Mesa Grid Slammer vs Maxon OD808

[WMHaze]

Hello!

New to the Boogie Board, this is my first post!

I bought a used Dual Rec last year. It's not the multi-watt version but the version just before. Whoever had it before me knew what to do with it as they have some pretty nice pre and power tubes in it. The thing is such a blast to play.

I play metal anywhere from And Justice For All... Metallica or earlier, Slayer, Anthrax to more modern metal like Killswitch Engage, Unearthed, etc. I'm looking for an OD pedal to give me just a bit more out of Ch 3.

My question is getting a Mesa Grid Slammer going to be that much different than say a Maxon OD808? Or am I just paying for the Mesa name?

I have read many reviews, seen numerous posts, and searched YouTube and NO ONE has done a side by side comparson of these two pedals. So I'm at a loss as to which direction to go. If I buy a Grid Slammer it's a bit more challenging to obtain as none of my local music stores carry them but I can walk in and pick up a Maxon OD808.

Thanks in advance for any feedback/input/advice.

 

[KiwiJoe]

I don't know anything about the Maxon, but I do have a Grid Slammer. It's a great low-med gain pedal that I find useful both on its own as a "third channel" option over the clean channel and as a boost for one of the dirt channels on my Mini Rec. It's super quiet with nice, linear adjustments (no big "spike" anywhere in the sweep of any of the three controls), and it's built like a tank. Sure, it's a bit pricey, but I'm happy to pay for Mesa quality.

 

[Laskyman]

Grid Slammer is very similar to the TS 808-

 

[ryjan]

You shouldn't need anything more than a quality guitar and a cable to get those tones out of a Recto. Squashing everything with a pedal in front of such a great preamp is like putting ketchup on Kobe beef.

 

[Laskyman]

Personally, the TS circuit in front of a Recto sounds fantastic. Tightens the low end and turns it into a flamethrower....gain at zero- dime the volume on the pedal.

 

[SonVolt]

I also agree that a Recto needs a Tubescreamer type boost to tighten it up. It's a little too loose and stiff without one.... makes a world of difference with my Triple.

 

[TRENCHLORD]

Never used grid-slammer but have tried most of the other main-brand equivalents;

Prefer maxon's 808 for brighter/tighter guitars, and their od9pro+ for warmer/rounder toned guitars. A lot of that has to do with the pickups of course.

 

[KiwiJoe]

I also agree that a Recto needs a Tubescreamer type boost to tighten it up. It's a little too loose and stiff without one....

Care to elaborate? How/why would one tighten something that is already too stiff? How is something "loose" AND "stiff" at the same time?

 

[ryjan]

I also agree that a Recto needs a Tubescreamer type boost to tighten it up. It's a little too loose and stiff without one....

Care to elaborate? How/why would one tighten something that is already too stiff? How is something "loose" AND "stiff" at the same time?

Guys will use a boost before the preamp because it simulates a heavy pick attack without having to have a heavy pick attack. Sorta like an attenuator makes you amp sound like its at full volume without the volume.

 

[SonVolt]

I also agree that a Recto needs a Tubescreamer type boost to tighten it up. It's a little too loose and stiff without one....

Care to elaborate? How/why would one tighten something that is already too stiff? How is something "loose" AND "stiff" at the same time?

Maybe stiff is the wrong word. Lacks pick attack? The bass isnt as focused as it could be IMO. Palm mutes sound sharper and clearer with a boost, less flubby, more focused.

I don't use a boost with my Marks.

 

[Dino.]

I'm looking to replace my TS9 with one of the new Mesa pedals but the problem I have is that all of the new pedals offered by Mesa are demo'd as distortion pedals over clean channels. So, I contacted Mesa and was told the Flux Drive is the best pedal for this application. :?:

 

[KiwiJoe]

I'm looking to replace my TS9 with one of the new Mesa pedals but the problem I have is that all of the new pedals offered by Mesa are demo'd as distortion pedals over clean channels. So, I contacted Mesa and was told the Flux Drive is the best pedal for this application. :?:

Well, they would know! :lol: But, like I mentioned above, I have the Grid Slammer which, to me (and just about anybody else I've talked to who has one or has heard mine), is very TS-like. It has a slight mid-bump that doesn't seem to cut the lows, and it works great as a boost to my Mini Rec's "pushed" setting (already a bit crunchy) in the traditional "level maxed, gain backed all the way (or nearly all the way) off". It also works great over the clean channel as a low-gain, third channel OD option. It really sounds like a natural voice extension of the Mini Rec when used that way.

What I heard with the Flux Drive when I demo'd it through my Mini Rec side by side with the Grid Slammer is more of a "Mark amp in a box" kind of thing, capable of a bit more gain than the Grid Slammer. I thought it sounded better over the amp totally clean than as a boost for an already crunchy amp, but that's just me.

