OD Pedal?

[icetrey]

What would be the best overdrive pedal for me if I wanna get a Godsmack type sound? I can get pretty close without it but I need a lil' extra something. I play an SG with EMG 81 and 85 (the Zakk Wylde set) which could be part of the problem. I'm sure I could get a lot heavier sound with a Les Paul but wouldn't be able to afford one for a while. And my amp is a 3 Channel Dual Rectifier. I've read a lot of good things on the forum about the Maxon OD808 but I've never even heard of it before I came to the forums. All I've ever known is the TS9 and TS808 Tube Screamer. I'm pretty new to tube amps, so would I use it with Channel 2 or 3 already on? Cause I know with a solid state you wouldn't use a distortion pedal with the distortion channel already on. Atleast I wouldn't. Oh, and I'd really like to stay in the $150 range if possible. Thanks.

 

[Silverwulf]

The Maxon OD808 is my favorite OD pedal with Rectos. It will definitely keep your signal tight. Saying a "Godsmack tone" is still a little vague. If by Godsmack you mean the first album, or the follow up ("Awake"), I think you can get those tones straight from the amp. If you need something to tighten it up, I'd only run the Output on the OD pedal around 12 Noon (which is about where unity gain is) so that it would tighten the signal but not really alter it much. This is for that type of sound. I wouldn't max the Output unless I was going for a more modern, biting sound in the vein of bands like Killswitch Engage.

Any Tube Screamer type pedal will get you there. I prefer the Maxon OD808, but there's also the Maxon OD9, Ibanez TS9, Ibanez TS808. All of those can be had less than $100 used. I bought my OD808 for about $80 shipped.

 

[Anonymous]

I play an SG with EMG 81 and 85

Personally, I've found Rectos to be pretty loose with EMGs. My favorite pickup so far is the DiMarzio X2N, which is killer for a tight metal tone. I'm sure you can find Godsmack tone with one of those.

 

[MF]

I'm also running an SG with the 81/85 combo with the 18V mod through a 3ch dual rec...and oddly enough just tried the Maxon OD808 this week. I'm finding that it's actually kind of overkill for me, especially on the red channel. I'd say my sound is 95% where i want it to be and the OD808 just pushed it too far into the uncontrollable feedback territory though the modded EMGs might be part of the problem. I tried all of the sample settings in the booklet (except the single coil setting) and none really gave me a desireable result.

For those of you who are using it, did you have to change any of your amp settings (backing off on the gain perhaps) to dial in your desired sound, or did the pedal work in addition to your regular settings?

 

[wildrat666]

on the amp the gain about 12-1 oclock and on the maxon :volume(balance)max, gain 0 and tone about 12 oclock.

 

[MF]

on the amp the gain about 12-1 oclock and on the maxon :volume(balance)max, gain 0 and tone about 12 oclock.

yeah that's about what i had. i'm going to give it another go this weekend without the rest of the band there and see if i can find the sweet spot.

I actually made a related thread about this a couple of weeks ago, where i was considering building a Tubescreamer clone and i bought the OD808 as a test that i'll be returning whether i liked it or not :lol:

 

[Silverwulf]

on the amp the gain about 12-1 oclock and on the maxon :volume(balance)max, gain 0 and tone about 12 oclock.

+1 to this. I run it about the same. Depending on how high gain your tubes are, use the amp gain around the 12 Noon to 1 o'clock range. I also run my Maxon the same way with the Output "maxed," Gain "off" and Tone around 12 Noon.

I have no feedback issues at all. I use a BOSS NS-2 after the Maxon as the last thing into my amp though. It keeps things dead silent, and even on max suppresion settings (which is what I use), I still have sustain for days. If you only use the Maxon around 12 Noon on the Output (unity gain), you shouldn't have any feedback issues even without the noise suppression.

EMG's work great with Rectos IMO. The high end and upper mid bite mixed with the relative lack of low end in the pup's mesh extremely well with the Rectos voicing. I found pup's like a majority of the Dimarzios to be very boomy and bass heavy through the Recto. Again, just my opinion...YMMV.

 

[icetrey]

Ok, thanks. I was refering more to the Awake album. Just that real deep sound. I don't know how else really to explain it. I have an NS-2 so feedback shouldn't be a problem (never has before). I guess I'll just try different ones to see what I like.

 

[NewEyesOpen]

A Maxxon OD808 is what I'm looking at. Should do a great job.

 

[clutch71]

on the amp the gain about 12-1 oclock and on the maxon :volume(balance)max, gain 0 and tone about 12 oclock.

I used an TS 808 RI in this fashion with an older Rev G. You shouldn't need a noise gate at all. Should be whisper quiet. Mine always was.

Never tried a Maxon but they are priced well; especially used, and seem well received.