Members chuckmoose Posted January 24, 2009 Members Share Posted January 24, 2009 Shootout with: 2 TS9s, Fullrive2, OCD, Vox V810, Zendrive, Mosferatu, Lovepedal Eternity, Les Lius and COT burst, and a Tim Since I have recently received several new pedals a bandmate and I got together to hook up a collection of overdrive and distortion pedals to see how they compare. Yesterday I posted this pic in the pedalboard thread and a few people ask me to elaborate on the pedal comparison we did. In the picture the pedal board on the right is my friend's, the other board and junk scattered around is some my stuff that we pulled out. Included are: MXR EVH flanger, Fulldrive 2, EHX Bad Stone, TC Nova delay, vox wah reissue, Tim, TS9, OCD, Small stone, Zendrive, Planet Waves tuner, Eternity, Vox Valve-Tone, Mosferatu, Les Lius, Fat Boost, Serrano Picoso boost, Analog Man silver mod TS9, DOD FX25 envelope filter, Marshall Vibratrem, MXR Carbon Copy, DLS Rotosim, Mutron III, Copperhead boost, MXR Dynacomp. His board: CryBaby (modded), some cool delay, MXR Carbon Copy, Small Stone, SupaTrem, TC Chorus, Mosferatu, (analog man TS9 goes in the hole), MI Boost and Buff, Peterson tuner, looper thing. In our test we hooked up the following dirt pedals: - Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer ser# 200073 (what year is this?) - Newer TS9 with Analog Man silver mod - '98 Fulltone Fulldrive 2 - Fulltone OCD (10/06 ser# 8673, I don't know what version that makes it, maybe someone can tell me?) - Vox Valve-Tone V810 - Hermida Audio Zendrive - Hermida Audio Mosferatu - Lovepedal '07 handwired Eternity burst - Lovepedal Les Lius - Lovepedal COT Burst - Tim Winners: Tim and Eternity Losers: The old TS9 and the Fulldrive 2 are outta here. Honorable Mention: Lovepedal Les Lius The rig: We used two Stratocasters, one Custom Shop and one with Joe Barden (?) pickups, basically both just standard but very nice sounding Strats. The amp was a Carr Rambler 1-12 combo. This amp is based on a Fender Deluxe but has more clean headroom, more bass response, an upper mid presence that allows it to pop through a band without sounding shrill, and it really works with pedals. Also, I play mainly alt rock and country with this rig, so I am going for low to medium gain sounds, and I tend to stack pedals to get higher gain settings for lead boosts or for added sustain. Think Tom Petty meets Sheryl Crow with some twang. First we started with the two Tubescreamers at a gain setting of about 11 o'clock for a baseline comparison. The old TS9 sounds like, well, a Tube Screamer. Typical mid hump, cut off low end, and a rather dull high end. The Analog man TS9 sounded better, with a much cleaner top end and an overall presence boost. The low end was virtually nonexistant however, still completely cut off like the old TS9. We used the AM mod TS9 as the standard to compare to for the rest of the test. The Fulltone Fulldrive 2 sounded much like the Tube Screamers. It has the same basic mid hump, but maybe a bit more nasally, and rolled off high and low end. I ran it at both 9 volts and 18 volts, and the result was basically the same. The FD has more gain that the Screamers, and the addition of the boost makes it a very useful peddle for performance. If you like a Tube Screamer I would think you would really like the FD2. It's great for creamy, smooth high gain leads with lots of sustain, but the tonal shift is too much for me when switching regularly between this and my clean tone. These three pedals felt somewhat sterile to me. They responded to touch and volume control to more or less degree, but not in the way I expect a great amp to respond. The next batch of pedals all had a lot more natural, amp-like touch to them. When we got to the Fulltone OCD some magic started to happen. The OCD really lets the high and low end of the guitar shine through. My Rambler has a strong 'thump' to the bottom and this was completely missing with the other pedals. The OCD made it very clear that the other pedals sound muffled, really cutting out a lot of frequencies, and just generally sound low-fi by comparison. We both preferred the LP setting on the OCD, and also we both preferred it with a battery compared to 9 or 18 volts from my DC Brick power supply. I haven't tried it with a supply with voltage sag like the Power Pedal 2. The OCD is not sonically transparent though. It has a growly character and seems to boost the low mids some. It's a pleasing sound, with a nice amount of natural sounding compression. My buddy absolutely loved it at home with his Vibroverb but hated it with his Dr Z. I remember first thinking the OCD sounded 'fizzy' when I got it. I think my ear was simply dulled by years of playing through muddy Tube Screamers and it took a while to adjust to the more transparent, hi-fi sound. I won't be going back. I bought a Vox Valve-Tone V810 somewhere in the mid 