Vintage Ibanez Overdrive II – Full Rebuild

Among the recent repairs to pass through the Hamilton Effects bench was a vintage Ibanez Overdrive II. This one is a real 70s vibe but it had seen better days.

🛠 How It Arrived
The owner had originally tried to modernise it with a 9V power socket since the pedal was originally battery only. Unfortunately it still would not power up. When it came to me the socket installation was already done (in an unusual spot at the bottom of the enclosure) but the pedal remained silent.

🔍 Diagnosis
With a fresh 9V socket installed properly it still refused to work. A quick inspection showed that a handful of components would need replacing to bring it back to life. Given its age and the amount of work required the owner decided it made more sense to go for a complete rebuild of the original circuit instead.

⚡ The Rebuild
The pedal received a full set of new components while keeping the circuit true to the original design. I also added a couple of modern touches:

• LED on off indicator (the original did not have one)

• True bypass footswitch (it arrived with a toggle switch for on off which is charming but not the most practical)

The result is a louder and more usable overdrive that still delivers that classic overdrive tone but with the reliability and convenience of a new pedal.

🎯 Outcome
Now this Overdrive II is ready to get back on a pedalboard where it belongs delivering vintage grit without the vintage unreliability.

If you have a pedal in need of repair restoration or a sympathetic modern update get in touch. I am always happy to bring great circuits back to life.

James // Hamilton Effects