Overdrive.....

[Jx2]

I need to pick some minds again. In the next few days I should be receiving a Fender Champion 600. As Im sure most of you know thats a little 1x6 5w tube amp, 1 channel. Im wanting to add a overdrive to this amp more so than a distoration. The non-cover stuff Ive been playing I hear broken up but not really distorted. Plus I have a Boss DS-1 if I need it. So Ive started the search, Im hoping my buddy buys my Schecter to give me some money to have this either before or shortly after I get the amp but who knows.

Ok now the real deal. I have about $100 to spend on a pedal. Giving him the easy payment plan. If money wasnt a option or if I get lucky and he pays in full. Id love to have a Seymour Duncan Twin Tube Blue, have yet to see a demo, review I dont like. So please keep any suggestions in my range.

I know the Digitech Mad Monkey will get alot fan fair but Ive yet to hear what Im looking for out of it. If someone has it or know where I can hear say Pride and Joy on that pedal Id like to hear it. Ive also looked at the Ibanez TS7 and TS9. As well as the Rocktron Sonic Glory and the MXR Zakk Wyle, even though that one might be a little to over the top. The one Im most curious about right now is the MXR M-133 Micro Amp. Last time I was in a local shop they had one so if he comes by as he said he was tomarrow then Im going to go check it out in person. I guess its not a true OD more of a boost, but the demo's I found did show some break up and I liked it but Im a little skeptical.

What do you guys think?

 

[oldguy]

You may want to try out a Blackstar HT Drive. SuperSwede has one and it sounds fantastic. I'd like to have one myself, just a matter of time and money.......:hungry

SS did a killer blues solo w/ it here.....

http://www.thefret.net/showthread.php?t=16565

and.......

They seem to go for under $180 USD, w/ some shopping/coupon/specials, you might get one within your price range, if you like.

http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/...ube-Overdrive-Guitar-Effects-Pedal?sku=152007

 

[Neal]

I used the Byoc Clasic overdrive at a gig Thursday night, and was blown away, at how really good that thing is.



http://www.buildyourownclone.com/overdrive.html

 

[Jx2]

I used the Byoc Clasic overdrive at a gig Thursday night, and was blown away, at how really good that thing is.



http://www.buildyourownclone.com/overdrive.html

Just how difficult is one of those to build for a complete beginner. I havent even touched a iron since I swapped pups in a old Ibanez about 6 years ago.

 

[duhvoodooman]

Just how difficult is one of those to build for a complete beginner. I havent even touched a iron since I swapped pups in a old Ibanez about 6 years ago.

You may want to check out THIS THREAD, particularly post #15....

 

[sunvalleylaw]

I like this one that is based off that BYOC kit, has tons of options to shape the sound the way you want, and is not too far off your budget built by DVM for you. I would do that and not deal with building my own, but that is because my building skills are novice, and I don't want to spend my time learning to solder, etc.




http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hd59URhPAWE

Check out this new vid this guy put up too. :thumbsup

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJnVdBqvrhw&feature=player_embedded#!

 

[deeaa]

I don't think anyone can really properly tell you which OD works for you. it's so much both a matter of taste and the amp used with.

I love the Marshall Jackhammer to death, JCM800 in a box, and I'm quite stunned at how good the Biyang ODT100 tube distortion/drive pedal sounds as well. These two are completely different, the jack gives super clear proper marshall bite and the biyang a singing tubey lead tone. Both are very cheap too.

I have had maybe 20 TS type pedals, but I guess I just don't like the normal TS style, it's just too grainy/messy for my taste.

 

[Duffy]

The ocd is supposed to be superior.

 

[SuperSwede]

You may want to try out a Blackstar HT Drive. SuperSwede has one and it sounds fantastic. I'd like to have one myself, just a matter of time and money.......:hungry
[/url]

+1 on the Blackstar... It goes from boost to full-on saturated creamy overdrive.
AND it also works as a direct recording device due to its emulated output.

 

[Jx2]

The Blackstars are out of my range and for that sake if I had $200 to drop on one I would go with a Seymour Duncan Twin Tube Blue. Just saying.....

Im thinking about going with something like a Boss SD-1, and then saving the other $50 to get the Duncan later...So many choices in a way I think guys in the 60's and 70's had a little advantage, you didnt have 800 options to try to find that perfect one. The options are nice, but I dont think many people can try out all of them to find that perfect one.

 

[Perfect Stranger]

I've got two suggestions and both are excellent IMHO.

First: The new ProCo SOLO....just check it out! Wow!

Second: Seymour Duncan TweakFuzz...Double WoW!

Both go from subtle, bluesy OD to in your face, dirty,
nitty gritty distortion, and you can pick either up used
for under $75.

Don't believe me? Check out their demos on youtube!

 

[Jx2]

I do like that duncan....hmmm thanks for the idea.

 

[Perfect Stranger]

I just bought one of those Duncan's off ebay....mint condition for $41

 

[deeaa]

I'm interested in the blackstar..they seem to come in three varieties though. Still, wouldn't mind testing one, might make for a good d/i device.

 

[Duffy]

Overdrive.

