54stratlover
New member
Went to a favorite music store of mine. (Boogieman Music, Ellensburg Wa) beter check it out jumpmarine if you havn't yet. Here are the major products I tried out there. Maxon od9, od808, rod880, guild bluesbird, fender super reverb reissue, fender HR deluxe (tweed), I was looking for a ts-9 for stratdeluxer to work some magic on.
First the guild bluesbird was GREAT. Nice weight, great tone, very playable neck, great maple top. I used this guitar to try out all of the other products. It looked a lot like this guild http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=41436&item=3753503503&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW
Now the maxon products. I was looking for a ts-9, and this store had the maxon products new. I took the od9 and od808 and ran them side by side with the same settings. I used 2 different setting that i use with my original '80s ts-9. first setting (dirty) was drive 100% tone between 10 and 11 o'clock, level set around 12 o'clock (just enough to give a little boost over the underlying clean sound.) The second setting (lead boost) is a little harder to describe. I run the level anywhere between 2-5 o'clock (60-100%) tone again at 11 o'clockish, and drive dialed up in such a way to give a little grit (somewhere around 9-10 oclock or 20-35%) I ran them into the super reverb first. They both sounded great, . . . . . . and very similar. The od9 had maybe a touch more grit and a little more compression (when i say this i mean less that 5%) and the od808 was a little more open sounding. In the super reverb i could get SRV - AC/DC with the greatest of ease. Both rolled off very clean. they were very similar in tone. Thumbs up to both of them. I ran then also into the HR deluxe. I ran them into the clean side, and then into the slightly overdriven side. One thing i will say is that the fender HRD is a great little amp. anyway, both pedals gave a great lead tone when used on the OD channel. again the od9 a little grittier,and the od808 more open and less compressed.
Now the ROD880. http://www.stevesmusiccenter.com/MaxonROD880.html From what I can tell this is a reissue of the tube king 999. THIS THING SMOKES. I ran it into the super reverb. I thought I had Eric Johnsons lead tone in a box. I am sure is functions similarly to the b.k. butler tube driver. i like the controls on it. it had a bass, mid boost, treble, gain and master knob, and they actually worked. I plugged it in dialed in the level to be slightly above the volume without the pedal. i turned up the gain to give a substantial amount of overdrive. The thing sounded great and almost led me to the tone i wanted. i dialed out the treble and turned up the midboost and added some bass, and I had that 1 ton atomic violin lead tone that Eric uses. Much like the ZAP tone or cliffs of dover lead tone. I really liked this box!!!! i will own it.
On a side note. The fender HR deluxe is a great amp, I think it is a great amp and it is on my will have list. I sould see myself using it for practice or gigging with it. A lot of different tones in that box!!!
i ended up buying a used ibanez ts-9 that will be getting a round trip ticket to florida soon.
First the guild bluesbird was GREAT. Nice weight, great tone, very playable neck, great maple top. I used this guitar to try out all of the other products. It looked a lot like this guild http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=41436&item=3753503503&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW
Now the maxon products. I was looking for a ts-9, and this store had the maxon products new. I took the od9 and od808 and ran them side by side with the same settings. I used 2 different setting that i use with my original '80s ts-9. first setting (dirty) was drive 100% tone between 10 and 11 o'clock, level set around 12 o'clock (just enough to give a little boost over the underlying clean sound.) The second setting (lead boost) is a little harder to describe. I run the level anywhere between 2-5 o'clock (60-100%) tone again at 11 o'clockish, and drive dialed up in such a way to give a little grit (somewhere around 9-10 oclock or 20-35%) I ran them into the super reverb first. They both sounded great, . . . . . . and very similar. The od9 had maybe a touch more grit and a little more compression (when i say this i mean less that 5%) and the od808 was a little more open sounding. In the super reverb i could get SRV - AC/DC with the greatest of ease. Both rolled off very clean. they were very similar in tone. Thumbs up to both of them. I ran then also into the HR deluxe. I ran them into the clean side, and then into the slightly overdriven side. One thing i will say is that the fender HRD is a great little amp. anyway, both pedals gave a great lead tone when used on the OD channel. again the od9 a little grittier,and the od808 more open and less compressed.
Now the ROD880. http://www.stevesmusiccenter.com/MaxonROD880.html From what I can tell this is a reissue of the tube king 999. THIS THING SMOKES. I ran it into the super reverb. I thought I had Eric Johnsons lead tone in a box. I am sure is functions similarly to the b.k. butler tube driver. i like the controls on it. it had a bass, mid boost, treble, gain and master knob, and they actually worked. I plugged it in dialed in the level to be slightly above the volume without the pedal. i turned up the gain to give a substantial amount of overdrive. The thing sounded great and almost led me to the tone i wanted. i dialed out the treble and turned up the midboost and added some bass, and I had that 1 ton atomic violin lead tone that Eric uses. Much like the ZAP tone or cliffs of dover lead tone. I really liked this box!!!! i will own it.
On a side note. The fender HR deluxe is a great amp, I think it is a great amp and it is on my will have list. I sould see myself using it for practice or gigging with it. A lot of different tones in that box!!!
i ended up buying a used ibanez ts-9 that will be getting a round trip ticket to florida soon.
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