Why an OD Pedal??
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primal said:
Putting an overdrive in front of a tube amp does NOT make the amp sound solid state. SRV and others used pedals in front of nice amps and their tones are just as organic and 'tubey' as any 'straight into the amp' tones out there.
The trick is finding the setting on the pedal that lets the guitar and amp speak as well as the pedal. If you can do that then you are golden.
I did a gig a few weeks ago with a rock band that was using Marsalls and Boogies. My rig was a Tom Anderson Classic & a GIbson Les Paul Stanadrd into a modded MXR Super comp to an HBE Powerscreamer to a Matchless Lightnin 15 2X12 (thats right folks...a 15 watt amp) and I got NOTHING but compliments...my tone CRUSHED the b oogie and Marshall amps used in the other band. People asked how I got my sound and I said 'a compressor pedal and an overdrive pedal' I got a lot of blank stares and heard 'oh, really?' a lot.
All this talk of OD pedals interest me. I have never used one.
I have a Fulltone Clyde Deluxe Wah and I really like it. I'm tempted to try their OCD. That said...which generation is considered on the mark.... ?(no pun intended)..haha
I have a Fulltone Clyde Deluxe Wah and I really like it. I'm tempted to try their OCD. That said...which generation is considered on the mark.... ?(no pun intended)..haha
THere are 4 OCD pedals. The main diff is the amount of midrange in the pedal. As the versions have crept up so has the midrange. I like Version one because it sounds wide open and dynamic. V2 didnt impress me, they didnt tweak the lows or highs and brought in more mids...sounded weird. V3 is really nice...they tweaked out the bass and treble to fit nicely with the increased mids...pedal sounds a little compressed but in a good way. I havent used V4 yet.
If you are looking at overdrives dont overlook the Xotic AC booster. THe BB Preamp gets all the attention but to my ear it is very compressed sounding...the AC is more of a wide open tone with a little less gain. As most people that really know how to mix a band know gain shrinks tone and lowers apparent volume in a mix.
I LOVE the AC Booster.
Here is a Michael Thompson (one of the top session guys out there....he likes pedal tones more than amp distortion) feature, he covers the BB and Ac very well click here Important to note that the AC Booster he is using is V1, the new ones have less midrange than the old one.
Here is Andy Timmons talking about the BB Preamp
Here is Allen Hinds talking about the AC (version 2) and RC Booster pedals...he also uses pedals for his primary gain.
This one is Tim Pierce talking about the AC Booster (version 1)
If you are looking at overdrives dont overlook the Xotic AC booster. THe BB Preamp gets all the attention but to my ear it is very compressed sounding...the AC is more of a wide open tone with a little less gain. As most people that really know how to mix a band know gain shrinks tone and lowers apparent volume in a mix.
I LOVE the AC Booster.
Here is a Michael Thompson (one of the top session guys out there....he likes pedal tones more than amp distortion) feature, he covers the BB and Ac very well click here Important to note that the AC Booster he is using is V1, the new ones have less midrange than the old one.
Here is Andy Timmons talking about the BB Preamp
Here is Allen Hinds talking about the AC (version 2) and RC Booster pedals...he also uses pedals for his primary gain.
This one is Tim Pierce talking about the AC Booster (version 1)
I'm a pedal user...I always will be. There are moments of clarity where the Roadster delivers and I plug direct into it, but for the most part, I couldn't imagine playing without my modded TS-9/BD-2 combo.
As far as the boutique overdrive thing, I'm a builder, so I'm constantly tweaking my own pedals wuile building new overdrives from the ground up. Just when I think I've found every possible way to skin a TS circuit, I find something new. It's always new and exciting, but the only boxes to stay on my board are my tried and true TS-9 and BD-2 (the BD-2 is the only pedal I own that remains stock...the TS-9 is sooooooo far from stock I can't even begin to explain it). I'm a small time guy, so I work at great lengths with my customers to custom tailor the pedal to them. I've built a lot of tube screamer clones in my time, all with a tweak here, a value change there, and I find myself finding better tones all the time. Typically, the best of the best end up in my personal TS-9.
My current customer build is my first to incorporate a variable resistor to control the max gain available to the circuit, but it also appears to tailor the bass response as the distortion is cranked. It's a very interesting interaction. Couple that with some rather extreme clipping diode arrangements and high end components and an 18 volt charge pump and the monster is born.
I think that just goes to show that there are so many flavors of gain these days. For those of us with Marks, Kings and Roadsters, just think about how many possibilities exist in the flick of a mode switch or the touch of the push/pull.
