ThisDyingSoul76
New member
OMG this sounds good! Versatile too!
NPD- ZenDrive II Gold
- Thread starter ThisDyingSoul76
- Start date
YeRedHouseOverYonder
New member
Re: NPD- ZenDrive II Gold
Congrats! Kinda bummed out I saw the sale too late. A Tchula would've been nice.
Sent from my LG-H931 using Tapatalk
Congrats! Kinda bummed out I saw the sale too late. A Tchula would've been nice.
Sent from my LG-H931 using Tapatalk
ThisDyingSoul76
New member
Re: NPD- ZenDrive II Gold
My EPH-3 Tape Echo Simulator is on the way too.
My EPH-3 Tape Echo Simulator is on the way too.
eclecticsynergy
Well-known member
Re: NPD- ZenDrive II Gold
Velvety smooth, singing low-to-mid-gain OD. Great interaction with guitar's volume knob and to subtleties of pick dynamics. Stays quite true to the individual character of different guitars; they still really sound like themselves. The unusual thing with the Zen is that it adds gain without adding hair. Very refined. Sounds excellent through every amp I've tried it with. Mine's the original silver one; haven't tried any of the other versions.
I also have a Mosferatu, Zendrive's slightly hairier older brother. Similar responsiveness to the volume knob, with some more gain on tap. Full and fairly warm - really sweet with singlecoils and PAF types. Not quite so civilized and elegant as the Zendrive. I have an early version without the Voice control so that may have colored my feelings, but along with the extra gain Mosferatu seems to put a little more of its own imprint on the sound than the Zendrive. It's a great coloration though.
Velvety smooth, singing low-to-mid-gain OD. Great interaction with guitar's volume knob and to subtleties of pick dynamics. Stays quite true to the individual character of different guitars; they still really sound like themselves. The unusual thing with the Zen is that it adds gain without adding hair. Very refined. Sounds excellent through every amp I've tried it with. Mine's the original silver one; haven't tried any of the other versions.
I also have a Mosferatu, Zendrive's slightly hairier older brother. Similar responsiveness to the volume knob, with some more gain on tap. Full and fairly warm - really sweet with singlecoils and PAF types. Not quite so civilized and elegant as the Zendrive. I have an early version without the Voice control so that may have colored my feelings, but along with the extra gain Mosferatu seems to put a little more of its own imprint on the sound than the Zendrive. It's a great coloration though.
Re: NPD- ZenDrive II Gold
Thanks for the description...it sounds like something I would really like.
Thanks for the description...it sounds like something I would really like.
ThisDyingSoul76
New member
Re: NPD- ZenDrive II Gold
That's a really good description. I'd also like to add it's an attempt at a Dumble In A Box. That being said, since every Dumble is a custom build and the only way to get 2 identical amps is to order them yourself (they won't build you a duplicate of SRV, Robben Ford or John Schofield's amps); the Dumble sound is quite broad and the ZenDrive is not versatile enough to claim that it does the Dumble sound. But, it does get close to a specific Dumble. The tone Hermida was going for was Robben Ford. And he must have done a good job, because when Robben can't justify lugging his $30,000 amplifier, he uses a ZenDrive into whatever bavkline he's supplied with.
That's a really good description. I'd also like to add it's an attempt at a Dumble In A Box. That being said, since every Dumble is a custom build and the only way to get 2 identical amps is to order them yourself (they won't build you a duplicate of SRV, Robben Ford or John Schofield's amps); the Dumble sound is quite broad and the ZenDrive is not versatile enough to claim that it does the Dumble sound. But, it does get close to a specific Dumble. The tone Hermida was going for was Robben Ford. And he must have done a good job, because when Robben can't justify lugging his $30,000 amplifier, he uses a ZenDrive into whatever bavkline he's supplied with.
ThisDyingSoul76
New member
Re: NPD- ZenDrive II Gold
Honestly, the variations are subtle. There are a few with more gain, some may have more or less pronounced mids or the overall tone a bit darker or brighter... but you'd barely know the difference if you didn't gave them side by side.
Honestly, the variations are subtle. There are a few with more gain, some may have more or less pronounced mids or the overall tone a bit darker or brighter... but you'd barely know the difference if you didn't gave them side by side.
Re: NPD- ZenDrive II Gold
I have a clone that I built. It's still on my board. I also gave one to a forum member. He liked it and had me build another for a friend of his. I have no idea which iteration of Zendrive they are but I'm guessing, probably, clones of the original.
I have a clone that I built. It's still on my board. I also gave one to a forum member. He liked it and had me build another for a friend of his. I have no idea which iteration of Zendrive they are but I'm guessing, probably, clones of the original.
Re: NPD- ZenDrive II Gold
Having built clones, what other (famous) pedal would you say it is electronically related to?
Having built clones, what other (famous) pedal would you say it is electronically related to?
Re: NPD- ZenDrive II Gold
Haven't given it much thought since I built those from full kits. But, like most OD's it's probably an "evolved" Tube Screamer. But it's voiced differently and smoother OD (compared to the original TS's anyway). I never got much of a "sounds like a Dumble" vibe from mine. But most of the clips comparing them to Dumbles are into clean Fenders. I don't own a Fender and never played the clone (or an actual Zendrive) into a Fender.
Haven't given it much thought since I built those from full kits. But, like most OD's it's probably an "evolved" Tube Screamer. But it's voiced differently and smoother OD (compared to the original TS's anyway). I never got much of a "sounds like a Dumble" vibe from mine. But most of the clips comparing them to Dumbles are into clean Fenders. I don't own a Fender and never played the clone (or an actual Zendrive) into a Fender.
Guitaryellow
New member
Re: NPD- ZenDrive II Gold
I like my Z, humbuckers love it more than singles although it can get there.
Sent from my SM-G955F using Tapatalk
I like my Z, humbuckers love it more than singles although it can get there.
Sent from my SM-G955F using Tapatalk
ThisDyingSoul76
New member
Re: NPD- ZenDrive II Gold
I can't get over how amazing this pedal sounds. So amp-like. And then stack it into a clone set for a slightly dirty boost.... :32: :32: :32:
It's equally at home as both the crunch and lead tones and if you want to take it up a notch further, an SD-1 before it as a slight boost will give you added sustain, slightly more gain and tighten up the low end.
I can't get over how amazing this pedal sounds. So amp-like. And then stack it into a clone set for a slightly dirty boost.... :32: :32: :32:
It's equally at home as both the crunch and lead tones and if you want to take it up a notch further, an SD-1 before it as a slight boost will give you added sustain, slightly more gain and tighten up the low end.
ThisDyingSoul76
New member
Re: NPD- ZenDrive II Gold
Apparently there are differences between the different colours in terms of gain, and character but it's mostly subtle. I've read if you put them side by side you'd barely tell the difference.
The ZenDrive 2 vs ZenDrive, from what I've read the 2 is more responsive. I've never tried the first version though.
Apparently there are differences between the different colours in terms of gain, and character but it's mostly subtle. I've read if you put them side by side you'd barely tell the difference.
The ZenDrive 2 vs ZenDrive, from what I've read the 2 is more responsive. I've never tried the first version though.
