What am I after?

Evo

I'm hoping to tap into the wisdom of the crowds here and you'll help me get hold of what I need.

Essentially, I need an oomph pedal. Something which will take my clean channel into a nice crisp crunch, and my drive channel into a sustaining (possibly slightly compressed) gain tone which isn't too muddy.

What do you all suggest?

Voxman

What amp are you using?  Boss SD1 definitely worth trying (esp good with Marshalls), or a Tubescreamer clone - loads to choose from.

I use a Behringer T0800 Vintage Tube Overdrive which has original 4558 op amps and MA150 distortion diodes as found in the original Ibanez TS808.  Have a listen to youtube demos and read reviews before you spend more money than you need to on a 'boutique' pedal!  

Here's a comparison between an Ibanez TS808 'Tubescreamer overdrive pro' and the Behringer To800 Vintage Tube Overdrive.  The Ibanez retails at around £140 - The Behringer retails at around £20.  Is the Ibanez worth 7 times the price? - well, judge for yourself:  

robinbowes

Depends on amp, but you should consider a Klon(e) and a tubescreamer-type pedal.

EricTheWeary

robinbowes said:

Depends on amp, but you should consider a Klon(e) and a tubescreamer-type pedal.

Keeley D and M Drive! Which you can't yet buy so it's not much of an answer.

Voxman said:

What amp are you using?  Boss SD1 definitely worth trying (esp good with Marshalls), or a Tubescreamer clone - loads to choose from.

I use a Behringer T0800 Vintage Tube Overdrive which has original 4558 op amps and MA150 distortion diodes as found in the original Ibanez TS808.  Have a listen to youtube demos and read reviews before you spend more money than you need to on a 'boutique' pedal!  

Here's a comparison between an Ibanez TS808 'Tubescreamer overdrive pro' and the Behringer To800 Vintage Tube Overdrive.  The Ibanez retails at around £140 - The Behringer retails at around £20.  Is the Ibanez worth 7 times the price? - well, judge for yourself:  

The Ibanez mini TS, £65, gets a lot of love as another option if looking at TS types - although plenty of TS based overdrives out there. 

Evo

Thanks! I'm using it with a DV Mark Little GH 250. Fairly meaty sounding mid-gain amp head.

It covers most of the sounds I need, but two channels just aren't quite enough to get everything accessible. 

I was thinking a TS style might be the way to go because of the mid boost which should help keep the clarity I'm after. I'll check out the SD1 and Klon a likes though, that's exactly why I started the thread, in case people had some ideas I hadn't considered

Winny_Pooh

Try a zendrive, a bit more crisp attack than a TS-9 with fuller low end.
Klones work better as a boost into a dirty amp than for adding gain and can be a bit more muddy. 

robinbowes

I agree, sounds like you need a TS style pedal. As others have said, there are lots to choose from. I'd stay away from Behringer, purely because they're plastic.

You won't go far wrong with an SD-1, they're practically identical to a TS. Mooer Green Mile is allegedly good. Tubescreamer Mini is well-thought of. Actually, I have a TS mini for sale - I use a Juan Solo clone these days - let me know if you're interested.

R.

pintspiller

Sd1, Mt2, Guv'nor. Adjust gain to taste.

digitalscream

I got exactly this from the Mooer Juicer. It's also great for adding some nice sustain without too much extra gain, should you fancy whacking it up a bit.

Sporky

Any mild overdrive or dirty boost will do.

We will likely all suggest either what we use or what we're trying to sell.

digitalscream

Sporky said:

Any mild overdrive or dirty boost will do.

We will likely all suggest either what we use or what we're trying to sell.

Says the man who no longer sells them, and can therefore take the moral high ground

english_bob

digitalscream said:

Sporky said:

Any mild overdrive or dirty boost will do.

We will likely all suggest either what we use or what we're trying to sell.

Says the man who no longer sells them, and can therefore take the moral high ground

I was going to argue, but it turns out all the dirt pedals from Sporky's great post-Helix pedal clearout are gone.

robinbowes said:

I'd stay away from Behringer, purely because they're plastic.

You say that, but in all the years you've been playing, have you ever seen or heard of an effects pedal breaking down because the casing broke? 

Here's a few. All metal cases:

http://www.analogman.com/beattube.htm

robinbowes

english_bob said:

robinbowes said:

I'd stay away from Behringer, purely because they're plastic.

You say that, but in all the years you've been playing, have you ever seen or heard of an effects pedal breaking down because the casing broke? 

Yes. I've seen them crack. Plus, because they're flexible, it can place stress on the internal components causing them to fail.

R.

Sporky

english_bob said:

digitalscream said:

Sporky said:

Any mild overdrive or dirty boost will do.

We will likely all suggest either what we use or what we're trying to sell.

Says the man who no longer sells them, and can therefore take the moral high ground

I was going to argue, but it turns out all the dirt pedals from Sporky's great post-Helix pedal clearout are gone.

Not quite, so I can heartily recommend the TC Electronic Vintage Tube Primer at £57 posted.

I didn't mean for it to be a put-down - it's exactly what I've done a lot of times and it makes sense, We recommend things that work for us - nowt wrong with that.

nick79

I use a TS9 mini and an EHX Soulfood to do that on my board. Cheap, work well, should last forever. 

robinbowes

nick79 said:

I use a TS9 mini and an EHX Soulfood to do that on my board. Cheap, work well, should last forever. 

So, a TS and a Klone - there's a theme here

R.

digitalscream

Sporky said:

english_bob said:

digitalscream said:

Sporky said:

Any mild overdrive or dirty boost will do.

We will likely all suggest either what we use or what we're trying to sell.

Says the man who no longer sells them, and can therefore take the moral high ground

I was going to argue, but it turns out all the dirt pedals from Sporky's great post-Helix pedal clearout are gone.

Not quite, so I can heartily recommend the TC Electronic Vintage Tube Primer at £57 posted.

I didn't mean for it to be a put-down - it's exactly what I've done a lot of times and it makes sense, We recommend things that work for us - nowt wrong with that.

Heh...I was actually referring to the now-extinct monkeys

Sporky

Ah!

Come to think of it, I do have one VS left, and a VS-based booster...

Evo

It seems the crowds are mostly yelling tubescreamer. So that shall be my first port of call, and I'll return with a yay or a nay :-)

Sassafras

Treble Booster.

english_bob

Sporky said:

english_bob said:

digitalscream said:

Sporky said:

Any mild overdrive or dirty boost will do.

We will likely all suggest either what we use or what we're trying to sell.

Says the man who no longer sells them, and can therefore take the moral high ground

I was going to argue, but it turns out all the dirt pedals from Sporky's great post-Helix pedal clearout are gone.

Not quite, so I can heartily recommend the TC Electronic Vintage Tube Primer at £57 posted.

I didn't mean for it to be a put-down - it's exactly what I've done a lot of times and it makes sense, We recommend things that work for us - nowt wrong with that.

Totally got that. And yes, of course that's what we all do. Nobody's going to say "well I thought the Shoddybuilt FX Mojo Magic Xerox Overdrive was a bit shit personally, but I reckon it'll work great for you".