Overdrive for another Overdrive

[Sournote]

So, the GAS bug has me thinking I "need" another overdrive. I've looked around and like the Youtubes of the Green Rhino, but have also been bitten by the Klon Clone bug and have considered the Pedal Monster version of that pedal(they are somewhat local to me).

The GR would be easy enough to check out in person but if I go for the Klon clone it would be sight unseen/sound unheard.

I currently have a Boss SD-1 and a late 70's MXR Distortion+ on my board. I'm happy with the tones these give me but for me they are towards the heavier end of the spectrum. I would like a pedal capable of just some light grit and round full tone (the legendary transparent OD perhaps?). I really like the Pedal Monster Demo's but most are done with Fenders and I'm a Les Paul kinda' guy mainly (I have Strat but rarely play it). I wish there were more demo's of that pedal with humbuckers.

So anyway would the Green Rhino give me something I can't get pretty close to with what I already have?

Would the Pedal Monster Klon Clone be a bust becasue what I was hearing on Youtube was just a guitar with thinner pickups and the thicker humbucker tone makes it sound just like any other over drive?

 

[Rhust]

a rhino is a tubescreamer, so kinda similar, but not 100% to the SD1... the rhino is quite tweakable though... another TS I like is the Hardwire CM2 it's a TS with independant, active bass and treble. it also has a switch to go from a more classic ts808 to a modified TS9 sound... I've put it in the pepsi challenge with quite a few tube screamer pedals, including the new EHX East River (TS808 clone) and I always have to give the nod back to the CM2... it's just that good... it also sounds more natural and open than most TS pedals.

for a klon clone... look for the EHX soul food. it's a klon, too...

another light OD choice would be the mad professor sweet honey (or joyo sweet baby) I like mine it's kinda bluesy, but not muddy, light OD... but can stack and play nice with other, heavier ODs too...

 

[Sournote]

Holy crap, I wasn't aware of the EHX Soul Food. Just watched the Gearmandudes comparo against a Klon and was pretty freakin' impressed given the super low price.

For under $70 this thing is most likely just the ticket for me.

Thanks for turning me on to that pedal.

 

[Batman]

I see from your sig that you play Marshall voiced amps. I play a Traynor YBA-1 which is essentially a Plexi with really BIG transformers so we have 'similar' sounding amps.

I currently own a modded SD-1, a Klon clone and a Visual Sound Route 808 (The SD-1 and Route 808 are on my board)

The SD-1 and TS808 pedals are schematically close siblings; they cut bass, boost mids and add diode clipping to your signal chain. The differences are that the Boss pedal uses asymmetrical clipping and has an added Hi Cut filter while the TS uses symmetrical clipping. (The Hi Cut filter is actually quite useless and can be eliminated by clipping the C6 capacitor out of the circuit. . .this will make the pedal slightly brighter and more 'open' sounding)

In terms of the sound difference between them, the asymmetrical clipping SD-1 is slightly edgier/raspier and more aggressive making it ideal for rhythm playing while the symmetrical clipping TS808 is smoother/creamier making it better suited to lead playing. Each has its place and I like both.

I have tried (AB'd) most TS style pedals on the market and found the Route 808 to sound best to my ears. Also, I definitely prefer the TS808 to the TS9 as I find the TS9 and it variants sound somewhat thin and sterile.

The Klon is a very cool circuit but I find it's only real value is as a tone enhancer or boost. Once the pedal's gain comes up it starts to sound very middy and I personally don't like that type of tone in conjunction with a Marshall voiced amp. As an always on tone enhancer, it is quite spectacular but I am not using my pedals in this fashion currently so it's off the board.

 

[Rhust]

Holy crap, I wasn't aware of the EHX Soul Food. Just watched the Gearmandudes comparo against a Klon and was pretty freakin' impressed given the super low price.

For under $70 this thing is most likely just the ticket for me.

Thanks for turning me on to that pedal.

yep, imo for the $ the soul food AND east river are both super values I got the east river under 60... and I'll be picking up the glove soon too (the glove is supposed to be like the OCD) I also had the satisfaction fuzz.. but I couldn't get along with that... too bright and harsh sounding...


I kept the East river, it's great! even though I tend to like CM2 a little more often... really, there is room for both of them in my world



listen to batman on the SD-1... I have that one too, and it's great on a dark amp...

 

[Brocko]

Another one you could look at is the Vox Valvetone V810. I have it's noisier brother the V830 Distortion Booster - I must admit I partly bought it for the looks but the thing sounds amazing. Can be a bit noisy though.

Seen some you tube comparisons and whilst it is essentially a TS clone it has a different character. Coolest looking OD pedal you can buy and sounds good too. Probably not the most practical option, but for a vintage OD sound, it delivers.

 

[Sournote]

Thanks for being GAS enabler's and helping me find an outlet for all the excess money that's been building in my wallet. LOL

I actually think you may have saved me money, because I'm seriously leaning to towards that Soul Food pedal as I think it may exactly fill the niche I'm hoping to fill.

As Batman noted, I do play Marshall voiced amps, and in particular one that is know as being
a bit gain-y on the Ultra gain channel for many people and also pretty bright. It seems with what I currently have I jump over some tonality I'd like to have access to as using the SD1 or D+ on the clean/crunch channel takes me to nearly the same place as going from clean to ultra on the amp. I'd like to have an option to get just the light grit around the edges as well as what I already have. I'm thinking the Soul Food on the clean channel with the gain pretty low might be just the ticket to fill that gap.

I'm a bit gun shy on Hardwire products at the moment since my "super deal" on a used Hardwire Chorus quit working after about 3 months.

 

[Sournote]

Hmmmm....well getting a SF is apparently easier said than done. Found about 70 pages of discussion and 2000+ posts about the pedal on The Gear Page. Seems there is a bit of demand for these things. My girlfriend (AKA my Sweetwater Sales Engineer)says they don't know when they'll get more and they have a stack of orders ahead of me waiting already.

Probably be easier to find a real Klon at this point, and I could likely get a clone custom built and delivered before I'll see a Soul Food pedal. LOL

 

[Rhust]

few on ebay right now, one has the power supply and is $100... which only comes out to a $20 premium considering the PSU is usually $20

 

[Sournote]

few on ebay right now, one has the power supply and is $100... which only comes out to a $20 premium considering the PSU is usually $20

My Sweetwater girl says she'll hook me up, so I'm gonna hold on and see. This isn't really something I expected to move on this soon anyway, so I don't mind waiting.

 

[AngryHatter]

One mo' 'gain...
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ivjSlF3FhE]Sweetwater Minute - Vol. 143, Alairex HALO Overdrive Pedal Demo - YouTube[/ame]


The single best OD on the planet.