Fave distortion overdrive pedals

FireBros.

FireBros.

New member
I pretty much always use two basic types of distortion pedals. One for basic overdrive, usually some type of Tubescreamer type, and a heavier high gain sound.

All my amps are single channel, non-master volume, so I kind of use this set up in the way you might use a 3 channel amp.

It would be cool if y'all could post your favorites in these categories. Also noting what sound/style you're going for, and what you like about those pedals. Mine are as follows, in order of coolness(to me).

Overdrive/ Medium Gain
Voodoo Labs Sparkledrive, Boss Super Overdrive SD-1, Ibanez TS-9 or TS-5

Heavy Distortion/ High Gain
Danelectro Fabtone, Boss Metal Zone, Danelectro Black Paisley
 
Re: Fave distortion overdrive pedals

Overdrive / Medium Gain:

G2D Custom Overdrive (good coverage of all my rock and softer style playing)
Maxon OD808 (use alternately with the G2D Custom - nice smooth sound)

High Gain:

G2D Morpheus (BIG sound - replaced my Metal Zone. Best high-gain pedal I've ever used)
 
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Re: Fave distortion overdrive pedals

Overdrive/ Medium Gain
Mesa Rectifier
MXR Wylde OD
TS-9
Tech21 SansAmp GT-2
EB Volume

Heavy Distortion/ High Gain
Mesa Rectifier
TS-9
EB Volume

I run my Recto like it's two single channel amps. I use an Ernie Ball volume to control each channel for clean, rhythm OD, or lead OD/Distortion.

I use the MXR Wylde OD to push the clean channel for a heavy rhythm OD or distortion (depending on where the volume pedal is set) as it's quite a bit brighter than my amps natural distortion.

For darker heavy rhythm work, I use the amps natural distortion.

I use the TS-9 to boost the clean channel for a compressed lead sound. On the dirt channel I use it to boost the compression without adding significan gain for a more even lead tone.

I also use the MXR and TS-9 together for a dual overdrive, sustain for days type lead tone.

I use the Tech21 SansAmp GT-2 for extreme, over the top preamp style high gain. Generally only used for punk riffs.
 
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Re: Fave distortion overdrive pedals

Overdrive/Crunch:
BOSS SD1 Super Overdrive
Seymour Duncan Pickup Booster
Ibanez TS9 Tubescreamer (Modded by Stratdeluxer)

Heavier Overdrive:
Either my JCM800 or Marshall JTM60's Overdrive channel.

I'm still playing with the 'format' of how I'm going to use my pedals but I tend to use the TS9 as a 'light' Overdrive, I use the Pup Booster to to push either the TS9 or my amps OD further and use the SD1 to add a little more volume when I use a Strat instead of a LP.

I also have a G2D Custom Overdrive that I use when using someone elses rig, so that I can get a sound I'm used to hearing from an amp I may not be familiar with :)

I also have a Big Muff fuzz kicking around somewhere for whenever I want a nice, horrible tone :)

Craig
 
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Re: Fave distortion overdrive pedals

light drive: BSM OR treble booster
heavy: Fulltone Soulbender

I also use and like the Kendrick Buffalo Pfuz, and a friend of mine is making a Hornby Skewes treble booster clone.
 
Re: Fave distortion overdrive pedals

For overdrive I'm hip to the Boss Super Overdrive. I remember suspecting there was something good about them when i saw Duke Robillard using one. I snagged one cheap and sure enough it's pretty much the sound I've been looking for.

The Wasabi Overdrive is a great little toy as well; alot of great sounds in there but I tend not to use it for gigging on rehearsals because of all the options and my propensity to want to tweak sounds in what would be an inappropriate situation. Instead it sits in my studio and gets torked with pretty often.

For Distortion I'm half-embarassed and half-proud that I've got two Boss DS-1's. One was given to me and the other I bought for ten bucks with the intention of sending it to Robert Keeley. it hasn't gone out yet because I'm having a hard time comprehending what sixty-five bucks worth of "better" would be.
 
Re: Fave distortion overdrive pedals

Overdrive
-LoveTone Brown Source

Distortion
-Pro Co Rat

Fuzz
-Axis Fuzz

I still have to send John my DS-1 to get the treatment. Sometimes I will use a Boss EQ set flat with the level maxed out or an Electro Harmonix LPB-1 to push the Brown Source harder. For some rteat ratty tones I use an MXR Distortion +. When I want a real bad metal tone, I have a Boss HM-3 that works good for that, and when I want my guitar to sound like a hairdryer, I pull out the old Big Muff! And I still am putting off pickimg up an Expandora...which I will do one day.
 
