Low gain drives

shaunm

Can I have a bit of advice about these please. 

Usually i I use a fuzz or Hudson Broadcast and turn the volume down on the guitar to get the sort of clean tone I’m after. 

Because I haven’t really gone down this route of low gain drives what are people using? Tumnus, Archer, Klone/Peacekeeper etc. It seems to be a massive market. 

Do you still use the low gain drives if you are using a 20watt amp? I don’t mean that as a silly question more that when I’m playing with my band my amp is always on the edge of breakup as it is. 

Sporky

Subdecay Liquid Sunshine.

shaunm

I don’t know that one @Sporky I will have a google

tone1

Peacekeeper 

Sporky

shaunm said:

I don’t know that one @Sporky I will have a google

Absolutely marvellous for that just-on-the-edge sort of breakup. It'll go up into crunch, but the very slight dirt is just perfect. No papery edge, just lovely and natural.

dindude

Some good suggetsi9ns already. Bondi Sick As is a good and more versatile Klon type. However, I’ve just discovered the Mad Professor Simble Pre-driver for these duties, it has no knobs (just a two way switch) but give a lovely hint of breakup and really sweetens things up.

sweepy

The Bondi Sick As does both Low and High gain drive

shaunm

I should come clean I’ve had an Archer but didn’t get it. I didn’t see what I was meant to do with it to be honest. 

On a Strat it was more useful but on a semi not so much. I was left thinking that an EP Booster or a good compressor was more effective at doing the same job.

This is why I am searching out what you are all using as I didn’t get the Archer at all.

lukedlb

I don’t get the drive side of a Klone. However, the clean boost is remarkable. 

simonk

Barber Half Gainer. Massive, but oh so sweet.

lukedlb

I abandoned the low gain pedal quest when I found a simple boost or eq or raised compressor volume did the trick of driving the amp. It does mean that my clean sound has a volume drop. I also use the low vol fuzz trick too to get a drive. 
The more I listen to Hendrix and Srv the more I hear clearer tones than we expect, especially Hendrix. Attack plays a big part. 

timmysoft

shaunm said:

I don’t know that one @Sporky I will have a google

Ive got one up in the classifieds at the moment 

Kebabkid

Xotic RC Boost, Way Huge Pork Loin, Liquid Sunshine or the Catalinbread Formula 5S.

I've had them all at some point and I've stuck with the Pork Loin. Surprisingly, the OCD on very low gain (8/9 o'clock on gain) is good.

vasselmeyer

I use a 50W amp on clean and everything comes from pedals. My breakup tones come from a TC Spark Booster or a Wampler Euphoria depending on which board I'm using. Both let the sound of the guitar through without colouring the tone at all. Both are pretty dynamic and respond to how hard I hit the strings.

Lebarque

Timmy. King of transparent edge of breakup tones.

Jeremiah

I was very disappointed by the Liquid Sunshine (Mk III).

I much prefer the Mooer Blues Crab (which is apparently a clone of the original Marshall Bluesbreaker)
It's not completely 'transparent' as it does have a bit of mid boost/bass cut, and also gets brighter the more the gain is turned up.

stephen.wood125

Had a play with a "Free the Tone" Red Jasper and really liked it.

pintspiller

SD-1

Corvus

I fancy a Barber Gain Changer having had a go on one, the low gain side has a nice feel to it.

Adam_MD

What guitar and amp combo are you using? 

shaunm

Adam_MD said:

What guitar and amp combo are you using? 

I am using a Strat or Sheraton with either a Laney Lionheart or MJW Bantam.