Pedal Choice

[JDOD]

Not exactly a complex one. My sister is gonna get me a pedal for Christmas.

I'm after a boost, want something to turned a decently crunched amp into something more metal - was always gonna get a TubeScreamer but Miner/Greg have me in the mood for an SD-1.

Do both these pedals tend to work well with the level up and the gain down without giving you a boost in volume? If you use them both, what's the main tonal difference? Is it just the mid-hump with the TubeScreamer?

Otherwise I'm gonna get another weird-noise pedal. Was thinking of the HotTone Rotovibe, anyone used one?

 

[Greg_L]

Not exactly a complex one. My sister is gonna get me a pedal for Christmas.

I'm after a boost, want something to turned a decently crunched amp into something more metal - was always gonna get a TubeScreamer but Miner/Greg have me in the mood for an SD-1.

Do both these pedals tend to work well with the level up and the gain down without giving you a boost in volume? If you use them both, what's the main tonal difference? Is it just the mid-hump with the TubeScreamer?

Otherwise I'm gonna get another weird-noise pedal. Was thinking of the HotTone Rotovibe, anyone used one?

I think the SD-1 is more transparent than a Tube Screamer.

Tube Screamer is "thicker" with it's mid hump.

Both work great as boosts - level up, gain down. Level up won't make the amp louder, it just pushes it harder.

Neither works well as all of your dirt into a clean amp.

 

[JDOD]

I think the SD-1 is more transparent than a Tube Screamer.

Tube Screamer is "thicker" with it's mid hump.

Both work great as boosts - level up, gain down. Level up won't make the amp louder, it just pushes it harder.

Neither works well as all of your dirt into a clean amp.

Cheers, babes. The SD1 and the newer mini-TubeScreamer seem to both go for similar money on eBay, >30 quid. I'll see if I can find some direct comparisons on YouTube or something but it probably comes down to what my sis can find on eBay.

 

[Greg_L]

Cheers, babes. The SD1 and the newer mini-TubeScreamer seem to both go for similar money on eBay, >30 quid. I'll see if I can find some direct comparisons on YouTube or something but it probably comes down to what my sis can find on eBay.

I'm recording some tracks today, so I'll make some clips for ya. I have both pedals.

 

[JDOD]

I'm recording some tracks today, so I'll make some clips for ya. I have both pedals.

Cheers, mate. Would be great if you could do me some generic crunched chord progressions, then do the same progression with both pedals engaged that would be really helpful. You know bit of punky playing/a bit of metal chug.

 

[Greg_L]

Cheers, mate. Would be great if you could do me some generic crunched chord progressions, then do the same progression with both pedals engaged that would be really helpful. You know bit of punky playing/a bit of metal chug.

Metal sucks but I'll try it.

 

[JDOD]

Metal sucks but I'll try it.

I don't mean metal... as in modern metal. You know the other day that you commented that my tone just needed a bit more boost? That sorta thing.

As an aside, I'm going to see Rob Champan's band on Thursday night.

 

[Greg_L]

I don't mean metal... as in modern metal. You know the other day that you commented that my tone just needed a bit more boost? That sorta thing.

Haha, I know, I just look for any opportunity to bash metal.

As an aside, I'm going to see Rob Champan's band on Thursday night.

Do you actually like his band, or do you just like him? I think he's an okay dude from the videos, but his band is crapola IMO.

 

[JDOD]

Yeah, he seems like a decent guy. His band/songs are okish. But it's a mile and a half from the place I rent during the week and it's a cheap gig. If nothing else the playing should be impressive, the tone should be good and I can have a few pints. I probably wouldn't drive miles to see him but this gig is a 40 minute walk from my place - no reason not to do really.

 

[Seeker of Rock]

There's a reason why there are so many Tubescreamer clones around; it's a great sounding pedal. I recently bought the 35th anniversary ts808 which is a little more polite than my 90s ts9, but both are great pedals. If you're happy with your amp tone but want a pedal to give more saturation while maintaining the amp tone, find an old DOD fx40 6 band eq. The level control pushes the overdrive level. The 6 band 80s models do it well. Something changed in the later 7 band versions and they sound like ass.

 

[Seeker of Rock]

Always thought the sd1 was a quality pedal. Also OCD is a really good overdrive.

 

[notCardio]

There's a reason why there are so many Tubescreamer clones around; it's a great sounding pedal. I recently bought the 35th anniversary ts808 which is a little more polite than my 90s ts9, but both are great pedals. If you're happy with your amp tone but want a pedal to give more saturation while maintaining the amp tone, find an old DOD fx40 6 band eq. The level control pushes the overdrive level. The 6 band 80s models do it well. Something changed in the later 7 band versions and they sound like ass.

