Durham Sex Drive questions

austint01

Does anyone run a tube screamer into one?

I find that a TS into my liquid sunshine set clean sounds so much better than going straight into a clean amp. And even though there isn't anything wrong with the LS.. I just fancy a sex drive.

Also, from your experience, is the compression switch enough enough to kill off my gas for a compressor? It would be to add subtle shine to clean stuff.

meltedbuzzbox

I prefer putting my sex drive into a screamer...

AxeWieldingBastard

I think the Sex Drive is great for doing exactly what you want. I run mine at the end of my drive pedal chain, at unity volume, with the compressor switched off; because it just makes everything sound cooler Kick the compression on for cleans; it can be really subtle, it's perfect.

If you like heavily squashed compressed sounds the Durham Sex Dr. won't entirely kill your compressor gas. But it does do a great crushed guitar overdrive sound if you slam it.

austint01

AxeWieldingBastard;529480" said:

I think the Sex Drive is great for doing exactly what you want. I run mine at the end of my drive pedal chain, at unity volume, with the compressor switched off; because it just makes everything sound cooler Kick the compression on for cleans; it can be really subtle, it's perfect.

If you like heavily squashed compressed sounds the Durham Sex Dr. won't entirely kill your compressor gas. But it does do a great crushed guitar overdrive sound if you slam it.

Hmm.. Do you think a regular boost pedal could achieve the same thing? Or does the sex drive add something extra?

Trotter

Agree with the comments above; I use the sex drive to nudge a clean amp into slight break up and leave it on for a whole set sometimes. It really just adds a layer of warmth and sparkle to my set up (usually running the soft compression mode.) I then build from there with other pedals for more gain, boost etc. A great, if subtle pedal. 

AxeWieldingBastard

austint01 said:

AxeWieldingBastard;529480" said:

I think the Sex Drive is great for doing exactly what you want. I run mine at the end of my drive pedal chain, at unity volume, with the compressor switched off; because it just makes everything sound cooler Kick the compression on for cleans; it can be really subtle, it's perfect.

If you like heavily squashed compressed sounds the Durham Sex Dr. won't entirely kill your compressor gas. But it does do a great crushed guitar overdrive sound if you slam it.

Hmm.. Do you think a regular boost pedal could achieve the same thing? Or does the sex drive add something extra?

I think there's quite a few boost pedals that will bring a certain pre-ampy additive effect to your sound that you might like; when dialled up the Super Hard On or MXR Micro amp add a kind of sparkly-ness or whatever. Obviously there's others too, but each is bit different from each other. 

The Sex Drive has it's own thing going on, it just seems to notch the sound of your guitar nicely, so there's a perceived increase in the presence even at unity volume. I like it because it covers both clean boost and compressor territory (I don't know of anything else that does that), plus it can do some really nice, classic, low gain grit with the compressor at full tilt in to a clean amp, and it has a nice signal buffer in there to boot! He's a handy little fella to have around.

austint01

AxeWieldingBastard;529870" said:

austint01 said:

AxeWieldingBastard;529480" said:I think the Sex Drive is great for doing exactly what you want. I run mine at the end of my drive pedal chain, at unity volume, with the compressor switched off; because it just makes everything sound cooler Kick the compression on for cleans; it can be really subtle, it's perfect.



If you like heavily squashed compressed sounds the Durham Sex Dr. won't entirely kill your compressor gas. But it does do a great crushed guitar overdrive sound if you slam it.

Hmm.. Do you think a regular boost pedal could achieve the same thing? Or does the sex drive add something extra?





I think there's quite a few boost pedals that will bring a certain pre-ampy additive effect to your sound that you might like; when dialled up the Super Hard On or MXR Micro amp add a kind of sparkly-ness or whatever. Obviously there's others too, but each is bit different from each other. 

The Sex Drive has it's own thing going on, it just seems to notch the sound of your guitar nicely, so there's a perceived increase in the presence even at unity volume. I like it because it covers both clean boost and compressor territory (I don't know of anything else that does that), plus it can do some really nice, classic, low gain grit with the compressor at full tilt in to a clean amp, and it has a nice signal buffer in there to boot! He's a handy little fella to have around.

So it sounds like I *need* one then

austint01

Does anyone know where I can get one in the UK? Or will I be looking secondhand?

Sassafras

They don't come up too often on ebay. I know because i've been looking for one for a long time now.

AxeWieldingBastard

There was a big box one for sale on eBay a few weeks ago I'm sure (maybe a month?), went for about £70/80 quid in he end i think, I almost bought it as a spare! I bought the one I own now off eBay for about the same. That's the way to go I guess, just keep looking.

For a brand new one you might have better luck finding a dealer in the EU, as i don't think anyone's retailing them in the UK at the moment.

Maybe it's worth emailing Joe's Pedal's? I know he's not dealing in Durham Electronics stuff, but if enough people ask maybe ..

Sassafras

Was that from USA or over here?

ellangus

I've had one for a coiuple of years now and I'd never sell it, it's brilliant. 

I think Chandler Guitars sell them

crunchman

ellangus said:

I've had one for a coiuple of years now and I'd never sell it, it's brilliant. 

I think Chandler Guitars sell them

They used to sell them.  Not sure they still do.

Dan_C

Wunjo on Denmark Street had one when I was in there on Monday... Think it was £175

No affiliation with Wunjo, was browsing their pedal cabinet and was surprised to see it there!