Suhr Riot?

[amiller]

I'm really gasing for one of these, however, I've got a bunch of pedals already. I've got a couple of questions.

Here's my current pedal list:

MajikBox Rocket Fuel
Maxon OD808
Maxon OD9 Pro Plus
BB preamp
Keeley moded SD1
Boss DS1
MXR 10 band (has a gain boost)

Questions:

1) Given my current pedal list, do you think the Riot will be redundant?
2) Does the Riot REALLY sound good in front of a clean channel or does it sound thin and buzzy like most pedals in front of a clean channel?
3) Is it better in front of a crunch channel?

 

[jet66]

1) I am not familiar with all of those pedals, so I don't know if it would be redundant or not.
2) Definitely sounds best in to a clean channel, and sounds better at higher volumes than lower volumes. I don't think it sounds thin and/or buzzy, especially compared to a stock DS-1 or Metal Zone. (The only two I have to compare to.) It takes being boosted by an OD really well, too.
3) As far as my experience goes, it doesn't do well in to a dirty (or dirtied-up clean) channel, at all. I'm not sure how to describe it... It seems to be in the middle of muddy and lifeless. Almost a really bland fuzz sound.

I am mostly running it with all dials at noon, and the voice switch set over to the right side. In to the clean channel of the Chadwick II (5881's) and Avatar 4x12 loaded with WGS Vet30's and ET-65's, I get a nice 80's rock/metal sound: Peace Of Mind Maiden, British Steel/Screaming For Vengeance Priest, Headhunter Krokus, Love At First Sting Scorpions, etc. Boosting is done with an FD2, with light chorus and delay in the FX loop. I can get similar tones from the dirty channel alone, but the Riot has a little more bite/cut to it. And the gain on the dirty channel is almost all the way up to get where the Riot is with the gain at noon.

 

[amiller]

1) I am not familiar with all of those pedals, so I don't know if it would be redundant or not.
2) Definitely sounds best in to a clean channel, and sounds better at higher volumes than lower volumes. I don't think it sounds thin and/or buzzy, especially compared to a stock DS-1 or Metal Zone. (The only two I have to compare to.) It takes being boosted by an OD really well, too.
3) As far as my experience goes, it doesn't do well in to a dirty (or dirtied-up clean) channel, at all. I'm not sure how to describe it... It seems to be in the middle of muddy and lifeless. Almost a really bland fuzz sound.

I am mostly running it with all dials at noon, and the voice switch set over to the right side. In to the clean channel of the Chadwick II (5881's) and Avatar 4x12 loaded with WGS Vet30's and ET-65's, I get a nice 80's rock/metal sound: Peace Of Mind Maiden, British Steel/Screaming For Vengeance Priest, Headhunter Krokus, Love At First Sting Scorpions, etc. Boosting is done with an FD2, with light chorus and delay in the FX loop. I can get similar tones from the dirty channel alone, but the Riot has a little more bite/cut to it. And the gain on the dirty channel is almost all the way up to get where the Riot is with the gain at noon.

Cool...thanks for the info. AND Do you like it?

I'm thinking about using it with my Lonestar to get into heavier territory.

 

[headlessdeadguy]

I played one Saturday through a Fender Twin. I thought it sounded great, not buzzy at all

 

[jet66]

Cool...thanks for the info. AND Do you like it?

I'm thinking about using it with my Lonestar to get into heavier territory.

Yes, I like it very much. I have an OCD and the FD2 on my board as well. I've been contemplating removing something, but I find myself using all three (not at the same time ) too often to remove one from my rig. I use the OCD for more 'classic rock'/70's tones. I really like the OCD, but if something had to go, that would be it.

 

[amiller]

Cool...thanks for the info. AND Do you like it?

I'm thinking about using it with my Lonestar to get into heavier territory.

Yes, I like it very much. I have an OCD and the FD2 on my board as well. I've been contemplating removing something, but I find myself using all three (not at the same time ) too often to remove one from my rig. I use the OCD for more 'classic rock'/70's tones. I really like the OCD, but if something had to go, that would be it.

I like having a bunch of pedals...a little different tonal flavor now and then.

 

[jlbaxe]

I have the Maxon OD808 and use that for more Santana type stuff. The Riot has a heavier voicing to me. Last night I had it dialed in sort of like a RAT pedal and was doing "Time" (Pink Floyd) and it sounded great, and the other end "Crazy Train". The pedal has a wide range to it. I dont have or have played through any of the other pedals you mentioned so I cant comment on that. I have been thinking about a BB pedal next to it. Great pedal.

