Pedal recommendations for boosting Marshalls...

StefB

This is going to seem like such old ground that has been covered a million times, but hear me out, and apologies for the lengthy post.

I've had a year off from gigging in a wedding/function band, where I spent over ten years having to cover many bases.  During most of that time, through necessity, I've used multi-channel amps, MIDI, digital gear, you name it.  As a result of this, and in my old age, I've as good as forgotten how to get a good lead tone out of just a Marshall (JVM410 combo) and a Les Paul (PRS SC245 25th Anniversary to be precise) and am hoping you guys can offer up some wisdom.

I've been using a TC Nova Drive, which is a versatile pedal and has served me well, but it is a little soulless if anything, and I fancy changing to a decent drive pedal instead.  Question is, should that be overdrive, distortion or a simple boost, and what recommendations for any/all?

The OD side of the Nova is in classic Tubescreamer territory, which doesn't work terribly well with Marshalls in my opinion.  The distortion side works better, but quickly adds too much compression to mid-high gain settings, which I think is the problem.  I'll add at this point that I've never really been a volume pot rider for soloing, but I do use it sparingly when needed for variation.  I've tried using the higher gain channels on the JVM for soloing, but they don't quite do it for me on their own.

I'm talking classic rock in the truest sense here, but anything from Thin Lizzy to '80s hair metal (Whitesnake, Bon Jovi etc), the rhythm tones for all of which the JVM is quite capable of without any assistance.  I could do with 'a' pedal that will work with the lower and higher gain channels of the JVM to achieve these tones without too much fiddling.  Playing lead on the rhythm channels I have set just doesn't cut through or sustain like I want it to, and I need something that really makes the lead tones jump out of the speakers, while retaining clarity and without making the whole shooting match a mushy, compressed mess.  I have a Blues Driver and an OD-3, neither of which quite do the trick.

I fancy trying a Suhr Riot, but they only ever seem to mentioned for getting Marshall sounds out of Fenders or other clean channel amps - will it do what I'm looking for?  Other recommendations and advice on how you guys achieve this 'simple' outcome would be very welcome indeed as I just can't seem to see the wood for the trees!

mike_l

If you've got the amp set dirty, then a Bad Monkey* in front sounds great.

Or, if you just need a volume boost, a MXR Microamp in the FX loop. I use both with a DSL....

 

 

 

*I'm aware they're cheap-as-chips, and not at all booteek.......

ICBM

Boss SD-1.

Not the same as the OD-3 or BD-2, it's much less 'natural' as a stand-alone overdrive, but this is exactly what you want for pushing an overdriven amp.

StefB

mike_l said:

If you've got the amp set dirty, then a Bad Monkey* in front sounds great.

Or, if you just need a volume boost, a MXR Microamp in the FX loop. I use both with a DSL....

 

 

 

*I'm aware they're cheap-as-chips, and not at all booteek.......

Thanks @mike_l - I've had a Bad Monkey before but only really used it as a lead boost on the cleaner Marshall settings - for the price I'll give another a whirl.

ICBM said:

Boss SD-1.

Not the same as the OD-3 or BD-2, it's much less 'natural' as a stand-alone overdrive, but this is exactly what you want for pushing an overdriven amp.

Thanks @ICBM, this is kind of what I was wanting to hear.  I like Boss pedals, an SD-1 can be had very cheaply, and I've never tried one before.  Would you recommend bog standard, or one of the many modded variants?

Ossyrocks

When I used to gig an old Marshall (2203), I typically had the gain set fairly high for rock rhythm. The problem then is that the amp has hardly anywhere to go from there as it's already driving. I figured out that what I needed was a BIG boost, which in use, translated into a moderate increase in gain and volume for solos when I was actually out gigging. The pedal I ended up using and was very happy with was a Fulltone Fat Boost (version 1) with the volume dimed and a moderate gain setting. It really worked for me.

Rob.

ICBM

StefB said:

I like Boss pedals, an SD-1 can be had very cheaply, and I've never tried one before.  Would you recommend bog standard, or one of the many modded variants?

I would start with the bog standard one. For £39 new you really can't go wrong - it's almost hard to buy a second hand one for less than that if you include shipping… although a friend of mine is selling one if you're interested, it will probably be a little less.

Although it's a "Tube Screamer type" pedal it sounds less compressed to me, and it seems to make harmonics really jump out when used with a dirty Marshall-type amp. If it matters, Zakk Wylde used one for years until he got an endorsement with MXR.

EricTheWeary

Billy Duffy + Les Paul +SD1+ Marshall stack = classic metal period The Cult.

StefB

EricTheWeary said:

Billy Duffy + Les Paul +SD1+ Marshall stack = classic metal period The Cult.

Isn't Satriani a (former) famous user too, or was that the DS-1?

mike_l

I think Satch used a DS-1.....

Axe_meister

I find with Marshalls, you need something a little more transparent.

With Fender amps the mid hump of a typical TS workds wonders, but less so into a Marshall.

The problem with modern high gain amps is that any sort of boost in front, just saturates the pre-amp more

after a cerain point it doesn't really get you much more distortion just more sensitivity (at the expense of light touch dynamics).

So I'd run the different channels alot cleaner than designed and then use a boost.

Bidley

Tubescreamer + Marshall = nearly every 80's rock/metal band evar.

xSkarloey

SD-1's a great benchmark to start from, even if you don't end up going down that route. 

The Marshall Bluesbreaker and Guvnor are worth considering too (the BB has two modes, the OD bit and the volume boost mode). 

Cirrus

I came here to say SD-1, and not just because I'm selling one - it just works well with any Marshall I've tried.

The Rat II does as well IMO, as long as you keep the gain low and watch the filter knob.

kelvinburn

Nobels Pre01 was the best I tried with my old VM50. A really good jack of all trades boost / od with brilliant eq

monquixote

A DS1 with the gain low works well if you want something with a bit more fizz and aggression.

Axe_meister

Tru

Bidley;153435" said:

Tubescreamer + Marshall = nearly every 80's rock/metal band evar.

True but a transparent drive keeps the marshal character rather than making it a mid humpy mush

smudge_lad

Timmy or the cheaper Dano TOD - sound awesome into OD1 green on my JVM!

Head over to the JVM Forum if you haven't already been, there's a massive section on Tone Settings that I find useful, from people who really know about the amp specifically!

Bidley

Axe_meister said:

Tru

Bidley;153435" said:

Tubescreamer + Marshall = nearly every 80's rock/metal band evar.

True but a transparent drive keeps the marshal character rather than making it a mid humpy mush

"Mid humpy mush" isn't a problem I've come across, using a TS9 for 10 years.

mike_l

monquixote said:

A DS1 with the gain low works well if you want something with a bit more fizz and aggression.

Funnily, I hated the DS-1 when I had one...........

Dave_Mc

I agree with the SD1. I prefer my daphon clone of it to my TS clones with marshall-style amps, I think- whether that's because it suits them better or just suits the type of tones I tend to be after with Marshall-style amps, I dunno (or maybe a bit of both).

TSes are great, too, don't get me wrong, but for me they can be a bit too nasal with middier amps.

Flanging_Fred

I've had good results with a Cochrane Tim, mk1 Marshall Guv'nor or to a lesser extent, the bad monkey.