Modern Rock Distortion Pedal

[CrackerD]

I still use the Barber Small Fry. Does it all.

[Orange Jackson]

 

Yeah, this pedal confuses me. I've had 2 or 3, and was always surprised to hear how popular they are with guys like Satriani. They must sound great at stage volumes. Only explanation I can think of.

 

 

I think the catch is that they are using a modified version of it. A stock Ds-1 is pretty different sounding then a Keeley DS-1. But hey, it obviously is not for everyone, different strokes and all. I think the Keeley sounds quite good, and you'll find that pedal sounding great on more then a few albums.

[SilverPlated]

+1 on the Wampler triple wreck

check out the demos on his site and on youtube

good stuff, indeed

[KevinTJH]

 

You seemed like such a nice person. I found this little shootout between high gain pedals. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3900Exbb4P0

 

Great video! I have a Boss Metal Zone and am quite happy with the way it sounds.

[metallica_00]

 

Yeah, this pedal confuses me. I've had 2 or 3, and was always surprised to hear how popular they are with guys like Satriani. They must sound great at stage volumes. Only explanation I can think of.

 

 

I've never really understood it either. I think it's one of those things where those guys were using them before there were other alternatives available (ie before the boutique revolution).

 

FWIW, I have actually enjoyed pedal distortion more than a good number of amps I have played. Certainly not everything, but I've played/owned a good number of popular tube amps where I'd rather take some of the Barber or Fulltone stuff I've had into a pushed Fender's clean channel.

[metallica_00]

Tried it. Sold it. Sounded ok at home, but really dark and lackluster live at higher volumes. Just my experience. I wanted to love it as everyone raves about Barber stuff........

 

I love Barber stuff but I can't say I've ever really been impressed with any clips of the Dirty Bomb. The Direct Drive is the {censored} though, at high or low volumes.

[*BLEEP*]

 

Whoa, a pedal with a valve...

 

 

 

There are many distortion pedals that are based on a valve. Try out as many of these as you can. Real valve distortion pedals are going to be a bit large because they need a slightly larger power supply than a typical solid state pedal to power the valve.

 

Radial makes excellent pedals, but there are other manufacturers that make valve based pedals as well.

 

http://www.tonebone.com/

 

 

.

[KevinTJH]

 

There are many distortion pedals that are based on a valve. Try out as many of these as you can. Real valve distortion pedals are going to be a bit large because they need a slightly larger power supply than a typical solid state pedal to power the valve. Radial makes excellent pedals, but there are other manufacturers that make valve based pedals as well. http://www.tonebone.com/ .

 

I'm just wondering, would there be much of a point getting a pedal with a valve if your amp already has valves in it?

[thunder100]

Hi I am sure I missed a point.

If tube is not a must what about Fulltone OCD V4 ?

 

Can do all this and more

 

Roland

[guitarman3001]

 

You seemed like such a nice person. I found this little shootout between high gain pedals. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3900Exbb4P0

 

 

cool vid. imo, the metal muff and the zvex sound the best in this vid. the satchurator sounds more like a box of fart.

[CoqBelliqueux]

 

I'm just wondering, would there be much of a point getting a pedal with a valve if your amp already has valves in it?

The fact that the distortion circuit has a valve makes the sound a bit glassy and fat, all the notes on the fretboard ring together, there's good sustain even with low gain, etc...

 

Of course, Radial doesn't use high voltage like the Blackstar and EHX English Muff'n, but it still works.

[twotimingpete]

I've got a zvex distortron and it's pretty damn groovy

[Brian May]

I have a HT Dual from Blackstar that I love...and also a Satchurator which I find mostly is a refined tweaked DS-1....and as such I dont have a lot of love for it. I keep it though for odd moments when I want an uglier sound. Tried several times to love it but really struggle with it. I also have a JS1200CA and so they go well together with a Crybaby but gimme the warmer more amp like Blackstar HT Dual any time.

[danswon]

i like to get the best sounding cheapest gear, and with that in mind, you'd be hard-pressed to find a better sounding pedal than the danelectro d-1 fab distortion for the price. can go from slight break up to screaming high gain. tends towards a thick sustaining sound but has bite. i suppose it's an old school sound, probably best suited to 80s heavy metal, hard rock and 70s punk

[jrockbridge]

The Damage Control Liquid Blues is a killer dirt pedal for $139. It normally sells for $199. It has a built in compressor and boost button. So, you can set it for rhythm playing and hit the boost for lead. It uses real tubes at full plate voltage (250 v) which makes it sound like it has a lot more headroom than typical starved plate tube pedals. I love mine and use it a lot.

