ODs and clean amps

Hootsmon

been out of the playing live loop for a while, last time out was 100w heads and cabs

I'm curious.....

take a good clean cooking amp, (Fender/Boogie) not crunchy but loud clean,and throw in a couple good ODs like the Zen or MIAB type OD pedal along with some quality digital  'verb and analog delay UP FRONT......how does the solo/crunch/lead settings sound in this kind of set up as opposed to getting your crunch and solo sounds from the amp alone?

I suppose I should ask about using an OVERDRIVEN amp and use the pedal(s) just for leg up/boost to amp ......how does this compare with the above approach? 

I guess I am trying to find out if a good clean amp along with some quality pedals can give you the sort of sounds that one used to get with the 70's big amp era

Hootsmon

which way do you prefer to get your rhythm.. crunch and lead tones?

Beexter

hootsmon said:

been out of the playing live loop for a while, last time out was 100w heads and cabs

I'm curious.....

take a good clean cooking amp, (Fender/Boogie) not crunchy but loud clean,and throw in a couple good ODs like the Zen or MIAB type OD pedal along with some quality digital  'verb and analog delay UP FRONT......how does the solo/crunch/lead settings sound in this kind of set up as opposed to getting your crunch and solo sounds from the amp alone?

I suppose I should ask about using an OVERDRIVEN amp and use the pedal(s) just for leg up/boost to amp ......how does this compare with the above approach? 

I guess I am trying to find out if a good clean amp along with some quality pedals can give you the sort of sounds that one used to get with the 70's big amp era

This is the approach I've always taken up until recently. Amps run squeaky clean with all drive from pedals. I play in a covers band doing all sorts from 50's soul, through to current chart with all era's in between and found that pedals into a clean amp gave a lot of variety. After cycling through a few, my current faves are TREX Moller or Hardwire CM2 for low gain, Xotic SL Drive for Marshall drive and an early RAT2 for heavier drive if needed.

Hootsmon

thanks Bro,tell me a we bit more about the SL drive....that looks interesting!

would it do some nice Zep crunch into a clean amp?

mike_l

@Beexter have you tried cranking the CM-2? Does a nice Marshally higher gain.......

@hootsmon have you tried a Zvex Distortron for a lower gain crunch. I use one for Floydy and Hendrixy type stuff, with a Toadworks Mr.Ed for leads.

Hootsmon

I have some Barber stuff for lower gain Bro

meltedbuzzbox

I have generally always run everything into the front of a clean amp.

Currently using a Nobels ODR-S for light gain and my empress effects Multi drive for big distortion and fuzz.

Beexter

hootsmon said:

thanks Bro,tell me a we bit more about the SL drive....that looks interesting!

would it do some nice Zep crunch into a clean amp?

Crunchy Zep? Yeah I think it could cover that. It has a number of dip switches inside so you can fine tune the tonal response and output with settings for a Super Lead or Super Bass. It's a bit of a faff setting it up initially for the sounds you want but once it's done you don't need to take the back off unless of course you want to run it off batteries. I really like it.

mike_l said:

@Beexter have you tried cranking the CM-2? Does a nice Marshally higher gain.......

@hootsmon have you tried a Zvex Distortron for a lower gain crunch. I use one for Floydy and Hendrixy type stuff, with a Toadworks Mr.Ed for leads.

@mike_l - yeah, the CM2 can cover a lot of ground with the Classic/ Modern switch and the 2 tone controls.

rsvmark

Clean marshall with vol turned up as much as poss without breaking up. Mini spark booster for a light break up/boosted, soul food for a mild od, and vox satchurator for heavier. Then use combination of all the above

Pete24v

I've done the clean amp thing for the last 10yrs of so, much happier doing it that way. I always stack Overdrive's, or use double pedals like the King of Tone, Rook Royale etc then often clean boost after the overdrive to give the solos a lift.

Gassage

@hootsman

There's no binary answer to this- depends on pedals a lot.....

I'm not a Boogie fan as I think they're very coloured. If you are going down the Twin Reverb/DRRI route, the KOT and the Euphoria are great at what you want, and also, on the UK Gear thing on Facebook there's an Effectrode Blackbird that will do this in spades for you.

So, yeah- easy to do, but pedal and amp choice are key.

hugbot

The thing with using clean amps and pedals for rock is getting the speaker/Cab situation right I feel.

Hootsmon

^ how would one of them MoFos EV 200w sound? (mk1V driver)