Help me find a decent overdrive

I like this one a whole bunch, as it's really simple:



I have never played this one, but I really want one. I imagine with your Blue Jr. and it you could get some really nice vintage tube-styled overdrive:



If I could only have one dirt pedal on my board, this would be it. Don't let the name fool you, it's super versatile:

 
Unless you're playing through a 5-watt (or less) amp, trying to get real power tube breakup is just not realistic. Couple that with the fact that even if you get the power tubes cooking at low volumes, your speaker won't be pushing very much air, therefore you're STILL really not getting the sound you're looking for. The next best alternative is to let the preamp tubes work hard. Slam the front end with what you already have before you get another pedal.
 
I really like my BB Preamp but that may have more gain on tap than you want. The AC and RC boosts may fit the bill for you though.
 
reverend1 said:
I have a Fender Blues Jr. I tend to play at a lower volume since I'm just at home.

I have a Boss DS-1 with a Keely mod someone gave me in a white elephant. It has two options, off or Cannibal Corpse.
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Now that is funny!

Too bad that you didn't bring up that discussion at Pragestock. That would've been a perfect time.

FWIW go ahead and try the Sparkle Drive but instead of controlling the volume with the volume, use the gain control to dial in you volume. Dime the volume knob and bring up the gain control to the point that it is the sound that you are seeking.
 
jaxn slim said:
L

Yeah, the Nobels is great for chords, and I think I remember it doing really well on solos with single coils. It's been a while, though.
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I spent some time with the Nobels tonight while I was teaching. Playing with my McFeely 454 I was struggling a bit with it and I remembered what you said about single coils. I split the neck humbuckers and all was good. It also occurred to me that the guy who suggested it to me is a professional country guitarist who plays Telecasters most of the time.

:hmm:

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The Catalinbread SFT has pretty much knocked all other dirt boxes out from under my feet.

I also dig the EHX Hot Tubes for more extreme/noticeable drive.
 
There's so many great OD options right now, it's a bit overwhelming. My two favorite are the Tumnus and the Kalamazoo Lovepedal. I also really love Amptweaker's drive pedals.
 
Greer makes a few cool ones too. At NAMM I played two different types of Archer OD's (the gold and the silver) and they were pretty damn great for that Klon-ish style boost/OD.
 
jelloman said:
Hey Terry, maybe take a look at a couple low gain drive pedals that have a good amount of boost...I'm thinking something like the TC Spark boost (the 4 knob version) or even better the Way Huge Saucy Box...they go from a (relatively) transparent clean boost to a mild low gain OD without going all the way to heavy dirt...from what it sounds like one of those would be perfect...
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+1 on the Spark boost by TC. It sounds really good, there's some mojo going on with that pedal when engaged and it boosts really nicely. I mainly use it as a clean boost but have the gain up for just a bit of hair. It's mainly a clean boost style pedal though.
 
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cvogue said:
Never got the SD-1 love... way to gritty for me, couldn't deal with it.
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With the right guitar and amp it can sound pretty good. I loved it with my old Rickenbacker and Mesa Mark I. Not so much with my Music Man Silhouette and Marshall DSL 50.
 
With your guitar's volume on 10, set the gain on whatever drive pedal you're currently using to the maximum overdrive you want to hear from it. Done that? Great. Now turn it down a hair. Next, turn down your guitar volume until you get to the gain level you want. Turn up your amp volume to compensate. Rinse and repeat until you achieve the gain and volume you want.
 
Help!I'maRock! said:
With your guitar's volume on 10, set the gain on whatever drive pedal you're currently using to the maximum overdrive you want to hear from it. Done that? Great. Now turn it down a hair. Next, turn down your guitar volume until you get to the gain level you want. Turn up your amp volume to compensate. Rinse and repeat until you achieve the gain and volume you want.
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He's alive!
 
Help!I'maRock! said:
With your guitar's volume on 10, set the gain on whatever drive pedal you're currently using to the maximum overdrive you want to hear from it. Done that? Great. Now turn it down a hair. Next, turn down your guitar volume until you get to the gain level you want. Turn up your amp volume to compensate. Rinse and repeat until you achieve the gain and volume you want.
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Thanks Howie.
 
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