School me on OD Pedal!!

[GibsonMarshallGuy]

Best OD Pedal

http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/...marshall_amplification_marshall_p_1822310.jpg

Seriously, an all tube Marshall amp gives you better OD than any pedal out there. I am running a JTM 60, which is great for the Old School tube OD sound.

Well, an od pedal doesn't replace the gain on a good tube amp. The point is that it can be used to enhance it (drives the power tubes hotter)....


Just my opinion from experience though...

 

[nobita21]

What type of amp you interested in?

Gonna play with a band?

What kind of music do you play?

i have Marshall DSL and Vintage Modern.
Band - yes and bedroom as well.
We play classic rock.

So far, i havent been using any pedal other than wah, Korg Tuner and CAR boost line. i guess i am not into tone and have been happy enough with what i have.

It's just i am curious about the function of an OD pedal. I ve had enough gain from my amps for my circumstances and wonder why would i need it (again, i am tone-deaf).

reading forum or watching people using pedals (in junction with their high end amp), makes me wonder if i have made us the best out of my amp. so yeah, i need to be schooled on this subject.

 

[Marshall & Moonshine]

Sheeeeeyyyiittt!!! All this time, you've had Master Volume amps?!?!!
If you like the sound of your amps' distortions, no pedals needed. Maybe a boost, either out front to saturate your sound more, or in the loop to boost volumes for solos.

 

[GibsonMarshallGuy]

Awesome amps....

I think you should get to know your favorite amp, and start tweaking it until you love it. Once you get that you can start experimenting with pedals. Just my advice.

What type of speakers are you using? Do you feel like you're cutting through the mix of your band well enough, or do you have to turn way up?

You said your tone deaf? Try experimenting with your mids. Put your highs and bass to your taste, but crank up your mids... A lot of players play with low mids not knowing that mids are VERY BADASS.. Mids are like the voice of your guitar, and it will really bring out the tone, but it also odepends on what speakers you are using...

 

[nobita21]

thanks for the advice. i guess by looking people using pedal, i start questioning myself if i am missing something (because i dont need it).

i ve been using Vintage Modern lately, as far as "cutting" for solo, i mainly use the volume knob on guitar to alter between solo/ryhtm.
So i have not been using any pedal to boost/volume.

speakers - stock speaker from 1960 marshall cab. They are cellestion something.

thanks guys for the advice, now i hope i understand "why" i need an OD pedal and will play around with it.

to Marshall/Moonshine: whats a master volume got to do with distortion? does it change the drive on the tubes?

 

[Hector Arcadius]

There is no such thing as ''need'' an OD / distortion pedal. Who says you do? If you're happy with your tone, leave it be and save your money. Pedals can help you shape you tone / enhance your tone / completely alter your tone / all of the above, but only if you wish to do so. Nobody says you ''need'' one.

 

[GibsonMarshallGuy]

thanks for the advice. i guess by looking people using pedal, i start questioning myself if i am missing something (because i dont need it).

i ve been using Vintage Modern lately, as far as "cutting" for solo, i mainly use the volume knob on guitar to alter between solo/ryhtm.
So i have not been using any pedal to boost/volume.

speakers - stock speaker from 1960 marshall cab. They are cellestion something.

thanks guys for the advice, now i hope i understand "why" i need an OD pedal and will play around with it.

to Marshall/Moonshine: whats a master volume got to do with distortion? does it change the drive on the tubes?

Your master volume is really what it says it is. So, if you crank your volume you're going to drive your power tubes, which gives you gain. Your gain knob will give you extra gain, but like I said I wouldn't crank it (just adjust it to taste while cranking your volume). Your master volume is going to be what you use to actually adjust your volume. You get it? So, keep your volume cranked (like 2 or 3 o'clock, try different things), than use your master volume to adjust your OVERALL volume. However, your mv normally sounds best cranked too, but at lower levels it should sound good for low volume quiet practices.

 

[GibsonMarshallGuy]

Also,

1960 cabs come stock with Celestion g12t-75 speakers. Great speakers, but they are well known for having a high end spike. So, like I said earlier try cranking your mids. Just try it with your band you'll love it. Well, maybe because tone is subjective, but ya try it.

 

[gibsonguitar1988]

There is no such thing as ''need'' an OD / distortion pedal. Who says you do? If you're happy with your tone, leave it be and save your money. Pedals can help you shape you tone / enhance your tone / completely alter your tone / all of the above, but only if you wish to do so. Nobody says you ''need'' one.

Exactly. It's whatever YOUR needs are and what you like and want to hear.

For me personally, I just prefer clean tube Fender Blackface 6L6-based amps with high wattage/headroom and using pedals for all of the gain. But everyone is different and as I've said before, gear is not a "one size fits all" thing, everyone's needs and what they like is all different and no one says we have to do it any special way. Both pedal gain and amp gain are equally good, it just depends which you LIKE better. One is not by rule better than the other. Me, I prefer the former. But we are all different and nobody says we all need or have to use OD pedals, just like nobody says we all need to not use OD pedals or have to use amp gain.

You are the one that decides if you personally need it or not. It's just whatever your needs are and what you want to hear. If we all liked the same stuff, we'd have identical rigs. And we all know that's not the case!