Overdrive pedal for already dirty amp?

JackGriffiths

Hi all,

I'm looking for suggestions on a great, dynamic overdrive pedal to boost an already overdriven amp (just past point of breakup on a Suhr Badger 30). Looking to try and get Marshall-esque tones, preferably tight Plexi/800 tones rather than squishy JTM45. I've looked in to the Carl Martin Plexitone but think it might have too much gain for my needs and I don't know how well it plays with an already dirty amp. I have a Joyo Ultimate Drive which is apparently derived from the OCD but it gets a little muddy in the lows very quickly and doesn't have great range with the drive control - it's basically either off or maxed. Articulation, clarity, tightness and warmth is very important, as well as being able to clean up well on the guitar volume. I have my Koko boost to push the input further for leads and heavy tones. Not asking for too much, then!..

I also have various TS style pedals but I'm not looking for that mid hump. How does the OCD deal with a dirty amp?

Thanks,
Jack

fretmeister

Digitech Hardwire Tube Overdrive

It's a TS type design but with a mini switch to change to modern which ups the gain a little and flattens the EQ out.

I use it on an EVH 5150 head set already dirty and it's brilliant.

EDIT - should have said. It's got Bass and Treble controls so you can dial it in perfectly.

mike_l

Boss SD-1

Bad Monkey

and after @viz used mine last night, MXR Distortion3.

If you're going into a clean amp, then Marshall JH-1, GV-2 or Shredmaster all give good Marshall sounds.

Cirrus

JackGriffiths said:

...preferably tight Plexi/800 tones rather than squishy JTM45... 

...Articulation, clarity, tightness and warmth is very important, as well as being able to clean up well on the guitar volume...

...I also have various TS style pedals but I'm not looking for that mid hump. How does the OCD deal with a dirty amp?

If your amp is run dirty then that's going to very strongly influence what overdrive pedals can achieve. Articulation, clarity and tightness makes me think you want something that cuts bass and boosts the mids, so I'd suggest SD-1 or one of its derivatives. They don't always clean up well, but I tend to find that doesn't matter - if you want to clean up your amp, turn the overdrive pedal off first! 

BUT you don't want a mid boost. Maybe a Rat set to low gain will do it for you? It'll tighten up the bottom end and is plenty articulate. This route has the advantage of making you own a rat, which is good because they're awesome.

The Timmy is great if more expensive, flatter midrange, and the EQ knobs are very useful: turn up the bass knob and it progressively cuts more bass which is great for tightening things up and fine-tuning how much low end is being pushed through the rig.

I hate the OCD into a dirty amp - it's always either harsh or muddy, too compressed and too scooped. I tend to find that because of the way amps overdrive and filter the sound through their different stages, if the amp is breaking up and you want to stomp on a pedal and get MOAR the pedal basically has to tighten up the bass and push the midrange somewhere. It's worth pointing out that the midrange is a very broad spectrum - a pedal that boosts 600hz is very different to one that boosts 2k! So don't rule out mids heavy pedals altogether.

I'd avoid any marshall in a box pedal to be honest. Overdriving a crunchy amp is a very different discipline than making something that sounds like an overdriven amp through a clean channel, if that makes sense.

JDE

Boost, rather than OD's work better for me with dirty amps. If you want Angus Plexi, a varient on the Lovepedal COT would be ace. Also maybe look into treble boosters or a Super Hard On.

JackGriffiths

Thanks to you all for your suggestions - I was surprised to see a couple of suggestions for the SD-1. I have a Way Huge Green Rhino which perhaps deserves another try. It's essentially a TS-style but with the flexibility of also being able to control the midrange curve and the low end. TS pedals always sound too compressed to me, though. This is why I hinted at something more relaxed in the midrange. 

Not sure whether it's possible, but I'd love something that can also work well with a cleaner amp setting to get in to heavy tones. Was looking at the Riot for this purpose but don't think it can do low gain on an already driven amp all that well. I do have enough room on the board for both, just not the cash!

@Cirrus, I've always wanted to play a good Rat, too! 

Thanks,

fretmeister

I have the CM Plexitone (the smaller gold one) and I have a Badger 30 incoming, so when it gets here I'll see how they go together.

I like the Plexitone a lot and it will do pretty low gain. Pete Thorn's demo of the pedal uses a Badger 30 near the end of the vid - with the amp set cleaner

ThePrettyDamned

+1 @mike_l

ICBM

JackGriffiths said:

Thanks to you all for your suggestions - I was surprised to see a couple of suggestions for the SD-1.

The SD-1 works extremely well with Marshall-type amps for some reason. Although it's a "TS-type", it's slightly different and seems to cut through and make harmonics jump out better.

monquixote

Distortron!

