In this episode of Golden Age of Gear, Derek and Joey break down their latest collaboration: the Dirt Dog overdrive — a pedal designed to capture the amp-like overdrive tones Joey used while recording Dog Ear, and recreate them reliably on a pedalboard.

What started as a conversation about chasing specific record tones turned into a deep dive on touch response, gain structure, and flexibility. The goal wasn’t just “another overdrive” — it was something that could move from clean boost to saturated drive, clean up with your volume knob, and feel more like an amp than a pedal.

We talk about:

How the Dirt Dog came together from early prototypes to final tweaks
Why amp-style overdrive is harder to get right than people think
Gain staging, EQ balance, and dialing the “in-between” tones
The importance of touch sensitivity and volume-knob cleanup
Why this pedal isn’t tied to a specific amp model — and why that matters

Along the way, Derek and Joey get sidetracked (as usual) talking about guitar technique, right-hand struggles, Winnipeg’s absurd talent pool, and why some pedals just feel better the more you play them.

If you’re into amp-like overdrive pedals, signature collaborations, or understanding how great tones actually get built, this episode is for you.

👇 Let us know in the comments
What kind of overdrive do you reach for most? Do you prefer amp-style pedals or classic circuits? And what tones should we chase next?

DSM Humboldt Dumblifier | Golden Age of Gear Ep. 55

In this episode of Golden Age of Gear, Derek and Joey check out a brand-new release from DSM Humboldt — an analog Dumble-style amp simulator designed to capture classic ODS tones in a compact, pedalboard-friendly format.

Known for their Simplifier series, DSM Humboldt takes a different approach here: pure analog circuitry, dual channels, built-in reverb, cab simulation, and direct-out capability — all aimed at players who love Dumble-style amps but don’t love hauling (or affording) a six-figure amplifier.

We dig into:

What makes Dumble-style / ODS circuits feel and respond the way they do
Clean vs dirty channel interaction and gain staging
Power amp feel vs pedal feel
Analog cab simulation (and why most of them miss the mark)
Using this as an end-of-board solution or straight into a power amp
How this stacks up against other Dumble-style pedals and solutions

Most importantly, we talk about feel — how this responds under the fingers, how it handles single coils vs humbuckers, and whether it actually delivers the bloom, sustain, and midrange complexity people chase in Dumble-style amps.

If you’re into Dumble-style pedals, amp-less rigs, analog amp simulation, or pedalboard-based touring setups, this one’s worth watching.

👇 Let us know in the comments
What’s your favorite Dumble-style pedal or amp sim? Have you tried DSM Humboldt gear before? And what should we put into a full ODS shootout?

Like, subscribe, ring the bell — and we’ll see you next week.

Dan Armstrong Orange Squeezer | Golden Age of Gear Ep. 54

In this episode of Golden Age of Gear, Derek and Joey go deep on one of the most divisive effects in guitar history: compression. Starting with the famously weird Dan Armstrong Orange Squeezer (yes, the Lego-looking one), the conversation quickly turns into a real-world discussion about why players use compressors, when they actually make sense, and why so many guitarists (including us) have struggled to love them.

From vintage slide tones inspired by Lowell George, to modern pedalboard-friendly compressors like the Analog Man Bi-Comp, we explore how compression shapes sustain, attack, feel, and tone — and why it can be magical in one context and completely unbearable in another.

This episode isn’t about telling you what to like — it’s about figuring out what compression actually does, how players really use it, and whether there’s a version out there that adds sustain without killing your tone.

Along the way, we cover:
The Dan Armstrong Orange Squeezer and why it inspired so many modern compressors
Why compressors feel incredible for slide guitar (and awful for some players)
Compression as a solo boost vs always-on effect
Attack, sustain, and the dreaded “puffy” sound
Why some players swear by compression — and others can’t stand it
The never-ending hunt for a compressor that adds sustain without artifacts

As always, this episode is equal parts tone nerdery, real-world experience, and friendly disagreement — which is kind of the whole point of Golden Age of Gear.

👇 Let us know in the comments:
Do you love compressors? Hate them? Use one only for solos? Or have you found the compressor that does exactly what we’re talking about?

If you’re enjoying these conversations, don’t forget to like, subscribe, and ring the bell so you don’t miss future episodes. We’ve got a lot more gear debates coming.