The worst pedal you've ever owned?
- Thread starter GuitarFanatic
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Rex_Rocker
Well-known member
Re: The worst pedal you've ever owned?
http://www.bteaudio.com/articles/TSS/TSS.html
No, actually all of the TS-type circuits do this to an extent. The Maxon OD-820 and VOP-9 as well as the Sparkle Drive and the new Jeckyl and Hyde have this feature built-in more evidently, but the classic 808 and 9 type of circuit do this as well to an extent. Sometimes subtly. This may be of the reason why they're more popular for pushing an already overdriven amp. Listen to your OD-9 on top of amp dialed in completely clean. I used to have an OD-9 as well. The "clean" being blended in is not really clean clean, but I'm sure you'll notice it.
http://www.bteaudio.com/articles/TSS/TSS.html
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Securb
One of Jerry's Kids
Re: The worst pedal you've ever owned?
Interesting. I have the rack and absolutely love it. When you say the Chandler is "bad" do you mean they did a bad job copying the Butler or do you find the tone in the unit to be offending in some way?
Interesting. I have the rack and absolutely love it. When you say the Chandler is "bad" do you mean they did a bad job copying the Butler or do you find the tone in the unit to be offending in some way?
Diego
New member
Re: The worst pedal you've ever owned?
I've never tried one, and I find the idea of a Death Metal distortion pedal WITH NO GAIN KNOB simply hysterical.
I've never tried one, and I find the idea of a Death Metal distortion pedal WITH NO GAIN KNOB simply hysterical.
dystrust
New member
Re: The worst pedal you've ever owned?
I wonder if he's talking about the 3-knob Tube Works version? I've had both the Chandler and Tube Works 'Tube Driver', and they are completely different circuits. The Chandler is like an overdrive pedal with a 2 band EQ instead of the tone knob. The rack version has 3 band EQ as well as a switchable boost function. The Tube Works OTOH has A LOT more gain than the Chandler and it tends to be somewhat harsh and metallic sounding. Compared to other pedals, I think it sounds more like a Boss DS-1 than an overdrive.
I wonder if he's talking about the 3-knob Tube Works version? I've had both the Chandler and Tube Works 'Tube Driver', and they are completely different circuits. The Chandler is like an overdrive pedal with a 2 band EQ instead of the tone knob. The rack version has 3 band EQ as well as a switchable boost function. The Tube Works OTOH has A LOT more gain than the Chandler and it tends to be somewhat harsh and metallic sounding. Compared to other pedals, I think it sounds more like a Boss DS-1 than an overdrive.
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Securb
One of Jerry's Kids
Re: The worst pedal you've ever owned?
The Chandler is like a Marshall in a rack. I used it with my JC120 in the thrash band and it sounded fantastic. Recently I had it going into the Quad Reverb side by side with the JCM 2000 and the similarity was astounding. I also used it for a while as the preamp in my JBL stack. The thing has never let me down. The rack unit also has the bias and contour control to further dial in your tone.
The Chandler is like a Marshall in a rack. I used it with my JC120 in the thrash band and it sounded fantastic. Recently I had it going into the Quad Reverb side by side with the JCM 2000 and the similarity was astounding. I also used it for a while as the preamp in my JBL stack. The thing has never let me down. The rack unit also has the bias and contour control to further dial in your tone.
skeleton bob
New member
Re: The worst pedal you've ever owned?
Yup I had that. Like a fart in a bucket.
This one?
I agree ...it was my first/worst distortion pedal ever..
Yup I had that. Like a fart in a bucket.
dominus
King Midas to Cheap Guitars
Rex_Rocker
Well-known member
Re: The worst pedal you've ever owned?
^That actually sounds killer. lml
^That actually sounds killer. lml
dominus
King Midas to Cheap Guitars
Re: The worst pedal you've ever owned?
Yeah, I've tried using a lot of pedals like that. Plugging them into the computer and using the right IR opens up a huge amount of possibilities. (The fact that you can scoop some of those older pedals up for $30-ish used helps.
)
Yeah, I've tried using a lot of pedals like that. Plugging them into the computer and using the right IR opens up a huge amount of possibilities. (The fact that you can scoop some of those older pedals up for $30-ish used helps.
)
Johnny the Kid
Shaunofthedeadologist
Re: The worst pedal you've ever owned?
As a rule, I don't use any pedals that have the word "metal" in their name. They usually have dismal mids and overly harsh tones.
Worst distortion pedal I've ever owned was an old DOD distortion pedal that my uncle gave me. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't the tone that I like. It was more fuzzy than a distortion.
As a rule, I don't use any pedals that have the word "metal" in their name. They usually have dismal mids and overly harsh tones.
Worst distortion pedal I've ever owned was an old DOD distortion pedal that my uncle gave me. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't the tone that I like. It was more fuzzy than a distortion.
DrNewcenstein
He Did the Monster Mash
Re: The worst pedal you've ever owned?
This thing:
Maybe if I had an all-tube amp to run it through it would've sounded good, but I couldn't even use it as a boost into an MP-1. I did run it into the Return of a solid state head, but found it weaker than weak. Maybe it was a bad unit, I'll never know as I sold it many years ago.
This thing:
Maybe if I had an all-tube amp to run it through it would've sounded good, but I couldn't even use it as a boost into an MP-1. I did run it into the Return of a solid state head, but found it weaker than weak. Maybe it was a bad unit, I'll never know as I sold it many years ago.
James Rock
New member
Re: The worst pedal you've ever owned?
