Looking for gain pedals is stressful.
- Thread starter TimmyPage
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Red_Label
New member
Re: Looking for gain pedals is stressful.
Let's see here.... in the past year or two I've had a modded TS9, Plexitone, OCD, Bogner Red, Red Dirt, DS1-X, Pinnacle Deluxe and another Plexitone. For what I was looking for (headroom, dynamics, real tube feel, etc)... the Plexitone has been the hands-down winner. They were all great pedals, but the PT just spanked 'em all for me. Biggest disappointment was probably the Pinnacle. I had such high hopes for that pedal. But I had already been spoiled by the PT. My search for another drive pedal is over. If someone brings one to my house, plugs me in and I'm blown-away... that's one thing. Otherwise, I'm done wasting my time.
P.S. My one "complaint" about the PT would be the mid-scoop. I would LOVE it if they would issue an original PT with TMB controls. But for now, I just use my MXR EQ when I want to boost those mids slightly.
Let's see here.... in the past year or two I've had a modded TS9, Plexitone, OCD, Bogner Red, Red Dirt, DS1-X, Pinnacle Deluxe and another Plexitone. For what I was looking for (headroom, dynamics, real tube feel, etc)... the Plexitone has been the hands-down winner. They were all great pedals, but the PT just spanked 'em all for me. Biggest disappointment was probably the Pinnacle. I had such high hopes for that pedal. But I had already been spoiled by the PT. My search for another drive pedal is over. If someone brings one to my house, plugs me in and I'm blown-away... that's one thing. Otherwise, I'm done wasting my time.
P.S. My one "complaint" about the PT would be the mid-scoop. I would LOVE it if they would issue an original PT with TMB controls. But for now, I just use my MXR EQ when I want to boost those mids slightly.
Red_Label
New member
Re: Looking for gain pedals is stressful.
Really... is that why people make the effort to get on gear forums and research purchases to find the gear that inspires them? To just "get any pedal and make it work"?
A good/great player can make just about anything sound good/great. But find me an EJ, EVH, SRV, YJM, etc who doesn't have clear preferences for certain gear. Same holds true for average players of lesser ear and capabilities. Gear can inspire to play more, or it can inspire to play less. The players that I've known who had no preference for gear (like the other lead player in the last band I was in), had blah tone and uninspired performances. They just didn't care. Which made it hard for me to care (about playing with them).
Really... is that why people make the effort to get on gear forums and research purchases to find the gear that inspires them? To just "get any pedal and make it work"?
A good/great player can make just about anything sound good/great. But find me an EJ, EVH, SRV, YJM, etc who doesn't have clear preferences for certain gear. Same holds true for average players of lesser ear and capabilities. Gear can inspire to play more, or it can inspire to play less. The players that I've known who had no preference for gear (like the other lead player in the last band I was in), had blah tone and uninspired performances. They just didn't care. Which made it hard for me to care (about playing with them).
Chickenwings
Alnico 6/8
zenmindbeginner
New member
Re: Looking for gain pedals is stressful.
I shop by demos... going to music stores is always such a drag. There are usually 2-3 demos for every piece of gear ever made.
Trying out pedals at noisy stores through different amps or guitars is never a scientific way of going about one's tone IMHO.
Why don't you hit up Big Flannel & your other UK based mates here to borrow some of their pedals?
Borrowing pedals is the best way to figure out if you want something or not. Pedals are sturdy and don't get damaged very easily... great for a loan to a friend.
I shop by demos... going to music stores is always such a drag. There are usually 2-3 demos for every piece of gear ever made.
Trying out pedals at noisy stores through different amps or guitars is never a scientific way of going about one's tone IMHO.
Why don't you hit up Big Flannel & your other UK based mates here to borrow some of their pedals?
Borrowing pedals is the best way to figure out if you want something or not. Pedals are sturdy and don't get damaged very easily... great for a loan to a friend.
briggleman
New member
Re: Looking for gain pedals is stressful.
Okay, going get kicked in the A$$ for this, but what the heck...... pick up a used or new Digitech or Line 6, or whatever multi-effects unit, like an old RP355, or one of the new 360XP's from digitech. Play with the amp and cab sims, and effects... every known dirt pedal is in one of these units, or a facsimile of one. Find the dirt effect that comes close, find out what or how it was created, (they explain everyone on the website and you see it in the display, especially the new 360XP). Anyway, you asked. Just throwing it out there.
Brad
Okay, going get kicked in the A$$ for this, but what the heck...... pick up a used or new Digitech or Line 6, or whatever multi-effects unit, like an old RP355, or one of the new 360XP's from digitech. Play with the amp and cab sims, and effects... every known dirt pedal is in one of these units, or a facsimile of one. Find the dirt effect that comes close, find out what or how it was created, (they explain everyone on the website and you see it in the display, especially the new 360XP). Anyway, you asked. Just throwing it out there.
