Does owning a MIAB and a Klon make other ODs redundant?

Soulslinger

Amp is either a Tonemaster Deluxe or Princeton (have both).

Per the thread title, I have a Spark Mini into a Tumnus Deluxe for my primary band gain thing, and also have a Plexidrive Mini which is just used at home. 

I’m thinking of adding an OD-3 to the mix. For the band, this would give me the options of:

1. Thick clean (Spark)
2. Sparkly off clean (Tumnus which can be boosted by Spark)
3. Light gain (OD-3, which could be goosed by either pedal down wind).

However, will the OD-3 offer anything which my Plexidrive does not? I do find that the character of the Plexidrive is such that it’s too different from the base amps to use as something to switch on and off. I’m hoping for something with similar levels of gain and responsiveness on top but which doesn’t sound so much like a different amp.

If so, I have an EP Booster I might try to go for a straight swap on. Whilst I love the EP Booster, I am in a big band and prefer the brightness of the Spark, so I think that’s what I want to keep. However, I don’t want to waste a beaut of a pedal like the EP if it’s just going to be a bit of a redundancy.

TimmyO

I also have a TMDR and a Klone and a (EP) Boost and a few other overdrives and faff from time to time to see what range of different sounds I can get from the fewest pedals in different combinations. (Hey, it keeps me off the streets :-) ) 

I ended up not using the EP Boost and running the Klone in to a Lightspeed (for which you could substitute a Timmy clone) 

The Lightspeed/Timmy is good for adding either just a little or a medium amount of drive without too much of a complete change of sound. Adding the Klone in to that gives a lovely crunchy sound (riffs/rhythm) or a relatively sustainy one (leads). The Klone on its own gives a less amp-like medium drive sound - occasionally I prefer it (perhaps when my ears are tired and need something more obvious) 

For me I wasn’t able to get the boost doing anything discernibly helpful with how I have things set - so I set the amp for whatever loud clean/pushed clean I want and if I want cleaner/cleanest I do it from the guitar volume. 

monquixote

The OD3 is very mid forward which means if you boost it with something like a Klon it can sound very honky.

I might prefer something with less mids like a BD2.

Soulslinger

monquixote said:

The OD3 is very mid forward which means if you boost it with something like a Klon it can sound very honky.

I might prefer something with less mids like a BD2.

Interesting about the mids comment on the OD3, many seem to be thinking it’s very flat in that spectrum.

However you have made me think, as my initial thought was BD-2 before I bought the OD3 hype, so it’s back on my radar.

Soulslinger

Trigger pulled on a BD-2 W.

ICBM

Soulslinger said:

Does owning a MIAB and a Klon make other ODs redundant?

No, not at all.

There are several different major categories even of 'overdrive' pedals - the Tube Screamer family for one, Bluesbreaker for another.

I'm personally not a fan of Klon-type pedals at all, so I would say that wouldn't I...

Soulslinger

ICBM said:

Soulslinger said:

Does owning a MIAB and a Klon make other ODs redundant?

No, not at all.

There are several different major categories even of 'overdrive' pedals - the Tube Screamer family for one, Bluesbreaker for another.

I'm personally not a fan of Klon-type pedals at all, so I would say that wouldn't I...

Yeah I’m familiar with all those. I did consider a Bluesbreaker too, but I think I’d be using it for the same think I use the Tumnus for.

I guess what I was getting at was the suggested OD3 and BD2 getting into similar character territory as the Plexidrive, being a bit more foundational when the gain is pushed a bit, and doing the classic rock thing a bit. Basically I didn’t know if I was wasting my own money, but it’s too late now.

I like my Tumnus incidentally for the sparkle but also a bit of cut it gives my amp when used as just a bit of hair on the clean tone. I’ve had Tubescreamers and heard people make them sound awesome but they never worked well for me in that application and sounded thin at higher gain.

Anyway the board has all been rearranged ready and I’m excited. I’ve always wanted to try a Blues Driver and have never owned a Boss that wasn’t a looper.

NelsonP

I can definitely recommend a klone into a BD2-w.....

Soulslinger

@NelsonP a handsome and well-appointed board. How do you find those switch toppers? A friend keeps suggesting these to me. Any reason they are not used across the board (obviously save for the Boss lol).

It’s interesting that not many people copy the Boss switch isn’t it. I wonder if it’s really strong patenting or something.

ICBM

Soulslinger said:

Yeah I’m familiar with all those. I did consider a Bluesbreaker too, but I think I’d be using it for the same think I use the Tumnus for.

I guess what I was getting at was the suggested OD3 and BD2 getting into similar character territory as the Plexidrive, being a bit more foundational when the gain is pushed a bit, and doing the classic rock thing a bit. Basically I didn’t know if I was wasting my own money, but it’s too late now.

I like my Tumnus incidentally for the sparkle but also a bit of cut it gives my amp when used as just a bit of hair on the clean tone. I’ve had Tubescreamers and heard people make them sound awesome but they never worked well for me in that application and sounded thin at higher gain.

Anyway the board has all been rearranged ready and I’m excited. I’ve always wanted to try a Blues Driver and have never owned a Boss that wasn’t a looper.

No, they should be quite different. A MIAB - at least a proper one - is really a preamp/alternative channel, not an overdrive pedal. The BD-2 is really very different, it’s a distortion rather than an overdrive (in the way it works, there are large overlaps in the sound that results), so not like either.

The Tumnus sounds very different from a Bluesbreaker too. I’ll be honest, every Klon-type pedal I’ve played has had an annoying upper-mid harshness that I really detest. The Bluesbreaker is the opposite, it’s so bland I could barely find anything to dislike about it… except exactly that .

But we’re all different . As are these circuits .

NelsonP

NelsonP said:

I can definitely recommend a klone into a BD2-w.....

Thanks. I've actually just switched the ds1 for a fuzz face mini, but they both have a role.

The switch toppers don't fit on some of the pedals. I like them because I play at home in socks quite a bit, and it makes the switches easier to hit 

Soulslinger

Well I did it. Not actually into the Waza side of the pedal on early impressions, but I’ve not played it loud yet. I’ve found it can get into similar territory to the Plexidrive when combined with the Tumnus, but it sounds more direct - the Plexidrive always seems to have this thing where it sounds like it’s simulating cabs and stuff to me. 

I’ve really enjoyed the Blues Driver so far. It will be interesting to see what application I can find for my function band instead of just bedroom playing. I’ve also found that the Tumnus into it got some magic from my Les Paul, but was possibly a bit harsh with the Strat. 

monquixote

I just had a blast into the BD-2 and OD-3 with a few pedals

The Spark and Klon both sound better into the BD-2 than the OD-3 although they do sound alright into the OD-3 and the OD-3 is a better lead into a clean channel.
The OD-3 hates the SD-1 though.

the OD-3 sounds fairly good into the BD-2 though.