Smooth Overdrive

kswilson89 · January 2018

Can anyone suggest a really smooth overdrive? I've tried a few overdrives claiming to be amp-like or transparent recently and found them to be too grainy/hairy/treble-y... Quite ear piercing in some ways. I'd like something that has a relatively flat EQ... The Maxon VOP-9 and Boss BD-2W seem to stand out. Any other suggestions?

builttospill · January 2018

Boss SD-2 sounds fairly smooth to me... not harsh sounding at all... it's a brilliant pedal

builttospill · January 2018

What amp are you playing through?

Godlykepower · January 2018

I’ve recently purchased (and am now smitten with) a DOD Looking Glass. It is incredibly versatile and stacks well with other overdrives. I run it into a Blackstar HT20 head and cab.

MagicPigDetective · January 2018

Agree with DOD Looking Glass. Can be tweaked to suit your set up, and is what I would describe as smooth.

kswilson89 · January 2018

builttospill said:

What amp are you playing through?

Marshall 1974x. I tried a treble booster but there's no way I'm getting a decent sound out of it at reasonable volumes. Thanks for the suggestions.

builttospill · January 2018

I also have a Vick Audio Tree of Life which is quite impressive... huge thick smooth lead tones if you are into the Gilmour thing? it's supposed to be a mix of an OCD and Zen drive.

Dave_Mc · January 2018

In my experience the flatter eq/more transparent ones usually aren't as smooth, things like a tubescreamer (or similar) are a lot smoother but then the eq is nowhere near flat.

Out of what I've tried, maybe a Digitech Hardwire Tube OD (if you can still find one, it's discontinued) or a Nobels ODR-1? Both of those can more or less get into tubescreamer territory (though probably don't sound completely identical) but they can also get into the more flat EQ territory as well, so maybe you can find a setting which is a happy medium.

thermionic · January 2018

I find the Marshall Guv’nor II a very smooth and somehow “soft” (hard to describe) overdrive.

JezWynd · January 2018

Barber Direct Drive and Maxon OD820.

equalsql · January 2018

If you can find one the nxgen 10 Deegree Warm Drive is the smoothest overdrive I've ever encountered.
I bought a Line6 Helix LT and sold all my drive apart from a couple, one being the 10 Deegree.
I don't think they're made anymore, but they go for very little:
https://reverb.com/nz/item/8375101-nxgen-warm-drive-100-deegree-dynamic-overdrive-booster

AlexC · January 2018

I can recommend the TC Electronic MojoMojo. Smooth is the very word I’d use to describe it. Loads of reviews on line.

Winny_Pooh · January 2018

Nobels Odr
Buffalo td-x
Blackstone mosfet

I own all three - either might be what your after.

I use the odr for fat riffs or stacked for more gain.
Mosfet does zero fizz deep marshall sounds
Td-x is The Gilmour/Johnson lead tone and can do ok dirty chords.

gibsongretschfan · January 2018

Nobels ODR-1 for flat

Keeley Red Dirt or TS9 Mod Plus if you can love with the mid hump

Modulus_Amps · January 2018

kswilson89 said:

builttospill said:

What amp are you playing through?

Marshall 1974x. I tried a treble booster but there's no way I'm getting a decent sound out of it at reasonable volumes. Thanks for the suggestions.

That is not an amp made for "reasonable volumes" it has allot of mids with an extended top end that can get fizzy, so maybe stay away from TS type pedals

Post an example of what you consider to be smooth overdrive please

rico · January 2018

Have you tried a sweet honey yet?

ThorpyFX · January 2018

The Peacekeeper will fill this niche very nicely.

gibsongretschfan · January 2018

ThorpyFX said:

The Peacekeeper will fill this niche very nicely.

Spam

markj · January 2018

Sampler euphoria have had one on my pedalboard for 10 yrs.

Matt_McG · January 2018

Sweet Honey, would be one I'd check out, as per another recommendation above. The gain range isn't going to get you to huge soaring or shred leads, but as a smooth amp-like drive that is very touch sensitive, it sounds great.

Zendrive is also good. The one I have is a clone. I think the core tone isn't as attractive to me as the Honey Bee/Sweet Honey, but the Zendrive has a wider range of tones in it.

57Deluxe · January 2018

CoolCat Trans Drive.... is a lovely tone with everything.

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