I never did understand exactly what the difference was between the 808 and the TS9.

 

[notCardio]

Always thought the sd1 was a quality pedal. Also OCD is a really good overdrive.

I guess I'll have to try an SD-1 consideriung how cheap they are. I keep telling myself I should just get an 808 and be done with it, stop screwing around with all of these clones.

I've got an OCD that I liked in the beginning, but I'm kinda over it now. I should sell it. I want me some Wamplers now.

 

[Seeker of Rock]

I never did understand exactly what the difference was between the 808 and the TS9.

Depends on the year and parts inside, but generally the TS9 (later original ones and reissues) are aggressive, raunchy overdrives, which I love. The TS808 still sounds like a Tubescreamer, but a little less raunchy, maybe in the mids.

I want me some Wamplers now.

I just picked up a Wampler Faux Tape Echo that sounds really nice and does the tape emulation well. Well built pedal.

 

[ashcat_lt]

I never did understand exactly what the difference was between the 808 and the TS9.

"In terms of differences among the models: the TS808, the TS9, and the TS9 reissue are in fact built on the same circuit board pattern. For these three, THE ONLY DIFFERENCES ARE THE OPAMP TYPE AND THE TWO OUTPUT RESISTORS."
Per the Technology of the Tube Screamer which is otherwise probably way more info than anybody really needs.

 

[JDOD]

I guess I'll have to try an SD-1 consideriung how cheap they are. I keep telling myself I should just get an 808 and be done with it, stop screwing around with all of these clones.

I've got an OCD that I liked in the beginning, but I'm kinda over it now. I should sell it. I want me some Wamplers now.

I really like the OCD. Its got a great tone.

As its basically an "amp in a box" type thing and true bypass I find it a really good addition to the board. At the moment my amp is set up with quite a lot of gain (quite a grungy tone) so I have the OCD set to a just crunching/breaking up kinda tone. In the band I was playing in recently, I had the amp perminantly set to a light crunch or on the clean channel so it was great to have the OCD there for a super-saturated sustainy lead tone which I needed on two of the solo.

So, I guess what I am saying is that its nice to have it there to be used almost like a different amp channel, if you want another option. I'm not interested in having a really complicated 4 channel amp with a million knobs on it.

 

[Tadpui]

I bumped my TS9 off of my board once I got the OCD, and I'm not sure if I'll ever put it back on. Maybe once the novelty wears off. I really like the OCD though, and I'm not sure that I'd be able to find a use for both it and the TS9. The TS9 does indeed have a mid-hump, but it also attenuates the lows as well. It's less of an issue on guitars, but makes it pretty horrible for bass.

I might suggest looking into a fuzz instead of another overdrive, just to add a different flavor. They have a nice range of tones in them, from old-school vintage nastiness to modern wall of sound. I've really got my eye on the JHS Muffuleta, which has 5 different Big Muff sounds, plus a new JHS take on the Big Muff. I have a JHS FireFly, which has turned out to be an astoundingly complex and sensitive pedal for something with only 4 knobs...I'm still trying to figure this thing out.

 

[JDOD]

What were you using the TS9 for that its been surplanted by the OCD? Were you actually using it for a light crunch tone?

Only ask 'cos I while the OCD is great for a light crunch tone, I find it completely unusable as a boost - which is what most people use a TS for. I find the OCD over a crunched amp sounds hanging.

 

[Tadpui]

I use them each for about the same thing, just to drive the input of a tube amp harder for a more saturated tone. Both of my amps are set just on the edge of breakup, and I use an overdrive pretty much like you'd use a channel switch on a multi-channel amp. I want a slight increase in volume so it hits the preamp stage harder, but also some drive so the sensitivity and saturation are enhanced. On the TS9, that happened with all of the controls between 11:00 and 12:00. The OCD has a crapload of volume and gain on tap, so I've been keeping those knobs closer to 9:00 to 11:00 to achieve a similar end.

 

[JDOD]

I use them each for about the same thing, just to drive the input of a tube amp harder for a more saturated tone. Both of my amps are set just on the edge of breakup, and I use an overdrive pretty much like you'd use a channel switch on a multi-channel amp. I want a slight increase in volume so it hits the preamp stage harder, but also some drive so the sensitivity and saturation are enhanced. On the TS9, that happened with all of the controls between 11:00 and 12:00. The OCD has a crapload of volume and gain on tap, so I've been keeping those knobs closer to 9:00 to 11:00 to achieve a similar end.

Oh, I find you get a weird phasey effect using an OCD over a crunched amp - but then my amp is probably more crunched than yours! You're right - it has a hell of a lot of volume though - I have the level on my OCD set to about 9:00 to give me a similar volume level to when the pedal is off.