Tried all the Overdrive pedals as boosts - back to the old Boss SD-1 - Video

[rsm]

I've been on a recent drive pedal exploration myself. When I say gain here, it's not high gain, think mid-70s hard rock - Kiss, AC/DC, Free, Thin Lizzy,...

My goal is get a base 70s hard rock rhythm tone with the amp gain; then find a boost that will give me a transparent sustain and glassy / liquid lead tone. The amp boost gives me a good lead tone slightly louder than the rhythm level.

What I'm finding, in general, is most of the drive pedals I have work best into a clean amp:

I have a Griffin Analog RSM Dual Drive that combines the Cornish SS-3 and G-2. The SS-3 likes a clean amp; into ana amp with gain, it gets over compressed and stiff. It's my favorite into a clean amp; I use the SS-3 to get a transparent boost to edge of breakup, and stack the G-2 for a lead boost.

I'm in on the second run of Griff's Tone of Kings so I will try that too.

All of these don't play well with my amp gain where I like it...except one.

Behringer Zentara - this is a Klon clone. works great with a clean amp; I need to try it with the amp gain.

Mosky Tai Ji - this is a Hermida Zen Drive clone, works great with clean and lower amp gain than I want. The Hermida Zen Drive model is my go to drive in my Helix.

Poly Effects Kanso - too noisy, du to a ground loop, need to experiment further, but it will likely work better with a clean amp once I resolve the ground loop.

My old Boss SD-1, works great with a clean or dirty amp; but have to keep the drive low and boost the level on my gained amp.

I need to try these all again with the amp gain set to where I want my base rhythm tone. I'm going to try my Source Audio EQ2 as a boost; since the amp already has gain, I may not need a drive pedal just an EQ, which is how I usually use my EQ and was doing this before I started experimenting with drive pedals...i.e., back to where I started.

What works best is a clean boost into a gained amp which means I don't need a drive pedal at all.

I'm planning to go through all of these gain pedals again today. Then I got to get it working with the rest of my pedals in front of the amp.

 

[HowieJams]

I've been on a recent drive pedal exploration myself. When I say gain here, it's not high gain, think mid-70s hard rock - Kiss, AC/DC, Free, Thin Lizzy,...

My goal is get a base 70s hard rock rhythm tone with the amp gain; then find a boost that will give me a transparent sustain and glassy / liquid lead tone. The amp boost gives me a good lead tone slightly louder than the rhythm level.

What I'm finding, in general, is most of the drive pedals I have work best into a clean amp:

I have a Griffin Analog RSM Dual Drive that combines the Cornish SS-3 and G-2. The SS-3 likes a clean amp; into ana amp with gain, it gets over compressed and stiff. It's my favorite into a clean amp; I use the SS-3 to get a transparent boost to edge of breakup, and stack the G-2 for a lead boost.

I'm in on the second run of Griff's Tone of Kings so I will try that too.

All of these don't play well with my amp gain where I like it...except one.

Behringer Zentara - this is a Klon clone. works great with a clean amp; I need to try it with the amp gain.

Mosky Tai Ji - this is a Hermida Zen Drive clone, works great with clean and lower amp gain than I want. The Hermida Zen Drive model is my go to drive in my Helix.

Poly Effects Kanso - too noisy, du to a ground loop, need to experiment further, but it will likely work better with a clean amp once I resolve the ground loop.

My old Boss SD-1, works great with a clean or dirty amp; but have to keep the drive low and boost the level on my gained amp.

I need to try these all again with the amp gain set to where I want my base rhythm tone. I'm going to try my Source Audio EQ2 as a boost; since the amp already has gain, I may not need a drive pedal just an EQ, which is how I usually use my EQ and was doing this before I started experimenting with drive pedals...i.e., back to where I started.

What works best is a clean boost into a gained amp which means I don't need a drive pedal at all.

I'm planning to go through all of these gain pedals again today. Then I got to get it working with the rest of my pedals in front of the amp.

The transparent sustain and glassy liquid lead tone is exactly what I am after, you summed it up perfectly.

 

[HowieJams]

I had the 3534 for a minute ...... awesome amp ..... did not play well with certain pedals in front ... and I did run into the noise issue with the loop ..

so off it went ... anyway .... with that amp to boost ... I remember it only really needed a really clean push ... and the red channel didn't need one in my opinion .. but I had fun boosting the blue .. I would suggest a super simple clean boost to get a little more out of it ..

kind of like these Seymour Duncan clones I did .... 25 dB of Super clean Boost !

View attachment 464742

The 3534 definitely is picky about the boost in front, if I can't dial in the SD-1 I will just use the amp's built in boost.
I just picked it up, but I definitely prefer the Soldano tone to the Bogner.
I traded my Victory MKX to a forum member for the Bogner, but both the Bogner and Victory have that mid-heavy non-transparent tone I can't dial out.
I am going to try to bond with it, but all my other amps...
Soldano SLO-30, Soldano Astro 20, and even my Laney Ironheart IRT-Studio have the transparent tone I crave.
If I did move on from the Bogner I could see grabbing a Friedman Little Sister, I have owned two of them and I love the tone, just prefer 2-3 channel amps.

 

[rsm]

The transparent sustain and glassy liquid lead tone is exactly what I am after, you summed it up perfectly.

I'm actually having luck running my Boss CP-1X Compressor after the drive as a clean boost, sustain and glassy, liquid lead with or without the drive on. it also works with the amp's boost. Also why I'm going to try it with my EQ2 in front of it.....

with the amp gain set to give me my dry rhythm tone without any pedals, using the amp boost, EQ2 and CP-1X will give me boosted lead tones based on the amp's rhythm tone which I like, and then adding a smooth, sustain and glassy/liquid veneer onto that same tone.

I buy my amps and keep them for their tones vs getting tone from pedals (unless using fuzz).

In the past I only used an EQ to boost for leads, but got on a drive kick recently which is confirming using an EQ into a already dirty amp works better and is my preferred rig that I've been using for years.

Buying all these drives isn't a waste tho', it's been fun, and I have a Fender Super Twin that I run clean, so 1-2 of these drives will find a home there, most likely the Griffin Analog RSM Dual Drive which is my favorite in front of a clean amp; and the Poly Kanso once I get rid of the ground loop noise.

Cheers!

 

[HowieJams]

I'm actually having luck running my Boss CP-1X Compressor after the drive as a clean boost, sustain and glassy, liquid lead with or without the drive on. it also works with the amp's boost. Also why I'm going to try it with my EQ2 in front of it.....

with the amp gain set to give me my dry rhythm tone without any pedals, using the amp boost, EQ2 and CP-1X will give me boosted lead tones based on the amp's rhythm tone which I like, and then adding a smooth, sustain and glassy/liquid veneer onto that same tone.

I buy my amps and keep them for their tones vs getting tone from pedals (unless using fuzz).

In the past I only used an EQ to boost for leads, but got on a drive kick recently which is confirming using an EQ into a already dirty amp works better and is my preferred rig that I've been using for years.

Buying all these drives isn't a waste tho', it's been fun, and I have a Fender Super Twin that I run clean, so 1-2 of these drives will find a home there, most likely the Griffin Analog RSM Dual Drive which is my favorite in front of a clean amp; and the Poly Kanso once I get rid of the ground loop noise.

Cheers!

I have a feeling I will be selling both of my Way Huge Conspiracy Theory (Klon clones) and my Ibanez TS808 mini.
I like getting my core tones from my amp and using the SD-1 when I feel the need for a little more sustain and harmonics.

No sense having these other overdrives.

Lots of Klon and TS fans out there so I am sure somebody will be happy to grab them.