour 2025," guitarist Jake Cinninger is observed using a Sarno Music Solutions Earth Drive pedal as part of his pedalboard setup.

Album Usage

The Sarno Music Solutions Earth Drive has been featured on the following albums:

Used With

Based on how musicians on Equipboard use Sarno Music Solutions Earth Drive, it is most commonly used with the following gear.

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