ADA Depot - A Forum To Support Users of ADA Amplification Gear

Non ADA Gear => Effects => Topic started by: Chucky on March 14, 2016, 01:11:39 PM

Title: What are your favorite DISTORTION and OVERDRIVE pedals????
Post by: Chucky on March 14, 2016, 01:11:39 PM
I always been playing through tube amps and basically always constructed my main tones
with either an MP-1 or my custom made tube preamps...

In the last few years, I started experimenting with adding pedals to my kit, even though reluctantly.
I was always fond of having a MIDI controlled environment, although a bit bugged by not having an easily
editable rig.
Buying a G System a few years back finally resolved long years of struggle, enabling live editing while
keeping the ability to switch from ultra clean to broadly different tones layered with effects in one single button push.

I bought many distortion\OD pedals over the last few years, appreciating their distinct features and this opened a whole
new world of tones and textures.

Overdrives:
Voodoo Lab's Sparkle Drive has to be the pedal I will never part from.
This box brought to me (Finally!!!) all the SRV type of tones effortlessly.
Basically a TS-9 with the added feature of splitting the signal in half and keeping half the signal
untouched...So your string integrity is kept no matter what. A blend knob lets you mix in the amount of overdriven signal
and direct signal from pure clean boost to only OD.

I own a Klon Centaur clone, a DOD Yngwie OD-308 a bit briteish that I modified with an online mod kit, now it sounds amazing.
I have a second VD Sparkle Drive modified which is similar now to the newer model which offers 4 different modes.

Distortions:


EMMA's Reezafratzitz is one of those boxes I will keep forever.
Suhr's Riot too is quite a good item...Part of my rig for years now.
Got myself a Diamond Cornerstone to get a Plexi sound for my AC/DC tribute band.
It is quite good, but I felt something was missing... Not enough sustain...Hard to explain.

I just got a Lovepedal Plexi 800 and  :whoohoo!:  :o ::) 8) ::) :o :whoohoo!:
Good lord!!! When you want to brag as a company that you sell a Plexi in a box, this time, they nailed it!
I run that thing straight into a Carvin X100B 100w head and a JCM900 cabinet.
It is stupifying! I can't believe they can squeeze such a tone into a simple pedal.
I bought mine used and the power connector was intermittent. resoldered it. Works perfect now.
At the same time I notice that the pedal is virtually empty. There is almost no parts and the circuit is
deceivingly minimal.
How the hell do they do it?

If someone is looking for a Plexi in a box, I highly recommend this thing.   O0
Title: Re: What are your favorite DISTORTION and OVERDRIVE pedals????
Post by: Dante on March 14, 2016, 01:30:54 PM
Thanks for the writeup, Chucky!

Admittedly, I don't use anything but my midi gear...however, I have purchased a bunch of dirt boxes in my past. One of which, was the Sparkle Drive that you speak of. I really liked it, but didn't use the clean boost nearly as much as I expected, so I sold it (like all the others).

To this day, the only stompbox on my pedal board (except for the tuner) is my trusty TS-9 that I bought brand new in 1981. I've had to rebuild the footswitch inside, and had to re-solder the battery connection, but other than that, it's still working.  :metal:

All other effects are in the rack gear
Title: Re: What are your favorite DISTORTION and OVERDRIVE pedals????
Post by: MarshallJMP on March 14, 2016, 02:08:44 PM
My old 80's boss SD-1 for overdrive,as for distortion,an old MXR distortion +,an old boss DS-1,and a boss Metal Zone.
Title: Re: What are your favorite DISTORTION and OVERDRIVE pedals????
Post by: Soloist on March 14, 2016, 09:33:58 PM
TS9 and SD-1 is what I use now. Love my tube screamer!
I had a Xotic BB I really liked, don't remember why I sold it :dunno:.
My buddy has a Tonebone Hot British which sounds outstanding, might have to borrow it for a while :thumb-up: Modded JCM800 in a box..... :whoohoo!:
Title: Re: What are your favorite DISTORTION and OVERDRIVE pedals????
Post by: Dante on March 15, 2016, 09:34:27 PM
Modded JCM800 in a box..... :whoohoo!:

