The worst pedal you've ever owned?

[Securb]

Re: The worst pedal you've ever owned?

I wonder if he's talking about the 3-knob Tube Works version? I've had both the Chandler and Tube Works 'Tube Driver', and they are completely different circuits. The Chandler is like an overdrive pedal with a 2 band EQ instead of the tone knob. The rack version has 3 band EQ as well as a switchable boost function. The Tube Works OTOH has A LOT more gain than the Chandler and it tends to be somewhat harsh and metallic sounding. Compared to other pedals, I think it sounds more like a Boss DS-1 than an overdrive.

The Chandler is like a Marshall in a rack. I used it with my JC120 in the thrash band and it sounded fantastic. Recently I had it going into the Quad Reverb side by side with the JCM 2000 and the similarity was astounding. I also used it for a while as the preamp in my JBL stack. The thing has never let me down. The rack unit also has the bias and contour control to further dial in your tone.

[dystrust]

Re: The worst pedal you've ever owned?

Interesting. I have the rack and absolutely love it. When you say the Chandler is "bad" do you mean they did a bad job copying the Butler or do you find the tone in the unit to be offending in some way?

I wonder if he's talking about the 3-knob Tube Works version? I've had both the Chandler and Tube Works 'Tube Driver', and they are completely different circuits. The Chandler is like an overdrive pedal with a 2 band EQ instead of the tone knob. The rack version has 3 band EQ as well as a switchable boost function. The Tube Works OTOH has A LOT more gain than the Chandler and it tends to be somewhat harsh and metallic sounding. Compared to other pedals, I think it sounds more like a Boss DS-1 than an overdrive.

[Diego]

Re: The worst pedal you've ever owned?

Easily Digitech death metal. Such crap. Impossible to find a good tone on it. I still have it though bc it makes me laugh bc its so terrible

I've never tried one, and I find the idea of a Death Metal distortion pedal WITH NO GAIN KNOB simply hysterical.

[Securb]

Re: The worst pedal you've ever owned?

The Chandler was an attempt to copy the BK Butler original. It failed. I have the BK now, and it's still an awesome pedal. Much more powerful than the Chandler rack.

Interesting. I have the rack and absolutely love it. When you say the Chandler is "bad" do you mean they did a bad job copying the Butler or do you find the tone in the unit to be offending in some way?

[Rex_Rocker]

Re: The worst pedal you've ever owned?

The only TS-inspired pedal I know of that does that is the Voodoo Lab Sparkle Drive. I've played tons of Ibanez tube screamers and I own a Maxon OD-9, and none of them have a clean blend. I hear it's a rather common TS mod, so maybe that's why Digitech and Line 6 decided to have their models do that?

No, actually all of the TS-type circuits do this to an extent. The Maxon OD-820 and VOP-9 as well as the Sparkle Drive and the new Jeckyl and Hyde have this feature built-in more evidently, but the classic 808 and 9 type of circuit do this as well to an extent. Sometimes subtly. This may be of the reason why they're more popular for pushing an already overdriven amp. Listen to your OD-9 on top of amp dialed in completely clean. I used to have an OD-9 as well. The "clean" being blended in is not really clean clean, but I'm sure you'll notice it.

http://www.bteaudio.com/articles/TSS/TSS.html

[Redhorn]

Re: The worst pedal you've ever owned?

Easily Digitech death metal. Such crap. Impossible to find a good tone on it. I still have it though bc it makes me laugh bc its so terrible

[IM4Tone]

Re: The worst pedal you've ever owned?

...But the real winner might be a Vintage Fender Blender that I bought new back when they first came out. Oh, it was a great pedal, no doubt about it. Very unique. But you see, it got stolen, along with every other piece of gear I owned. I was devastated, and it took a couple of years to get whole again.

And then about 15 years later, I found a good deal on a used one and got it. Unfortunately it didn't sound nearly as good as the first one. Disappointing. And then...it was also stolen, along with a couple of other pedals. Total bummer.

And I have to tell you, every now and then one of these vintage pedals will pop up at a guitar show...tantalizing me with its Siren call....

...and I put my hands FIRMLY in my pockets and walk away from the temptation. It's like a beautiful woman that you KNOW is just going to break your heart. So hard to resist, but you need to walk away.

Karma has bitten me twice, and I just don't need to have any more gear stolen. So maybe not the worst, but the Fender Blender...that's an EVIL pedal!!!

Bill

You need to change where you hang out!

[treyhaislip]

Re: The worst pedal you've ever owned?

20 years ago, we didn't have internets to warn us. Everything sounds gooder in the shop when you're gassing. It's only later you find out that $25 coulda went for pizza and tacos that yielded better tone and similar output quality.

Ha! That is hilarious!

[DrNewcenstein]

Re: The worst pedal you've ever owned?

20 years ago, we didn't have internets to warn us. Everything sounds gooder in the shop when you're gassing. It's only later you find out that $25 coulda went for pizza and tacos that yielded better tone and similar output quality.

[Falloffthebonetone]

Re: The worst pedal you've ever owned?

This one?





I agree ...it was my first/worst distortion pedal ever..

AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

[DrNewcenstein]

Re: The worst pedal you've ever owned?

I thought you were a big fan of Chandler Tube Drivers; is the honeymoon over already?

The Chandler was an attempt to copy the BK Butler original. It failed. I have the BK now, and it's still an awesome pedal. Much more powerful than the Chandler rack.

[Demanic]

Re: The worst pedal you've ever owned?

MXR Microflange. It made everything sound like a jet taking of and landing. No sort of wet/dry blend to it. Just a rate control.

[Boogie Bill]

Re: The worst pedal you've ever owned?

Interesting question, yet there are no simple answers.

My DanElectro FAB Echo is pretty junky, but it does one thing pretty well, and for $15 it's a pretty great value.

The DOD 250 overdrive sounded good with some amps, not so good with. thers. My FX overdrive had the same issues.

I have a Peavey Accelerator overdrive, and it's nothing to get excited about, except....it has just a killer tone for slide guitar. But for single note leads...meh.

But the real winner might be a Vintage Fender Blender that I bought new back when they first came out. Oh, it was a great pedal, no doubt about it. Very unique. But you see, it got stolen, along with every other piece of gear I owned. I was devastated, and it took a couple of years to get whole again.

And then about 15 years later, I found a good deal on a used one and got it. Unfortunately it didn't sound nearly as good as the first one. Disappointing. And then...it was also stolen, along with a couple of other pedals. Total bummer.

And I have to tell you, every now and then one of these vintage pedals will pop up at a guitar show...tantalizing me with its Siren call....

...and I put my hands FIRMLY in my pockets and walk away from the temptation. It's like a beautiful woman that you KNOW is just going to break your heart. So hard to resist, but you need to walk away.

Karma has bitten me twice, and I just don't need to have any more gear stolen. So maybe not the worst, but the Fender Blender...that's an EVIL pedal!!!

Bill

[czarokrates]

Re: The worst pedal you've ever owned?

EHX Dr Q, too simple correction for me...

Re: The worst pedal you've ever owned?

As I have gotten better at understanding how to use pedals better, I would probably be able to find uses for some that I have hated over the years. However, I'm not sure there is anything redeeming about the old DOD Thrash Master that I had. That things was awful.

Sometimes, the Power of Suck is just too strong.