 

http://damagecontrolusa.com/Store/

[Radar-Love]

 

I'm just wondering, would there be much of a point getting a pedal with a valve if your amp already has valves in it?

 

 

 

Certainly. If you don't have your valve-based amp cranked up and you instantly

want distortion that matches the natural characteristics of your amp (at least

closely), this would be the best approach to solving that problem. Also, some

valve amps stay rather clean even when you have them turned up fairly high --

like a Fender Twin or some Hiwatt amps.

[poolshark]

The fact that the distortion circuit has a valve makes the sound a bit glassy and fat, all the notes on the fretboard ring together, there's good sustain even with low gain, etc... Of course, Radial doesn't use high voltage like the Blackstar and EHX English Muff'n, but it still works.

 

It's a gimmick, brah. I've been through my fair share of dirt pedals, and a single light-up toob doesn't make much difference. They all sound pretty much equally fizzy and un-dynamic.

 

If I was going high-gain, though, I'd be on an MI Audio Tube Zone. Going by demos, it does pretty much everything as good as a dirt pedal can.

 

[YOUTUBE]McGi1V4yPpQ[/YOUTUBE]

[CoqBelliqueux]

 

 

You can compare the London Bones with the Hot British and you should hear the difference.

 

How are the high notes on the Tube Zone? SS pedals often sound too thin to my ears.

[poolshark]

 

You can compare the London Bones with the Hot British and you should hear the difference. How are the high notes on the Tube Zone? SS pedals often sound too thin to my ears.

 

 

There are always subtle differences in dirt pedals, but I'd rarely call them better or worse. Vox Tonelab stuff has used tubes for quite a while, and while they sound good, they still play/feel like modelers. From a functional/stage perspective, it's all pretty much the same to me.

 

Sadly, I haven't had a chance to play the Tube Zone. If I still chased after pedals, it'd be next on my list.

[CoqBelliqueux]

There are always subtle differences in dirt pedals, but I'd rarely call them better or worse. Vox Tonelab stuff has used tubes for quite a while, and while they sound good, they still play/feel like modelers. From a functional/stage perspective, it's all pretty much the same to me. Sadly, I haven't had a chance to play the Tube Zone. If I still chased after pedals, it'd be next on my list.

Too bad most demos stick to riffs and chords, I like to know the feel of the whole fretboard with the same pedal settings.

[The Bear]

 

I like to combine a distortion pedal and a overdrive. It all depends on the volumes though. If I'm loud, I rely on the amps distortion, Rivera 55r. If I'm not not loud, I'll use a Keeley DS-1, and if I want to go over the top I will also click on a AnolugeMans Dod 250 clone. http://www.buyanalogman.com/category_s/70.htm (Vai was using analogman's DS-1 before he got his ibanez pedal fyi.) Same kind of idea behind Vai's jemini pedal, rumored to be at least (and not that that pedal get good reviews either) a Ds-1 and Tube Screamer sitting side by side. Gives you some and then click the second and you get a bunch more. Also pretty different flavors between the two on their own. Humbucker for sure in the bridge position. This by the way, eliminates the need for an attenuator too, generally. Volume control on the first pedal can be way down and the second pedal can be set to scream and your output volume can still be very low. Nice for late night practice.

 

 

 

 

Excellent advice.

I do this all the time.

[buddhapaugh]

cool vid. imo, the metal muff and the zvex sound the best in this vid. the satchurator sounds more like a box of fart.

 

I use the Metal Muff into a clean channel and love the pedal. It is my Modern Rock staple... and I can run a pedal before it (a lighter distortion or overdrive) and goose it into the stratosphere. Very tweakable. More gain than anyone should ever need. I only run my gain about 10 o'clock.

[buddhapaugh]

Oh, and I picked my Metal Muff w/Top Boost up used at Guitar Center for less than $50!

[KevinTJH]

It's a gimmick, brah. I've been through my fair share of dirt pedals, and a single light-up toob doesn't make much difference. They all sound pretty much equally fizzy and un-dynamic. If I was going high-gain, though, I'd be on an MI Audio Tube Zone. Going by demos, it does pretty much everything as good as a dirt pedal can.

Nah, I've had enough with Overdrive pedals. Not too happy with the way it sounds either though

[Oyda]

MXR Distortion III. Raw sounding distortion.