Time for a new overdrive

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troublehead

troublehead

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My current band plays a few heavier songs that require a boost. Right now I'm using a stock SD-1 but I'm getting tired of the low end loss. I don't want something with a nasal compressed tubescreamer-ish vibe. Just open and chunky while retaining the low end.

Where do I start?
 
check out the Visual Sound Open Road. Key word = open. It was designed for what you're describing
 
Sam Ash is selling the ZW OD for $30 tomorrow for their Black Friday sale. FWIW.

I use a Cool Cat Trans OD (Timmy) or Drive (OCD) pedal to boost. No mid hump on either. The Drive cuts a touch of low end but it has a tone control to add some back in. The Trans OD does not cut the low end and it has a tone controls for bass and treble. I have the first versions that have been discontinued though.
 
The Dano Trans OD is my fav for keeping the lowend.

Also look for other OD pedals that have both treble and bass controls. Like the Digitech Bad Monkey or the Hardwire Tube OD.
 
I'm looking for the opposite direction
I'm running a mxr custom audio boost/overdrive
its overdrive section is a lot more transparent than screamers and the sd-1, and doesn't boost no near as much mids or cut that amount of bass
just a big and aggressive crunch tone with not much tone shaping, instead of the thin, smooth and midrangy sound of a ts9
I used to be a tube screamer hater, but now I'm looking for the soft and slim thing (my main les paul is very bass heavy, though)
the CAE is a lot clearer and thicker sounding, but doesn't deliver the juice I'm looking for

I've been experimenting with my 1980 maxon 6 band equalizer as a booster, but it reacts very different from a tube screamer, although it has the same classic JRC4558D opamp
it has a lot more output and noise than a ts9
by cutting bass and adding mids, I get a very aggressive crunchy sound, like early Tool or something

I'm using mostly a '73 les paul custom with BK cold sweats though a modded hi gain 1972 50w Marshall JMP rebuilt by some mysterious tech (not homemade) from california... tone reminds me of early Soundgarden and Corrosion of Conformity, and also a custom Zambelli Hyperdrive 50 (tonewise it's somewhere between a Bogner XTC and a Diezel or something), sometimes a stock Laney VH100r (I always roll off treble, presence and bass down to zero and dime the mids on that particular amp)

I like the CAE with the Zambelli, but the Marshall sounds much better with the TS9
 
The TC Nova Drive is a very versatile OD/ Distortion unit.
 
I like my Noc3 Pure drive pedal. Pretty versatile, can dial in some or all of the clean signal back into it, or set a mix of the drive sound and clean, or just the drive. 3 different drive settings, treble and bass control. Pretty versatile and sounds good to me.
 
I would say try running a TS in front of your SD-1, if that doesn't work and you need something even fatter, try the Krankshaft. All the above recommends are solid as well.
 
I'd just mod the SD-1. Honestly it'll cost you about $5-10 and it'll get rid of the low end loss and mid hump. The SD-1 is a great base pedal, and cheap as all hell, but it needs some work to sound its best IMO. Don't toss it from your rig before you give it a full chance to show its full potential.
 
JakeAC5253":3kd8q14l said:
I'd just mod the SD-1. Honestly it'll cost you about $5-10 and it'll get rid of the low end loss and mid hump. The SD-1 is a great base pedal, and cheap as all hell, but it needs some work to sound its best IMO. Don't toss it from your rig before you give it a full chance to show its full potential.
Click to expand...
Id do this. If that doesnt do it for ya, then Id go with the many recomended above. My favs are the Barber Direct Drive, the Dano Cool Cat CO-1 and CTO-1 and the pedals Dano ripped off.

There are millions of mods for the SD-1 on the net. Also there are companies selling mod kits for it as well. You can even find them on ebay.
 
For those that recommended the Bad Monkey. I have one and it is WAY too compressed for what I want. It also has this "hair" or mud around the notes that I don't like. I'm going to check into this VS Open Road. Sounds good on paper.
 
A modded SD-1 will do the job nicely. I have a Keeley and it sounds great.
 
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