Always-on pedal for an AC15C1

BintyTwanger77

What are people’s recommendations for an always-on pedal for use with an AC15C1? Something that maintains the lovely clean tone I get when I don’t play through all my TB pedals and plug straight into the amp. Not sure a buffer is really doing it for me at the moment, although I know that is a common recommendation for keeping your signal intact through a number of pedals and cables.

I know that some people like to use an EP Booster always on with the dial set to zero, but would like to hear your suggestions.

munckee

Nobels odr1 with drive really low is a nice always on pedal. Just makes the cleans just a fraction prettier. 

ICBM

Boss TU-3.

Also useful as a tuner...

BintyTwanger77

Anyone else?

chrisj1602

I liked a Broadcast with my Princeton

Dominic

munckee said:

Nobels odr1 with drive really low is a nice always on pedal. Just makes the cleans just a fraction prettier. 

I like it with a tele but they are just so bloody dark sounding

meltedbuzzbox

I will flip my board over in the morning and tell you what my buffer is.
I wouldnt use a pedal personally as it will colour the tone to some extent.
Or maybe use a quartermaster so you can by pass all the pedal bumpf?

Or just eq the amp so it sounds right with the pedals in front?

Modulus_Amps

Sorry I cant help, why do you need a pedal always on? do you have the wrong amp maybe? or are you compenasting for something else?

Sassafras

EQ pedal if you think something's missing.

Seziertisch

ClinchFX EP pre or Chase Tone Secret Pre. Even though the EP Booster claims a similar Echoplex lineage, it is apparently quite different 

BintyTwanger77

Sassafras said:

EQ pedal if you think something's missing.

Yes, Dr Scientist used to do an EQ/buffer/booster pedal.

sgosden

Not used one, but the thorpy team medic looks cool. 

Cols

Out of curiosity, why don’t you want to use a buffer?  Preventing signal loss over long cable runs or pedal chains is precisely what they’re for.

NorthernStomps

BintyTwanger77 said:

Sassafras said:

EQ pedal if you think something's missing.

Yes, Dr Scientist used to do an EQ/buffer/booster pedal.

The cleanness? They put a load of gain options into it on top of all the current options and called it The Elements 

BintyTwanger77

Cols said:

Out of curiosity, why don’t you want to use a buffer?  Preventing signal loss over long cable runs or pedal chains is precisely what they’re for.

I currently use a buffer, the Bonafide buffer in my Polytune. It’s fine, but to me guitar sounds better straight into the amp... I’m probably overthinking this as usual 

munckee

Dominic said:

munckee said:

Nobels odr1 with drive really low is a nice always on pedal. Just makes the cleans just a fraction prettier. 

I like it with a tele but they are just so bloody dark sounding

I always had the spectrum set to 4 or 5 o clock which made it close to invisible with a blackface/silver face amp. 

Keefy

Cols

BintyTwanger77 said:

Cols said:

Out of curiosity, why don’t you want to use a buffer?  Preventing signal loss over long cable runs or pedal chains is precisely what they’re for.

I currently use a buffer, the Bonafide buffer in my Polytune. It’s fine, but to me guitar sounds better straight into the amp... I’m probably overthinking this as usual 

How extensive is your pedal chain?

Bear in mind that the output from the last pedal in your chain is what’s ultimately driving the amp.  If you have a pedal with high output impedance last in the chain, it might affect the top end even if you have a buffer at the beginning.

At the risk of overdoing things, you could always try a second buffer right before the amp.

joetele

Earthquaker Devices Data Corrupter. 

suitablyswell

I use a modified LPB-1 to hit the Top Boost channel a little harder and get slightly more gain out of it for crunch. Sounds delicious.

Seziertisch

BintyTwanger77 said:

Cols said:

Out of curiosity, why don’t you want to use a buffer?  Preventing signal loss over long cable runs or pedal chains is precisely what they’re for.

I currently use a buffer, the Bonafide buffer in my Polytune. It’s fine, but to me guitar sounds better straight into the amp... I’m probably overthinking this as usual 

You are looking for the GigRig Z Cable - it goes at the end of your pedal board and buffers the signal as well as loading it in such a way as to recreate the interaction that happens between your guitar’s pickups and amp input when you plug directly into your amp. The improvement is as much a feel as a sound thing.

I don’t think GigRig make them any more but they turn up second hand occasionally. I took a punt on one for 80 quid on EBay and was very pleasantly surprised about it.