Who does not use an OD pedal to boost their amps ?

SirJackdeFuzz

SirJackdeFuzz

New member
Am i the only one who does not like the extra (read much unwanted) compression & tightening up of the over all tone, that OD pedals bring to the table ?

Every OD pedal i know, adds extra compression, and then i loose that sexy uncompressed / O P E N sound of my amp that i love so much !

What is your view on what an OD pedal does for your amp / tone ?



GO
 
Re: Who does not use an OD pedal to boost their amps ?

When I can turn up, I don't use OD pedals. The amp I use is pretty low wattage (18w) so you can get some good distorted tones after about halfway up the volume knob. Very dynamic, which is awesome.

But I live in an apartment complex, so I can only rarely turn the volume up. That is why I use OD pedals.
 
Re: Who does not use an OD pedal to boost their amps ?

I normally do not. I prefer my Pittbulls boost button.

I did just pick up a Giggity in a trade, but it's looking like it's about end up in the closet with all the other stuff I don't use.

I'm in the same boat as you. I like that openness I get from my amp. It just feels good.
 
Re: Who does not use an OD pedal to boost their amps ?

I run my AC30 clean and drive it with a Boss BD-2, and in turn boost that with my Rat (or other way around depending on the song). Haven't actually tried overdriving the amp and boosting with the BD-2 yet. I should do that sometime.
 
Re: Who does not use an OD pedal to boost their amps ?

I only use my BD-2 for a lead boost, level maxed and turn the gain up enough for a volume boost.
 
Re: Who does not use an OD pedal to boost their amps ?

if I can turn my amp up enough that I don't need a pedal, I wont use one. ive been doing lots of gigs with a 12w 1x12 combo for just that reason. it doesn't sound as big or wide as the 100w 2x12 rivera that the other guy uses but it cuts thru fine, sounds good, and feels tactile under the fingers. half the time there is a pa and the sound guys love me. on festival stages I still only use my bf deluxe reverb most of the time but I can crank it to 7 and get everything I need from the volume control
 
Re: Who does not use an OD pedal to boost their amps ?

I use pedals for leads, or sparingly for certain things where the extra gain helps...like doing weird stuff with bending strings at the trapeze, or behimd the nut and using echo..

I do not like added compression really either...I HATE compressor pedals...I need that open cutting top end..i hate splat.

I use a MXR BA78..that I never really got along with..but with my HK crunch channel, leads work great because it thickens up sound, but is still "sharp". But I hate it for chord work....its like a piss poor fuzz pedal.... In general I find distortion pedals to work better at not getting too compressed vs. OD pedals.

But no way could I keep a pedal on all the time...if the amps natural distortion doesnt cut it and I have to have a pedal to make things work for my general tone, I find another amp.
 
Re: Who does not use an OD pedal to boost their amps ?

It depends on which amp I'm using. I don't even own an OD pedal right now so I use a clean boost pedal out front to hit the amp harder. If I'm using my combo, I don't need the booster, but I do use it with my 100 watt Marshall.
 
Re: Who does not use an OD pedal to boost their amps ?

Choice really depends on the amp and the pedal but I avoid using an opamp-based pedal for boosting for the exact reasons you describe.
 
Re: Who does not use an OD pedal to boost their amps ?

With my Bogner XTC, I don't need any dirt pedals because the amp's three channels each have a boost function, and the amp is a gain machine to start with.

But with the other amps, I spend a lot of time figuring out which pedals sound great with a particular amp, and which ones don't. There's so many different variables in OD/Dist/Fuzz circuits, that you have to find out which amp tones they work the best with. Once you know, make a mental note. I even mark my knob settings with tiny triangles of electrical tape, so I can throw that pedal in front of an amp and it's already dialed to perfection from the last time.
 
Re: Who does not use an OD pedal to boost their amps ?

I am a pedal junkie. I acquire my tone and eq through my stompboxes and set my amps very clean and homogenous. This way my tone is consistent amp to amp. The only exception is my Excelsior, I have had that amp for 2 years and I am yet to plug a pedal into it. I tend to use the Excelsior more than any other amp in the house.
 
Re: Who does not use an OD pedal to boost their amps ?

I've been experimenting with lower gain preamp tubes in my XXX, because 4 x 12ax7's is kinda boring (and it makes the 3rd channel is basically unusable). The overall tone (without an OD) is better/more complex, but some of the punch of the XXX can get lost, which is why I use OD pedals (and an EQ pedal).
 
Re: Who does not use an OD pedal to boost their amps ?

I've never found one that I like for playing live. I only use them for recording, and even then, very rarely. My live pedals, if any, consist of a Pitchblack tuner, a Seymour Duncan tremolo, and a Decimator G String. I used to use a flat e.q boost and a treble boost too, but both of those features are built in to my main amp now.
 
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Re: Who does not use an OD pedal to boost their amps ?

I like it for some things, depends on the amp I think. When I jam with my band I just use guitar - tuner - amp. Seems to work fine for me. I have good drive sounds from the mesa mk II.
 
Re: Who does not use an OD pedal to boost their amps ?

Really just depends. I play a Dark Terror, and it does not need anything upfront. For me etc

But sometimes i like turning the gain down and hittin the tube screammer. Depends on the song or sound

I also love just setting gain and volume round 11-2 and man that is just hot tubes burnin, no nuthin in the front
 
Re: Who does not use an OD pedal to boost their amps ?

I generally / often DO NOT use an OD to boost the amp. I think to some degree it has became almost compulsive for people to do so. Then again, I'm an old man who has been about turning the gain down for the last decade or so....

But again, it's one of many options that does a particular thing, and every pedal/preamp reacts somewhat differently.

Time and place for everything. I do do it. But mostly I do either gain from amp, or all gain-dirt from pedal.
 
Re: Who does not use an OD pedal to boost their amps ?

My amps have enough gain so if there's ever something missing it's the pickups/tubes that I start adjusting. Everyone else I see using a dual rec has an overdrive boosting it but it works much better in the mix with all the frequencies present. I use an attenuator and KT-77s
 
Re: Who does not use an OD pedal to boost their amps ?

Have not owned a dirt pedal in years.
I run 3 rigs a Peavy Ultra + 120 watt head a 25 watt Zinky Blue velvet and a Jet City JCA 22H. All have more gain than I can use ( in particular the Zinky!!) and I run them quite dirty then use my volume and pickup selector to clean then up a little then roll on for the solos and heavy stuff.
I do use a compressor at times for clean sustain and in high gain mostly for Ebow type effects like infinite haunting feedbacking sustain drenched in verb/delay.
I rarely run my amps clean and never use a dirt box live.
 
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