your favorite OD/Dist pedal used as a small boost?

[nightwing122087]

Re: your favorite OD/Dist pedal used as a small boost?

I like the Boss SD-1. Its the best OD for the money. I use it exclusively for solos. I like it because it cuts a lot of the bass frequencies out which kind of tightens everything up (however, I, personally, woudn't use it for rhythms for the same reason). It really doesn't get muddy even if you were to turn the drive up. I've got a ProCo Rat pedal that I like, but it makes a lot of noise and can get really muddy if you turn the distortion up too far.

 

[James Rock]

Re: your favorite OD/Dist pedal used as a small boost?

As far as SD-1 mods, there are tons out there. Analogman, Keeley, Monte Allums, Indyguitarist... you really can't go wrong. If you're handy with a soldering iron, and would like to crack it open and give it a shot, I can guide you through modding it if you'd like. I'm sure I've got most of the parts in stock too.

Thanks, I'm looking into the Indyguitarist Fullclone Mod.
I know the DC-30 and AC-30 have plenty of differences (the reason im getting a dc-30 is because my dad has a late 60's AC30 and I wanted something with that flavour but different. I want something that works well with that AC30 Vibe though, EL84's Open Back Blue Speakers etc. But my indyguitarist Pinnacle 2 seems to work alright with the AC30 so hopefully it will with the DC-30 aswell if not sounding better.

 

[Kac]

Re: your favorite OD/Dist pedal used as a small boost?

OD-808 (homemade) It gives me just a little volume boost when I kick it on, but more importantly it gives me a fuller, more distorted sound for some Brutal riffage!

 

[Iron Horse]

Re: your favorite OD/Dist pedal used as a small boost?

No, it's 808. Brand new, not on the market yet but some places are taking preorders. It's the overdrive portion of the Route 66 and Jeckyll & Hyde in it's own single pedal with a bass boost toggle.

OK. That sounds pretty interesting

What else is in your chain besides the SD-1? The bypass buffer in the Boss pedals is fine for driving long cable runs and really doesn't affect the sound much to my ear. The only problem I hear about it is when the drive is all the way up, there's a slight bleed of the drive in to the bypassed signal. If you play totally clean from time to time, this could be an issue. If you don't, it'd be difficult to tell it's even there.

I only use guitar>SD-1>amp. Of course, sometimes without the SD-1 in the chain. I don't notice the drive, but it just takes of a little presence/brilliance out of the sound when off. It's not horrible amount, but it does bother me a little.

 

[nightwing122087]

Re: your favorite OD/Dist pedal used as a small boost?

OK. That sounds pretty interesting



I only use guitar>SD-1>amp. Of course, sometimes without the SD-1 in the chain. I don't notice the drive, but it just takes of a little presence/brilliance out of the sound when off. It's not horrible amount, but it does bother me a little.

How do you set your SD-1?

 

[Iron Horse]

Re: your favorite OD/Dist pedal used as a small boost?

How do you set your SD-1?

I set it withthe boost about all the way up, tone above 12 o.clock, and drive to 0-3/10.

 

[ErikH]

Re: your favorite OD/Dist pedal used as a small boost?

I only use guitar>SD-1>amp. Of course, sometimes without the SD-1 in the chain. I don't notice the drive, but it just takes of a little presence/brilliance out of the sound when off. It's not horrible amount, but it does bother me a little.

How much additional cable is in the chain when you add in the SD-1? That could be where you're hearing that loss. The SD-1 has buffered bypass that is really good at helping to drive the signal after it but the length of cable and even the quality of that cable can have an impact.

 

[Benjy_26]

Re: your favorite OD/Dist pedal used as a small boost?

I love the Vox Valvetone with the volume all the way down, tone at 3 o'clock, and gain all the way down. It's a TS clone, so it still loses some lows (good thing sometimes, IMHO) but it has more volume to my ear and a wider sweep to the tone control.

 

[Hoss]

Re: your favorite OD/Dist pedal used as a small boost?

i use the buit in boost switch on my AC-Plex...but i know that's cheating! LOL!

 

[Iron Horse]

Re: your favorite OD/Dist pedal used as a small boost?

How much additional cable is in the chain when you add in the SD-1? That could be where you're hearing that loss. The SD-1 has buffered bypass that is really good at helping to drive the signal after it but the length of cable and even the quality of that cable can have an impact.

Well, I too have thought that it might be it, because there is twice as much cable, I only use one cable without the SD-1, and two cables with it.

Some day I'll buy these:
http://www.thomann.de/gb/vovox_protect_a350_klikli.htm
The price is just overkillmg::eyecrazy:

Now these would be way better price-wise:
http://www.thomann.de/gb/cordial_csi6pp_klinke_kabel_silent_6m.htm

In what price range are your cables then?

 

[ErikH]

Re: your favorite OD/Dist pedal used as a small boost?

Well, I too have thought that it might be it, because there is twice as much cable, I only use one cable without the SD-1, and two cables with it.

