Layering a distortion pedal over you amp distortion

[taz_wynter]

I always wondered, if you ever need more distortion how do you layer a boss MT-2 over you amps distortion channel without ruinning the sound??

 

[jtb226]

i have a question to your question...


why would you ever need more distortion than what a recto could provide?

 

[nor]

Lots of folks use a pedal in front of the amp. The trick is finding the sweet spot between the two. Drop the gain on the amp to about half of what you normally use, and start the pedal gain on zero. Gradually increase/decrease the two gains until you find something cool.

 

[jaredrutledge]

the point isn't to layer, it's more to boost - throwing an overdrive (not a crappy boss distortion) in front of a recto will help tighten it up and give a little more response. you don't really need more distortion, just more response.

 

[jtb226]

that is what i was going to say if i got an answer back. overdrive can be very good for a recto. more distortion (especially a pedal distortion) is just not needed in my opinion. why spend $1600 on an amp that is built for crushing distortion and then throw a distortion pedal in front of it? just my opinion i guess.

 

[pjrake]

i use a TS9 (analogman mod) as a clean boost on my DR. i have the gain set at midnight and the TS9 levels at zero (except the level, which is set to match the level of the amp; right now at about 1 oclock).

it works great, tightens everything up! a stock TS9 sounds great too, but i feel that the mod gives it a nice warmer sound.

 

[taz_wynter]

thanks guys for the tips, oh and to answer your question, 1600 and an amp, lol i live in canada, i paid 3000.00$ for mine, its not the fact that the retro doesn't have enough gain, its being able to have the option of more if i want it there, plus using a peadl over the amps gain, alows you to cut the gain down on the amp... thus saving the life of your tubes... i could be wrong, thats what i was told... so thats why i asked the question.

 

[insideout]

I'm not using a DR, but with my Stiletto, I put a TS-9 in front of it as well. The high gain on the Stiletto sounds great, but the TS just gives it that little kick in tha pants to push it into amazing. It tightens things up, smoothes it out a bit, and gives it some extra punch. Sweet 8)

 

[Turumbar82]

I've used TS-9's, a Japanese DS-1, and a Indyguitarist SD-1 Mod for boosting my amp. Like everyone says, use them as a clean boost and turn down the gain on the amp just a little. I love the Mesa sound on its own but adding a boost from another pedal gives another color of drive and I don't think is a bad thing to have lots of colors. Painters use more than one color when painting

 

[meemawuk]

My opinion is that if you don't like your amps distortion, you bought the wrong amp. MT-2, OD-3 etc etc should only be used to change/shape your tone. Rarely create a whole new tone from scratch.

In saying that I know people who use such pedals exclusively thru clean amps to get their heavy sounds. I have no problem with this, since its only a clean amp being used in the first place.

 

[fpoon]

Check out this video. He uses a TS9 not to add gain but mainly to tighten up his sound. He said it himself.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvAmUmZMsSs

If you like Progressive/Polyrhythmic Metal you'll like his band.

www.myspace.com/periphery

Also, I agree with the comment above. You shouldn't be creating a whole new tone from the Recto with the MT-2, just to boost it a bit and slightly add some frequencies etc. If you don't like your amp's tone you should look into getting a new amp.

 

[soundpurist]

It's never a good idea to add a distortion over your sound but as Dan told me when you add a minimal amount of overdrive it gives somekind of "grain" to your rectifier's distortion. I tried the Carl Martin "Plexitone" today on the rectifier roadster and i have to admit that it's fuckin' insane!...the Boost and the crunch together gives more dynamic (and crunch of course), when you add the hi-gain boost then you cannot ask better for a lead sound...(remember that i said: minimal setting for everything[except the boost, as you wish]...).

If you want a very powerful boost (and clean) go for the Carl Martin hot drive'n boost. It doesn't color your sound but the drive is not as good as the plexitonedal (that the boost is less powerful alone but in conjonction with the level [increased] of the crunch effect it's as much powerful as the hot drive'n boost...)

Let's hear the Danvortex clips... (with MXR Zakk Wylde overdrive, if i recall well...)

http://forum.grailtone.com/viewtopic.php?t=18797

 

[soundpurist]

Check out this video. He uses a TS9 not to add gain but mainly to tighten up his sound. He said it himself.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvAmUmZMsSs

If you like Progressive/Polyrhythmic Metal you'll like his band.

www.myspace.com/periphery

Also, I agree with the comment above. You shouldn't be creating a whole new tone from the Recto with the MT-2, just to boost it a bit and slightly add some frequencies etc. If you don't like your amp's tone you should look into getting a new amp.

BTW foooookin' great! wow, what else can i say... fukk! i'm stuck on that word today! OMG that's good as much as Meshuggah!

 

[metal190]

I don't use any pedals to supplement the sounds of my amp, but I do have to say that if someone does that doesn't necessarily mean they bought the wrong amp. They may just love multiple sounds, and especially with a Rectifier, you're probably not going to have an infinitely varied palette. So whether your adding a whole new color to your palette, or just adding a new shade of an existing color, I think it's your prerogative. (Now if you find that you always use an MT-2 and rarely use the amp's distortion, then I'll agree. Sell your amp and by a power amp.)

 

[taz_wynter]

I use my Mt-2 about once every 6 months, but yeah like they said it's just to add more "Colors". I didn't buy the wrong amp, playing live for the past 15 years, i'm pretty sure i got the right one, i just never tried or learned how to layer a pedal, i've always used amp distortion. thanx everyone :twisted:

 

[stompboxfreak72]

I never, ever play my recto without overdrive in front of it. I have used a Boss Ds-1 keeley modded pedal ( a la Steve Vai) but did not like the results too much. I use the Analogman modded Ts-9 AND an Analogman modded Yngwie Malmsteen OD250 pedal with it. The two pedals combined take me straight to shred city. Oh it can get noisy so I have to use a Boss Ns-2 but it sounds awesome.

I certainly have not bought the wrong amp and I use 2 overdrive pedals to get what I want. I would call it sustain more than distortion. Playing lead on a DR without an overdrive pedal is about impossible for me. I always have an overdrive pedal on.

 

[soundpurist]

I never, ever play my recto without overdrive in front of it. I have used a Boss Ds-1 keeley modded pedal ( a la Steve Vai) but did not like the results too much. I use the Analogman modded Ts-9 AND an Analogman modded Yngwie Malmsteen OD250 pedal with it. The two pedals combined take me straight to shred city. Oh it can get noisy so I have to use a Boss Ns-2 but it sounds awesome.

I certainly have not bought the wrong amp and I use 2 overdrive pedals to get what I want. I would call it sustain more than distortion. Playing lead on a DR without an overdrive pedal is about impossible for me. I always have an overdrive pedal on.

Ok, for the DS-1, do you know if there's a big difference between the japanese and the taiwanese one? cause mine is a stock taiwanese and i don't like it too in front of a rectifier...

This week end i'm going to try a ts-808 clone...just for fun cause now i'm sure i want a Carl Martin pedal, those a great pedal...especially the plexitone but the Hot Drive'n Boost is cool too (a 20db!!!boost with an overdrive that i'm not too much crazy about). The plexitone is heaven in front of a rectifier.