Dist. Pedals - Plextortion, Pinnacle, King of the Britains

[jonny toetags]

I just got around a half-hour comparing the Plextortion, Pinnacle, and a Menatone King of the Britains through the Twin.

The Pinnacle and Plextortion are really, really different. The Plextortion has HUGE lows and highs (sizzle) and is SUPER punchy. It is REALLY aggressive. Not a pedal for the lighthearted.

The Pinnacle is much smoother, has less lows, and is more "higher gain plexi" sounding to me. I can actually dial in the Pinnacle and KOTB to be pretty close to each other in tone.

The King of the Britains seems pretty nice so far. To me, it sounds a little more open than the Pinnacle. It's also more "amp-like" or something. Not quite sure yet how to explain it.

I mounted all three to my board and I will use them live tomorrow night (Saturday.) That's where I'll really get to compare them.

At this point, I'm not exactly sure which ones I like the best???

Chris

Are you going to turn all 3 on at the same time?

 

[stratotone]

Check out a brown sound in a box... awesome gainy 80s marshall tones in a pedal. May have to build your own, as most I've seen were kits, but really nice and the kit is pretty cheap. Would be a fun project - the Thump Distortion Pedal!

 

[bill]

You have to give them a month or two on your board before you really know how they work.

 

[Giga]

If you get the chance, check out the Tonebone pedals Chris; they are great in front of a clean amp

Giga.

 

[Everlone]

You're giving me SERIOUS Plextortion GAS.

 

[Meathead]

Awaiting the pedal comparisons from gig...

 

[Shiny_Surface]

You're giving me SERIOUS Plextortion GAS.

Same here, I have to admit I'm interested in checking out the Plextortion as well

 

[bill]

Well? Is the twin still a monster or not and how are the pedals doing?

 

[bill]

Meh it happens. Sometimes its just perfect and you wonder how it could get any better and other times well it just really sucks. My gig at church was pretty cool but we got out of time on one song and it was hard to get it back on the track. I player my Strat and my son's new Strat for the electric stuff and did some solo acoustic when people were walking in with my 68 D-18 thru a shure condensor mike. The Martin really sounds good thru that mike. My Strat is a hard tail and just sings when you spank it hard, clean tones to die for. Don't give up on the twin.

 

[jasonP]

do you still own a 4x12, Chris? Maybe you should try bringing that along and plugging into that with the 2x12 combo amp speakers. I know this defeats the purpose but, yeah. If one guy in the band is playing through a 4x12, and you are playing through a 2x12 open then simply put you are going to sound smaller. Right? I suppose when you get miked up then it basically isn't so bad?
If that doesn't work you can always go for the dsl.... j/k

 

[dstroud]

do you still own a 4x12, Chris? Maybe you should try bringing that along and plugging into that with the 2x12 combo amp speakers. I know this defeats the purpose but, yeah. If one guy in the band is playing through a 4x12, and you are playing through a 2x12 open then simply put you are going to sound smaller. Right? I suppose when you get miked up then it basically isn't so bad?
If that doesn't work you can always go for the dsl.... j/k

I'm guessing it sounds great through the PA. I know last weekend, I had several people tell me it sounded great through the PA. Not sure about last night, though.

I've thought about getting a DSL head and running it into my Antone 2x12". Maybe even run the DSL head clean and use distortion pedals with it for shits and giggles!

I never had any dirt pedal work well on the DSL clean channel - it's way too scooped.

 

[jasonP]

do you still own a 4x12, Chris? Maybe you should try bringing that along and plugging into that with the 2x12 combo amp speakers. I know this defeats the purpose but, yeah. If one guy in the band is playing through a 4x12, and you are playing through a 2x12 open then simply put you are going to sound smaller. Right? I suppose when you get miked up then it basically isn't so bad?
If that doesn't work you can always go for the dsl.... j/k

I'm guessing it sounds great through the PA. I know last weekend, I had several people tell me it sounded great through the PA. Not sure about last night, though.

I've thought about getting a DSL head and running it into my Antone 2x12". Maybe even run the DSL head clean and use distortion pedals with it for shits and giggles!

I never had any dirt pedal work well on the DSL clean channel - it's way too scooped.

I like to use the crunch switch and push it over the edge with a booster of some sort, always had awesome luck with that. (thanks chris, for the help on that one!)
Boss DS-1 was pretty neat through the clean channel, smooth sounding. Fuck now I want another pedal... It never ends does it.

 

[bill]

If the night sucked leave it at that and move on. Next time it will be different and the next time after that it will be different again. Thats the beauty of playing out and the fun also. When its on its well worth it. I've been doing an open back combo for longer than I can remember at least 15 years or so. My setup is perfect and yet I still go through the same GAS, the same off days and continue to think just one more pedal and I'll sound like Larry Carlton or some other hero of mine. Its more in my hands at this point then any one piece of gear.

 

[blackba]

If the night sucked leave it at that and move on. Next time it will be different and the next time after that it will be different again. Thats the beauty of playing out and the fun also. When its on its well worth it. I've been doing an open back combo for longer than I can remember at least 15 years or so. My setup is perfect and yet I still go through the same GAS, the same off days and continue to think just one more pedal and I'll sound like Larry Carlton or some other hero of mine. Its more in my hands at this point then any one piece of gear.

+1 Great advice, don't give up on the rig due to one 'off' gig. Try it a few more times and you will know what to do.....

 

[jasonP]

Yep, you guys are right. I've been real apprehensive anyway, since I "shouldn't" be able to get the tones I like out of an open back combo and since I only have 30 days to return it, I kinda need to figure it out quickly.

I suppose you can always get something different, and if you don't like that come back to the combo.

 

[blackba]

Yep, you guys are right. I've been real apprehensive anyway, since I "shouldn't" be able to get the tones I like out of an open back combo and since I only have 30 days to return it, I kinda need to figure it out quickly.

You could just get a fender showman (if you need reverb its a dual showman reverb), that is basically a twin in head format and run it through a 412 or closed back 212....

 

[bds9487]

I've thought about getting a DSL head and running it into my Antone 2x12". Maybe even run the DSL head clean and use distortion pedals with it for shits and giggles!

I've been digging my VM & Avatar 2x12. Although, a single channel amp may not work for you, it sure does sound good and it's easy to move.

 

[bds9487]

I've been digging my VM & Avatar 2x12. Although, a single channel amp may not work for you, it sure does sound good and it's easy to move.

Can that VM stay really clean at high stage volumes?

If you mean clean like a twin at high volume, no. But, it's got a really nice "grit" to it at high volume. I use mine with the master between 8 and 10 and run it through a hotplate to control the volume in the room.

 

[ampjunkie]

The Tonebones are the best old Marshall disto boxes I've tried. They are finicky though. They work well with some amps, real bad with others. I just got done playing with the Hot Brit and Tri-mode.... some of the most killer tones I've gotten.

The pedals will never have the slam or punch of a tube amp ... I've always thought pedals sound small on stage ...

 

[daver101]

DSL

It's like holding back the tide.....