Fulltone Users: Overdrives

Silence Kid

Silence Kid

New member
YouTube steers me toward the Fulldrive MOSFET; seems to do the subtle, clear TS overdrive thing well, open, un-compressed tone gain up... The built-in boost is the icing on the cake. Guess everyone knows that, but that's what I want.

But curious how the Fulldrive responds to picking dynamics, say compared to an OCD? I've yet to play through the OCD, but as many people seem to call it "transparent" as call it a "hard-clipper;" does that just speak to it having a greater range of gain/tones than the Fulldrive? Seems like it can do the same open, smooth sort of tone, but I haven't heard it do the clear/low thing as well.

I've discounted the Plimsoul so far; seems a bit distortion-y/compressed/fuzzy, focused, nice, but doesn't seem to be what I seek. Should I give it another look, for covering the ground mentioned above?

(Fulltone, why? Because by habit I collect (and then cull) by manufacturer, for whatever reason; about to sell a bunch of Devi Ever pedals, keeping two for the tone, and maybe another two solely for the art.)
 
Re: Fulltone Users: Overdrives

I haven't used the MOSFET, but I have both OCD and Plimsoul - to my ears and use:

OCD is a fantastic overdrive, and can get very snarly in the higher ranges of the gain pot. But it doesn't have to be that way, if you dial gain back. I wouldn't ever use it (or describe it) as my "hard-clipper" of choice.

Plimsoul can get VERY close to the OCD if you keep the Sustain (1st stage gain) low and dial in the second stage, however it's not the same, and I rarely choose to run it that way. But play with both stages and your amp, and you can get to some mighty, mighty tones - definitely leans more towards distortion than overdrive for me. It is a WONDERFUL pedal.

Both are very responsive to pick attack and guitar volume and, depending on your style, you could leave them on all the time into a clean amp, then use guitar controls for everything - I've done that with the OCD into a tweed for pickup gigs before.

One thing I'd say is that, in my experience few vids of either pedal give you any sense of the versatility or tones of these pedals - so if you can try them, try them, preferably with your own rig.

Finally, I have never had a bad experience with Fulltone, and Mike's descriptions at the site are pretty good as to what and why his pedals are designed for.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
Re: Fulltone Users: Overdrives

I have an OCD. When using it for distortion, it behaves quite a bit like an old school low/mid gain amp. It does respond to picking dynamics.

When using it as a boost, it's fairly transparent. It does add a little bit of it's own color, but not as much as a screamer or a Wylde OD. It also has quite a bit if volume boost on tap, 30 some odd dB, IIRC, which is also effected by the switch.

Overall it's a good pedal, and I think that anybody who is into gain/drive pedals should have one.
 
Re: Fulltone Users: Overdrives

The best way to describe the difference between a fulldrive and an OCD is likening them to a tube screamer and a rat. Both really cool, but they do different jobs. Obviously tubescreamers and rats sound different to fulldrives and ocds, but you can get an idea of the kind of jobs they cover. To me the ocd and the fulldrive cover vastly different territory.
Another often overlooked fulltone pedal is the gt500. The boost side is really excellent, and the dirt side picks up where the fulldrive leaves off. It is defined, flexible, biting and dirty. Woks great in a two pedal setup with a fulldrive.
 
Re: Fulltone Users: Overdrives

I really wish the local store stocked the OCD. I have a Chinese clone that sounds great, but I'd really like to do an A/B comparison to the real deal without having to shell out the money until I see if the difference justifies buying it.
 
Re: Fulltone Users: Overdrives

OCD never quite meshed with me and my rig. Other people make it sound good, it just wasn't for me. I really like the MOSFET. Though if you do want the OCD sounds on a budget, check out the Danelectro Cool Cat Drive. It's a cloned circuit, true-bypass and such. The V2 has a switch that comes from the factory in a slightly altered tone. Flip it for straight OCD tones.

It's not 100% the same sounding, but it's 95% to my ears.
 
Re: Fulltone Users: Overdrives

Silence Kid said:
YouTube steers me toward the Fulldrive MOSFET; seems to do the subtle, clear TS overdrive thing well, open, un-compressed tone gain up... The built-in boost is the icing on the cake. Guess everyone knows that, but that's what I want.

But curious how the Fulldrive responds to picking dynamics, say compared to an OCD? I've yet to play through the OCD, but as many people seem to call it "transparent" as call it a "hard-clipper;" does that just speak to it having a greater range of gain/tones than the Fulldrive? Seems like it can do the same open, smooth sort of tone, but I haven't heard it do the clear/low thing as well.

I've discounted the Plimsoul so far; seems a bit distortion-y/compressed/fuzzy, focused, nice, but doesn't seem to be what I seek. Should I give it another look, for covering the ground mentioned above?