You sir, are describing an ADA preamp
Title: Re: What are your favorite DISTORTION and OVERDRIVE pedals????
Post by: Soloist on March 16, 2016, 12:08:07 AM

Ok, more like a couple stacks of modded jcm800's. It sounds so massive.  :metal:
Title: Re: What are your favorite DISTORTION and OVERDRIVE pedals????
Post by: GuitarBuilder on March 17, 2016, 06:36:56 PM
I've got the following on my pedalboard:

Paul Cochrane TIMMY overdrive
Walrus Audio MAYFLOWER overdrive

Both very much recommended!
Title: Re: What are your favorite DISTORTION and OVERDRIVE pedals????
Post by: kawai2g4b on March 18, 2016, 12:30:23 AM
I have had much trouble settling on any overdrive/distortion in my past but I finally landed on a combination of an EHX Germanium 4 Big Muff (OD side) and the distortion circuit from a Morley Kiko Loureiro Wah Distortion. And I can get all sorts of grit out of stacking the former into the latter on a cleaner amp setting.
Title: Re: What are your favorite DISTORTION and OVERDRIVE pedals????
Post by: DorsetRatt on March 18, 2016, 04:19:51 PM
The SD-1 has been mentioned a couple of times ... I've got one somewhere, I'll have to dig it out and try it again, perhaps I've missed a trick with this one?

Occasionally I use a Marshall Shredmaster, quite a versatile pedal, the "contour" knob is useful.
Also, a Maxon SD-9 and a Klon Centaur Klone ... mainly for boost and mild overdrive.

Almost forgot, a ProCo 85 Whiteface Rat ... great pedal, I sometimes use some post EQ just to tame it down a bit.
Title: Re: What are your favorite DISTORTION and OVERDRIVE pedals????
Post by: Chucky on March 25, 2016, 12:05:13 PM
Modded JCM800 in a box..... :whoohoo!:
You sir, are describing an ADA preamp
Quite right, yes.

I have a lot of more experiments to do in a near future, but it seems to me that (Oh the irony!!)
pedal non-tube gizmos offer something i cannot get with tube channels.
Note to the possibly offended: I ALWAYS played tube stuff, always.
But in the latter years, I have started using some pedals here and there, ODs, distortions
to access some timbral qualities I cannot achieve otherwise.
First, not being an arena performer, I have to find ways to reproduce tones other guys
might achieve using mammoth gear maxed at 10.
And some pedals offer some incredible snap/definition/harmonic content tube preamps don't do.
So I stopped being religious and just use whatever works.
Combination of the 2 is mostly the best.

But seriously guys, just for the heck of it, try that Plexi 800 if you can. It's mesmerizing.
Stupid simple and to the point.
Title: Re: What are your favorite DISTORTION and OVERDRIVE pedals????
Post by: MarshallJMP on March 25, 2016, 02:46:33 PM
I saw that is actually real easy to make one.

http://revolutiondeux.blogspot.be/2008/10/lovepimple-purple-pills-lovepedal.html
Title: Re: What are your favorite DISTORTION and OVERDRIVE pedals????
Post by: tomy on March 25, 2016, 02:59:21 PM
I saw that is actually real easy to make one.

http://revolutiondeux.blogspot.be/2008/10/lovepimple-purple-pills-lovepedal.html

Really nice !
Title: Re: What are your favorite DISTORTION and OVERDRIVE pedals????
Post by: MarshallJMP on March 25, 2016, 03:01:11 PM
Actually a really special design.
Title: Re: What are your favorite DISTORTION and OVERDRIVE pedals????
Post by: vansinn on March 26, 2016, 02:20:10 AM
Never been much of a pedal freak, just had a few, and done loads of experimental designs, some almost sounding good ;)

The LovePimple design above looks interesting, may even try it out. Only.. I never heard any simple one-chip thingy that could replace the real deal with tubes.