90s I think. It's been in my closet ever since, I never even gigged with it. It's a Tube Screamer clone, but the high end is cleaner, it has more low end, and the mid hump is at a higher frequency than normal, not in the nasally range. If you find one of these cheap it's a great little pedal. I liked it better than the Analog Man TS. It also stacks well with other tube screamers because of the different frequency peak. This pedal was the clear underdog, and although it can't hold up with the big boys, it was a big surprise. The two Hermida Audio pedals share a common low mid boost. The Zendrive has been often described as transparent, and compared to a TS it is, but to me it is only really transparent at very low gain settings. Once the gain is past 10 o'clock the low mids become pronounced. The Tone and Voice controls don't have any effect on this frequency, so you either like it or you don't. The lows and highs are very clear, it's a hi-fi pedal with a smooth overdrive sound, very rich and warm, no bitting, piercing junk. I'd call it a silky smooth, fat Tube Screamer with all the note definition you want and a moderate amount of compression, and nice dynamics. We decided it was the best TS in the bunch. My buddy was very taken with this pedal. The Mosferatu is like the bigger, meaner brother of the Zen. It has more gain, but also a raspy-ness that the Zen doesn't have. It's a very pleasing sound, and it screams Angus Young to me. Even with my Strat I can get tone very similar to the Back in Black album. The Zen is the overdrive, the Mos is the distortion. My buddy says the Mos and His Dr Z are a match made in heaven, but he doesn't like it as much with his Fender. (ran out of characters for a single post, so to be continued...) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members chuckmoose Posted January 24, 2009 Author Members Share Posted January 24, 2009 (shootout continued...) I am a fan of Lovepedal effects. I just got into these a few months ago but I have several now and one more in the mail as I write this. The top of the heap in my collection is the Eternity. This is a handwired Burst and I don't know how it compares to the black ones currently available. But I'll say this: it's the most hi-fi overdrive I have. The high end is so clean and clear, the mid hump is there, but not overwhelming, and in a range that doesn't sound nasally at all. It fattens the guitar tone, and makes it shine. I think maybe that is signature of Lovepedal designs, it seems like the top end of his pedals always 'shine'. Perhaps they are boosted a tiny bit, I don't know. The Eternity is probably a TS clone at heart, but it has so much more going on I don't really put it in the same category. This pedals adds a decent amount of compression, more than the Zen I think. I don't like it so much for very low gain settings, the compression feels funny to me, but prefer a mid gain setting that really growls. My other Lovepedals are finicky about stacking or boosting but the Eternity plays well with others. The Lovepedal Les Lius is one of my favourite pedals. I played it for about 15 minutes the day I got it thinking, "oh dear, I'm gonna have to box this up and send it right back" and then something started to happen. The farty, raspy tone suddenly took on a new character to my ear. Now it's my go-to pedal for swampy, down and dirty rock and roll. The pedal sounds like an old Tweed amp breaking up when it really doesn't want to. And maybe the speakers have seen better days too. It has a sort of flappy, papery sound I find hard to describe. It's not pretty, it's not smooth, it has a bad attitude, and I love it. It adds virtually no compression, so you have to work it for leads, and it doesn't always like running a boost or other overdrive into it (more on boost pedals later). This ain't no Tube Screamer! The Lovepedal COT Burst is a newer design with less gain than the standard COT pedal. It has one knob for, I don't know, something. Call it gain. So this pedal either works for you or it doesn't. What it does for me is it turns my 1-12 Fender-esque amp into a JTM45 through a 4-12. And I know, I played a JTM45 through a 4-12 for years. That huge thump on the bottom, screaming high end and ultra clarity is all there. This pedal adds breakup, but far more than an overdrive it is a tone shaper. It adds a considerable volume boost, so I use it by turning it at a setting with some moderate gain and then backing off the guitar's volume knob. You still get all the tone shaping qualities but it cleans right up. Chords ring out, single notes punch you. It makes such a difference in the sound it tends to change the way I play when I use it. I think this is a pedal you will either love and use all the time, or it won't find a home in your rig. I'm not sure if it will stay in mine, but I recommend it as a high quality pedal with a unique sound. I just