Which Overdrive/distortion pedal

Pete24v

MojohandFX Rook. Has a diode clipping option, and active eq, works well with Klon's

monquixote

Any of: Suhr Riot, Super Crunchbox, MXR Super Badass, Shredmaster, Jekyll and Hyde

stratman3142

I've currently got a Maxon OD9 and and Angry Charlie V2 in my pedal board. The OD9 is the one I use the most but the Angry Charlie is useful, when used sparingly, for the occasional full on stuff.

The OD9 is just a good Tubescreamer. Oddly it's not that impressive in isolation,  but it really works for me in a band context.

I once tried a load of pedals and the OCD sounded the best in isolation. But it just didn't work for me in a band context and ended up sounding thin.

For me, pedals need to be tried in a band (or overall track) context. And the sound that works depends on the band/track.

Separately, when recording (where I use ampsims) and sculpting the EQ, I've found that a guitar sound that I like in the context of a track often results in an isolated guitar sound that's a bit middly (almost nasal). So I bear that in mind when thinking about sounds that would work in a band context.

siraxeman

Cheap and cheerful but still highly regarded and used by many pros - Boss SD-1, OD-3 & BD-2, Digitech Bad Monkey (but there are lots of TS types out there that sound great to for similar money). Oh and I can't forget the RAT, everyone should own a RAT.

Still to this day my fave OD pedal till one knocks it off the top spot is the Dano Transparent Overdrive (Mk1 version...mk2 is different). Got a Caline Pure Sky on its way after a heads up on here so looking forward to that for the princely sum of £23.50 posted. The cheap Screamin Blues is a good Blues driver type (better IMO) for half the money.

The most expensive dirt pedal I got is my Wampler Pinnacle Deluxe....and as great as it is, there's a lot of cheap pedals that sound just as great in their own way....I've learned over the years that good dirt pedals can be had for little money.

thomasw88

Lot of good suggestions so far guys. Can I just say I'm looking for something that will get to near rat levels of distortion from mid crunch overdrive without being rat like!!

thomasw88

saint_ivey said:

If you're after versatility... I recently started using the Earthquaker Devices Talons pedal. It can do a pretty good clean boost, drive, distortion and even a pretty good fuzz type sound.

That looks interesting.does it stack well? Also  is it noisy? 

TTBZ

Zvex distortron gets rat levels of gain and is a bit fuzzy round the edges but doesn't really sound like a rat, it's a bit more marshally. At the time i had it, it wasn't the sound I was after but I'd probably like it for the stuff I'm playing now!

mattdavis

 Boss OD3 - keep coming back to it after attempts with all sorts of boutique drives. My conclusions are that no non-tube pedal sounds or feels like a tube amp properly driven into medium/high gain - so you need an amp for that. And for low to medium gain the Boss seems to do what I need with Les Paul's and Teles into my silverface champ and my jcm 800. Have tried prince of tone, sl drive, ts 808 tubescreamer reissue, angry Charlie and other bits, but an OD3 into a just-about-breaking-up amp is just great. And if you end up not liking it, it's a cheap mistake :-)

thomasw88

mattdavis said:

 Boss OD3 - keep coming back to it after attempts with all sorts of boutique drives. My conclusions are that no non-tube pedal sounds or feels like a tube amp properly driven into medium/high gain - so you need an amp for that. And for low to medium gain the Boss seems to do what I need with Les Paul's and Teles into my silverface champ and my jcm 800. Have tried prince of tone, sl drive, ts 808 tubescreamer reissue, angry Charlie and other bits, but an OD3 into a just-about-breaking-up amp is just great. And if you end up not liking it, it's a cheap mistake :-)

Had an od3 before and it's good butt looking for something that can go quite distorted

menamestom

Marvel Drive?

Sassafras

Sounds like you need a Fuzz Face or a Tonebender.

siraxeman

thomasw88 said:

Had an od3 before and it's good butt looking for something that can go quite distorted

In that case check out the Wampler Pinnacle....or on the cheap another good un is the Mooer Cruncher.

rico

Has anyone mentioned the new Suhr Eclipse?