Dirt pedals, and the quest for the holy grail..........

siraxeman

I've got loads of OD and distortion pedals. Some cheap some expensive ish ie Wampler Pinnacle Deluxe being my most expensive wun. Now I'm coming to the conclusion that I should stop buying dirt boxes cos largely they all sound much of a muchness...I mean a TS clone cheap or otherwise sounds like a TS etc. I've basically come to the conclusion (for now at least) is that if I keep buying more dirt pedals i'll amass more of the same really. And typically 2 stacked pedals is my lead sound and an OD-3 or a TS is my rhythm sound. Typically of late kicking in my RAT 2 on top of that is my lead sound but sometimes i'll stack the TS on top of the OD-3.

when I've watched Fulltone demos for example like the Fulldrive....I heard an SD-1 in a more expensive box. I'm starting to think that a lot of the posher boutique pedals are just expensive clones of cheapos ? Or have I missed it and the pedal to end all pedals and that sounds different from the rest is still out there........?

hywelg

Disagree. There are flavours of dirt pedal and having 6 on my board wasn't duplication in any way. Three Menatones gave up very different vibes. AC30, JTM-plexi and a really nice crunch box. Then an SOV2 for thickness, a Riot for nasty dirt(though it isn't quite nasty enough), and an RC boost last in the chain for solos and pushing the amp hard.

I could easily justify one more but the search has now stopped as the band has folded.

RaymondLin

I have a lunch of dirt pedals and I like to think i am done, basically in the end I only need something light, medium and high.  With the control of the guitar volume knob you can pretty much get any sounds you want...that's before the amp's own gain channel (which I have 2).

For light

I have Timmy and a Pedal Projects Klone

Medium

JHS Double Barrel - Morning Glory and TS808

Heavy

Bogner Burnley

I also have the JHS Colour Box which can do all of the above including fuzz sounds, but also the most difficult one to dial in.

citizen68

I tried my klone last night into a clean HRD with the pedal gain up at two o'clock for a change (usually use it as clean boost). Used it as my main 'drive' sound for the whole gig with an Xotic BB pushing it for solos - it'll probably change again next gig though! Interesting what works sometimes - options are good though so I usually carry at least 3 drive pedals on the board..

Sassafras

I suppose a lot of drive pedals are based around the same circuits but give different textures and tones.

monquixote

Lots of drive pedals are pretty much identical circuits with slightly different component values.

There are a few genuinely different pedals floating about like the Liquid Sunshine.

Sassafras

^ Are you sure you don't work for Subdecay? 

monquixote

Sassafras said:

^ Are you sure you don't work for Subdecay? 

I know I recomend it a lot, but I genuinely think it's a unique and brilliant sounding pedal. 

I flip an epic amount of gear, but my Liquid Sunshine is one of the only things I absolutely cannot imagine ever getting rid of. I cited it as unique as I think Sporky mentioned at some point that it was a rare example of a pedal with a circuit that was quite different to anything else out there. 

daveyh

I will never be without my Fulldrive, it's a versatile and awesome little beast. I've also got an MXR Distortion + and a Hardwire TL2. Both of those are good but I never use them tbh

siraxeman said:

I've got loads of OD and distortion pedals. Some cheap some expensive ish ie Wampler Pinnacle Deluxe being my most expensive wun. Now I'm coming to the conclusion that I should stop buying dirt boxes cos largely they all sound much of a muchness...I mean a TS clone cheap or otherwise sounds like a TS etc. I've basically come to the conclusion (for now at least) is that if I keep buying more dirt pedals i'll amass more of the same really. And typically 2 stacked pedals is my lead sound and an OD-3 or a TS is my rhythm sound. Typically of late kicking in my RAT 2 on top of that is my lead sound but sometimes i'll stack the TS on top of the OD-3.

when I've watched Fulltone demos for example like the Fulldrive....I heard an SD-1 in a more expensive box. I'm starting to think that a lot of the posher boutique pedals are just expensive clones of cheapos ? Or have I missed it and the pedal to end all pedals and that sounds different from the rest is still out there........?

mike_l

daveyh said:

I will never be without my Fulldrive, it's a versatile and awesome little beast. I've also got an MXR Distortion + and a Hardwire TL2. Both of those are good but I never use them tbh

 

 

I find the Distortion+ best as an "always on" pedal for tightening up a Marshalls low-end.

Sassafras

monquixote said:

Sassafras said:

^ Are you sure you don't work for Subdecay? 

I know I recomend it a lot, but I genuinely think it's a unique and brilliant sounding pedal. 

I flip an epic amount of gear, but my Liquid Sunshine is one of the only things I absolutely cannot imagine ever getting rid of. I cited it as unique as I think Sporky mentioned at some point that it was a rare example of a pedal with a circuit that was quite different to anything else out there. 

I know what you mean and I've been looking for a 2nd hand one for a while but I'm thinking of biting the bullet and getting a new one. I've got loads of dirt pedals but the LS does indeed sound a bit out of the ordinary. I've got to the stage where I'm quite happy with my set up but another pedal can't hurt.