What pedals work well with EL84 / AC30 style amps?

cm01

I've just got hold of a Dr Z Mazerati which sounds fantastic, but I don't think my existing pedalboard setup is getting the best out of it - my Dano V1 Transparent Overdrive sounds OK, I reckon my Sparkle Drive will work well, but I'm waiting for it to be returned from being repaired... I'm looking for classic blues / rock sounds rather than mega gain, lots of suggestions online for the Crowther Hotcake, but people seem to be divided about it... any other pedals that you've found work well with AC30 style amps?

Voxman

I have a Laney VC30-210 which I love. Very British sounding with EL84's and sometimes (unfairly, as its a very nice amp in its own right) referred to as the poor man's AC30.

On my board I have a Marshall Guvn'r GV2 which sounds great with it - very much a classic Marshall gain ala JCM800 and bordering on JCM2000 at max gain. Also on my board is a Behringer TO800 Vintage Tube Overdrive.

I also have a Marshall Jackhammer JH1, which also sounds great in the OD position, but you have to adjust the tone when you switch to Distortion as its darker but is more aggressive. I've blown hot and cold on the JH1 but keep coming back to the GV2. Finally I have a Marshall Bluesbreaker BB1 but for me it can be a tad muddy. I'm putting together a bigger board that I will likely add the JH1 to, but not the BB1.

photek

Box of rock works great. Lovepedal Amp11 (so I guess a Timmy would as well). I found the fatter, less spiky pedals sounded best. Based on my Cornford Hellcat and Laney LC30 running clean.

shaunm

The AC booster or OCD pedal both worked really well my EL84 amp

Phil_aka_Pip

http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb376/musophilr/PedalboardMkIV.jpg

I use this into my AC30

Wazmeister

With the Dr Z amps Ive owned, ive found that the following thicken em up a bit, and add a bit of boost/od which seems to suits the EL84 types;

Bearfoot BPB and RRB-1

GavRichList

Crowther Hotcake sounds great into my Artisan 30, so I'll add to the recommendations.

Dodge

cm01;30485" said:

...lots of suggestions online for the Crowther Hotcake, but people seem to be divided about it...

Surprised you've found divided reviews, through a top boost Vox type amp these are universally loved. They were designed for an AC30, and they do the job superbly.

Anyway, for a clean boost get a Soul Food set to clean, for a boost to raunchy overdrive get a Hotcake and beyond that get a Rat. An OC44 (Rangemaster) would be a vintage sounding choice that'd also work well.

cm01

cheers all... this could be an expensive few months!

strtdv

Treble booster is the obvious choice, as @Dodge says a soul food or other Klone works well for clean boost, I've had good results with an OCD v4, and I also use a bad monkey with the bass and treble turned up and the gain all the way down into it when the amp is just breaking up and it works very well.

Fuzz can be a bit hit and miss, you'll never get the bass out of an el84 amp as say a blackface fender circuit, but I like Russian muff style fuzzes into them.
It didn't like my fuzz face at all, nor my mojo hand huckleberry fuzz.