There are times you want brown, but there are just too many browns to choose from...
As far as the boutique overdrive thing, I'm a builder, so I'm constantly tweaking my own pedals wuile building new overdrives from the ground up. Just when I think I've found every possible way to skin a TS circuit, I find something new. It's always new and exciting, but the only boxes to stay on my board are my tried and true TS-9 and BD-2 (the BD-2 is the only pedal I own that remains stock...the TS-9 is sooooooo far from stock I can't even begin to explain it). I'm a small time guy, so I work at great lengths with my customers to custom tailor the pedal to them. I've built a lot of tube screamer clones in my time, all with a tweak here, a value change there, and I find myself finding better tones all the time. Typically, the best of the best end up in my personal TS-9.
My current customer build is my first to incorporate a variable resistor to control the max gain available to the circuit, but it also appears to tailor the bass response as the distortion is cranked. It's a very interesting interaction. Couple that with some rather extreme clipping diode arrangements and high end components and an 18 volt charge pump and the monster is born.
I think that just goes to show that there are so many flavors of gain these days. For those of us with Marks, Kings and Roadsters, just think about how many possibilities exist in the flick of a mode switch or the touch of the push/pull.
There are times you want brown, but there are just too many browns to choose from...
Yep. Overdrive pedals give you different types and varying degrees of drive. It's not out of displeasure with the amp's gain! But a way to coax even more sounds of an amp you already love.
I have a grip of ODs. Each is set up to do something different. Clean boost, different amounts of blusey grit, marshally grind, metal, etc. And I LOVE my amp. This just hooks it up with options. I can pull off any tone I'm after with a stomp!
For what it's worth - some guys who can afford it, run a dozen different amps for versatility. They always use drives, too.
I have a grip of ODs. Each is set up to do something different. Clean boost, different amounts of blusey grit, marshally grind, metal, etc. And I LOVE my amp. This just hooks it up with options. I can pull off any tone I'm after with a stomp!
For what it's worth - some guys who can afford it, run a dozen different amps for versatility. They always use drives, too.
Rocky said:
I'm sure you can get a monster tone putting a pedal in front of the clean channel of a tube amp.
I don't think there is anything wrong with that at all and am not above doing it myself if I found a tone I liked and suited me.
But I also think that there are decent solid state amps out there as well, and while I prefer tube, I'm not above getting a solid state amp if it sounds the way I want it to.
In fact, I think Randall has made killer solid state amps for years.
So I am definately not a purist with regard to tube amps.
For me though, I just love the rectifier tone (with and without the eq, though preferably with
)Are there any of you who use any of these in front of your lead channel (Particularly Channels 3 and 4 on a Roadster) for that extra juice in a lead setting? Because that's what I'm interested in doing with these. That and tightening up my high-gain rhythm channel. I don't really need it for my first two (which are set to pristine clean and a classic rock crunch respectively).
I don't have a whole lot of options around here as the local stores mostly seem to carry the Ibanez TS9 (which I tried and, while good, I wasn't particularly impressed with). So I'm fishing for any suggestions to achieve that over-the-top lead sound.
I don't have a whole lot of options around here as the local stores mostly seem to carry the Ibanez TS9 (which I tried and, while good, I wasn't particularly impressed with). So I'm fishing for any suggestions to achieve that over-the-top lead sound.
Kaz said:
I haven't tried it myself but guys around here give the fulltone OCD rave reviews for what you are talking about.
At some point I will try it. I have yet to see an OCD at any of the music stores, but I think if you had to buy one mail order, if you didn't like it I would suspect it would be pretty easy to move.
I have seen a couple go on Craigslist by me but unless you contact the seller quickly, they seem to go within a few hours.
boogietone
Well-known member
jdurso said:
What's wrong with Monster cables? Just curious cause I've been using them.
Thanks!
boogietone
Well-known member
Just saw the "what cables is everyone using" thread and answered my own question.
Kaz said:
I do. I run channels 3 and 4 in vintage mode at moderate gain. My TS-9 is currently running a TL072 chip, .22uF input cap, higher input resistor and a very asymmetrical clipping arrangement (4 1N4001 diodes against a 1N34a and a 1N914). There are other tweaks, but I feel these are the most significant. This pushes the front of the overdrive channels without adding a lot of flub or mid range. It also greatly smoothes out the leads.
soundchaser59
Well-known member
Ilike to drive the amp by putting a tube compressor in front. Every OD pedal I tried sounded too artificial and squashed and buzzy. Not that they are bad pedals, just not the sound I was hoping for. I was looking for something more like clean sustain.
