Distortion pedal for pop music

T

That_Abbott

New member
Hi, I need some help finding the right distortion pedal. I guess I would describe the sound I'm looking for as warm, sweet, fuzzy. etc. I do not want something that sounds harsh, heavy, mean, etc. Most of the pedals I have heard sound like metal or hard rock distortion tones, but I'm looking for a pop sound. I have a little orange boss pedal (sorry I can't recall the exact name) and it is far from what I want.
Thanks
 
Pop distortion? Who would you use as an example?

Have you checked out the Danelectro stuff? What's your budget? Do you want one tone or access to many tones? Perhaps you really want an emulator?

Are all these questions annoying you yet?? :D ;) :D
 
hi esactun,
No, I have not checked out the danelectro stuff. After reading your post I did search for some audio samples of danelectro pedals but can't seem to find them anywhere. My budget is up to $100 for now, but if it costs more to get the sound I need then I will have to save up for it. As far as how many tones I need, it depends. I am always going to be using a variety of tones, but This pedal only needs to do one particular tone really well. If I can get this tone in an emulator (like the j-station?) and have access to lots of other tones that would be even better. I'm looking for something similar to what is used on Beulah's album When Your Heartstrings Break. Not exactly like it, but if you are familiar with that album then you will have a good idea of what I am talking about.
thanks!
 
I guess no one knows what I am talking about. Forget the Beulah thing, that was an example for esactun.... I think what I need is a "fuzz" distortion pedal. Maybe I could get some help if I asked what are some of the better fuzz effects out there. I am NOT looking for something especially "vintage" sounding.
 
From a purely legal point of view, the person that said there may be other reasons why ebtech did not sue is probably corect. The fact is that lawsuits, especially lawsuits of this nature that require extensive expert testimony, are very expensive.

The assumption though is that the risk is in losing the lawsuit and thus the investment of time and money. The fact is that Ebtech could win the lawsuit in principal but fail to establish sufficient damages and thus never recoup the money.

The damages issue is complicated. It will necessarily involve whether or not there are actual damages or punitive or compensatory etc. damages.What, is the measure or damages? Is it the loss of business and if so, how is that calculated, is it statutory and if so, what is the fomula and will that amount to enough to justify a lawsuit. Does the winning company, if they proove infringement, automoatically get paid lots of money. The answer is no. Merely proving infringement may be a victory in name name only but not in dollars and cents. In such a case, the cost of the lawsuit can exceed the amount of recoverable damages by a significant amount.

Therefore, it is not a matter of winning or losing that determines whether or not a company will sue in such a situation. They may know they can win, however, the cost of winning can easily bee too high and in a case such as the Ebtech vx. Behringer case, the lawsuit's only function may be to prove a point that is blatantly obvious to everyone.

In the end, it is a business decision. Does a small company wan to spend tens of thousands of dollars if not hunreds of thousands to win a victory in name only.
 
wow! the thread-scrambling gremlins strike again!

back to pedals:

why not just go down to your local guitar center and spend a couple of hours playing withsome of the hundred or so pedals they sell until you find what you are looking for?

of course, maybe you live in Albania or someplace that doesn't have music stores. sigh. we'll never know because, like so many, you've listed your location as "(blank)". I wonder what people are so afraid of? They refuse to even pinpoint their whereabouts to a particular continent...
 
pop distortion pedal

Hey man,
Check out the Fulltone FullDrive 2...It's a great hand-made boutique pedal from Fulltone products. It's a really smooth crunch with alot of sustain. It also has compressor controls built in (completely analog). Check it out!
 
FD 2

I second KevinD's choice of the Fulldrive 2. Most cheap pedals will give you a cheap sound, and will be noisy.
Also, one man's fuzz is another's overdrive/distortion, and how you define each is a consideration, but since you said you wanted a warm, not harsh tone, I think you'd be pleased with the FD 2.
 
I agree the fd2 is a nice pedal, but imho it's a little pricey for what it is. The drive train 2 (http://www.reverenddirect.com/reverend/amps_etc/drivetrain_overdrive.html) is just as nice for about half the cash...

Also, I think fuzz is very clearly discernable from overdrive and distortion. However, the realm between mild distortion and medium to heavy overdrive is much more vague.

Don't knock cheap pedals till you've tried them. You pay a lot for 'mojo' ESPECIALLY when it comes to od/dist pedals...
 
That_Abbott said:
I'm looking for something similar to what is used on Beulah's album When Your Heartstrings Break. Not exactly like it, but if you are familiar with that album then you will have a good idea of what I am talking about.
Click to expand...

What an amazing record! Probably the best way to get type of distortion is with a vintage tube Fender amp.
 
I have a Vintage Rat from ProCo. It's a fuzz box more or less... you can get very little distortion to something that's all over the place. Sounds really cool. I think the Posies uses them a lot, and I know the bass player in Tool uses one.
...the only downside is that there's nothing that tells you when it's on or off.
 
the carl martin distortion pedal(not the actual unit name for it) has that nice musical drive to it...like the newer country crappola...hey the songs might suk but they players got some serious tone.......peace
 
I think that the pop distortion you are reffering to is probably best done with a Fender Deluxe Reverb or a smaller Champ (tube). cominginsecond is right. That is what most pop records sound like to me. They allow you to use full chords with very pronounced notes. Doesn't get muddy and dark like pedals and such.
 
You should be able to get a used tube Champ on Ebay for about $250. A bit more than you probably want to spend but the sound will NEVER get old. I have my eye one right now. A '67...
 
hey, I almost missed some of those last posts! I'm glad I checked back on this thread. I'll definately look into a Champ.
Thanks
 
Get a Real Tube or Tube Driver, used on Ebay $100 bucks, max.

I got one which I popped out the 12AX7 and put in a 12AU7, to get a smoother tone.

I usually run the Drive about halfway, and back off the volume knob on my guitar.


Great blues tone on the neck pick-up!

ROCK ON!
 
The Visual Sounds Route 66 provides a Tubescreamer 808 type of overdrive and a compressor with separate controls in one box. I'm sure it isn't the quietest box out there, but it's not too bad and it doesn't alter the basic tone of the amp when it's switched off -- not a given with many of the pedals out there. I think the OD sounds and bypass switching sound much better than previous pedals I've used, including the DOD 250 OD/preamp and an old Electroharmonix Big Muff Pi. The price is under $130 ($109 at Humbucker Music).

Nevertheless, picking an OD or distortion unit is not easy, and certainly requires some personal decisions about the kind of sound you're after. I was after mild to moderate OD and especially some subtle compression, and the RT 66 seems to fit that bill very well.

RMK
 
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