Overdrive/Distorion Stompboxes

[benjaturner]

Hello all,
Need help. Am stepping up the tone issue. Been playing for a few years and I think I'm finally stepping out of the beginner phase. Currently I'm happy with my guitar (Epi LP Standard with SH-11b +SH-55n) and amp (Marshall JTM60 with three 10's). Pedals however, I need help. Just wanna get my overdrive and distorion tones set. I've ordered a HBE Power Screamer (very excited, should arrive soon) and now need to cover all other bases. I am considering a Toadworks Death Rattle to cover all overdrive needs, but what about distortion? Pedals I've looked at include E-H Hot Tubes, Proco Rat (any model) and Akai G-Drive. I want something that's gonna give me the rhythm tones of bands like Thursday and Glassjaw. Tight bass for palm muting 5th chords and the like. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Cheers,
Ben

 

[Brow]

Re: Overdrive/Distorion Stompboxes

An Overdrive pedal like the one's you mentioned would be useful, but why not use the amps distortion for the heavier stuff?

I have the same amp myself (mines a 1x12) and the distortion on the amp can get pretty heavy if you can crank the volume enough

 

[benjaturner]

Re: Overdrive/Distorion Stompboxes

I do quite like the 2nd channel on the amp, but I bloody love the clean. I figure if I run pedals through the clean channel then I can keep everything I like about it. Somehow the Dirty channel always disapoints after pushing the clean channel into saturation.

Also to anybody else who uses the above mentioned amp (Marshall JTM60). How do you maintain the sparkle clean at higher volumes? I turn the channel volume to about 3/4 (9/10 o'clock) and crank the master up. I love this tone but it's too quiet for gigging. If I turn the channel volume up it starts to get a nasty preamp distortion I really don't like. Any tips please

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: Overdrive/Distorion Stompboxes

The HBE Powerscreamer is a great OD unit. I was in a store a few weeks back and Doyle Bramhall II was in there buying one. See how it works in your setup. If you want something that's heavier, look into a banzaieffects.com Fireball II. With both those pedals, you should be able to cover a lot of shades of gain.