Re: Fave distortion overdrive pedals

For my playing I usually just use the pedal as a boost for leads, and have always had a pretty heavy amount of gain for rythm sounds (play hard rock/older metal ala old Gary Moore, Schenker, John Sykes, John Norum,etc), 99% of the time I just rolled back the guitar volume for clean or moderate crunch on my Marshall tube amps or my old Sansamp/Princeton Chorus setup.

I've always been partial to the sound of Ibanez Tube screamers, especially with set neck Gibsons. It tightens up/defines the bottom end quite well on PAF style pickups or even the Gibsons w/ Customs in the bridge that I had. Unfortunately I've never had good longevity with the Tubescreamers...switches always went bad after a few months.

However, I've had a Boss Super Overdrive since probably 1989 and that pedal has never let me down, and sounds damn good too.. even now after sitting in a box for 9 or 10 years. I prefer to use it with Bolt on neck guitars with humbuckers as it adds a little more "thickness" and the Tube screamer tends to sound a bit thinner/cuts low end..at least in the guitar & amp combos I used to have. I've been running my heritage Les Paul (Duncan 59's) through 1987 Marshall reissue w/ powerbrake and the Super Overdrive sounds very, very nice with that, though I believe the 1987 would make anything sound fantastic. ;) :D

Ibanez also had a good distortion pedal in the late 80's I really liked..it was kinda green like a Tube screamer, but had high and low controls too...can't remember the name.

I never could get sounds that I liked out of the other distortion pedals of my old playing days....just too grainy/ transistory...I pretty much had 'em all...Boss DS-1, Heavy Metal Pedal, Boss Turbo Overdrive, the first Boss one with built in delay (metal something.. red & black knobs), MXR D+, DOD overdrive and distortion pedals, plus the purple-ish colored DOD hard distortion one, Chandler Tube driver, Rockman half-rack distortion pre-amp, Pro-Co Rat, and some I've probably forgotten.
 
Re: Fave distortion overdrive pedals

the vox valvetone is a nice overdrive that has a little different flavor than a tubescreamer
 
Re: Fave distortion overdrive pedals

Hendrix Fuzzface Tone: Fulltone '69

SRV Tone: Stratdeluxer modded TS-9

Satriani & Vai Tone: Boss DS-1

Those three are IT it for me.

Lew
 
Re: Fave distortion overdrive pedals

For Rythym and lead work I use a TS-9 to push my pre-amp tubes a bit. My gain/dirve is not set too high for rythym, a bit higher for lead, (mesa Tri, gain and drive are both around 6.5 for my rythym sound) and I don't really use any of the OD on the TS-9. Just volume and tone. Gets a nice, "pushed" feel, with good crunchiness, good harmonics, and great sustain.
 
Re: Fave distortion overdrive pedals

crunch: dirty amp with the guitar vol pot 70-80%, occassionally EQ pedals in the FX loops for fine tailoring

lead: Cry Baby "on"

less dirty: vol pot rolled back

clean: what?!?


simple plan ;)



Other than that, my fav dirty pedal is the BOSS DS-1.
 
Re: Fave distortion overdrive pedals

Fulltone Full-Drive 2 for OD
Fulltone Fat Boost for clean boost
Brotech Fat Pipe Pro for distortion
 
Re: Fave distortion overdrive pedals

jeremy said:
the vox valvetone is a nice overdrive that has a little different flavor than a tubescreamer
Click to expand...

Valvetones are cool. I regret selling mine.

My choices:

low gain/od: G2D classic overdrive. Runner up: Crowther hotcake

High gain: H&K tubeman (channel 3)

Fuzz: coloursound tonebender
 
Re: Fave distortion overdrive pedals

A jcm800 od channel or a "real" plexi....oh the only pedal worth using the Ibanez ts-8 808 tubescreamer.
 
Re: Fave distortion overdrive pedals

LyMob said:
the only pedal worth using the Ibanez ts-8 808 tubescreamer.
Click to expand...

thats a bold statement. ever tried a klon?
 
Re: Fave distortion overdrive pedals

For a light overdrive sound, STRATDELUXER97 Boss DS-1, and for metal type gain, my Boss MT-2, which is currently on the way to "Analog Mike" Piera.
 
Re: Fave distortion overdrive pedals

original ProCo Rat pedal for hardrock.
 
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