(Fulltone, why? Because by habit I collect (and then cull) by manufacturer, for whatever reason; about to sell a bunch of Devi Ever pedals, keeping two for the tone, and maybe another two solely for the art.)
Click to expand...

If you sign up for their mail list, Mike puts most of his stuff on sale every week or two. He calls them Blems but the ones I've got were perfect. I think this is his way of having a sale but not devaluing his brand.
 
Re: Fulltone Users: Overdrives

Scott_F said:
If you sign up for their mail list, Mike puts most of his stuff on sale every week or two. He calls them Blems but the ones I've got were perfect. I think this is his way of having a sale but not devaluing his brand.
Click to expand...

Exactly what I'm doing ;) Stuff can go quick I've noticed.
 
Re: Fulltone Users: Overdrives

I have an OCD v4 and absolutely love it. Easily one of the top 3 overdrives I have ever used. I like to leave it on all the time unless I need a really clean setting. It feels like an extension of the amp. I'll use it as a standalone drive or as a kick in the pants to an already overdriven amp tone by dialing the drive back some.
 
Re: Fulltone Users: Overdrives

ErikH said:
I have an OCD v4 and absolutely love it. Easily one of the top 3 overdrives I have ever used. I like to leave it on all the time unless I need a really clean setting. It feels like an extension of the amp. I'll use it as a standalone drive or as a kick in the pants to an already overdriven amp tone by dialing the drive back some.
Click to expand...

Which amp(s)?
 
Re: Fulltone Users: Overdrives

I've had an OCD V1 and V3, and a Fat-Boost 3

I've never played a Fulldrive for long enough to really "get it". It just doesn't really get my attention, I guess.

I liked the V3 OCD better than the V1. More even tonal response across the board without losing the attitude it has, or had. V4 is more refined but it lost a touch of the personality.

But I did use one as my main overdrive for almost a decade. I never plugged it into an amp where it didn't sound great. Very rich, even, open, great even order harmonic content, just great stuff overall.

I'm using an Xotic BB-COMP now and I like that pedal more for the band I'm in and what I wanna hear out of an overdrive pedal these days. More overall tonal control with the B/T knobs, slightly less gain, more mids, and control over the compression amount.

My FB3 is my favorite clean boost I've ever played with. It's great for making a guitar sound come up over the top of things and refining the EQ without adding hardly any gain, though it will get sorta toasty around the edges if you max the gain out. That Class A FET really does great stuff for the sound!
 
Re: Fulltone Users: Overdrives

FD2 might be what you are asking for. It has too many controls. So it took me a couple of minutes to admit I like it and still have it.

Have you had an opportunity to play the little blue box known as the FD2? It seems have a bit of color as I usually leave the right side in MOSFET and a slight bit of extra treble on the tone control.

This has some TS with more bass and it can go to full on boost with these switch settings - try Comp Cut and Vintage.

Switches make this blue box come alive. On the OD side, it has a useful three way toggle switch. Here are the positions:

Comp cut:
Removed the clipping diodes

FM - Flat Mids:
Takes out some mid range hump

Vintage:
Puts some hump back in.


Hope this helps.
 
Re: Fulltone Users: Overdrives

Yes take another look at the Plimsoul and spend some time with it. It really is a fantastic pedal!

I used to have a Fulldrive 2 but I traded it in. Just too darn big for my minimalist pedalboard and I didn't like how the boost was only usable if the overdrive was also on. That meant I needed yet ANOTHER pedal, taking up even more room. Of course, the Fulldrive 3 fixes that now. I did like the sound however.
 
Re: Fulltone Users: Overdrives

Stepped into the Fulldrive 2 Mosfet, waiting for it to arrive. Came close to grabbing a non-Mosfet; the Fulldrive 3 demos on YouTube sound nice but maybe a bit brighter/more scooped, still good and I don't doubt I could make it work, we'll see if I feel the need to drag the others in to play as well.

Hope to replace a couple things on my board with it due to its alleged versatility; the size isn't a concern to me anyway. Nothing like fiddling with a bunch of knobs and switches to make you want to play guitar :D Feel free to chime in with any useful settings.
 
Re: Fulltone Users: Overdrives

I will never buy another Fulltone anything. I hear Fuller is a moronic asshat.
 
Re: Fulltone Users: Overdrives

Silence Kid said:
As mentioned I have a good collection of Devi Ever pedals, so I'm already riding the moronic asshat bandwagon.
Click to expand...
Do what you like. I just find it ridiculous he went for that patent on the Plimsoul which is essentially a TS and a RAT fused together. It even copies some design elements from the RAT.
 
Re: Fulltone Users: Overdrives

So if I run a TS into a Rat (or a Rat into a TS) would I basically be getting the Plimsoul sound but with three options (one, the other or both) rather than just on or off?
I already have a TS-based pedal that I like a lot, and I can certainly be talked into trying out a Rat.
 
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