I use two pedal gadgets to frontshirt my MP-2: A Hughes&Kettner Warp Factor, and a Behringer Mic-100 tube mic preamp.

The Mic-100 seemingly doesn't really do anything; however, once the stock tube has been replaced for something actually having a tone, and the 20dB pad is used, and the compressor isn't used more than to just touch the signal, and gain has been set for a clean tone, hardly even distorting except on the peak of aggression when banging dem strings, it does something unexplainable interesting to tone.
Add to this that is has both jack and XLR inputs and outputs, which makes it interesting as a Y-splitter for direct recording of the raw string ;)

Following this is the Warp Factor, setup for just adding a small grit to the sound. This is one of those things the MP-2 doesn't do well, the grit.
I don't really like the Warp's extra Sub drive, nor using it for full distortion. But for scratching the grid with a grit, it's just fine.

MJMP, you shock me! An MXR Distortion+ of all things! I clearly remember when a local tech dude gave me the schematics, build it, and never heard anything as crappy as this.
Removed the diodes, and used it's 40dB boost into my Sunn Model T tubeamp. Never since had any better distortion. Selling the T was a big mistake :facepalm:
Title: Re: What are your favorite DISTORTION and OVERDRIVE pedals????
Post by: MarshallJMP on March 26, 2016, 06:09:59 AM
Really,i like the damn thing.Mine has the germanium diodes in it,love it!!
Title: Re: What are your favorite DISTORTION and OVERDRIVE pedals????
Post by: vansinn on March 26, 2016, 12:25:34 PM
^oh, Germanium of course changes things - I was using 4148's [sic] back then.
Title: Re: What are your favorite DISTORTION and OVERDRIVE pedals????
Post by: rnolan on March 26, 2016, 10:09:03 PM
Germanium diodes, are these special diodes made in Germany LoL sorry couldn't resist...
Title: Re: What are your favorite DISTORTION and OVERDRIVE pedals????
Post by: vansinn on March 27, 2016, 12:46:30 AM
Matter of fact, yes, or rather, they were invented by Dr. Rudolf Germanus.
Also being into politics, hear-say will have it that he was quite the opposition to the ruling class.
We might say he was a distortion to the establishment..


EDIT:  :crazy: :lol: :facepalm:
Title: Re: What are your favorite DISTORTION and OVERDRIVE pedals????
Post by: tomy on March 27, 2016, 01:07:05 AM
Good one Van :thumb-up:
Title: Re: What are your favorite DISTORTION and OVERDRIVE pedals????
Post by: Dante on March 27, 2016, 09:05:17 AM
I saw that is actually real easy to make one.

http://revolutiondeux.blogspot.be/2008/10/lovepimple-purple-pills-lovepedal.html

I wish I understood what I was looking at...sounds like a fun project to put together
Title: Re: What are your favorite DISTORTION and OVERDRIVE pedals????
Post by: Kim on October 14, 2017, 08:18:28 AM
While I don't normally use or rely on pedals for my Overdrive/Distortion sounds, I did pick up a few pedals along the way that I like.
Most recently I found a gently used EHX Soul Food locally for about $50.  I had heard it was pretty much a clone of the famous Klon Centaur and had also checked out a bunch of YouTube clips comparing these type of pedals, so I gave it a go.   Very interesting pedal; not my normal style but I really like it anyway.  I like that I can use it as a real nice Clean Boost as well as dialing up some Drive.  But right now I'm actually using it after the EHX C9 stomp to add that touch of Overdrive to the organ effects when I need it...WAY COOL!

https://www.ehx.com/products/soul-food (https://www.ehx.com/products/soul-food)

Title: Re: What are your favorite DISTORTION and OVERDRIVE pedals????
Post by: Dante on October 14, 2017, 07:35:22 PM
I don't know if this counts, and it definitely is NOT one of my favorites...but my ol' ass Nady 201 guitar wireless adds a nice bit of distortion. So, I got that goin' for me, which is nice