 

[thiswaythatway]

1) I am not familiar with all of those pedals, so I don't know if it would be redundant or not.
2) Definitely sounds best in to a clean channel, and sounds better at higher volumes than lower volumes. I don't think it sounds thin and/or buzzy, especially compared to a stock DS-1 or Metal Zone. (The only two I have to compare to.) It takes being boosted by an OD really well, too.
3) As far as my experience goes, it doesn't do well in to a dirty (or dirtied-up clean) channel, at all. I'm not sure how to describe it... It seems to be in the middle of muddy and lifeless. Almost a really bland fuzz sound.

I am mostly running it with all dials at noon, and the voice switch set over to the right side. In to the clean channel of the Chadwick II (5881's) and Avatar 4x12 loaded with WGS Vet30's and ET-65's, I get a nice 80's rock/metal sound: Peace Of Mind Maiden, British Steel/Screaming For Vengeance Priest, Headhunter Krokus, Love At First Sting Scorpions, etc. Boosting is done with an FD2, with light chorus and delay in the FX loop. I can get similar tones from the dirty channel alone, but the Riot has a little more bite/cut to it. And the gain on the dirty channel is almost all the way up to get where the Riot is with the gain at noon.

Cool...thanks for the info. AND Do you like it?

I'm thinking about using it with my Lonestar to get into heavier territory.

I tried the Riot into the clean channel of a Lonestar Classic 1x12, i sold the Riot within a week. It added a lot of gain but it didn't sound better than the regular drive channel. But this was a 1x12 combo and most of the guys who i see gettting good results with the Riot are using cabs. YMMV.

 

[amiller]

1) I am not familiar with all of those pedals, so I don't know if it would be redundant or not.
2) Definitely sounds best in to a clean channel, and sounds better at higher volumes than lower volumes. I don't think it sounds thin and/or buzzy, especially compared to a stock DS-1 or Metal Zone. (The only two I have to compare to.) It takes being boosted by an OD really well, too.
3) As far as my experience goes, it doesn't do well in to a dirty (or dirtied-up clean) channel, at all. I'm not sure how to describe it... It seems to be in the middle of muddy and lifeless. Almost a really bland fuzz sound.

I am mostly running it with all dials at noon, and the voice switch set over to the right side. In to the clean channel of the Chadwick II (5881's) and Avatar 4x12 loaded with WGS Vet30's and ET-65's, I get a nice 80's rock/metal sound: Peace Of Mind Maiden, British Steel/Screaming For Vengeance Priest, Headhunter Krokus, Love At First Sting Scorpions, etc. Boosting is done with an FD2, with light chorus and delay in the FX loop. I can get similar tones from the dirty channel alone, but the Riot has a little more bite/cut to it. And the gain on the dirty channel is almost all the way up to get where the Riot is with the gain at noon.

Cool...thanks for the info. AND Do you like it?

I'm thinking about using it with my Lonestar to get into heavier territory.

I tried the Riot into the clean channel of a Lonestar Classic 1x12, i sold the Riot within a week. It added a lot of gain but it didn't sound better than the regular drive channel. But this was a 1x12 combo and most of the guys who i see gettting good results with the Riot are using cabs. YMMV.

My Lonestar Classic is driving a 4X12 loaded with Greenbacks. I like the Lonestar's drive channel but I'd like something a bit more aggressive and with more gain from time to time. The Riot may be what I'm looking for, but, at $200 I want to get opinions first.

 

[blackba]

I'm really gasing for one of these, however, I've got a bunch of pedals already. I've got a couple of questions.

Here's my current pedal list:

MajikBox Rocket Fuel
Maxon OD808
Maxon OD9 Pro Plus
BB preamp
Keeley moded SD1
Boss DS1
MXR 10 band (has a gain boost)

Questions:

1) Given my current pedal list, do you think the Riot will be redundant?
2) Does the Riot REALLY sound good in front of a clean channel or does it sound thin and buzzy like most pedals in front of a clean channel?
3) Is it better in front of a crunch channel?

For 2, I generally find most high gain distortion boxes tend to sound thin and buzzy, but overdrives are usually fine. Can you elaborate on what you mean by #2? Also curious about the OD9 pro plus, already have an OD-808 and OD-9. The Suhr Riot has my interest too. Wondering how it compares to a Barber Dirty bomb....

 

[amiller]

I'm really gasing for one of these, however, I've got a bunch of pedals already. I've got a couple of questions.

