distortion, overdrive........??????

[chopvai]

which one do you go for??!!

I got a TSL 100, and normally when i want my distortion, i just use my distortion on the channel of the amp, and when it comes time to lead time (Solo), I'll use the xotic RC to just give me that extra boost.

But I was wondering, maybe I could just get a nice fuller and warmer distortion running a pedal infront of the amp? (on clean) Looking up different reviews, and hearing different sound samples online, I came accross a few... Fulltone seem to have acouple of nice ones.... but what is the whole difference between an Overdrive, and A Distorion... Do they achieve similar results?

Would like to hear some of your suggestions on how you would go about this situation.

Thanks.!

[axemanrio]

A Boss SD-1 should suit your needs, doesn't cost a lot but it's a great pedal.

[ken_r152]

There are many different types of overdrive and distortion sounds that you can achieve, with different levels of saturation and different eq. Also, some types were favored for different types of music, or were favored in different eras due to what technology was available at the time. It also depends on what amplifier you plan to use, and how many and what tubes are in the amp, if it is a tube amp. Also, you will have to think about what your budget is for equipment.

Digitech has several different types of distortion and overdrive and some are available all together on one pedal, if you want variety. Boss pedals are popular. Ibanez has several that are popular, including the TS9 and the 808. If you want a really good tone, at a steeper price, the Radial Tonebone tube pedals are great. And of course, the sky is the limit, depending on how much you want to spend.

[7 Dying Trees]

I've been loving tubescreamer type pedals, I got a rack switchable OD called a bloody murder (mooded tubescreamer clone) a few months ago, and it is awesome

TUbescreamer, DS-1, all good

[rastachild]

i asked a similar question awhile ago, but now i think i understand. it's not about the amount of gain, it's about the quality of gain. and there is obviously different tonal qualities when you throw a od/distortion pedal in front of an amp as opposed to just cranking the gain on the lead channel. for example, my egnater tourmaster has 4 channels and tons of gain on both channels 3 & 4, but i like the sound of the amp with a tubescreamer running at a low gain setting. also, i have the bb xotic preamp for distortion and it sounds completely different from the natural amp distortion. to be honest, it all sounds good, but the variety lends itself to different applications and gives you more options.

also, you have to decide whether you want to run your od/distortion pedal on top of your clean channel, or turn the gain down and run it on top of your dirty channel. i've done both and have noticed very different types of gain. basically, experiment a lot. you'll find a lot of usable tones if the amp you are using (tone foundation) is good.

[ken_r152]

The rack mounted Real Tube overdrive unit was pretty cool. I'm not sure what happened to them.

When I was younger I remember fiddling around with my transistor Peavey amp trying to get a classic rock Pete Townsend sound and it absolutely wasn't happening. It was really frustrating and I couldn't figure out why. And then later on I learned about tube preamps and power amps. I think it's quite cool that they've come out with tube pedals so that you can achieve tube saturation on a much smaller scale. Between that and the new micro tube amps, I think those are some of the best recent inventions in music. There's no need to blow your ear drums out.

[Dantesstudio]

1 up for the Ts1 i like mine it gives my distortion just alittle more edge which is nice.

I am kinda looking for the same thing as you i guess and so far i have really liked the Keeley modded (Seeing Eye) Ds 1, and the Fullton OCD. The OCD just dropped in price they are 140USD now which is nice. If i were you i would try the OCD first.

[sleepyone]

Mmm...for what I've testing and trying lately I would recommend you a Seymour Duncan Twin Tube Classic, great great sounding pedal, very clean and responsive, you can get both a mellow overdrive and a gritty rocker distortion out of it, it has this great attack to it, one of the best od/dist pedals I have ever tried.
Also you can try getting an used Ts9 or a new Boss SD1 and have it modded so the chip is socketed, then you can try with different options (actually we did this to a friend's Ts9 and it was a great experiment, it's incredible how different the pedal can sound by just changing the opamp, and also, and most important, when using the original one the pedal will STILL SOUND THE SAME, no change in tone by having that socket in there)

[chopvai]

It's hard to even go into a store and expect to have all the pedals I'm after to test them side by side.... And if I go to a store and test for example the Fulltone OCD, then drive to the next store and test a DS1 or a TS9, I'll have forgotten what the others sound like etc.. if that makes sense... That's why I go by some youtube videos/audio recordings off the net as a start... which even makes it abit harder, because of the diff ways they are recorded..

TOO MANY CHOICES of pedals! why couldn't they make just one to make everyone happy! hehe...

I'll check out some of your guys suggestions and hopefully will come to a conclusion....

Money isn't an issue, If i like the way it sounds, then I'd rather spend the extra cash as opposed to buying a cheaper one (just becuase it was cheaper), to later regret it.

Just as a quick 'poll'... most of you would have tube amps correct? and I gather, most of them have a distortion/lead channel.... How many of you tube owners have a dis/od running infront of the amp?

[sleepyone]

I use a Visual Sound Jekyll & Hyde as a TS808/DS1 but just to boost and drive the distortion channel on my tube amp (a Soldano SLO100 copy, killer). Ocassionally I would use it over the clean channel for tubescreamer sounds and combining both parts of the pedal for a nice mild distorted sound.
Again, I must say, try the Seymour Duncan Twin pedal, it's a tube pedal, it uses one of the best tubes ever made, sounds incredible, really "organic", and of top of that it will give you versatility. I just don't NEED this pedal, otherwise it would be right there in my pedalboard, no doubt about it.
Someone mentioned Radial...those are great too, more versatile, but still I like the sound of the SD more, maybe because it's simplier...hehehehe