What do you prefer: amp or pedal distortion?

[bancika]

Re: What do you prefer: amp or pedal distortion?

why do they have 2 or 3 channel signature amps if they are using pedals on clean all the time? They are obligated to say they are using them all the time because of endorsement deals. See some earlier concerts before everybody started making signature pedals, vai used ds-1 and tubescreamer but just to push the amp over the top.
Who would want distortion pedal if you can get the real deal with a tube amp anyways

 

[alashredder]

Re: What do you prefer: amp or pedal distortion?

why do they have 2 or 3 channel signature amps if they are using pedals on clean all the time? They are obligated to say they are using them all the time because of endorsement deals. See some earlier concerts before everybody started making signature pedals, vai used ds-1 and tubescreamer but just to push the amp over the top.
Who would want distortion pedal if you can get the real deal with a tube amp anyways

Not sure if they use them all the time, but Vai and Satriani are very picky musicians (who isn't?) that had the pedals built exactly to their specs. If you had pedals built exactly to your specs and sound great for your rig, would you use them often? I love both the tube amp distortion sounds as well as a great sounding pedal. They are different but not in a bad way, but you can get a variety of sounds from each.

 

[bancika]

Re: What do you prefer: amp or pedal distortion?

...had the pedals built exactly to their specs...

exactly, but their amps are also built to their specs, all 2-3 channels
I'm not saying they aren't using pedals at all, probably use both one way or the other
Cheers

 

[ratherdashing]

Re: What do you prefer: amp or pedal distortion?

My answer is "all of the above". Sometimes I use just the amp's gain channel. Sometimes I use my modded BD-2 into the amp's clean channel. Sometimes I use it on the gain channel. Sometimes I use the Octave Fuzz on the gain channel if I want a hugely compressed, screaming tone. I have another overdrive pedal coming (see the overdrive project thread) that I intend to use on both channels.

There is no better or preferable way to get distortion - only what you like and don't like. Since I like a broad range of tones, I have a lot of different ways of getting them.

I think that only liking pedals or only liking amp distortion is seriously limiting and closed-minded, but if your rig gets you the tone you want, who am I to disagree with you?

 

[Thunder]

Re: What do you prefer: amp or pedal distortion?

^ +1 Whatever works for the music you're doing!

 

[MikeHSS]

Re: What do you prefer: amp or pedal distortion?

I prefer to let a tube powered amp scream

 

[uOpt]

Re: What do you prefer: amp or pedal distortion?

I am exploring treble boost into amp distortion. Should have done so earlier.

 

[Thunder]

Re: What do you prefer: amp or pedal distortion?

I am exploring treble boost into amp distortion. Should have done so earlier.

I'd like to explore that too. The BSM stuff sounds good.