got my Tim pedal yesterday thanks to bennintexas here on the forum. As I wrote to him, I didn't know whether to be overwhelmed or underwhelmed by it. This pedal defines the term transparency. What they say is true. If you love the tone of your guitar and amp you are gonna love this pedal. Because it's you. Nothing but you, just you with some breakup. My buddy was underwhelmed, I was on the fence. It could be a good thing, or maybe that tonal color added by every pedal I've ever played through was really what I would want after all. Then I gigged with it last night. I will never be without one of these things again. Folks, this guy knows something that no one else I know of does. I also ran these pedals in different orders while stacking some of them, and used two different boosts in front of them. Not to mention trying out all the other cool pedals including three very different wahs. I'll post some more thoughts on that soon if anyone is interested. Chip Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members chuckmoose Posted January 25, 2009 Author Members Share Posted January 25, 2009 Ok, you ask for it (well, no you didn't) but I used 3 boost pedals with the overdrives. A Fulltone Fat Boost 2, a Catalinbread Serrano Picaso and a Tone Factor Copperhead. To make this short but sweet, most of the pedals worked well with a boost. The Les Lius and COT burst don't like to be boosted by the FB2, the top end goes crazy and gets shrill. But the Les Lius will tolerate the Catalinbread pedal. As for transparency I think the Catalinbread wins. The Fat Boost, even with controls to dial in your tone, sounds more 'aggressive' in some way than the bypassed signal. I am not sure about it, I gigged with the FB several times and was never really comfortable with it. The Copperhead also changes my tone in a minor but noticeable way. It's nice having two boosts in one box though, lots of possibilities there, including using one channel for a cut instead of a boost. The Serrano Picaso worked perfectly at the gig last night, it felt like an extension of my playing, just louder, no noticeable difference in tone. Considering the size and reasonable price I think that pedal is amazing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members GIR unit Posted January 25, 2009 Members Share Posted January 25, 2009 Nice. Too bad you didn't do the Keeley Blues Driver, which to me sounds better and more natural than the OCD. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members chuckmoose Posted January 25, 2009 Author Members Share Posted January 25, 2009 Nice. Too bad you didn't do the Keeley Blues Driver, which to me sounds better and more natural than the OCD. Send me yours and I'll add it to the next shootout! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members GIR unit Posted January 25, 2009 Members Share Posted January 25, 2009 Send me yours and I'll add it to the next shootout! Getcher own damn Blues Driver. I'm sorry...mom never taught me to share. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members SharkMinusBear Posted January 25, 2009 Members Share Posted January 25, 2009 You need a bjfe honey bee for your next shootout.... but I will NOT give you mine... it's too awesome Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members IRG Posted January 25, 2009 Members Share Posted January 25, 2009 Wow. Great shootout, a lot of work went into this, well done. I'd be curious how the newer Fulldrive2 Mosfet would compare. I really like mine, although I like my OCD v4 more, but they are different enough that I like them both for different things. The Comp cut mode on the FD2 is really good, very different I think than the other settings, and i'm not sure yours has this setting or not. The Les Lius is a pedal I've always been curious about too. GOod job, review more dirt! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members TomCTC Posted January 25, 2009 Members Share Posted January 25, 2009 Awesome. Great read. Thanks for typing that out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bennintexas Posted January 25, 2009 Members Share Posted January 25, 2009 nice read man. thanks for that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mogwai Posted January 25, 2009 Members Share Posted January 25, 2009 thanks for the reviews... I really need to try out a OCD with my Fargen!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members WWW Posted January 25, 2009 Members Share Posted January 25, 2009 Think Tom Petty meets Sheryl Crow with some twang. Our tastes are very similar. Throw in a dash of SRV and a hint of Gilmour and you got me. Very good review. Helpful in my case too. I'm 99% happy with my board. I'm hoping the zendrive will bring me to 100%, but I wont know til I score one. Turn this review into a clip and you're golden. