OD pedal decision Cornish vs Klon KTR vs Lazy J vs Kingsley

John_P

I'm thinking of adding another drive pedal (Currently using a pinnacle, riot, zendrive). 

I'm torn between adding a Cornish CC1, Klon KTR, Lazy J cruiser or a Kingsley Jester.

I know they all sound different and it's not a straight which is the best but I like the sound of all of them and I can't decide which to get. I'd like something for adding very slight crunch to a clean sound (fender twin or evh 5153) and for stacking onto mid/high gain sounds to help thicken and make it sing even more.

I know they'll all do a great job but I'd love ot hear any long term user reports or thoughts on them.

Gassage

@John_P

Having tried every single pedal on that list, I'd first discount the LJ and the KTR. The LJ is a very unique pedal that adds layers, but can't tone shape. The KTR is....well it's rubbish compared to the others.

Then it's a shoot out between the Kingsley (which needs a singl;e channel amp utterly cranked to the moon to flourish) or the CC1.

So, I will tell you- I have yet to hear a pedal to compare with the CC1. It is sublime and its key weapon is its 3 band EQ with the mid hump. I could find a pedal to come close to every single other PC Pedal, but not the CC1. it's fucking epic and the best.

If you are around Brum (or Kew after 25/10/14) you're welcome to test drive mine.

John_P

Thanks for that - it's how I figured but I've just bought another nova system and hopefully a bass amp on it's way this weekend so my pedal fund has taken a hit.

I was toying with getting one of the others now and moving on to the cc1 next year.  Sounds like I should just buy the cc1 now but I'm very very tempted to get a lazy J or a ktr this week. 

Gassage

The LJ is a bitch to shift if you have to. KTR easier.

There was a BIN on a CC1 on ebay a couple of days back. Seriously, buy once, buy well.

monquixote

If you want a light drive nothing compares to the Liquid Sunshine in my book and it stacks with everything.

John_P

monquixote said:

If you want a light drive nothing compares to the Liquid Sunshine in my book and it stacks with everything.

Indeed they are very good - I've had two and one of them is still being used by FB member so I thought I'd try something different this time.

Gassage

Calling @wazmeister .....

meltedbuzzbox

monquixote said:

If you want a light drive nothing compares to the Liquid Sunshine in my book and it stacks with everything.

For me the Nobels ODR is the pedal to go for and its about £40. A hit you can live with all day long. 

@Dogload @Bucket @impmann would possibly all agree too. 

koss59

From my experience, some of the pedals you listed are much better going into an amp already breaking up. I'd be very careful spending so much money on a boost and putting it into a twin. 

One of my favourite pedals of all time is the old Fulldrives pre about 2000, they sound great as a boost in comp cut. I had a KTR and it was shite compared to my old silver Klon.

Bucket

meltedbuzzbox said:

monquixote said:

If you want a light drive nothing compares to the Liquid Sunshine in my book and it stacks with everything.

For me the Nobels ODR is the pedal to go for and its about £40. A hit you can live with all day long. 

@Dogload @Bucket @impmann would possibly all agree too. 

Indeed - I have a far more expensive Way Huge and have been lucky enough to play and hear some pretty expensive overdrives, but the Nobels is my favourite OD pedal I've ever heard.

Particularly if you use single-coils, it is nothing short of essential.

ThorpyFX

I haven't had a Cornish CC1. I have had an SS-3 though. Personally I'd go with the jester (I'm biased as I have one) I've found nothing that can stand tow to toe with it personally. That's because it is a preamp in a pedal. It's immaculately made, and sounds truly "organic" . Hoeprses for courses though.

Gassage

thorpy6 said:

I haven't had a Cornish CC1. I have had an SS-3 though. Personally I'd go with the jester (I'm biased as I have one) I've found nothing that can stand tow to toe with it personally. That's because it is a preamp in a pedal. It's immaculately made, and sounds truly "organic" . Hoeprses for courses though.

@thorpy6

I was told it's just a Mesa V Twin better made? Is that right?