Catthan

With the gain above 5-6 you may find it hard to use heavy OD pedals unless you let the power stage breath possibly beyond what bedroom volumes allow. You'll probably find that it works great for gigs however. What I used to do was run the gain around 6, a trasparent-type OD on the front (BB, Timmy) and push with the koko for leads. The pedals were set between boost and OD. At home i I run the gain no higher than 4 and slammed the front with plexitones and Pinnacles.

Kebabkid

Look at either the Xotic AC or BB. The Zendrive isn't bad too.

bazxkr

Hey Jack

Not sure I fully get where you looking to be...but

You looked at one of these ?

Fair flexibility on sound & the boost works pretty well. Picked mine up in the USA..not sure seen any here.

Follow the vid to the tube there are clean, clean pushed & overdriven demos for yr interest

Cheers  Baz

kelvinburn

TC Spark Booster will get you very close

Kebabkid

Or an Xotic EP Booster hitting the front end will push the amp into to a thicker, natural overdrive that could be enough.

daveyh

Kebabkid said:

Look at either the Xotic AC or BB. The Zendrive isn't bad too.

You'll find examples of Steve Stevens using a BB into a Suhr Badger IIRC

JackGriffiths

fretmeister said:

I have the CM Plexitone (the smaller gold one) and I have a Badger 30 incoming, so when it gets here I'll see how they go together.

Hi Fretmeister, I'd be keen to know how you get on. 

ICBM said:

The SD-1 works extremely well with Marshall-type amps for some reason. Although it's a "TS-type", it's slightly different and seems to cut through and make harmonics jump out better.

I've spent a good bit of time today with my TS-808 and Green Rhino - the compressed, mid-rangey thing doesn't do it for what I'm looking for. I was also considering looking at the Blues Driver but don't know if it would have the versatility and 'openness' I'm looking for. My concern is that the SD-1 would be too similar to what I already have.

Catthan said:

With the gain above 5-6 you may find it hard to use heavy OD pedals unless you let the power stage breath possibly beyond what bedroom volumes allow. You'll probably find that it works great for gigs however. What I used to do was run the gain around 6, a trasparent-type OD on the front (BB, Timmy) and push with the koko for leads. The pedals were set between boost and OD. At home i I run the gain no higher than 4 and slammed the front with plexitones and Pinnacles.

Catthan, I appreciate you chiming in here. I've been running the gain around 4 as my break-up tone and am looking for the pedals to do the rest. I'm not a high gainer so think I'm probably looking for something transparent. The Timmy has also crossed my mind.

Kebabkid said:

Look at either the Xotic AC or BB. The Zendrive isn't bad too.

I think this is the way I'm leaning, purely for its flexibility. Have never heard a bad clip of the Xotic stuff though unfortunately have never had the chance to play one. Wouldn't know whether to go with AC or BB. I've read that the AC has a bit of the TS-style mid hump but can be dialled out easily by upping the bass and treble controls. 

I realise I've introduced way too many options to this thread and need to get back on track - I'd probably take them all if they were in front of me! :-)

Jack

JackGriffiths

Dave_Mc

JackGriffiths said:

ICBM said:

The SD-1 works extremely well with Marshall-type amps for some reason. Although it's a "TS-type", it's slightly different and seems to cut through and make harmonics jump out better.

I've spent a good bit of time today with my TS-808 and Green Rhino - the compressed, mid-rangey thing doesn't do it for what I'm looking for. I was also considering looking at the Blues Driver but don't know if it would have the versatility and 'openness' I'm looking for. My concern is that the SD-1 would be too similar to what I already have.

I think it depends on how badly you want rid of the compressed, midrangey thing. If you absolutely loathe it and totally want rid of it, then yeah, the sd1 may well be too close to what you already have. If you like the ts thing but just find it a bit too smooth and nasal, then the sd1 might work.

If you wanted to try a blues driver on the cheap then the digitech screamin blues is (as far as i'm aware) a glorified bd2 for ~£25. I haven't compared them head to head so I don't know how close they are, but it might be worth considering. It's a lot more transparent than a ts-type (though it's not your only option for a more transparent od pedal either).

Lev

fretmeister said:

Digitech Hardwire Tube Overdrive

It's a TS type design but with a mini switch to change to modern which ups the gain a little and flattens the EQ out.

I use it on an EVH 5150 head set already dirty and it's brilliant.

EDIT - should have said. It's got Bass and Treble controls so you can dial it in perfectly.

+1 to this suggestion, I just got one of these with my Thomann vouchers and there really isn't a bad sound in it. Good range of gain, very transparent and enough EQ control to suit your tone tastes. It's also about half the price it was a couple of years ago.

BigBearKris

How about TC Spark Booster that was mentioned above? I know it's not od pedal, but I've found that it's doing the job - I think I've never heard bad results when put in front of dirty amp - my favourite when it comes to slightly broken clean tone. Kick the boost in - and You're sorted.