[guitarzuncc84]

Hey guys just got a job working at Guitar Center and wanted some of your guys/gals opinions on what drive pedals you're using in front of your amp. I've gotten out of using pedals as my main distortion since getting my Mesa Nomad (which i LOVE!!!), and just wanted to know what pedals you've had good experience with. I've always loved the opinions I get on Jemsite, and just wanted to pass the knowledge onto other customers.


On a side note, my first paycheck is going towards the MXR Carbon Copy Delay!!! It is amazing in how clear and natural sounding it is.....


Take it easy

 

[smooth55]

Satchurator, anything Fulltone, the new hardwire valve distortion, blackstar dual are a few that are solid in my experience.

 

[MarkE]

Current overdrives/distortions :

Marshall Guv'nor (Original version) : I have it set fairly tame, gives a nice bit of breakup to a clean channel or as a boost for other pedals

Satchurator : Sounds fantastic with the Guv'nor in front and the More switch OFF. Shame all the usable tones are within a small section of the tone control.

Line 6 Uber Metal : Massive walls of compressed metal tone, regardless of what guitar you plug into it. Not subtle but it does what it says on the tin.

Big Muff Pi : Bought it to see what the fuss was about. To my ears, it mostly sounds like a regular distortion (but with either a dying battery or a knackered speaker cab).

Metal Muff with Top Boost : Depends on your definition of "Metal" - think classic, lower gain sounds rather than Mesa saturation. Very adjustable tones, though, and the Top Boost cuts like a cutty thing.

 

[guitarzuncc84]

Yea I had messed with the Satchurator the other day, and really liked it.... thought it was able to get a nice distorted lead tone with great sustain..... the weird thing is that no one else really digs this pedal in the store

 

[jallen]

A Boss SD-2 Dual overdrive: "Lead" mode through a clean channel, or the "crunch" mode if I'm just boosting a signal into an already distorted amp. They don't make it anymore, but you may see a few float by the accessory counter at GC. If you get the chance, check one out.

 

[nato101010]

I like my Ibanez TS10....

 

[callen3615]

ds-1.

 

[Thrash]

The new Ibanez Tube King is best I've played hands down.

 

[Hunter Wingate]

How is that Jemini overdrive/distortion pedal?

 

[rastachild]

keeley modded ts-9 and bb xotic preamp

 

[Van Noord]

The Danelectro Cool Cat Transparent OD and Drive pedals are a steal at $40

 

[ndhar]

I 2nd on the ds1

 

[kotornut]

I have a satchurator it's great, takes a bit of time to dail in just for you though. I used to have a Digitech Bad monkey for a tubescreamer type vibe. I loved it's SRV esque tones with my single coils, I gave it to my dad just for fun because my satchurator does it's job and the Bad Monkey's job and the BM (haha) was just taking room on the pedalboard. But honestly, for the price it was cool. No coloration if you don't want it on your tone and it's cheap. Added great tubey warmth to the clean channel. Not distortion just overdrive. I know it's not boutique but I still loved it.

I used to have a Vox bulldog distortion, it was good for one thing only and all pickups sounded the same on it so I got rid of it (I'm a HSS config guy and I'm heavy on the stratty tones and the BDD just masked all of the single coil tones). But if you wanted a hard rock metal tone (not death metal mind you) it did it, but it just wasn't versatile and it sounded weak for solos.

 

[guitarzuncc84]

Thanks for all the responses guys!!!!

I guess I should also post what I use, which is a CS-3 into a DS-2 and then a NS-2 into my amp. The level(s) is maxed on both the CS-3 and DS-2, and the I have the DS-2 set to the second mode with the distortion at 0. The second mode of the DS-2 gives me a cool sounding midrange spike which almost sounds like a half engaged wah pedal. I play metal, so the CS-3 really articulates the low E string on fast sincopated, gallop -type rhythms (think "Battery"), and also cleans up really fast runs. I find that the CS-3 doesn't really alter the tone in a drastic way, but it does affect the feel.

 

[guitarzuncc84]

You guys that are using the DS-1.....

Are you using it for its distortion, or simply as a level boost, where your main distortion is coming from your amp?

 

[nato101010]

Just a distortion for me.

Not a big fan of my amps distortion.

Kinda thin, even compared to the ds-1..lol.

 

[racerevlon]

I have three drive pedals that I switch between or cascade:

Ibanez Tube Screamer TS-9
Boss Super Overdrive SD-1
Modded Boss DS-1 Distortion (Bass push mod)

All set moderately so I can use individually as boost or in combination for different types of distortion from crunch to death over-the-top feedback.

Switching them with a Rocktron Patchmate 8

 

[Mufaza]

I was originally looking at a VOX Satchurator, but after some reviews tried out the Hardwire Valve. I am defiently not disappointed. Also I grabbed the Tube Overdrive. Both are killer pedals, great sound great options! Highly recommend. And its very easy to get a Satch sound from the Hardwire, but then you have a lot of flexibility to get rythm sounds with it too.

 

[rockguitar4ever]

boss super overdrive sd-1 or ibanez tubescreamer ts-9 absolutely great

 

[scotteggshell]

Ts-9 in front of Keeley compressor and Homebuilt Ts-808 just before the amp.

S