tubescreamer type drives - and non tubescreamer drives; the knowledge

nickp

Once upon a time, before muicradar buggered things up we had a couple of really good threads detailing the various tubescreamer derivative pedals, and the non-tubescreamer overdrives so that knowledge-less suckers like me don't buy half a dozen pedals all pretty much variations on the theme.

It also allows cheapskates (like me) to explore the cheaper end of the market rather than blowing £100 on one pedal, and pretty much get the same results.

Is there any chance that we can re-create this exploration of tubescreamer and non tubescreamer drives please?

Longtallronnie

I did post a "family tree" type thread on there that sorted pedals into different categories, which was borrowed from another forum, I'll see if I can find it.

Longtallronnie

Aaargh!

I've managed to view cached versions of page 2 and 3 of the original thread but can't find page 1 which has the info on it!

:x

mike_l

http://www.thefretboard.co.uk./discussion/543/drive-pedal-review#latest

For starters..,..

 

ICBM

1. All overdrives shall be considered TS derivatives until proven otherwise. This especially applies to any which claim to be 'transparent' or 'amp-like', even though the TS is neither.

2. All others shall be considered Dist+/DOD 250/Rat derivatives until proven otherwise, even though these are actually "distortion" pedals and hence cannot be 'amp-like'. Except that they can be.

3. If it's not one of those it's either a Marshall Guv'nor, a Shredmaster, an Electra Distortion, or a combination of TS and Rat topology, again especially if they claim to be 'transparent' or 'amp-like'.

4. If it's none of the above it's a Klon. Allegedly. And is therefore an overdrive pedal that no-one actually uses as an overdrive.

Actually the small variations on a theme can be important...

Dave_Mc

^ +1 )

also some boutiquers are starting to rip off be inspired by the bluesbreaker and even the timmy.

EDIT: well that sucks, I can only either give that post an LOL or a wisdom, not both. I can laugh and learn at the same time, dammit!

nickp

@mike_l - yep and that's why I have a bad monkey sat on the amp waiting to play with this weekend.

and I know it is a tubescreamer type pedal coz it is green

mike_l

@nickp ; the whole evening photek wanted to try different drive/boost pedals into his amp, at reasonable volume, and the BD sounded best into both a Blackstar and a Marshall. and of the pedals tried it's (IIRC) the cheapest of the lot......... 

p90fool

All I can add is that I bought a TS-808 in 1980 and have used it ever since. When they got stupidly collectible (and nickable) I started leaving it at home and gigging with a TS-7, which on standard mode sounds exactly the same and they're only 38 quid a pop.

You can pay an awful lot for an 808 clone, but seriously, don't.

ICBM

+1

randomhandclaps

ICBM said:

 

3. If it's not one of those it's either a Marshall Guv'nor, a Shredmaster, an Electra Distortion, or a combination of TS and Rat topology, again especially if they claim to be 'transparent' or 'amp-like'.

 

 

Can you say this now Mike Fuller has patented it? - "the Fulltone PlimSoul with it's Patented (US Patent#8471136) and completely unique dual stage clipping circuit "

Following Fuller's example I am currently trying to patent a unique combination of two parts hydrogen to on part oxygen - watch this space.

randomhandclaps

p90fool said:

You can pay an awful lot for an 808 clone, but seriously, don't.

Spot on.  An incredibly standard circuit that requires no tinkering or know-how to balance or bias and then people are surprised when their Joyo Vintage Drive sounds as good as something five times it's price.

ICBM

randomhandclaps said:

ICBM said:

 

3. If it's not one of those it's either a Marshall Guv'nor, a Shredmaster, an Electra Distortion, or a combination of TS and Rat topology, again especially if they claim to be 'transparent' or 'amp-like'.

 

 

Can you say this now Mike Fuller has patented it? - "the Fulltone PlimSoul with it's Patented (US Patent#8471136) and completely unique dual stage clipping circuit "

Following Fuller's example I am currently trying to patent a unique combination of two parts hydrogen to on part oxygen - watch this space.

Lol

The US Patent Office is a clueless organisation at best if not actually corrupt. In musical instruments, Mesa has been granted patents on things which are 'obvious' or have prior usage, or both - which are specifically disallowed from being patentable.

Outside the field of music they have allowed corporations to patent things which should not ever be patentable by anyone - such as parts of naturally occurring genomes.

ChrisMusic

ICBM said:   ...Outside the field of music they have allowed corporations to patent things which should not ever be patentable by anyone - such as parts of naturally occurring genomes.

I have to say I never did understand how that could even be possible, let alone justified.

If anyone from the US Patent Office would like to make a case, I am sure we would all like to hear it. ... ...  Thought not.

digitalscream

@ICBM - out of curiosity, what about pedals like the AMT Legend range, or the Bogner Ecstasy pedals? They're supposedly designed using the same topology as the preamps of the amps they're supposed to emulate.

ICBM

I don't know about the Bogners, but the AMTs are derived from the SansAmp GT-2 if I remember correctly! No idea if that shares the same topology as any amp, but it can't be the same as all the amps it claims to emulate since some of them are quite different. (eg Mesa/Boogie Mark series and a Marshall.)

randomhandclaps

Most of the AMT range are really a derivative of a multi transistor big muff style circuit - as are Catalinbread's DLS, RAH & WIIO etc and a lot of Wampler designs.  I tend to think the multi-transitor design it favoured over op-amps for 'moddelling' type pedals as it allows you to tinker with each stage in more detail and more tone stack placement options - rather than simply pre-gain or post gain.

The Sansamp is a multi-op-amp design like the Shredmaster @ICBM mentioned above and now seen in a lot of high gainers like the reezafratzitz.

ICBM

randomhandclaps said:

Most of the AMT range are really a derivative of a multi transistor big muff style circuit - as are Catalinbread's DLS, RAH & WIIO etc and a lot of Wampler designs.

Useful info, thanks. I wasn't sure, I just thought I'd seen somewhere that the AMTs were SansAmp-derived.

Dave_Mc

digitalscream said:

@ICBM - out of curiosity, what about pedals like the AMT Legend range, or the Bogner Ecstasy pedals?

Don't the bogners use Jfets?

randomhandclaps

Dave_Mc said:

digitalscream said:

@ICBM - out of curiosity, what about pedals like the AMT Legend range, or the Bogner Ecstasy pedals?

Don't the bogners use Jfets?

Yep.  I've only seen inside one ecstasy and from memory it's a 6 stage J201 circuit - 'similar' to the Wampler Pinnacle.

Dave_Mc

Yeah I seem to remember seeing gut shots and discussion about them online. As you say, similar to wampler (and catalinbread, i suppose) in that they're more or less replacing amp tube stages with jfets (i think) to supposedly make it more like the amp it's mimicking. No idea if it does sound any more authentic, I don't think I've tried any pedals in that style )