Pedal for a dirtier and thicker lead tone?

Z

Zachary_02

New member
I have this Epiphone Les Paul which sounds great but the bridge pickup is a bit thin (57 classic plus). I'm looking for a pedal that adds more gain, bite and thickness for £100 or less. Would something like the Seymour Duncan Pickup Booster work?
 
Re: Pedal for a dirtier and thicker lead tone?

Zachary_02 said:
I have this Epiphone Les Paul which sounds great but the bridge pickup is a bit thin (57 classic plus). I'm looking for a pedal that adds more gain, bite and thickness for £100 or less. Would something like the Seymour Duncan Pickup Booster work?
Click to expand...

Is this your first od pedal? What amp do you have? Maybe you can give an example of a tone you like to help us suggest.

The pickup booster will mainly give you the tone you have but louder (with some EQ tweak). That may be what you need if you have a tube amp and you push it. But from your description you could need a compressor or OD pedal instead.


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Re: Pedal for a dirtier and thicker lead tone?

what amp are you using? gain settings? if you are using a cranked up amp then the pup booster might work great for you since itll push the amp harder giving more gain and a fatter sound. if you arent running much gain youll get more of a volume boost
 
Re: Pedal for a dirtier and thicker lead tone?

The Pickup Booster should add thickness to an already overdriven amp, and the Resonance switches can also change the EQ. An 805 Overdrive has a 3 band EQ, too, so the gain that is there can be sculpted into exactly what you want.
 
Pedal for a dirtier and thicker lead tone?

What Jeremy said about needing to know what amp.

Beyond that, I'll say that the Xotic BB Preamp is a great, versatile overdrive that works with all sorts of amps. The active EQ can really help fatten up a guitar's sound. They're plentiful on the used market for a bit under $100.


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Re: Pedal for a dirtier and thicker lead tone?

Blille said:
Is this your first od pedal? What amp do you have? Maybe you can give an example of a tone you like to help us suggest.

The pickup booster will mainly give you the tone you have but louder (with some EQ tweak). That may be what you need if you have a tube amp and you push it. But from your description you could need a compressor or OD pedal instead.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

I'm using a Fender Mustang Modelling Amp at the moment. I normally use the Marshall or Mesa style amp on mid to high gain. I have a Line 6 M5 which is and effects modeller which has multiple overdrives and distortions. (Btw any recommendations for mid range combo valve amps around £400-£600?)
 
Pedal for a dirtier and thicker lead tone?

Zachary_02 said:
I'm using a Fender Mustang Modelling Amp at the moment. I normally use the Marshall or Mesa style amp on mid to high gain. I have a Line 6 M5 which is and effects modeller which has multiple overdrives and distortions. (Btw any recommendations for mid range combo valve amps around £400-£600?)
Click to expand...

Is the Mustang dynamic and simulates tube breakup when you push it? You should have a boost in the M5 that you give you a good idea of whether or not the boost will work for you.

I assume the Pickup Booster will be "better" than the boost in the M5 but if your amp doesn't compress and thicken when pushed, it won't work. You said the pickups are thin so there are a few other paths like
- EQ: trying to see if adding mids help
- pickups: first raise the one you have or consider changing it
- delay: add a super short delay to thicken up your tone
- chorus/detune: like delay but with pitch

And obviously, like you suggested, change the amp :) although some people are really happy with mustangs 3+

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Re: Pedal for a dirtier and thicker lead tone?

It depends on what kind of gain you already have for your rhythm playing. I use gain half way for an open and well defined crunch sound (kind of plexi?) then I kick the Fulltone Plimsoul in for dirtier and thicker sound for lead that my crunch channel just cannot get when cranked, a nice lead sound with lots of mids. The trick here is my amp is not cranked, if it was it may get thicker and dirtier but not louder.

Edit: Ouch, I just read again and you need something at £100 or less. Plimsoul new costs more than that but maybe used?
 
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Re: Pedal for a dirtier and thicker lead tone?

Also, I'd mention that EQ pedals can do this, too. You can certainly find these pretty cheap now.
 
Re: Pedal for a dirtier and thicker lead tone?

I got a Joyo Ultimate Drive for $20 including shipping. Great sounding pedal. It's a clone of an OCD.


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Re: Pedal for a dirtier and thicker lead tone?

I have a Mustang III and my favorite overdrive pedals to use with the Mustang are included in the amp.

The Overdrive (Fender Overdrive) and the Green Box (Tubescreamer) are my two favorite OD's included with the Mustang. Both sound terrific.

I own lots of pedals, including a Klon KTR, but I don't use them with the Mustang III.

The "pedals" included in the Mustang are all I need.

I use a PRS with Seth Lovers, a PRS with Pearly Gates and a PRS with Duncan 59's and the Greenbox or OD to get great Santana tones: fat and thick with terrific sustain.

I think the OP needs to get to know the amp better. Because it's all right there in the amp.

The 57 Deluxe amp with either the OD or Greenbox (Tubescreamer) gets a beautiful soloing tone.

As does the Deluxe Reverb model when it's goosed by the OD or Greenbox.

I don't use the Marshall, Vox or Mesa models much.

I prefer the smaller 20 watt Fender amp models, but when I'm going for a Clapton/Cream or Santana or Peter Green or ??? overdriven soloing tone, I always use the Fender OD or Greenbox to overdrive that amp model.

When I'm playing clean I like the Twin Reverb model.
 
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Re: Pedal for a dirtier and thicker lead tone?

I'll share some of my favorite settings on the Mustang III later today.

I've got one called Supernatural (Peter Green) and one I call Europa (Santana) inspired by the lead tones in those songs. Another I call Trademark that's kind of an Eric Johnson thing. And one called Hard Road that's kind of a Ritche Blackmore lead tone.

All fat, sustaining tones.
 
Re: Pedal for a dirtier and thicker lead tone?

Lewguitar said:
I'll share some of my favorite settings on the Mustang III later today.

I've got one called Supernatural (Peter Green) and one I call Europa (Santana) inspired by the lead tones in those songs. Another I call Trademark that's kind of an Eric Johnson thing. And one called Hard Road that's kind of a Ritche Blackmore lead tone.

All fat, sustaining tones.
Click to expand...

Thanks, I'll check them out later.
 
Re: Pedal for a dirtier and thicker lead tone?

Lewguitar said:
I'll share some of my favorite settings on the Mustang III later today.

I've got one called Supernatural (Peter Green) and one I call Europa (Santana) inspired by the lead tones in those songs. Another I call Trademark that's kind of an Eric Johnson thing. And one called Hard Road that's kind of a Ritche Blackmore lead tone.

All fat, sustaining tones.
Click to expand...

Are you using Fender Fuse software? Are you also having an issue that you're logged out every time you close the program? I really love it but recently I am having huge issues that won't allow me to download custom presets... It's just not finding any
 
Re: Pedal for a dirtier and thicker lead tone?

Johanadup said:
Are you using Fender Fuse software? Are you also having an issue that you're logged out every time you close the program? I really love it but recently I am having huge issues that won't allow me to download custom presets... It's just not finding any
Click to expand...

No. I make my presets up myself.

I base them on an existing amp model, but change things and add things and then save the new preset by overwriting one of the 80 or so factory presets which tend to be so loaded with effects that they're not sounds that work for me.

I leave the unaltered amp model in tact so I can use it as a platform in the future.

I did sign up for Fuse, but found it was more trouble than it was worth.

At least for me.

I like to figure out things for myself.
 
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