Brad
Phantasmagoria
watch where you point that sabre
Re: Looking for gain pedals is stressful.
Your search is ogre.... uh.. ..I mean ...over :laugh2:
I just go by a few demo's too...the store thing is tedious & unless you cart your amp/guiatrs/gear over ..it's sort of pointless as well.
Your search is ogre.... uh.. ..I mean ...over :laugh2:
I just go by a few demo's too...the store thing is tedious & unless you cart your amp/guiatrs/gear over ..it's sort of pointless as well.
Agileguy_101
Master of his Domain
Re: Looking for gain pedals is stressful.
He has a superiority complex. In his mind, if you don't gig or record, you're not worthy of nice gear.
He has a superiority complex. In his mind, if you don't gig or record, you're not worthy of nice gear.
Demanic
PenultimateTone Member
Re: Looking for gain pedals is stressful.
Give Keeley a shot. I'm sure that they would have something to fill the niche. I like their Katana clean boost with the volume knob pulled out. In that setting, it's supposed to be similar to an old Dallas Rangemaster. https://robertkeeley.com/product-category/overdrive/ or https://robertkeeley.com/product-category/boost/
Give Keeley a shot. I'm sure that they would have something to fill the niche. I like their Katana clean boost with the volume knob pulled out. In that setting, it's supposed to be similar to an old Dallas Rangemaster. https://robertkeeley.com/product-category/overdrive/ or https://robertkeeley.com/product-category/boost/
Aceman
I am your doctor of love!
Re: Looking for gain pedals is stressful.
I know - just throwing the smack out there to be contrary
However - there are a million shades of dirt. You CAN get way obsessed with it. I agree with all of the "Listen to a bunch and pick the one you like" people in reality….
But I'm also not a tone freak. I'm not saying I want my sound to suck, but I'm not going to obsess over something a tweak of a gain knob or a little left/right on the eq from guitar/pedal/amp can make good.
Remember - I am the guy who says there is a time and a place for every dirt box. But I understand about trying to find that tone. I choose not to spend my time doing that anymore.
I know - just throwing the smack out there to be contrary
However - there are a million shades of dirt. You CAN get way obsessed with it. I agree with all of the "Listen to a bunch and pick the one you like" people in reality….
But I'm also not a tone freak. I'm not saying I want my sound to suck, but I'm not going to obsess over something a tweak of a gain knob or a little left/right on the eq from guitar/pedal/amp can make good.
Remember - I am the guy who says there is a time and a place for every dirt box. But I understand about trying to find that tone. I choose not to spend my time doing that anymore.
everdrone
New member
Re: Looking for gain pedals is stressful.
well, sounds like you are not obsessed about it, and are entering a world of obsession
just buy a standard one that sounds good to you for your rig, and avoid the world of obsession
a lot of pedals are very simple design but are made to suit certain amps and styles of music. its like buying golf clubs matched to your swing.
well, sounds like you are not obsessed about it, and are entering a world of obsession
just buy a standard one that sounds good to you for your rig, and avoid the world of obsession
a lot of pedals are very simple design but are made to suit certain amps and styles of music. its like buying golf clubs matched to your swing.
chadd
New member
Re: Looking for gain pedals is stressful.
Randomly pick one and see if it gives you the tones that you want. If so, buy it. If not, move on to the next one. Don't worry if there is something better or more popular out there, just see if it works for you. Don't get caught up in the tone chase that so many people get wrapped up in. Pick something that works and tune out the rest.
Randomly pick one and see if it gives you the tones that you want. If so, buy it. If not, move on to the next one. Don't worry if there is something better or more popular out there, just see if it works for you. Don't get caught up in the tone chase that so many people get wrapped up in. Pick something that works and tune out the rest.
AudioWonderland
New member
Re: Looking for gain pedals is stressful.
I have to agree. The differences between all of those dirt pedals you see is largely so minimal it doesn't matter. I have tried or owned a lot of pedals over the last few decades. The closest thing to boutique I have is a CM Plexitone, Fulldrive2 or a Reverend Drivetrain. None of them qualify as boutique to me. I have a $30 MXR Classic Overdrive on my board currently. An SD-1 is commonly used as well.
I have to agree. The differences between all of those dirt pedals you see is largely so minimal it doesn't matter. I have tried or owned a lot of pedals over the last few decades. The closest thing to boutique I have is a CM Plexitone, Fulldrive2 or a Reverend Drivetrain. None of them qualify as boutique to me. I have a $30 MXR Classic Overdrive on my board currently. An SD-1 is commonly used as well.
