overdrive/distortion

wowimrad · #1 02.16.06, 8:14 PM

I'm looking into getting a really nice overdrive/distortion pedal...if it's worth it I'm even willing to go high end with some of the 400-500 dollar tube distortions.

The amp in use WILL [as in being payed off now, not in possesion yet] be an orange AD30. I love the amps tone and gain, just about everything about it...but when needed I'm going to need to kick it up a notch and get even more gain.

Whatever distortion/overdrive pedal I use it will be used in unison with an EHX usa big muff

Any ideas on a good distortion/overdrive pedal?

guitarose · #2 02.16.06, 8:22 PM

Tubescreamers work great with bmps, and are great for driving tube amps, they've been used to do so by loadsa people, from SRV to santana to hammet (and prob a gazillion others).

wowimrad · #3 02.16.06, 8:22 PM

btw...I'm concidering an engl E530 preamp.

could I run a guitar into a true bypass looper pedal [probably a robert keeley or something similar], placed in the loop is an ehx big muff into the engl preamps input...then it's output back into the looper pedal. then from the looper pedal strait into the orange?

I was also concidering the soldano supercharger tube distortion.

ssx14 · #4 02.16.06, 8:25 PM

The Banzai Fireball II works well with the AD30.

dorktwinkle · #5 02.16.06, 9:51 PM

using a preamp and then going into the orange seems like it's gonna get you some nasty mud, I would say that if you wanna get a little more oomph from your amp, get a good boost/overdrive pedal, something to really hit the amp hard. Tubescreamers and super overdrives are both used a lot for this, along with pedals like the catalinbread super chili picasso.

phantomlord2oo · #6 02.16.06, 10:23 PM

definately go with a tubescreamer. kirk hamett's been using them forever on pretty much all of his solos. i just discovered the tubescreamer / big muff combination tonight and it sounded AWSOME!

the tubescreamer i was using was a TS9DX turbo tubescreamer and a russian big muff going into some more fx and then into a gibson duo-medalist 30watt tube amp. the tone is great!. the amp itself has no distortion on it, just natural tube amp breakup which sounds nice but with the pedals it's amazing!

you should run your setup like this:

guitar --> Tube Screamer --> Big Muff --> Amp --> Smile on your face!

+Mike+

stratocast79 · #7 02.16.06, 10:50 PM

I've got a Carl Martin Hot Drive N Boost that I will sell you. It's a real nice transparent overdrive with a huge clean boost with seperate footswitches and it's real quiet.

wowimrad · #8 02.17.06, 5:39 AM

thanks for the reply's everyone.

I think I may go for the tube screamer. The thing is though, I'm a rhythm guitarist...I only see these things used in lead rigs, they sound good yes, but in my opinion lead and rhythm voicing is WAY different and I wonder how it would respond to more chord stucture vs. solo/lead structure.

guitarose · #9 02.17.06, 9:17 AM

Totally IMO, but I think it's got a nice warm crunch to it with chords. I don't know how that would react to a tube amp though. Should simply sound even better as it brings it closer to 'saturation' (i think

)

berarduur · #10 02.17.06, 10:38 AM

A bit different, but I LOVE the sound of a preamp pedal pushing.... it delivers a SS amp the tube character, a tube amp great OD and distortion. If you are a bit handy with a soldering iron it is even easier; on Runn Off Groove there are some preamp sections of great, known, amps that sound killer when used as a OD pedal!

I myself swear by my Ampeg Portaflex preamp on my bass.... it can get me that pushed tube character with some great OD sound(but that is on bass)

wowimrad · #11 02.17.06, 9:11 PM

what's the difference between running a preamp pedal vs. an actual rackmount preamp?

What about the mesa boogie V-twin preamp pedal? I think that actually would sound pretty cool using the blues channel into a big muff into the orange.

I know it really just comes down to what I want to do in the end, and I'm most deffinately not going to commit to a purchase until the orange is in hand. Just wondering what you're guyses opinion were.

thanks.

zenmaster1314 · #12 02.17.06, 11:02 PM

demeter fat overdrive pedal or double overdrive. Great Pedals.

http://demeteramps.com/

briantga · #13 02.18.06, 12:25 AM

fulltone OCD... go to ww.fulltone.com, it's the greatest overdrive pedal ever, either that or the KLON CENTAUR, the tube screamers, lots of people love but i DESPISE them... just my opinion, as another option for ya, good luck!

The Strokes · #14 02.18.06, 12:31 AM

Lovepedal Eternity, best overdrive out there. I just ordered mine. I used to have an OCD but this blow's it out of the water, and Sean's customer service is great.

Lovepedal