OD\Dist. pedals. What do you guy s use

[thendrix]

Seems that I am on an endless search to find a tone I am satisfied with. I have tried several pedals (mostly Boss) and the amp channels and none of them are quite right. The pedals mostly sound a little to fizzy or I don't get the sustain I am after with them.

Pedals I have tried:
Boss DS-1
Boss Metal Zone
Boss Blues Driver
RAT
Jekyll and Hyde (on the way)
Marshall Jack Hammer (never played one but I heard it and that was enough)

I am also considering giving the DS-1 one of the Keeley Mods as I understand it is supposed to give the pedal more low end. Just a thought.

Just wandering what some of you folks have found that you like\love\hate\can't live without.

 

[RectoStudioGuy]

As far as dist pedals go the Wampler Triple Wreck is tough to top, IMO. Easy to tweak, gets the job done in short order...but so do many others.
O/D is a topic in of itself as each reacts dramatically different with each set-up. I use two different configurations to push the front of my lead channel.
1) The one I use the most is a late model TS9 w/ a Monte Allums mod. I put an MXR EQ and Mark Humphrey modded CS-3 in front of it to squeeze it just a bit.
2) A rack mounted Chandler Tube Driver w/ an MXR EQ and CS-3...different settings of course.
Both set-ups sounds completely unlike one another and require different settings on the Studio Pre they run into
O/D, like many other discussions, is a deep subject that really comes down to your preferences and allot of experimentation.

 

[zodiac272]

Hey,

I also have a wampler triple wreck. It's got great tones, recto crunch, distortion, lots of chunk and sustain, but it's a bit noisy. maybe a gate will clean all that up, but it's a great pedal. maybe check out MI audio crunch box, MXR fullbore metal, or BB preamp to boost.

What is your setup? amp/guitar/pups? I have no idea what you are using, but a great tube amp that you love won't need much in the way of dist. pedals. I got the wampler just to get a rectifier like modern gain tone, but i hardly use it because I love my amp's lead/clean tones. If you aren't using hot pickups, maybe check out EMG's. If you have a nice tube amp, you may only want something like a BB preamp to get a boost. If you are endlessly searching for that tone you can't find, you might look to get a new amp. Of course I could be completely wrong, but it's something to consider.

scott

 

[Fronzil]

I've tried tubescreamers, BB Preamp, Diamond overdrive/fuzz, some random clean boosts, jason becker's dirt box etc...the BB Preamp has been doing it for me so far, my roommate has a lovepedeal eternity coming which I'm anxious to try out...also, put GOOD NOS preamp tubes in your amp, it will fucking come alive!

 

[thendrix]

Currently I am using a stock 87 Mark III mostly with an 82 strat with Suhr vintage 60's and a DiMarzio Fast Track II. I also use a stock Epiphone Dot and an Epiphone Les Paul Standard. In pedals I use a Boss noise gate, an Ernie Ball volume, a Crybaby 535Q, and a RAT. I love the clean and the R1 channels on the Mark III but I don't care for the Lead channel.

When I say I am constantly searching for tone I mean I am always looking for tones that blend more with the rest of the band and make us sound better as a whole. That and I like to change my sound a little every now and then just for the hell of it. :lol: I think my biggest problem is every now and then we play somewhere and I just don't like the tone in that particular venue and i decide it is time to change.

Also I have never looked very far into amp mods and really don't know what is out there and what each one does so any help or possibilities there would be appreciated.

 

[markwayne]

Currently I am using a stock 87 Mark III mostly with an 82 strat with Suhr vintage 60's and a DiMarzio Fast Track II. I also use a stock Epiphone Dot and an Epiphone Les Paul Standard. In pedals I use a Boss noise gate, an Ernie Ball volume, a Crybaby 535Q, and a RAT. I love the clean and the R1 channels on the Mark III but I don't care for the Lead channel.

When I say I am constantly searching for tone I mean I am always looking for tones that blend more with the rest of the band and make us sound better as a whole. That and I like to change my sound a little every now and then just for the hell of it. :lol: I think my biggest problem is every now and then we play somewhere and I just don't like the tone in that particular venue and i decide it is time to change.

Also I have never looked very far into amp mods and really don't know what is out there and what each one does so any help or possibilities there would be appreciated.

When I had a Mark III, I used a Sansamp pedal for my third channel. I don't remember the model, but it was a very early one. It was a very flexible little box. In fact, I still own a GT2 today and use it occasionally to add a little Marshall flavor to my Mark IV.

 

[topcat0399]

I have a pile of OD/dist pedals in the corner. Digital multi-effect rack mount units, and I can't remember all the different ones I don't have anymore. many in past lives.

I used to spend hours dicking with this ****. The cable problems, battery's, trying to dial them all in, my little train of stomp boxes everywhere under foot on stages, tripping, buzzing, blah blah blah.

Then a very wise man MADE me buy a Mark IV. One of the most versatile pieces of equipment I've ever had the pleasure to operate. Tube sound. scchhhawing!

Life is so much simpler and sounds so much better. Plug in and go. Don't be afraid to touch those dials.

Better to invest in an assortment of tubes and get to know intimately that Mark IV. Marry it. Baby it. Love it. Caress it. It will improve your playing, your sound, and your frustration level.

I could go on for hours on the subject.

just my 2-cents

 

[pegagos]

I like to get my overdrive/distortion straight from my amp. To me nothing else beats it. I have the on board EQ on my MKIII but if you don't maybe get one in the effects loop. Also remember that our amps sound better when they're turned up and you're pushing those power tubes. That's where the magic happens. I use a BB preamp from Xotic on the front of my amp just for a different flavor of overdrive and also to boost my R2. Good luck in your search.

 

[swbo101]

I have a very old Pro Co Rat distortion box...but only use it with my practice amp. My main amp is a Mark IV and I just use either the R2 or lead gain channel. The sound of tube driven distortion is really it for me. I love that.

Just my opinion.

 

[zodiac272]

Currently I am using a stock 87 Mark III.

hey, do you have GEQ on your amp or in the loop? if not you might want to try one and scoop some mids out...see if you like the tone.

scott

 

[james1974]

im using a modified tubescreamer for a boost on the clean channel..i love it.then again i havent tried any highend pedals might love them way more...

 

[thendrix]

Also remember that our amps sound better when they're turned up and you're pushing those power tubes.

I agree with the amp being turned up sounding better. I play as loud as I can to get the big tube sound. That and to get a good tickle in very special places . Nothing beats a crunk tube amp. I do have the on board EQ but i have never really tried messing with it as this is the first amp I have ever owned that had an on board EQ and I don't really know how they work. My other amp is a late 70's Bedrock 2 12 combo. Basically a Marshall in Vox clothes. All it has is bass, mid, treble, gain, and reverb so I never really looked into anything else. Would love to continue using it but it has seen it's better days and I am afraid to try and gig with it much as it can be hard on equipment.

Besides I love my MarkIII because it doesn't sound like a Marshall.

 

[droptrd]

Im a flavor of the week guy. I regularly rotate ODs on my board.

The cast includes...

My continously modded and remodded SD-1
A TS9 that Im always changing stuff in (currently on my board)
A Barber Direct Drive
A Klon klone
An OCD clone
Dano CTO-1
Dano CO-1
A boost I designed based on a microamp
A boost I designed based on a SHO
stock OD808