Boogie Bill
New member
Re: Looking for gain pedals is stressful.
Can I get an amen to this!
Bill
I chased dirt pedals until I got an amp with a dirt channel I liked.
Can I get an amen to this!
Bill
everdrone
New member
Re: Looking for gain pedals is stressful.
nah; its cool to have a tube amp that you dig the dirt, and I have that in my Orange Thunderverb 50 which is a dirt wielding monster.
but my pedals: black arts pharaoh fuzz pedal, and keeley modded proco rat
my pedals just add so much more than any amp has. for instance, an amp without a fuzz pedal sounds like just that! no way else to get that fuzzy-pedal type tone.
nah; its cool to have a tube amp that you dig the dirt, and I have that in my Orange Thunderverb 50 which is a dirt wielding monster.
but my pedals: black arts pharaoh fuzz pedal, and keeley modded proco rat
my pedals just add so much more than any amp has. for instance, an amp without a fuzz pedal sounds like just that! no way else to get that fuzzy-pedal type tone.
Red_Label
New member
Re: Looking for gain pedals is stressful.
Yeah, I've been watching him display his complex over the past few years. I let him get under my skin now and then.
I've been gigging and recording for most of my 30 years of playing. There are guys out there with much nicer gear than I, who've probably never even played one gig or maybe have never even sat-in with other musicians. Big deal. It doesn't bother me in the least. Making music is a very individual pursuit in terms of what we're all looking to get out of the experience. I only get irritated when someone with nice gear pretends that their opinion is more important than most simply because they can afford nice gear. EXPERIENCE earns my respect, not yearly salary total.
Yeah, I've been watching him display his complex over the past few years. I let him get under my skin now and then.
I've been gigging and recording for most of my 30 years of playing. There are guys out there with much nicer gear than I, who've probably never even played one gig or maybe have never even sat-in with other musicians. Big deal. It doesn't bother me in the least. Making music is a very individual pursuit in terms of what we're all looking to get out of the experience. I only get irritated when someone with nice gear pretends that their opinion is more important than most simply because they can afford nice gear. EXPERIENCE earns my respect, not yearly salary total.
jimijames
New member
Looking for gain pedals is stressful.
TP, it sounds like you're looking for a pedal that will do standalone dirt without coloring your sound too much and will have enough of a boost for your soul food. I know it's on the more expensive side but the prince of tone from analogman might be worth checking out. It has a switch that will let you select between clean/od/dist and does all of those sounds really well.
All the blues breaker based pedals I've played do a very good job of not attenuating your eq, unlike a tube screamer which kind of pushes the mids a bit.
Another pedal to consider is a used full tone full drive, which IMO is a really professional sounding overdrive, especially live. Having the separate boost channel lets you goose the Klon too whenever you want. The Xotic bb plus isn't cheap but is another good 2 channel drive to think about.
Or, if you want to take up as little space as possible, I don't see what's wrong with an Xotic SL drive.
I know that didn't really solve anything but hopefully it helped point you to a class of pedals you might not otherwise have considered.
TP, it sounds like you're looking for a pedal that will do standalone dirt without coloring your sound too much and will have enough of a boost for your soul food. I know it's on the more expensive side but the prince of tone from analogman might be worth checking out. It has a switch that will let you select between clean/od/dist and does all of those sounds really well.
All the blues breaker based pedals I've played do a very good job of not attenuating your eq, unlike a tube screamer which kind of pushes the mids a bit.
Another pedal to consider is a used full tone full drive, which IMO is a really professional sounding overdrive, especially live. Having the separate boost channel lets you goose the Klon too whenever you want. The Xotic bb plus isn't cheap but is another good 2 channel drive to think about.
Or, if you want to take up as little space as possible, I don't see what's wrong with an Xotic SL drive.
I know that didn't really solve anything but hopefully it helped point you to a class of pedals you might not otherwise have considered.
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TimmyPage
New member
Re: Looking for gain pedals is stressful.
Actually a bit of the opposite! I want something that will colour my sound entirely, I'm essentially looking for something that will be the 'gain' in my rig, kind of like a second channel (though I don't have any illusions of 'sounds like a real 100 watt tube amp). I want something that my soul food can boost, because while I don't like the gain sound of the soul food, I really love the thicker, louder tone it can push a gain stage to do.
Actually a bit of the opposite! I want something that will colour my sound entirely, I'm essentially looking for something that will be the 'gain' in my rig, kind of like a second channel (though I don't have any illusions of 'sounds like a real 100 watt tube amp). I want something that my soul food can boost, because while I don't like the gain sound of the soul food, I really love the thicker, louder tone it can push a gain stage to do.