I think the EHX English Muffin looks tempting, especially since it has a small tone stack on it. The Voodoo Lab Sparkle Drive is also quite a unique sounding OD.
Best lead sound I ever had was a Subway Rocket with the clean channel dimed on the post gain, with pre gain up to maybe 5 or 6. I tried that with the Sparkle and with a TS7 Tube Screamer, all of it was just inspiring!
I think the EHX English Muffin looks tempting, especially since it has a small tone stack on it. The Voodoo Lab Sparkle Drive is also quite a unique sounding OD.
Best lead sound I ever had was a Subway Rocket with the clean channel dimed on the post gain, with pre gain up to maybe 5 or 6. I tried that with the Sparkle and with a TS7 Tube Screamer, all of it was just inspiring!
1st dibs here! I am also considering...
This thread has been inspiring to me. I have always been a tube purist when it comes to overdrive but I want more variation and flexibility. I can go several ways with this. I'll explain where I'm looking to go with this and would appreciate any input you guys can offer.
I'll start by saying that I love the EL34 sound I'm getting out of my Stiletto Deuce II. The problem I have is it's 2 channels and although I use the volume on my guitar and want more shades of clipping/breakup. Also want to fatten. I have a 10 band eq in the loop now and am able to beef up the bottom quite nicely with that.
What I want to do is this. From the clean channel I want to get a mild to medium overdrive. for example of what I like check out the Bogner Ecstasy Classic clips on their site. THAT is what I'm after. Also kicking the Tite Gain mode to fatten it up a bit. These are the options I'm thinking. Also..rule out actually getting a Bogner... unless I divorce my wife! LMAO
1. I have a reissue TS808... Send it to Keeley and have it modded
2. Get an OCD drive pedal
3. Get an Xotic AC Plus (Alan Hinds has a similar Bogner mild break up... Looks like he's using them there)
4. Voodoo Lab Sparkle Drive modded by Keeley
5. Barber LTD
Also the Barber Tone Press has the capability for clean boost however I could end up in the poor house trying all of these.
The reason I would have the TS808 or the Sparkle Drive modded is I HATE the thin sound of the TS. The Stiletto is already mid strong... with a TS it's fighting the amp.
I love the idea of being able to mix the clean signal WITH the overdrive signal with the Sparkle Drive... very cool and flexible. But the OCD and the AC+ are frontrunners as well. I live in an area where there are very very few opportunities to try pedals out. Your feelings on these and getting the sounds I'm after are appreciated.
My favorite players and examples of sound are. Eric johnson, Alan Hinds in those Xotic vids.
Timmons sound is a bit too gravelly/ball bearing rattle sounding overdrive to me.
I'll start by saying that I love the EL34 sound I'm getting out of my Stiletto Deuce II. The problem I have is it's 2 channels and although I use the volume on my guitar and want more shades of clipping/breakup. Also want to fatten. I have a 10 band eq in the loop now and am able to beef up the bottom quite nicely with that.
What I want to do is this. From the clean channel I want to get a mild to medium overdrive. for example of what I like check out the Bogner Ecstasy Classic clips on their site. THAT is what I'm after. Also kicking the Tite Gain mode to fatten it up a bit. These are the options I'm thinking. Also..rule out actually getting a Bogner... unless I divorce my wife! LMAO
1. I have a reissue TS808... Send it to Keeley and have it modded
2. Get an OCD drive pedal
3. Get an Xotic AC Plus (Alan Hinds has a similar Bogner mild break up... Looks like he's using them there)
4. Voodoo Lab Sparkle Drive modded by Keeley
5. Barber LTD
Also the Barber Tone Press has the capability for clean boost however I could end up in the poor house trying all of these.
The reason I would have the TS808 or the Sparkle Drive modded is I HATE the thin sound of the TS. The Stiletto is already mid strong... with a TS it's fighting the amp.
I love the idea of being able to mix the clean signal WITH the overdrive signal with the Sparkle Drive... very cool and flexible. But the OCD and the AC+ are frontrunners as well. I live in an area where there are very very few opportunities to try pedals out. Your feelings on these and getting the sounds I'm after are appreciated.
My favorite players and examples of sound are. Eric johnson, Alan Hinds in those Xotic vids.
Timmons sound is a bit too gravelly/ball bearing rattle sounding overdrive to me.
boogietone
Well-known member
I have a Keeley modded Sparkle drive. Very nice pedal. I'm really diggin' it! Also have a Scott's Crispy Cream Treblebooster that is amazing!
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