Boosting: Tone-Burst vs Grid Slammer

[screamingdaisy]

Looking to boost a Recto, debating between the two.

 

[UnderJollyRoger]

Can't comment on the Tone Burst, but I use the Grid Slammer which is basically a Tube Screamer ... I like it, but it is no clean boost, it will add a little bit distortion even at minimum gain.

 

[barryswanson]

I've been thinking about this two but with the Flux Drive.

 

[screamingdaisy]

I picked up a Tone Burst last week. I've already experimented with Tube Screamers so I figured I'd give the Tone Burst a go because it was different.

Tone Burst is actually a pretty apt description as I can dial it in to give me a burst of tone... basically, it's like having a "more gain" button at my feet. I don't find it transparent... it does shape the sound, and for the better IMO. It seems to add a bit of natural feeling compression and isn't as stiff as some truly clean boosts I've tried. Compared to the Flux-Drive it's fatter with more low end and less midrange push.... and less gain.

The Flux-Drive is flexible and covers a broad spectrum of sounds. Originally, I was using it with the gain nearly off as a slight boost... which is why I opted to try the Tone Burst to see if it would do the job better (it does). Now I'm using the Flux-Drive as a higher gain lead boost. I haven't settled on my settings yet, but I have found that I seem to prefer 12:00 and below for gain settings... above that is just too much when stacked into an already gainy channel. Compared to Tone Burst the Flux-Drive has a significant mid emphasis, but the bass/treble controls allow you to counter that (if you want to) and fatten things up.

The bass/treble knobs on both pedals are quite usable. The bass knob controls thickness without sounding bloated or fake, and the treble knob hits a range that adds bite without getting harsh or brittle.

One thing both pedals seem to have is a grittiness to their texture. They're a little more raw/less smooth than some other pedals I've used, but IMO it makes things sound more interesting and less pedal-like.

For rhythm boosting I prefer the Tone Burst. Like I said, it's my "more gain" button and it feels good to play through it. The Flux-Drive often felt like a "too much" button. I'm now curious to try the Grid Slammer. I tend to use the Flux-Drive in the lower half of it's range so I'm wondering if the Grid Slammer might be a better fit for what I'm trying to accomplish.

For leads I like both... depending on how much actual gain I want to add. The Flux-Drive can add a substantial amount of saturation. It's handy in a way because I'll quite often be playing rhythm with my guitar's volume backed off to 7 to clean up the sound a bit, and the Flux-Drive has enough on tap that I can switch to lead while leaving the guitar's volume on 7.

All that said, I just picked up a Tele yesterday and it's changing my opinion slightly. Stepping on either the Tone Burst or Flux-Drive causes the Tele's midrange to absolutely explode out of the speakers. The Tele's lower output causes me to not have the "too much" issue with the Flux-Drive, nor does the Flux-Drive's mid emphasis tend to thin out the Tele they way it does with a Les Paul. The Tele into the Tone Burst brings the Tele up to the dirt levels I'm used to with the LP with a bit of extra fatness added by the pedal, and the Tele into the Flux-Drive turns the Tele into a sledgehammer.

I'd highly recommend either pedal to someone using a Mesa. IMO, most OD pedals are made for Marshalls or Fenders and I've often struggled to get them to sit right with Mesa (the exception being the Maxon OD-808, which stacks like it was made for the Recto IMO). My theory was that Mesa's pedals would be voiced for Mesa amps, and with the two I've tried they combine really well with the Recto, ED and Mark V (although boosting the Mark V's lead channel is a bit like pissing next to a firehose).

IMO, YMMV.

 

[barryswanson]

I'm keen to hear your results if you end up getting one. I've never been a pedal man but so many people do it to a recto and it's something I haven't tried yet. I value your opinion and will probably base my next purchase off that.