Who gets a high gain sound using a pedal into a clean amp?

gearaddict

...and what pedal do you use? Just wondering.

I've always felt that pedals sound like pedals. Overdriving an already crunchy amp sounds great but getting a higher gain sound using just a pedal never seems to sound authentic...or maybe I've not used the right pedal!

siraxeman

I are do. Well...sort of. I tend to stack 2 OD pedals (just for solos). Base tone is usually my AC30HW2X clean. often have a DSL50  2x12 combo also at the same time also set clean.  That's high gain to me, not brutalz levels of gain....but still pretty decenlt levels of dirt. For rhythm toanz I just use a single OD pedal (Dano TOD mk1)....which even on max gain isn't high gain.

Sassafras

Way Huge Fat Sandwich.

Trude

Crunch Box (v1) works fine for me, into a variety of different amps

firepaulmusic

Thorpy Gunshot or Suhr Riot

bbill335

fuzz face clone into hudson broadcast. or just the broadcast. I have tonnes of fuzz/dirt pedals, I'm a guy who likes his amp in that clean or on-the-edge sweet spot, but the broadcast helps me get there without deafening everyone.

clarkefan

Trude said:

Crunch Box (v1) works fine for me, into a variety of different amps

I had a v2 for a long time, they are fine pedals.  They've sort of disappeared off the radar and that's a shame, they rawk.

And yes they get labelled with being Guvnor knockoffs  but I know both well and preferred the Crunch Box.

downbytheriver

Analog Alien Rumble Seat into a Super Reverb. Staggering sound. 

Bellycaster

I'm sure a Bogner Uberscall pedal would have ample gain.

John_A

Trude said:

Crunch Box (v1) works fine for me, into a variety of different amps

Great pedals my favourites in to a clean amp, better than a Riot, but not by much, they're great too

Limehouse_Blues

Boss DS1X into my Brunetti sounds epic. The bottom end is unreal from a 1x12 setup.

AustrianJohn

Thorpy Gunshot or BD-2 - or preferably both.

stratman3142

I used to use an Angry Charlie into a V30 loaded HRDx3 for high gain sounds. I also used a Maxon OD9 for less 'full on' overdrive. I found the Angry Charlie needed to be used sparingly. Mostly I used the OD9 on full drive and switched on a compressor in front of it for more gain/sustain.

I think speaker choice might be important to get a good high gain sound using a pedal in front of a clean amp. But then there might be a compromise between harder and sweeter cleans.

MattBanshee

For a traditional high-gain distortion (i.e. not a big muff sound) I use a RAT clone with diode switching options.

dogload

As @MattBanshee I use a Rat-a-like, specifically the Mooer Black Secret. Tons of filth available. I usually run it into a fairly clean Nobels ODR-1+ to squeeze a more controllable feedback out of it! The Mooer is a brilliant little pedal.

TTBZ

John_A said:

Trude said:

Crunch Box (v1) works fine for me, into a variety of different amps

Great pedals my favourites in to a clean amp, better than a Riot, but not by much, they're great too

Another +1 for the Crunch Box from me. Mine sounded almost identical to the drive channel on my Laney GH50L when I used the crunch box into the same amp set clean. Which is why I sold it really. Would be cool to try a Super Crunch Box, seems to be even better - if I didn't already have a Marshall it'd be on my list.

meltedbuzzbox

Empress multi drive is properly brutal on the distortion setting.
Ocd isn't bad, marshal jackhammer or shred master. 
The double  hotcakes can have a bit of punch too.
And the okko diablo

monkey42

Friedman be-od 

DesVegas

I do, I do. A rat, pushed by a super fuzz into a clean bandit

Jonathanthomas83

Of those mentioned, I don’t think a RAT or the Gunshot are A) high gain (IMO) or B ) tight enough (IMO), for my needs anyway. Just my two cents.

Before switching to Axe FX for everything, which gives exactly the feel and tone I need now, I tried loads of high gainers.

Here are the ones worth trying, but it’s vital to have a very clean amp platform.

Diezel VH4 pedal (incredible lead sound), Friedman BE-OD (gets lost in the mix too easily), Amptweaker Tight Metal (a bit brash for my tastes).

I always chased the Mesa end of the spectrum so I ended up using a Piod FX What You Want 2, which had everything down to a tee for me. Tone, EQ options, tightness, the lot! They’re hard to find, but they’re releasing the WYW3 soon, I think.

peteri

A lot - Wampler Pinnacle V2, really good. Andy Timmons Angry Charlie also great.

I'm now a modeller guy, but the last two years - all pedals in front and clean (but slightly compressing) valve amp.

Sounds amazing, much easier to wire up (no 4CM) and means you can turn up anywhere and it's much easier to get a working sound with whatever amp is around