Here's my current pedal list:

MajikBox Rocket Fuel
Maxon OD808
Maxon OD9 Pro Plus
BB preamp
Keeley moded SD1
Boss DS1
MXR 10 band (has a gain boost)

Questions:

1) Given my current pedal list, do you think the Riot will be redundant?
2) Does the Riot REALLY sound good in front of a clean channel or does it sound thin and buzzy like most pedals in front of a clean channel?
3) Is it better in front of a crunch channel?

For 2, I generally find most high gain distortion boxes tend to sound thin and buzzy, but overdrives are usually fine. Can you elaborate on what you mean by #2? Also curious about the OD9 pro plus, already have an OD-808 and OD-9. The Suhr Riot has my interest too. Wondering how it compares to a Barber Dirty bomb....

It's been my experience, so far, that most "gain" pedals sound much better on the crunch channel. They do not sound good on the clean channel at all. To me, even OD pedals sound way better on the crunch channel. I've never found an OD or distortion pedal that I would use on a clean channel.

 

[thiswaythatway]

You can always flip the Riot for about what you paid so it may be worth a try.

 

[EWSEthan]

Barber Dirty Bomb kills it for 1/2 the price IMO.

 

[amiller]

Barber Dirty Bomb kills it for 1/2 the price IMO.

Have you used BOTH and compared them side by side?

 

[EWSEthan]

Well, not side by side but through the same rig. Sometimes I use my Badger and distortion pedal instead of PT-100 for small shows. It is true that the Riot sounds much better through high headroom dead clean amps, but people have made claims that it sounds like the lead channel of an OD-100 or PT-100 and its really not that close at all. Compared to my Digitech Hardwire Distortion I thought it sounded quite thin and shrill. I wanted to like it and am a Suhr fanboy but I thought it was really disappointing. So I sold it. Then, I compared the Barber Dirty Bomb to the Digitech and found the Hardwire to sound very boxy. Dirty Bomb is full, has plenty of bite, and great definition.

The Barber Dirty Bomb is hands down the best, most amp like high gain distortion pedal I have found. Its awesome.

 

[amiller]

Well, not side by side but through the same rig. Sometimes I use my Badger and distortion pedal instead of PT-100 for small shows. It is true that the Riot sounds much better through high headroom dead clean amps, but people have made claims that it sounds like the lead channel of an OD-100 or PT-100 and its really not that close at all. Compared to my Digitech Hardwire Distortion I thought it sounded quite thin and shrill. I wanted to like it and am a Suhr fanboy but I thought it was really disappointing. So I sold it. Then, I compared the Barber Dirty Bomb to the Digitech and found the Hardwire to sound very boxy. Dirty Bomb is full, has plenty of bite, and great definition.

The Barber Dirty Bomb is hands down the best, most amp like high gain distortion pedal I have found. Its awesome.

Wow, that's quite an endorsment for the Dirty Bomb. I've heard lots of clips of the Riot that are pretty impressive. I guess I'll have to research the Dirty Bomb now...it never ends!

 

[EWSEthan]

I LOVED Mark Day's clip of the Riot but have no idea how he got it to sound like that.

 

[blackba]

For 2, I generally find most high gain distortion boxes tend to sound thin and buzzy, but overdrives are usually fine. Can you elaborate on what you mean by #2? Also curious about the OD9 pro plus, already have an OD-808 and OD-9. The Suhr Riot has my interest too. Wondering how it compares to a Barber Dirty bomb....

It's been my experience, so far, that most "gain" pedals sound much better on the crunch channel. They do not sound good on the clean channel at all. To me, even OD pedals sound way better on the crunch channel. I've never found an OD or distortion pedal that I would use on a clean channel.

Most of my amps don't have a crunch channel I use overdrives and distortion pedals on the clean channel all the time. I do like to boost the gain channels. I am just surprised you don't like your Maxon pedals into the clean channel, but they are nice boosts in the gain channel. I have heard the rocket fuel was not designed for a clean channel, so not surprised there at all.

As far as the dirty bomb, I really like mine. It works great on the clean channel, has a really wide sound and very solid bass response. the internal sub bass pot is a great feature. It kind of has a mesa distortion thing going on.

 

[Mark Day]

I LOVED Mark Day's clip of the Riot but have no idea how he got it to sound like that.

I just plugged it into the front of my OD100se+ and used Ch1 (clean). I think it sounds great with that combination. Ch 1 is like a Fendery clean. I don't have another clean amp to try it through, but I'm convinced it would sound great through anything clean.



Mark

 

[flimz]

I run my Riot thru a vintage Marshall 50 watt, set very clean, into a 4x12 with WGS veteran 30s. I think the pedal is friggin fantastic! Its not buzzy, its articulate and does not turn to mushy compression like most high gain pedals do. Im very satisfied.