Honestly, though, I don't think you could go wrong with either pedal.

 

[Dino.]

I'm looking to replace my TS9 with one of the new Mesa pedals but the problem I have is that all of the new pedals offered by Mesa are demo'd as distortion pedals over clean channels. So, I contacted Mesa and was told the Flux Drive is the best pedal for this application. :?:

Well, they would know! :lol: But, like I mentioned above, I have the Grid Slammer which, to me (and just about anybody else I've talked to who has one or has heard mine), is very TS-like. It has a slight mid-bump that doesn't seem to cut the lows, and it works great as a boost to my Mini Rec's "pushed" setting (already a bit crunchy) in the traditional "level maxed, gain backed all the way (or nearly all the way) off". It also works great over the clean channel as a low-gain, third channel OD option. It really sounds like a natural voice extension of the Mini Rec when used that way.

What I heard with the Flux Drive when I demo'd it through my Mini Rec side by side with the Grid Slammer is more of a "Mark amp in a box" kind of thing, capable of a bit more gain than the Grid Slammer. I thought it sounded better over the amp totally clean than as a boost for an already crunchy amp, but that's just me.

Honestly, though, I don't think you could go wrong with either pedal.

Well, I called Mesa after reading this thread and was told the "Grid Slammer" is in fact what I would want to use to replace my tube screamer. I guess maybe I didn't explain myself clearly to the first person I spoke with. I dunno.

 

[Mystic-Creations]

Hmmm after practicing today and then reading this post, I think I'm in need of something similar.

I just can't decide if it's more of an EQ issue, or do I need something on the front end to tighten everything up.
Using a Dual Rec Multiwatt, Channel 3 Modern, Diode, bold. I really like the punch the Recto has, I play mostly Rhythm and I like a very tight (not compressed) sound. I tend to run the gain around 10 or 11, any more and it gets really fizzy/hissy..... I might have to try this.

Would a grid slammer let me run a little higher bass without it getting flubby, control the hiss/fizz with a slightly higher gain setting?

Thank You,
Matt

 

[Dino.]

Matt,
I think I know the sound you're looking for.
I too thought about replacing my Tube Screamer with a Grid Slammer but soon came to the conclusion that the Tube Screamer is doing exactly what it's supposed to do, just as your Maxon 808. Replacing it with a Grid Slammer might offer some variation but, if you're like me, I don't think it's quite the sound you're going for.

I opted to go with a Mesa 5-Band EQ pedal instead of another OD pedal and boy, WHAT A DIFFERENCE! The EQ pedal allows me to drop the mids and fine tune the EQ in a way I could never do with the EQ from the amp. Though I use it in addition to my TS9, it does help tighten the gain even more and adds those natural harmonic overtones I've been longing for.

I strongly recommend the Mesa 5-Band EQ before buying another OD pedal.

 

[Mystic-Creations]

Thank you so much for the reply, I've been really carefully thinking about this, not wanting to do any impulse buys. Just playing and dialing trying to pinpoint exactly what it is I'm wanting to hear. So far I think you're absolutely right, this is more of an EQ issue. I'm pretty sure it's a frequency I want to cut and add a bit to increase that punchy attack when playing rhythm that I love the Recto for.

I'm gonna take your advice on this one, will report back soon!
Great looking board, nice and clean!

Cheers,
Matt

 

[2 Boogie]

I have the Mesa Boogie Grid Slammer, Flux Drive and Throttle Box.
The Grid Slammer is very similar to the Maxon 808 both in sound and how it's built.
The Flux Drive is little more gain than Grid Slammer. It's very similar to Blues Breaker.
The Throttle Box is supposed to simulate Dual Rectifier.

I use most the Theottle Box with the gain almost at min with my Mark V 25 and it sounds great.
Turn the gain up to hear when the amp breaks up more and give the amp sound a more bite and grit.

I have also the Maxon 808, but it never give me the sound I want with the Mark V 25.

If you want to use a dirt pedal infront of the amp and don't want to change the sound too much, then a Booster or a transparent Overdrive is a better choice.

Dr B

 

[WMHaze]

Wow, this thread still exists!

I purchased the Maxon OD808 shortly after my original post. I had read a lot, and I do mean a lot, of metal guitarists use the Maxon OD808 in front of their signal as a boost. Many consider it the "secret weapon" in their arsenal. Nergal from Behemoth and Adam D. from Killswitch Engage are just two: one from Black Metal and one from Metal core genres.

I have to say running the Gain at min and the Level at Max, with tone to taste, and the OD808 is pretty transparent but provides amazing response. It really cleans up the low end frequencies by providing essentially a solid state like response to the low end on tube amp.

I have read about a straight up comparison to the Grid Slammer, with the only difference being the Grid Slammer has more mids.