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Which overdrive pedal?


Dr. Jones

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I have a 2014 Les Paul Standard (love it!) and a Blackstar HT Club 40 (40 watt tube amp). I love the sound of the guitar through the clean channel, but when I put it through the distorted channel it sounds too thin (even with the TC Electronic Spark Booster I use). I prefer a fat sound (I use the neck pickup most of the time) with a more pure sounding distortion. For this reason I'm thinking overdrive pedal a opposed to a fuzz or distortion. What pedal do you suggest?

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what's your budget range?

 

since you are running a Blackster HT40, take a look at the Blackstar Dual HT is a pretty nice OD. it's built like a tank, and is pretty versatile. gives you two channel OD with the Blackstar ISF control, one channel offers a clean / cruch setting, where as channel 2 is voiced for higher gain.

 

 

I've had one for a while, it's been pretty solid with one exception.

 

the power adapter failed just recently, I was able to rig it to work "most" of the time, but "most of the time" isn't good enough. the replacement power brick was a whopping 75 bucks!

 

I can get some great "marshall esq" tones out of it (I run it to a Marshall JTM60 2x12 w2x12 ext. cab. I like what it does for giving me added sounds to use. I set the marshall to it's optimum best sound, (Clean and Gain channel) and use the DUAL HT for added "umph" as needed. it's almost like getting four channels out of my 2 channel amp. it's not cheap, it's about $250 new.

 

Radial (the Tone Bones) are good too. I have a classic that I've been using for many years now, Rock solid! (but also in the $250 area cost wise)

 

Both of these have 12AX7 preamp tubes in them

 

 

There's also the Fulltone OCD which I do not have, but, guys that own them, say lots of good things about them. (not expensive,, bout $120 USD)

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There's also the Fulltone OCD which I do not have, but, guys that own them, say lots of good things about them. (not expensive,, bout $120 USD)

 

I also have not used one but I have also heard a lot of good things about it. I have no need for an OD pedal as my amp has a solo boost, but if I wanted one, I'd check out the OCD first for sure.

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I had the 20-watt Blackstar and it didn't sound thin at all on the overdrive/distortion channel to me. In fact it might have had too much gain (for me). I now have a Marshall SL5 (5-watt) which is a little tamer in the distortion department than the Blackstar, and I have both a Maxon TS and an OCD. Both are very different, but I find myself gravitating towards the Maxon.

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Huge choice here, with many current OD pedals being some sort of variation on a Tube Screamer.

Sounds like you need one with some eq.

 

I have the Xotic AC+ which is a dual OD with eq, and a Visual Sound Route 66...I have some others but these are on my gig board.

 

Would love a Fulltone...many like the Boss Blues Driver which is quite mild in unmodded form....

 

Happy hunting!

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So many great pedals named here.

And none of them would be bad for your stated purposes.

 

I would like to add one pedal (around $80 to $100), the MXR Super Badass.

 

GREAT pedal, and it can be tweaked from a simple boost all the way to wicked, fat distortion.

 

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Ibanez Tube Screamer. Timeless classic. Still the one I'll always recommend to anybody first thing. Also, check out the BOSS Super Overdrive. Those are great, too.

 

Thats i big gear list... I know thats what SHE said right

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I have used a Fulltone Fulldrive 2 MOSFET for a few years - it's nice in that it has a range of options - Vintage is a Tubescreamer circuit, Flat Mids is nice and versatile and Compression Cut is a very mild drive which I found cool for rhythm, but which then allowed a lot of boost from the inbuilt booster (second stomp button). It also has switchable mode for MOSFET/Standard - I actually don't know what that does except the former seems a bit ballsier.

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  • 1 month later...

I have a 2014 Les Paul Standard (love it!) and a Blackstar HT Club 40 (40 watt tube amp). I love the sound of the guitar through the clean channel, but when I put it through the distorted channel it sounds too thin (even with the TC Electronic Spark Booster I use). I prefer a fat sound (I use the neck pickup most of the time) with a more pure sounding distortion. For this reason I'm thinking overdrive pedal a opposed to a fuzz or distortion. What pedal do you suggest?

 

Have you tried turning down the treble, a bit, and/or boosting the bass, on the OD side of your Amp?

What volume levels are you playing at? Bedroom, or "Cranked?" That makes a big difference in OD

"tone," as well, as they tend to get "fatter" sounding with more volume.

 

As to pedals, there's a plethora of Great OD pedals. I have too many, myself. But, the one's I use most,

are FullTone's. OCD, Plimsoul, Full Drive 3. Recently purchased a Electro Harmonix "Crayon," that's a FUN

little pedal, too. For "Marshall" (Plexi) sounds, I sometimes use a Tech 21 "Hot Rod Plexi" pedal. Just

depends on what you're after, simple or varied=in a chain.

 

CB

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It's simple,,, just getta Marshall

 

I have "A Marshall!" I still like my Fender amp's tone spectrum, and the Vox AC-30's,

as well. And, a plethora of "Dirt boxes," too. They all have their uses. Variety IS

the spice of life, and tone, too! [biggrin]

 

To the original poster, just go out and TRY OUT, as many OD pedals, as you can,

using the same amp, and guitar rig, you already own. You'll know, when you hear

the "Right one," for you![thumbup]

 

CB

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Call me lucky or whatever.... [thumbup]

 

I picked up a used as-new Boss ME 70

 

It has 5 or 6 of the classic Boss OD's available...all adjustable to taste

 

Plus an EQ circuit

 

And other fx like delay, chorus, phase....

 

[thumbup]

 

V

 

:-({|=

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I've used ts-9 tube screamers for years. My fav that I've been using for the last 15 years has been modded by Analog Man. I had him do the 808 mod with the silver option. Allows more of your guitar sound through and less of the pedal 'coloration'....I've also recently picked up a Wampler Tumnus but I just got it yesterday so I haven't had much time to fiddle with it, but so far it's pretty good. Adds a little lows and highs, and not so much mids, but still enough to punch through the mix in a band situation

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