Quite Cool: The DOD Ice Box

Don’t let the name fool you; the DOD Ice Box is a warm sounding chorus pedal. And don’t let the price fool you either; it doesn’t cost much, but it ain’t cheap.

DOD guitar pedals are a friendly reminder of a time not too long ago when affordable stomp boxes were built with quality and durability in mind. Unfortunately, times have really changed.

Like most DOD pedals of yesteryear, the Ice Box features a rugged metal enclosure, metal shaft potentiometers and an ergonomic battery compartment. It also features ridiculously cheesy graphics – the “Ice Box” text is painfully ‘90s.

The sound is classic chorus. From subtle shifting to fully submerged, the effect is smooth and rich. It’s not as over-the-top as the Electro Harmonix Small Clone, but that’s not really a bad thing.

It’s a lot like a doubling effect.

Imagine recording a guitar riff and then recording the same riff again. Next, play those two tracks side-by-side. The notes are the same, but the tracks have subtle differences. Those nuances create a lively, organic sound. That sound is, in theory, is replicated by the chorus pedal in a more controllable fashion.

The effect works great with a clean guitar, especially in the neck position. Mellow runs just sound more spacey and dimensional with the Ice Box.

With distortion before – and I am insistent on BEFORE – the chorus, sweet lead tones are easily accessible with little fuss.

The pedal really fills out a mix, and its use doesn’t stop with guitar. With bass, keyboard and even vocals, the pedal does a good job of creating a breathing modulation effect.

It should be noted that DOD has a habit of building the first run of a given pedal in the USA. All subsequent manufacturing comes out of China. This really doesn’t matter – the quality is always up to spec.

So, how much?

The DOD Ice Box has been out of production for a very long time. With that said, DOD pumped out more of these boxes than one would like to imagine. They also have a bit of a stigma attached to them – they just aren’t that cool. With all the aforementioned things going against the value of this pedal, it’s not hard to snag one for $15 to $20.

For that price, buy two. Be a cool person and give one away to a friend.

Here it is, the DOD Ice Box.

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