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X48G7Y0VWW4
Title: Re: What are your favorite DISTORTION and OVERDRIVE pedals????
Post by: rnolan on October 15, 2017, 12:54:43 AM
Hey Dante, whatever works  :thumb-up: , although typically you want your wireless to be transparent and clean.
Title: Re: What are your favorite DISTORTION and OVERDRIVE pedals????
Post by: rabidgerry on October 26, 2017, 12:37:49 AM
I used to have this

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ZOOM-PD-01-ANALOGUE-POWER-DRIVE-OVERDRIVE-GUITAR-EFFECTS-PEDAL/263277226267?hash=item3d4c8ba91b:m:mjnM5ZMATYq5WcVMcXXrs4A (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ZOOM-PD-01-ANALOGUE-POWER-DRIVE-OVERDRIVE-GUITAR-EFFECTS-PEDAL/263277226267?hash=item3d4c8ba91b:m:mjnM5ZMATYq5WcVMcXXrs4A)

but I had no use for it when I had my Boss GT6/GT8 period.  It probably would be a good boost for the MP1 now in retrospect.  It was touted as a Klon Centaur clone also.  Very nice over drive.  One of the rare analogue range Zoom did in the 90's.

Don't think I've ever had a fav distortion pedal as I've used predominantly multi FX for most of my years.
Title: Re: What are your favorite DISTORTION and OVERDRIVE pedals????
Post by: Rawk777 on October 28, 2017, 11:11:23 PM
I posted this in another thread (Anyone here boost their ADA MP1 - http://adadepot.com/index.php?topic=750.msg20778#msg20778 (http://adadepot.com/index.php?topic=750.msg20778#msg20778)), but It makes a lot of sense to post it here:
_____

I play a lot of fast palm muting stuff, and I use a Proco Rat to boost my MP1. It works well with the MP1, MP2, Triaxis, but not with my Rocktron Chameleon 2000, wich is a digital preamp. The pedal is actually a Deucetone Rat, that have in total 4 different clipping options, including a clean boost.

I tryed different pedals to boost my preamps, and I compared them with a true bypass pedal switcher. In order of appreciation: Rat, BD-2, Ts-808, SD-1, BBE Crusher, MT-2, Behringer MIC200, DS-1.

1- Rat Deucetone
This is my favorite. I prefer all of the modes of the Rat, to every other pedal I tryed to use as a boost. All the modes have slight different flavors (more bass, more agressive, etc.), but they are all good. It's true bypass, and really doesn't like to have a buffer in front of it. With boss pedal in front of it, it sounded like crap. It sounds tight, really low noise, awesome. Just don't put too much distortion or you'll mess everything ( I set mine about like this - dist-9h, filter-12h, level 3h).

2- BD-2
A bit more warm than the Rat, and have a more vintage/warm vibe to it. Really nice.

3- Ts-808
Sounds nice and natural, just add a touch of punch, but not quite enough for my taste, and introduce way more noise than the rat.

4- SD-1
The less expensive pedal! I could have put it in 3rd place at the place of the 808. More agressive than the ts-808, but more harsh too. That pedal can be microphonic and cause feedback.

5- BBE Crusher
Suppose to be really close to Marshall The Guv'Nor. Doesn'T sounds bad, but it have a 3 band EQ. I don't want to tweak a 3 band eq on my boost pedal! It's true bypass.

6- MT-2
Metal Zone! I have been able to get a not to bad sound, close to the SD-1... But every other settings sounded really bad.

7- Behringer MIC200
It's actually a small mic preamp that can work as a DI. It has a tube in it. I did not play a lot with it because it caused to much noise to be used as a booster for heavy guitar sounds. The sounds "wanted" to be nice, but was just too noisy.

8- BOSS DS-1
I have not been able to have an instesting sound as a booster with it. It's a classic distortion pedal, but I just could not find a way to use it as a booster.


I also tryed about every OD/DS pedals simulation of my BOSS GT-10, but I consider it a different topic :). I don't think I would have tryed a RAT pedal if I didn't have a simulation of it in the GT-10. That's a great tool, but I'm trying to remove it from my rig.