I'm doing some pedalboard re-arranging. Bill Rupert demo-videoed me into replacing my DD-3 and Ana Echo with a single Grand Canyon. I'm also switching to a Mini Pitchblack. All told, I've freed up enough space to fit one more dirt pedal on the board. Trouble is, I have four pedals I like, and room for three.
The pedals that made the short list are (from clean to dirty):
The BB Preamp is non-negotiable, it's my main overdrive sound and the best OD I've ever played (YMMV). So, I have to decide on two of the remaining three. I think there's some overlap no matter what I choose. For example, I could get much the same effect as the Stratoblaster by simply turning my amp (Marshall 18 Watter clone) up and working my guitar volume more. I can also get the BB Preamp to do the clean-boost thing, though I usually run it with the gain and boost knobs up midway.
At lower gain settings, the Rat kinda does the BB's thing; tube-y overdrive (though the BB is less compressed and way better at it to my ear). I've been running just the BB and the Rat for a while now, and tend to use the Rat at higher-gain settings, but at really high gain settings, the Rat gets splatty and almost fuzz-like (Please, nobody tell TGWIF I said that.). At that point, it's getting into the Big Muff's extreme dirt territory (but without the mid scoop and huge bottom).
I'm mostly an old '80s new wave guy, so the BB has been good enough for me for a long time. OTOH, I have belatedly gotten into some later post-grunge bands (RHCP, Sound Garden) and most recently Wolf Alice, all of whom regularly make me think, "Sometimes you just gotta have a Big Muff."
Which ones would you put on the board? Why?
The pedals that made the short list are (from clean to dirty):
- DIY Stratoblaster (bright clean boost)
- Xotic BB Preamp
- DIY LM308 Rat
- DIY Triangle Muff
The BB Preamp is non-negotiable, it's my main overdrive sound and the best OD I've ever played (YMMV). So, I have to decide on two of the remaining three. I think there's some overlap no matter what I choose. For example, I could get much the same effect as the Stratoblaster by simply turning my amp (Marshall 18 Watter clone) up and working my guitar volume more. I can also get the BB Preamp to do the clean-boost thing, though I usually run it with the gain and boost knobs up midway.
At lower gain settings, the Rat kinda does the BB's thing; tube-y overdrive (though the BB is less compressed and way better at it to my ear). I've been running just the BB and the Rat for a while now, and tend to use the Rat at higher-gain settings, but at really high gain settings, the Rat gets splatty and almost fuzz-like (Please, nobody tell TGWIF I said that.). At that point, it's getting into the Big Muff's extreme dirt territory (but without the mid scoop and huge bottom).
I'm mostly an old '80s new wave guy, so the BB has been good enough for me for a long time. OTOH, I have belatedly gotten into some later post-grunge bands (RHCP, Sound Garden) and most recently Wolf Alice, all of whom regularly make me think, "Sometimes you just gotta have a Big Muff."
Which ones would you put on the board? Why?
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