Sorted (possibly) Update - Recommend me a low gain transparent drive please

NorthernStomps

Fuengi said:

Thorpy Peacekeeper. Does exactly what you want superbly.

I’d recommend this also. Partly cos I’m flogging one cheap also!

dilbert

Transparency is always going to be a subjective descriptor but the Joyo sweet baby works well with my HRD III. I also use a Mooer Pure Boost which provides a nice 'push' without going OTT.    

Schmo

Timmy/XTS Imperial/Nobels ODR1/Rocket Blue Note & Chicken Soup...

Grocer_Jack

Wazmeister said:

vasselmeyer said:

The only pedal I've found that doesn't alter the EQ of a signal before passing through to the amp is the TC Electronic Spark Boost. The Timmy, which many people say is transparent, definitely changes the sound when adding dirt, however much you fiddle with the EQ.

These are my findings too

+1 on the Spark Boost.  Also Barber Gain Changer leaves your EQ pretty much the same - just adds break-up. 

Johnnyseven

builttospill said:

Sassafras said:

Boss OD-2.
Plentiful and cheap.

Want to try one of these, what’s the difference between the OD-2 and OD-2r

The r stands for remote, you can connect a footswitch to switch between the 2 modes. I seem to recall that it may also have more output volume than the OD2.

vasselmeyer

Grocer_Jack said:

Wazmeister said:

vasselmeyer said:

The only pedal I've found that doesn't alter the EQ of a signal before passing through to the amp is the TC Electronic Spark Boost. The Timmy, which many people say is transparent, definitely changes the sound when adding dirt, however much you fiddle with the EQ.

These are my findings too

+1 on the Spark Boost.  Also Barber Gain Changer leaves your EQ pretty much the same - just adds break-up. 

Wis for you. I forgot about the Gain Changer. That's another one that adds overdrive/breakup without changing the EQ too much. I'm not sure it's quite as "transparent" as the Spark Boost but it's close. Another thing to consider is that TC Electronic was on sale for about £40 before Xmas, whereas the Gain Changer is £150+ at Andertons.

simonbeckwith

I'd forgotten about the Barber Gain Changer too, cracking pedal that. 

TheMarlin

Barber Half Gainer

Th4fonz

i was in the same boat and generally the greer lightspeed/mad professor royal blue/barber gain changer/timmy were the most popular options.

JayGee

Rothwell Hellbender anyone?

I certainly like mine for this sort of job...

paulnb57

@ICBM the suggestion of a Marshall Bluesbreaker was inspired, one arrived yesterday, but I didnt get to try it until today, it does exactly what I want...
For those that don't know, it has a mode switch (Blues and Boost)
alongside gain tone and volume
In boost mode only the volume control works and I swear at bedroom volume there is no change of tone at all when the Amp is boosted....
In Blues  mode all the controls work, so I set the gain low (clean) the adjusted the tone until it was the same as bypass, I easily got the same tone as the amp, then added a bit of gain until I got the bit of grit I was looking for, bloody excellent and £39, utter, utter bargain!
No idea if it would work as well at higher gigging volume, or with a different amp, but it works for me with the Origin 20 combo......
Further use may change my opinion, but so far I'm a happy bunny...