digitech bad monkey vs maxon 808?

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matt

matt

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I currently own a bad monkey which I got for like $25. However, the Maxon intrigues me. It is quite a bit more than the bm though. If anyone has used both (specifically with a recto or 6505) which did you prefer?
 
I'm interested as well... I gotta say though, the bad monkey is currently on my floor. I love it for just a slight push or to tighten low end. So cheap yet so awesome. Control over bass and high is also useful. I remember seeing it on Gary Moore's pedalboard on one of his more recent live vids. There is a reason for that. Great pedal. Sometimes you have to ask yourself, do you really need to pay that much more if what you have does the trick? I'm like you, I keep wanting to get something else hoping it will be that much more. Whenever I do though, I just keep coming back to the damn bad monkey! Most of the tones we liked out of the 80's were with run of the mill pedals they had at the time anyway. OD-1's, MXR dist +, dod 250's, SD-1, TS-9, EQ pedals. I 'm often surprised how little there is in terms of difference between tube screamer type pedals. Not saying there is no difference, just saying there isn't as much as we think we hear most of the time..
 
Having never tried the Maxon, I can't comment on it, but I keep the BM on my board. I like it as a TS type boost, without as much mids, and the seperate treble and bass is nice. The Maxon might be better, but for the price, the BM stays with me.

Jason
 
thanks for the input guys, I think I will suppress the 808 gas for now. I need a noise gate more than another od pedal anyway.
 
Everyone needs a noise gate if you ask me... power is never forgiving. Lots of good options now, I love the original ISP decimator floor pedal. Awesome.
 
I was looking at that one earlier. is the G string really worth the extra $$$?
 
I think I'm the ONLY person on the planet who doesn't get along with the ISP, can't tell ya why, just doesn't react the way I want. I'm an old school, tone sucker, NS2 fan.... But I think I've been playing with them for so long, the tone suck, is part of my tone, meaning my tone sucks!!! :lol: :LOL:


But seriously, I do love my NS2s....


oh yeah, the Bad Monkey is the only boost that consistantly stays on my floor. :thumbsup:
 
i had both the Bad Monkey and Maxon 808 for a few days and while they sounded slightly different as boosts the difference was minimal, and one was no better than the other to my ears.

so i kept the Bad Monkey and sold the Maxon
 
I think you'll find there is more and more monkey love as more people post... as for the G string vs. the regular ISP decimator, not sure as the basic model works great for me. Stick with that. No tone suck unlike the NS-2.
 
The Bad Monkey is a all around great pedal for the price!!
Even great on bass guitar, im filling in for my bass player who broke his hand.....juicing the front of a 300 watt SVT head into a 8-10 with one just makes for some sick sick sick bass tones!!!!
 
Nothing is wrong with the Bad Monkey. I've never compared it to a Maxon 808, but I have compared it others. My favorite I've played in the TS world is the Maxon OD820, but it's even more than the 808. That said, I think the Bad Monkey is a great pedal cheap price or not, so if money is a concern you can rest assured your tone won't suffer because of the Bad Monkey.
 
I had the Monkey for years along with several other pedals. I ended up selling it because I didn't like it as well as some of the other pedals I had at the time, like the Ibanez TS-7. It is an awesome pedal overall, but eventually I found it kind of flat feeling, and the high end was either muted or piercing. But, I am being SUPER critical because I had like 8 different tubescreamer type pedals and could sit and listen to the minute details. You wouldn't notice in a less critical situation.

I sill do this now and I have kind of gotten sick of the constant comparisons. That is why I put all my boosts up for sell because I am always comparing them. I decided to keep the OD808 and MXR Classic OD. I didn't have the Maxon back when I had the Monkey, but overall I find it more dynamic and less muted on the high end. I think the extra money is basically spent on dynamics because they sound almost the same.

Two I still have is the Maxon OD808 and BE Green Screamer. I can say that the BBE is very close to the same sound, it just has less volume available.
 
Nice perspective, thanks for that! With every rig there will be differences for sure. I'm just happy that there are a lot of great low cost alternatives to the real deal.
 
I was in the same situation as Shask was with boosts. I've never tried a Bad Monkey but I do have a Hardwire CM-2 which is said to be a similar offering from Digitech. If the CM-2 is an improvement over the BM, then I would personally avoid both. The CM-2 has the same subtle, to overboard treble thing and I can't help but hear some less than organic response and dynamics with the Digitech.
As a result, for TS type pedals I've reduced my use to a Green Rhino and Route 808.
 
Hey D-rock, is the green rhino the one that allows you to dial out the mid hump?
 
Kapo_Polenton":l25clqmm said:
Hey D-rock, is the green rhino the one that allows you to dial out the mid hump?
Click to expand...
Yup sure is.
They describe it as altering the "corner mids". Not sure what that means.....
But the dial doesn't just simply add or boost the mids. It changes the sound of the mids somehow. Along with some overall addition and reduction too with drastic sweeps.
It also has a low end dial that works really well. Setting it too low doesn't lose body or get thin or harsh. Set too high and it doesn't get muddy or overwhelming.
They did a great job with that pedal. My new favorite for sure.
 
The Green Rhino is a great pedal as well. I had one for about 3 weeks but decided to take it back (I got the OD808 and Green Rhino both as gifts at the same time and couldn't see keeping 2 $130+ OD pedals...).

The main reason I took the Green Rhino back was because my favorite setting was basically identical sounding to my $30 MXR Classic OD. I decided that the OD808 had a different enough sound to keep it and the Rhino went back. I would not hesitate to buy one though. There is nothing wrong with that pedal whatsoever. I would try the MXR Badass Modified OD first though. It looks like it is inspired off the Rhino, and it is much smaller.
 
Monkey will get you by but it doesnt come close to the 808. It depends how you want to use it of course but for straight up input boost the Maxon is in a different league.
 
I'm thinking about rigging up a way to use the the TSE 808 vst plugin into the front of my amp since it supposedly sounds very close to the maxon. That way I can sort of try it for free. Can I use a regular instrument cable from one of the balanced outputs on my interface into the front of the amp without blowing up anything?

Also, lots of great info in this thread guys! :thumbsup:
 
guitarman967":6kxuso4p said:
Monkey will get you by but it doesnt come close to the 808. It depends how you want to use it of course but for straight up input boost the Maxon is in a different league.
Click to expand...

How and why is it in a different league? I am not questioning you. I just want to know so I can decide if I need to try the 808. Opinions are always more believable if backed up by evidence.

Jason
 
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