Owned - DOD Hard Rock, just couldn't do anything interesting to middle of the road. I like 'bad' sounding pedals like the Death Metal or the HM-3 I just bought because they can be used for something but the DOD Hard Rock is just boring.
Used - Behringer Octave, each section of the range switch only provided octave down on a few notes totally unusable nothing like a BOSS OC-2
Owned - DOD Hard Rock, just couldn't do anything interesting to middle of the road. I like 'bad' sounding pedals like the Death Metal or the HM-3 I just bought because they can be used for something but the DOD Hard Rock is just boring.
Used - Behringer Octave, each section of the range switch only provided octave down on a few notes totally unusable nothing like a BOSS OC-2
Re: The worst pedal you've ever owned?
Danelectro sitar swami.
I was in my prog phase in High School and thought this would be a cheap way to get sitar sounds.
I didn't know... OH GOD I DIDN'T KNOW.
I thought it was broken.
This thing is the Jar Jar Binks of effects pedals.
Danelectro sitar swami.
I was in my prog phase in High School and thought this would be a cheap way to get sitar sounds.
I didn't know... OH GOD I DIDN'T KNOW.
I thought it was broken.
This thing is the Jar Jar Binks of effects pedals.
L
Little Pigbacon
Guest
Re: The worst pedal you've ever owned?
^ Lol
^ Lol
dystrust
New member
Re: The worst pedal you've ever owned?
Your image isn't working, so I'm having to guess which version this is. Your description sounds a lot like the Chandler rack Tube Driver I used to have, and I agree that it sounded weak used as a preamp. Cascaded into a Big Muff (like David Gilmour does), into a Mesa Studio Preamp, or into the front of my bro's JMP 2203, it was amazing. I always thought of it as a really versatile rack-mounted overdrive pedal rather than a rack preamp.
Regarding boosting an ADA MP-1, I've yet to find anything that sounded generally good in that role. A tube screamer wasn't bad, but it always seemed fuzzy an indistinct IMO.
This thing:
Maybe if I had an all-tube amp to run it through it would've sounded good, but I couldn't even use it as a boost into an MP-1. I did run it into the Return of a solid state head, but found it weaker than weak. Maybe it was a bad unit, I'll never know as I sold it many years ago.
Your image isn't working, so I'm having to guess which version this is. Your description sounds a lot like the Chandler rack Tube Driver I used to have, and I agree that it sounded weak used as a preamp. Cascaded into a Big Muff (like David Gilmour does), into a Mesa Studio Preamp, or into the front of my bro's JMP 2203, it was amazing. I always thought of it as a really versatile rack-mounted overdrive pedal rather than a rack preamp.
Regarding boosting an ADA MP-1, I've yet to find anything that sounded generally good in that role. A tube screamer wasn't bad, but it always seemed fuzzy an indistinct IMO.
DrNewcenstein
He Did the Monster Mash
Re: The worst pedal you've ever owned?
Yeah, I figured that image would get pulled. Found it on Google.
Found this pic of the one I sold some years ago, buried in the depths of a 2TB drive :lol:
Yeah, I figured that image would get pulled. Found it on Google.
Found this pic of the one I sold some years ago, buried in the depths of a 2TB drive :lol:
Securb
One of Jerry's Kids
Re: The worst pedal you've ever owned?
Yep that is the unit I have. In the loop of the JC120 it sounded anemic. Infront of the amp it sounded fantastic. The reason there are 5 million distortion pedals is we all have different tastes and styles. I am sure there is someone out there getting a killer tone with a Metal Zone, I wouldn use one for a door stop. I swear by my original MXR+ I love the graininess, but others might think it sounds like a box of bees. I think the answers here are a bit off. People are describing pedals that didn't work for them vs pedals that are faulty in some way, not that there is anything wrong with that. I have done it in the past. Now I tend to look at a piece of gear objectively and think it might not work for me but someone else might love it.
Yeah, I figured that image would get pulled. Found it on Google.
Found this pic of the one I sold some years ago, buried in the depths of a 2TB drive :lol:
Yep that is the unit I have. In the loop of the JC120 it sounded anemic. Infront of the amp it sounded fantastic. The reason there are 5 million distortion pedals is we all have different tastes and styles. I am sure there is someone out there getting a killer tone with a Metal Zone, I wouldn use one for a door stop. I swear by my original MXR+ I love the graininess, but others might think it sounds like a box of bees. I think the answers here are a bit off. People are describing pedals that didn't work for them vs pedals that are faulty in some way, not that there is anything wrong with that. I have done it in the past. Now I tend to look at a piece of gear objectively and think it might not work for me but someone else might love it.
Re: The worst pedal you've ever owned?
Securb, your "to each his own" approach is hard to disagree with. That's why I mentioned the Digitech Tone Driver - I doubt many people could find an OD pedal that struggles to reach unity gain useful.
Other than that, I sometimes love "bad sounds". For example, many Muff-style pedals sound "bad" in a really cool way to my ears. One just needs to find a way to use a piece of gear. Many have said this before: the older I get, the better I am at getting something I like from just about any piece of equipment...
Securb, your "to each his own" approach is hard to disagree with. That's why I mentioned the Digitech Tone Driver - I doubt many people could find an OD pedal that struggles to reach unity gain useful.
Other than that, I sometimes love "bad sounds". For example, many Muff-style pedals sound "bad" in a really cool way to my ears. One just needs to find a way to use a piece of gear. Many have said this before: the older I get, the better I am at getting something I like from just about any piece of equipment...