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members echodeluxe Posted January 25, 2009 Members Share Posted January 25, 2009 good job. i disagree a little from my experience, but hey, different pedals for different amps/guitars. thats why i think shootouts like this are cool but somewhat moot. but great job nonetheless. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members WWW Posted January 25, 2009 Members Share Posted January 25, 2009 good job. i disagree a little from my experience, but hey, different pedals for different amps/guitars.thats why i think shootouts like this are cool but somewhat moot.but great job nonetheless. I had a few arguments brewin in my head too, but he was pretty thorough. Even after this I still gas for a FD. Plus we all know an amp can make or break a pedal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members turiguiliano Posted January 25, 2009 Members Share Posted January 25, 2009 Nice. Too bad you didn't do the Keeley Blues Driver, which to me sounds better and more natural than the OCD. +1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members echodeluxe Posted January 25, 2009 Members Share Posted January 25, 2009 Plus we all know an amp can make or break a pedal. absolutely. the small box rat i had sounded amazing into my buddies dr Z and my friends ac30, but meh into the bassman. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members steinwand Posted January 25, 2009 Members Share Posted January 25, 2009 great read thanx a lot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members THeLoveGun Posted January 25, 2009 Members Share Posted January 25, 2009 good show...now you want to make me try an Eternity...Out of all the pedals I've tried, Love Pedal's "Death of a Vox" would probably be on top of the "to buy" list. it was clean/transparent as any use would mention but what surprised me the most was the "musical" feedback/harmonic sustain at command...even with lowest of settings...pretty scary if you asked me. thanks for the in depth rev. enjoy playing the keepers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members chuckmoose Posted January 25, 2009 Author Members Share Posted January 25, 2009 I had a few arguments brewin in my head too, but he was pretty thorough. Even after this I still gas for a FD.Plus we all know an amp can make or break a pedal. Seriously, I'd love to hear other folk's feedback about these pedals. This is in no way intended to be the final answer, just one man's opinion on one day. I could feel differently today, or with a different guitar or amp. I let my buddy play most of the time and just listened, which is a completely different experience from playing for yourself. I found that when I plugged in I had to alter many of the settings of the pedals to achieve the same result due to our differences in touch. As for the Fulldrive 2 (mine does have the compressor push/pull knob), it's a good pedal, I just found that it changed my tone too much when going back and forth between it and clean, which I do a lot. If I played in a more straightforward rock group and could build a consistent sound around the FD it could be a good pedal to use. I think it's great for singing leads, and that alone makes it worth keeping around. I don't know if I'll actually sell mine or not. But I don't think I can afford to keep it on my pedal board on a regular basis given the size and all the other things I want on there. I would also like to know how the newer Mosfet versions compare to mine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members chuckmoose Posted January 25, 2009 Author Members Share Posted January 25, 2009 Our tastes are very similar. Throw in a dash of SRV and a hint of Gilmour and you got me.Turn this review into a clip and you're golden. I'm a Gilmour man also, big time. As a result of recently discovering that he is a fuzz user (I still have a hard time hearing that) I am beginning to get fuzz gas. I have my first fuzz pedal since I was a kid on the way this week. I suspect it won't be the last, as I don't know the difference in a Big Muff or a Tone Bender or a Fuzzface, etc. I may record some clips at some point. I have a nice recording rig and could do a decent job, but I still find sound clips to be misleading. It would a good experiment for me to try to create recordings that actually capture the character I hear for myself in these pedals. We'll see... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Lonely Tourist Posted January 28, 2009 Members Share Posted January 28, 2009 Cool thread, good read. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members valvestate Posted January 29, 2009 Members Share Posted January 29, 2009 Awesome review! Though of course, as you already mentioned... almost all pedal effects may sound different from the amp that you're using. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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