Just how much gain does an OCD have?

VergDan

VergDan

New member
I'm really unfamiliar with this famous pedal, which is a shame.
Sounds to my ear it can do some beautiful solo and smooth legato runs. Does it have enough gain for 80's metal?
 
Re: Just how much gain does an OCD have?

It's not really high gain in nature. It's best for cranking the volume and making your preamp overdrive harder.
 
Re: Just how much gain does an OCD have?

What Empty Pockets said. It's meant to add bite to something that's already breaking up. I don't have an OCD original, but I have the EHX clone of it. That's how I use mine.
 
Re: Just how much gain does an OCD have?

Coma said:
It's meant to add bite to something that's already breaking up.
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I think I know what you mean, but is there a more technical way to explain what you mean by bite?

Without hearing the tone, it is difficult to get a more precise auditory imagining.
 
Re: Just how much gain does an OCD have?

I didn’t really bond with the OCD I tried, but I only tried it trough a very clean amp. I never thought to try it though an amp that was already breaking up.

And to the OP, I wanted it to have more gain than it does, and I also wanted three low end to be tighter.
 
Re: Just how much gain does an OCD have?

It's an Overdrive - not distortion.

That said, a very transparent and articulate natural sounding one.
 
Re: Just how much gain does an OCD have?

I don't think it does the 80s rock sounds very well, unless it is pushing an already hot amp. It is certainly on the 'overdrive' side of things.
 
Re: Just how much gain does an OCD have?

I tried a few OCD iterations..most overrated pedal in history.."amp like"? HA!.. quashes all dynamics and natural sponge / feel of a vintage non master volume amp. For modern run of the mill amps, or for modern crusching sound ( which isn't "tone") stuff i guess its good, why not, they have no real tone of the original vintage amps anyway.
 
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Re: Just how much gain does an OCD have?

i gotta disagree with the posts here so far. the ocd has a ton of gain compared to most overdrives. it has more than enough gain to make a clean amp dirty, and if you are using it to break up a dirty amp keep the gain below 12 oclock. dont take the advice of people who have clones of it, go play one for yourself. its one of my favorites.
 
Re: Just how much gain does an OCD have?

PS - I have played this pedal. I am in an 80's hair band. I don't use it. And yes, if you are running a cranked Marshall 800, and want too goose it with a little "more" like a SD-1, or a TS9, it will do that all day. Perhaps more so than either of those. But it is still an overdrive.
 
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Re: Just how much gain does an OCD have?

superpete said:
i gotta disagree with the posts here so far. the ocd has a ton of gain compared to most overdrives. it has more than enough gain to make a clean amp dirty, and if you are using it to break up a dirty amp keep the gain below 12 oclock. dont take the advice of people who have clones of it, go play one for yourself. its one of my favorites.
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ive played one a bunch of times though never cared enough to buy one but i very much agree with this, it has a good amount of gain. i dont find it all that transparent or neutral but it does what it does well and feels good
 
Re: Just how much gain does an OCD have?

i played one for the first time the other night sitting in with the band i am (re)joining .... played it through a 2x6L6 1ch MV 12"combo set loud enough for the small room and clean .... i really liked it ... i had the neck pickup of the PRS SC245 cranked for solo tones and the bridge pickup riding between 3 and 7 for varying degrees of crunchy classic rock rhythm from subtle to substantial ... it was on for all 6 of my tunes
 
Re: Just how much gain does an OCD have?

I've been using mine for mostly low to mid gain stuff lately but I think it does a pretty fair job on 80s rock tones as well. If you're talking early Metallica, then I would say no. Anything less than that is a possibility.
 
Re: Just how much gain does an OCD have?

Had one and a couple of based clones did not care for any of them. I still have several pedals on the shelf in the OD/boost category.
 
Re: Just how much gain does an OCD have?

I sold mine a while ago.
While true I was "deleting" all of my ODs & distortions, I still never got what all the hub-bub about the OCD was about.
Bland stomp to me... and same experience I had to the Fulldrive he put out.
 
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Re: Just how much gain does an OCD have?

I think the thing sounds really good - especially if not timed. That said - if I'm going to 10, there are lot of things that go to 11. I like 11....
 
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