Why do I need a distortion pedal if I already have a Tube Screamer?

[Dave Locher]

Re: Why do I need a distortion pedal if I already have a Tube Screamer?

This thread got weird. Me likey...

[eclecticsynergy]

Re: Why do I need a distortion pedal if I already have a Tube Screamer?

Many modern distortion designs are amplike enough in their volume knob interaction to deliver a broad range of drive tones, much more versatile than just full-on gain like the old school pedals. Or, you could just treat it as a lead channel.

Look at it this way: with a single channel amp and a TS, you have two textures available.
Add a great distortion box, and you have four. Do you need that? Probably not.
Might be cool and fun, though, right?

Plus, as Christopher has said upthread, having another drive stage will allow you to run your amp and your TS with less gain and improved definition, for bigger sound. More gain does not necessarily equal better tone.

There's a reason why a lot of players love - and are chasing - tones from an era before amps had a master volume control. IMO 90% of guitarists today are playing with more gain than they need at stage volume. That includes touring pros.

[Lovegun]

Re: Why do I need a distortion pedal if I already have a Tube Screamer?

There are few reasons more why you could use a distortion pedal. The pedal might give a certain tone that might not get from your amp and a Tubescreamer. I mean wise eq like Tubescreamer vs Soul Food and certain type of distortion. It might be easier when playing live to turn on the pedal than start tweaking the amp or pedal knobs. In some situations you can't crank the amp to get the tone because it might get too loud. One might play a Fender amp and need Marshall like tones. That's when a pedal is an easy solution.

[GuitarStv]

Re: Why do I need a distortion pedal if I already have a Tube Screamer?

Trick question. You don't need a distortion, you need a fuzz. :P

[Diego]

Re: Why do I need a distortion pedal if I already have a Tube Screamer?

Because they sound and respond differently. The distortion might be stiffer and have a faster attack, the overdrive might have more bloom to single notes. And maybe one of them cleans up better from the pot, who knows?

A TS9 and, say, a Boss DS1 will take your tone to completely different places. Kinda like asking why you'd need a Les Paul if you already have two pickups in a Telecaster.
Maybe you don't really need both of them, but it's good to have them.

[EDX]

Re: Why do I need a distortion pedal if I already have a Tube Screamer?

i'm surprised no one has mentioned it but when you run a distortion into the drive channel of an amp you get a sharpness in the attack and single notes that is impossible to achieve with an overdrive, and sometimes that agressive sharpness is exactly what you need to stand out a solo or to add the searing feel to a riff

[devastone]

Re: Why do I need a distortion pedal if I already have a Tube Screamer?

I know Lynch and Vai both used a DS-1 as a boost into a Marshall, Satch used a DS-1 as his distortion sound into a cleaner Marshall.

[Silence Kid]

Re: Why do I need a distortion pedal if I already have a Tube Screamer?

I like a DS1 into a distorted amp, but many distortion pedals sound like mush that way IMO.

[Diego]

Re: Why do I need a distortion pedal if I already have a Tube Screamer?

Ola Englund did a quick test of a Boss DS1 into a squeaky clean 5150 of all amps and it sounded surprisingly heavy and chunky.

That thing can be pretty evil.

[Demanic]

Re: Why do I need a distortion pedal if I already have a Tube Screamer?

Ola Englund did a quick test of a Boss DS1 into a squeaky clean 5150 of all amps and it sounded surprisingly heavy and chunky.

That thing can be pretty evil.

Most distortion pedals sound good through a squeaky clean amp. The problem is that most people tend to run them into an already distorted amp.

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[dystrust]

Re: Why do I need a distortion pedal if I already have a Tube Screamer?

Most distortion pedals sound good through a squeaky clean amp. The problem is that most people tend to run them into an already distorted amp.

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Or they run it into a 10W SS combo with an 8" speaker and wonder why it sounds kinda small...

[Silence Kid]

Re: Why do I need a distortion pedal if I already have a Tube Screamer?

Ola Englund did a quick test of a Boss DS1 into a squeaky clean 5150 of all amps and it sounded surprisingly heavy and chunky.

That thing can be pretty evil.

I’ve made mine ‘chug’ much better than his was able to IMO, using the clean channel; his sounded quite low on gain, a bit surprising to me.

[JB_From_Hell]

Re: Why do I need a distortion pedal if I already have a Tube Screamer?

I think “Ola England made a ___ sounds awesome” is the new “Jack Pearson plays a Squier.”

No disrespect meant to anybody who’s said either. I love that both of them prove that if you’re a badass, you can make anything work.

[Demanic]

Re: Why do I need a distortion pedal if I already have a Tube Screamer?

I've run my MT-2 into the clean settings on my Microcube, 2 watts and a 6" speaker.
It sounded fine.

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[devastone]

Re: Why do I need a distortion pedal if I already have a Tube Screamer?

Most distortion pedals sound good through a squeaky clean amp. The problem is that most people tend to run them into an already distorted amp.

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Not at all, Vai and Lynch used a DS-1 as a boost, lots of others too I'm sure, Nuno used a Rat and his sound is insanely percussive. The key is, like an OD, to keep the gain low. With a low gain, sometimes distortions make a "cleaner" boost than an OD.

I'm not talking Metal type distortions or anything, although some of those work too if they are set right. I think it's more knowing how to set your equipment for what you are trying to achieve. I agree that cranking the gain on a distortion pedal into a distorted amp usually = mush.