Wazmeister

@gassage - at your request !

Right, I've owned all of em except the Lazy J...

The Jester is a simply stunning pedal; well, I say pedal, its more like an amp. The one on the forum is my old v1, and it is a beauty. For a long while, it was my fave and always turn to OD. downsides; it's huge - it really is, and the power supply is AC.

The KTR, and indeed the whole Klon thing, is strange in my book. They seem to add a bit of treble and boost, and slight, I dunno 'shimmer'. But thats it really. They work best with an amp already cookin, but loadsa pedals can do this. Having said all that, there IS a UNIQUE feel to the KTR...

The Cornish CC1 is a lovely, low gain pedal. The OD in itself isn't life changing, imho, BUT coupled with that Cornish buffer and the best EQ ive ever encountered on amp or pedal... It adds up to a great pedal.

I am a really low gain type of player. But, strangely, some of the best low gain pedals Ive used have been HIGHER gain, cleaned up with guitar or played subtly. The Cornish G2 excel at this, as do ALL of the Paul Trombetta Design stuff (PTD). Mind blowingly good...

ThorpyFX

Gassage said:

thorpy6 said:

I haven't had a Cornish CC1. I have had an SS-3 though. Personally I'd go with the jester (I'm biased as I have one) I've found nothing that can stand tow to toe with it personally. That's because it is a preamp in a pedal. It's immaculately made, and sounds truly "organic" . Hoeprses for courses though.

@thorpy6

I was told it's just a Mesa V Twin better made? Is that right?

, it is a handwired work of art inside which is pleasing on the eye. Moreover it sounds better than anything I've heard. Including the v twin. That being said, the nuances of drive sounds are really a personal choice. I like to run a treble booster into it and it gives me some amazing 60/70s rock sounds.

Wazmeister

The strange thing is though, he says to himself, continuing.... i keep on buying and buying and buying OD pedals. And I usually end up getting em to sound similar ! 

I was emailing Casper @Hymnal earlier, and I said that I feel like selling the lot, starting over, and putting the money into another amp...

capo4th

Nothing beats a quality amp

xHymnal

@wazmeister I've heard that many times re. Overdrives they are all SO different it's hard to compare. To the list though I'd add VL effects particularly the od-one; it's amazing. Joe at joes pedals raves about it a lot. Also check out the vemuram jan ray which also gets incredible press though I haven't tried the vemuram so can't vouch for that like I can with VL stuff.

JohnPerry

capo4th said:

Nothing beats a quality amp

I have a few quality amps.  The Jester's overdrive is as good or better than any of them. Which you'd expect, it being a hand-wired tube preamp built by a genius. It will do a great low-gain tone in position 1. And it beats the crap out of the V-Twin.

That said, the Weehbo JTM I keep banging on about is a fantastic low-gain pedal. Fantastic.

 

Paul_C

I like the look/sound of the EQD Palisades

breadfan

John_P said:

I'd like something for adding very slight crunch to a clean sound 

I'd steer clear of the Cruiser then - it's really fantastic for pushing an already overdriven amp, not so great going into a clean one. Jesse has even said so himself. 

thorpy6 said:

I like to run a treble booster into it and it gives me some amazing 60/70s rock sounds.

Could you do this at low volume?

How responsive are the Kingsley pedals at very low volume?

ThorpyFX

breadfan said:

John_P said:

I'd like something for adding very slight crunch to a clean sound 

I'd steer clear of the Cruiser then - it's really fantastic for pushing an already overdriven amp, not so great going into a clean one. Jesse has even said so himself. 

thorpy6 said:

I like to run a treble booster into it and it gives me some amazing 60/70s rock sounds.

Could you do this at low volume?

How responsive are the Kingsley pedals at very low volume?

I find them to be very responsive at low volume, they are designed to give you the overdriven cranked sound of a tube amp but in pedal form, best pedal I have bar none. I also have the palisades and that's great to, but..... It's defiently a pedal and sounds like one.