ARC Klone V2 vs Catalinbread 5f6

JohnPerryJohnPerry Frets: 1616
edited March 2014 in FX
I want a quality pedal that will send a deluxe reverb and a princeton into low-gain territory at home volume and even beyond that into heavier tweed-type OD. Considering either of the above. Thoughts welcome from anyone who's owned one or both.

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  • JohnPerryJohnPerry Frets: 1616
    Bump

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  • JDEJDE Frets: 1092
    A Klone won't provide tweed type breakup with a Blackface amp. The 5f6 (I've only had an older Formula No 5 but i assume they're very similar if not the same pedal) is designed to do what you're after. However, If your amps are set totally clean, and I'm assuming they are when you say "home volume" then I would look into a Lovepedal Les Lius, too or the Wampler. The F5 is a great pedal but it's very, very loud. It was actually too loud to use with a clean/high headroom amp at home for me.
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  • WazmeisterWazmeister Frets: 9445
    John,

    The Arc v2 is a wonderful 'klon' pedal. I a/b against a KTR, and it was superior in every way. However, JDE is totally right. The Arc adds a little bit 'more'; less break up, more chime and presence. I'd go for a dedicated 'tweed' pedal if i were you.

    Bearfoot SYOD, and your beloved Wampler are my choices.

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  • JohnPerryJohnPerry Frets: 1616
    Thanks guys. Of the two i'd been leaning towards the 5f6 and i read somewhere that volume issue on the Formula 5 is not so problematic on the 5f6. The Wampler Tweed seems to be a box of dirt from the start...just won't play clean, so that doesn't sound the ticket for me. I'll check out the Lovepedal and the Bearfoot though.

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  • not_the_djnot_the_dj Frets: 7306
    edited March 2014
    I've got the 5F6 and it's great. I use it to improve the clean channel on my Blackstar HT-50. Pretty versitle pedal and does the tweed drive thing really well.

    I also have the Lovepedal Les Luis which is fantastic but no eq or proper drive control so the 5F6 gives you more functionality. 
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  • dindudedindude Frets: 8534
    I use a G2D Cream Tone pretty much for adding hair to a blackface style clean, does the job lovely.
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  • JohnPerryJohnPerry Frets: 1616
    edited March 2014
    dindude said:
    I use a G2D Cream Tone pretty much for adding hair to a blackface style clean, does the job lovely.

    i owned a cream tone for a good while years ago and remember it being excellent now you mention it

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  • NPPNPP Frets: 236
    I have Formula5 clone (no experience with the original). It's a very good pedal. It has quite bit of gain and you will get clean sounds out of it only by turning down the guitar volume substantially. However it isn't 'loud' - I don't understand that comment above, the volume control works and you can turn it down as well as up, independently of the gain. 

    It also likes being pushed by a clean boost or another low gain OD in front of it. 

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  • juansolojuansolo Frets: 1773
    At low volumes I'd probably stay away from ODs as they're going to push your amp. Instead maybe look at a distortion. The Wampler Tweed '57 is my favourite for this sort of thing.
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  • JDEJDE Frets: 1092
    NPP;199769" said:
    However it isn't 'loud' - I don't understand that comment above, the volume control works and you can turn it down as well as up, independently of the gain. 
    I didn't say the volume knob didn't work. On mine, and on a clone I briefly got off MR, the volume knob jumped from loud to deafening before 9 o'clock on the dial. If I wanted to use a higher gain setting, the volume also increased. If my amp had loads of headroom left, with no compression, it was too loud for me to use at the gain setting I wanted.
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  • NPPNPP Frets: 236
    JDE said:
    NPP;199769" said:
    However it isn't 'loud' - I don't understand that comment above, the volume control works and you can turn it down as well as up, independently of the gain. 
    I didn't say the volume knob didn't work. On mine, and on a clone I briefly got off MR, the volume knob jumped from loud to deafening before 9 o'clock on the dial. If I wanted to use a higher gain setting, the volume also increased. If my amp had loads of headroom left, with no compression, it was too loud for me to use at the gain setting I wanted.
    mine is very different then - I often run it at slightly below unity volume for quiet practice, and it allows for very subtle adjustments. Or it is because I run the gain below 9 o'clock and use fairly low-output pickups. This doesn't help the OP very much I guess except show him that there is a range of different experiences and uses ...

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  • KebabkidKebabkid Frets: 3301
    edited November 2014
    Another +1 to the Catalinbread Formula 5F6 and it sounded superb through the DRRI in the shop and sounds very good through my own rig (H&K TM36). IMHO, keep the gain below midday for best results and don't forget this has an internal switch which can transform the pedal and get you plexi-type sounds.
    Demos of the Wampler Black 65 sound good too as do the Xotic RC Booster and Way Huge Pork Loin (had the last 2 but thought the 5F6 was better).
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  • GassageGassage Frets: 30826
    Dan @ gigrig was playing with the Archer y'day.

    Said he couldn't tell than and an original Klon apart.

    I'm interested already

    *An Official Foo-Approved guitarist since Sept 2023.

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  • JohnPerryJohnPerry Frets: 1616
    Since this thread started I've bought and sold the 5f6, the Formula 5, the Wampler Black 65 and the ARC Klone V2 and still have an RC (which I've always had and is always on). They all do different things of course but the Weehbo JTM knocks them into a cocked hat either as a clean boost or a light-to-mid OD. Sounds just uncannily like a cranked plexi even at whisper volume. Oddly I haven't found any of the tweed pedals any better than the Tweed Deluxe setting on the Adrenalinn III (after some obsessive tweaking of all its parameters).

    I played a lovely 5e3 amp the other day and will have to get one I think if I really want the tweed thing.

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  • nickb_boynickb_boy Frets: 1689
    edited November 2014
    I may be having a Lovepedal Les Lius and a Pedal Monsters Klone up for sale soon if you would be interested in either, just so you can add them to your list (I'm meant to be scaling down ;) )
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