Some day I'll buy these:
http://www.thomann.de/gb/vovox_protect_a350_klikli.htm
The price is just overkillmg::eyecrazy:

Now these would be way better price-wise:
http://www.thomann.de/gb/cordial_csi6pp_klinke_kabel_silent_6m.htm

In what price range are your cables then?

I use Spectraflex cables. I bought them more than 10 years ago and honestly cannot remember what I paid for them. They're 18 feet in length. Best cables I ever bought.

 

[heymcz]

Re: your favorite OD/Dist pedal used as a small boost?

Maxon SD-9...it's got a much better sounding curve to me than your standard Tube Screamer. Though I've been using my MIJ DS-2 for everything lately. And I would use SD-1 stock no probs.

 

[Iron Horse]

Re: your favorite OD/Dist pedal used as a small boost?

I use Spectraflex cables. I bought them more than 10 years ago and honestly cannot remember what I paid for them. They're 18 feet in length. Best cables I ever bought.

Yeah, those seemed a bit less expensive. Might even get those for christmas, instead of thermal underwear:banana:

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: your favorite OD/Dist pedal used as a small boost?

Boss DS-1...because I can leave it "on" and go from clean to overdrive with my guitar's volume control better than with any other pedal I've ever owned. Lew

 

[guitarded]

Re: your favorite OD/Dist pedal used as a small boost?

Boss DS-1...because I can leave it "on" and go from clean to overdrive with my guitar's volume control better than with any other pedal I've ever owned. Lew

Wow.... Didn't think there was any such thing as clean with the DS-1

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: your favorite OD/Dist pedal used as a small boost?

Wow.... Didn't think there was any such thing as clean with the DS-1

Joe Satriani and Steve Vai both use it the way I do. Most people use it as a stomp on/stomp off boost. But if you set it for a more subtle overdrive you can leave it on all the time and turn your guitar's volume control down to 5 or 6 and get amazingly good clean to semi-clean rock guitar tones that retain the highs and clarity without getting dark and muddy...then turn the guitar volume up to 9 or 10 and get wonderful overdrive. Used that way, the DS-1 is more like a "Rock Guitar Tone Conditioner" and it'll make all other pedals in your chain sound better: livlier, clearer, more multi-dimensional. Lew

 

[Iron Horse]

Re: your favorite OD/Dist pedal used as a small boost?

Lew, is your DS-1 stock?

 

[guitarded]

Re: your favorite OD/Dist pedal used as a small boost?

I dunno.... It sounds good on my SS Peavy and my Epi Valve Junior, but it turned my Mark IV into a fizz machine, even with the drive all the way down and the down and the tone set very conservative. I now use either a Bad Monkey or an SD-1, depending on my mood at any given time, but I would have to say for my Boogie, the Bad Monkey rules. The Monkey also works well with a modded jcm-800 I use at my rehearsal studio.

Joe Satriani and Steve Vai both use it the way I do. Most people use it as a stomp on/stomp off boost. But if you set it for a more subtle overdrive you can leave it on all the time and turn your guitar's volume control down to 5 or 6 and get amazingly good clean to semi-clean rock guitar tones that retain the highs and clarity without getting dark and muddy...then turn the guitar volume up to 9 or 10 and get wonderful overdrive. Used that way, the DS-1 is more like a "Rock Guitar Tone Conditioner" and it'll make all other pedals in your chain sound better: livlier, clearer, more multi-dimensional. Lew

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: your favorite OD/Dist pedal used as a small boost?

Lew, is your DS-1 stock?

Yes it is. It is an older Made in Japan model, but the newer made in Taiwan models sound just fine. I'm not looking to make my DS-1 into a "fire breathing monster" like my buddy ErikH likes his DS-1 to be. I like it stock so I can plug my Tele or Strat into the DS-1, the DS-1 into one of my smaller amps like a tweed Deluxe, and get great Jimmy Page Communication Breakdown, Babe I'm Gonna Leave You, Stairway to Heaven type soloing tone when I turn the guitar's volume control up and get great clean and lively tones when I turn the guitar's volume control down for rythym. If I had a Made in Taiwan DS-1, I'd send it to Stratdeluxer (John Spina) here on the forum and have him mod it slightly. John does great DS-1 tweaks. Mine is stock however because I wasn't looking for more gain or distortion or any changes whatsoever that might affect it's ability to give me clean sounds when I turn down the volume control on my guitar. Lew

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: your favorite OD/Dist pedal used as a small boost?

I dunno.... It sounds good on my SS Peavy and my Epi Valve Junior, but it turned my Mark IV into a fizz machine, even with the drive all the way down and the down and the tone set very conservative. I now use either a Bad Monkey or an SD-1, depending on my mood at any given time, but I would have to say for my Boogie, the Bad Monkey rules. The Monkey also works well with a modded jcm-800 I use at my rehearsal studio.

Cool! Go with what works for you. My amps are all vintage 50's and 60's and early 70's Fenders without master volume controls or super hot distortion generating channels. I do not set my DS-1 up for a ton of gain or distortion either...I don't need it the way my amps are tweaked.. Lew