If you can only have ONE drive pedal?

Jonathanthomas83

I bang on about this pedal a lot, but you can get beautiful boost, OD and distortion with a Buffalo FX TD-X. Based on the classic Tube Driver.

Matt_McG

Of all the ones I've tried, a clone of the Nobels ODR-1 clone.

It's not stock -- it has a bass roll-off knob, which is quite important, as the ODR-1 is a bit too much on the low end otherwise (for me).

https://aionelectronics.com/project/andromeda-nobels-odr-1-overdrive/

I normally have it set to low to mid gain, and it's basically perfect for everything from slightly pushed cleans, to solid Malcolm Young crunch. Not too compressed, but just compressed enough to add some sustain and subtle tone flattery. It's possible to get the mids set just right to where it can go from very fat and full-frequency, to slightly scooped and hollow, just by varying pick attack and where I hit the string relative to the bridge and neck.

It's not my only drive pedal, but if I had to choose just one of the ones I have had, or still have, that'd be it.

Matt_McG

The other one, although I sold it, is the Mad Professor Royal Blue. I could get basically any tone I wanted, except shred levels of high gain, from it, just with the volume control on the guitar.

t's quite similar to the ODR clone, but it can produce a bit more gain, and it can do that brightening up as you roll the volume down thing that some fuzzes do. I marginally preferred the EQ curve on the ODR-1 clone, but I would expect that other people would prefer it the other way round.

DesVegas

Rat

57Deluxe

So, seems no-one has brought out a Drive pedal called the 'Miss Daisy'...

CloudNine

Bought a Barber Tone Pump EQ fairly recently, and have been totally blown away.

It's HUGE, it's ugly, I don't really use the 2nd channel on it, but it works with all guitars and even as you push the gain, it retains clarity and has beautiful harmonics. Think this might be the one...

hotpickups

Vintage-T said:

I'm going to say Origin Revival Drive. It does pretty much everything I'd want, and I'd be confident I could dial it in to any amp I'd have to use. 

I think I'd have to agree with you. Just seen a few demo videos on it and I would say that would be exactly the sound I'd go for. Except for the price bit. OUCH. If I was a jobbing musician and moved around a lot with gigs and never knowing what I'd be playing through. The Origin Revival would be the pedals I'd choose. Marvellous and so damn clever

ICBM

Boss OD-20.

Grocer_Jack

Compact Barber DD - 2 voices, low and medium gain modes, Marshall flavour.

or Compact Barber Gain Changer - 3 eq modes, low and medium gain modes, Fender flavor.

Both excellent.

gibsongretschfan

kennedydream1980 said:

Xotic BB Preamp

this or an ODR-1

TheMarlin

Pretty much any Barber pedal. 

In order of preference

Gain Changer
Half Gainer
Tone Pump
Burn Unit. 

All different, all excellent 

JezWynd

Grocer_Jack said:

Compact Barber DD - 2 voices, low and medium gain modes, Marshall flavour.

or Compact Barber Gain Changer - 3 eq modes, low and medium gain modes, Fender flavor.

Both excellent.

Completely agree. I struggle to find any drive pedals that work for me but these two always give satisfaction. Hon. mentions to Boss SD-2 and DOD Looking Glass.

Slimbert

I'd pick a Keeley D&M drive because the boost side can be stacked either way which makes it very flexible.

Ignoring your "not a boost" caveat, my favourite is ThorpyFX The Veteran. The boost side makes the fuzz side ever better still!

p90fool

Marshall Drivemaster. It sounds and feels natural in all settings.

Kebabkid

Fulltone OCD, but I'm really enjoying the JHS AT Plus at the moment

cbellanga

Paul C Tim, always my choice

preston61

Wampler Hotwired, first version, if I could only have one drive pedal that one covers the most amount sonic ground and you can stack both for a great lead sound

zepp76

RandallFlagg said:

Strymon Sunset

This^ It's a fantastic dual overdrive with plenty of switching options but is also simple to use (it has to be if I'm using it!).

ChuckManual

Massively overlooked, thoroughly excellent pedal...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dZTKGmhB1c

57Deluxe

...luckily I am not 15 any more so I don't have to make such a decision...