I had the Boss SD-1 and thought I'd like it at the store. After I got it home I found it to be a very weak overdrive with a maximum overdrive well under what I would like.

I returned it and got the Boss OD-3 which is also a smooth, fairly low gain when maxed, overdrive; but has a LOT more overdrive when maxed out and when turned down can be adjusted to produce just a little, smooth, very pleasant overdrive. I found this to be way more satisfying to use because I could turn it up and actually overdrive the amp, unlike the SD-1.

The DS-1 is a lot of distortion, as you know.

I like my Bad Monkey best, but you don't find it to be what you want.

I have used the Seymour Duncan Tweak Fuzz, but only with single coils. I think it would be a great choice. When I used it with single coils, like most other fuzz pedals, it produced a lot of noise in the noisey switch positions on the strat, like most high gain pedals do with single coils - magnify the noise.

Another option you might want to consider is something like the Digitech RP155 multipedal, which is on sale. It will have an expression pedal if I'm not mistaken, or get the one that does. These have a few different distortions and you can blend them with other effects like reverb to fill in a sound you like. Multipedals can be really fun to use and you can get a lot of different usable tones out of them. Plus they usually have noise reduction for using single coils with overdrive.

Digitech RP350 with usb which is really a nice add on:
http://www.americanmusical.com/Item--i-DOD-RP350-LIST

RP255, same as above:
http://www.americanmusical.com/Item--i-DOD-RP255-LIST

RP155, same, without expression pedal:
http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/DigiTech-RP155-Guitar-Multi-Effects-Pedal?sku=580862

RP90, different version w expression pedal, no usb:
http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/DigiTech-RP90-Guitar-Multi-Effects-Pedal?sku=153571

 

[Jx2]

I had the Boss SD-1 and thought I'd like it at the store. After I got it home I found it to be a very weak overdrive with a maximum overdrive well under what I would like.

I returned it and got the Boss OD-3 which is also a smooth, fairly low gain when maxed, overdrive; but has a LOT more overdrive when maxed out and when turned down can be adjusted to produce just a little, smooth, very pleasant overdrive. I found this to be way more satisfying to use because I could turn it up and actually overdrive the amp, unlike the SD-1.

The DS-1 is a lot of distortion, as you know.

I like my Bad Monkey best, but you don't find it to be what you want.

I have used the Seymour Duncan Tweak Fuzz, but only with single coils. I think it would be a great choice. When I used it with single coils, like most other fuzz pedals, it produced a lot of noise in the noisey switch positions on the strat, like most high gain pedals do with single coils - magnify the noise.

Another option you might want to consider is something like the Digitech RP155 multipedal, which is on sale. It will have an expression pedal if I'm not mistaken, or get the one that does. These have a few different distortions and you can blend them with other effects like reverb to fill in a sound you like. Multipedals can be really fun to use and you can get a lot of different usable tones out of them. Plus they usually have noise reduction for using single coils with overdrive.

Digitech RP350 with usb which is really a nice add on:
http://www.americanmusical.com/Item--i-DOD-RP350-LIST

RP255, same as above:
http://www.americanmusical.com/Item--i-DOD-RP255-LIST

RP155, same, without expression pedal:
http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/DigiTech-RP155-Guitar-Multi-Effects-Pedal?sku=580862

RP90, different version w expression pedal, no usb:
http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/DigiTech-RP90-Guitar-Multi-Effects-Pedal?sku=153571

Thats a big negitive on the RP pedals. When looking for a chorus pedal I bought the RP255 and was not happy with it at all. Maybe if I spent more time with it who knows. But I like stuff as straight forward as possible, and I only found maybe 3 presets I liked. So I decided to exchange it before my 45 days was up. Thought about a pedal but then I thought Id like to have a smaller amp as well for when ppl or sleeping or its late at night and went with the Fender Champion.

 

[Duffy]

Jx2, I like individual analog pedals a lot better too. Just wanted to mention the option.

 

[6stringdrug]

I live and die by the ts-808. I have every ibanez screamer, I am a huge fan of that style of OD. I use a 1980 ts 808 right now. Before that it was the reissue, and before that the ts-9........The bad monkey is pretty good and can be had real cheap <$25. I have got some gas for the OCD, heard clips of it and it sounds great! I also have a blues driver on my board for a different flavor of OD. That's really what it boils down to, is your favorite flavor. Good luck. Enjoy the search.

 

[vroomery]

It really is all about flavor. Both of my OD's are self build with different mods. One is the basic OD kit from General Guitar Gadgets with the Langraff Mod and the other is a Mosfet OD2 from BYOC. Both are pretty sweet but I love my OD2 sooo much. I've also enjoyed some time with the Lovepedal Eternity and the COT50. For your purposes though a basic Tube Screamer is probably the best bet. Keep in mind also that a 5w tube amp will break up early and you don't need a ton of dirt from pedals.

 

[Radioboy950]

So, based on what you described in the first graph of your original post, you're looking for an overdrive pedal that's more sweet & subtle, as opposed to higher gain?

For about a hundred bucks (and change), you could get Gearmandude's Luther Drive. I think it's a terrific sounding 808 type pedal, modded for clarity and a tighter bottom. Good luck in your search.