What's your favorite overdrive pedal for blues?

[iim7V7IM7]

Some of my favorites:

TOP ROW: RC Booster, Red Snapper, Tim, and Honeybee
BOTTOM ROW: OD-820, Zendrive, King of Tone, and Screw Driver

[BTF]

I use the old Maxon OD880 (the granddad of the TS808 and the OD820 pictured directly above, I believe). It doesn't have the midrange hump of the Tubescreamers.

Here's a video of its most famous user, Japanese guitarist Char, using it through his Matchless head:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sx7L8MlpXM8

[terrapin]

Originally Posted by BTF

I use the old Maxon OD880 (the granddad of the TS808 and the OD820 pictured directly above, I believe). It doesn't have the midrange hump of the Tubescreamers.

Here's a video of its most famous user, Japanese guitarist Char, using it through his Matchless head:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sx7L8MlpXM8

Such a great pedal!

[redir]

I've got an 80's vintage TS-9 and that pretty much covers the blues over drive. I replaced a DOD Classic Tube pedal that was a cheap pedal back in it's day but actually sounds pretty good for what it is. I've also used various. At some point at least to my ear an OD pedal is an OD pedal is an OD pedal. It's just that some might break up a bit more into fuzz or distortion zone. That's why I like the TS-9 if set up right then it really drives a good tube amp rather then fuzz it. So in a way the pedal and amp have a relationship. IOW some pedals like a chorus for example is just going to sound as good as the box you buy. But an OD pedal is only going to be good in combination with the amp. If that makes any sense.

[BTF]

And I've heard a few guys using the lowly Rat pedal as a blues overdrive and it sound killer!

I always wanted to get or build a Rat, but so far never have...

[redir]

Originally Posted by BTF

And I've heard a few guys using the lowly Rat pedal as a blues overdrive and it sound killer!

I always wanted to get or build a Rat, but so far never have...

I have a Boss MT-2 that I modded and it actually makes a great overdrive. You just have to dial it in but it's there. It's probably the case with a lot of the metal type petals, just turn the gain way down and you can play the blues

[Glennwillow]

Originally Posted by rburke

Boss BD-2 works for me. Got it used for $50.

http://www.bossus.com/products/bd-2/

I have used a lot of overdrive pedals, but I have found the very cost-effective, reliable and simple BD-2 to be a very good, general purpose blues pedal. I like the BD-2 because to my ears it really sounds like a good quality, overdriven Fender amp.

- Glenn

[BTF]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned using the original Marshall Bluesbreaker pedal (the big, black-boxed version).

It was a very good-sounding pedal as well. The first Guv'nor was also killer.

[MuddyDitch]

Lots of great recommendations. I find the OCD and Clarksdale harsh sounding. Really like the demos on the Simble, DMBL and Euphoria. That Tim pedal looks interesting, is it still in production?

[clintj]

Originally Posted by BTF

I'm surprised no one has mentioned using the original Marshall Bluesbreaker pedal (the big, black-boxed version).

It was a very good-sounding pedal as well. The first Guv'nor was also killer.

I've got a kit built one, and I held back on suggesting it. It pairs much better with humbuckers than single coils. It's strongly mid focused, and has a pretty limited bass response unless you mod the circuit. I love mine with a Lester, less so with a Strat.

[pieterh]

I love my Tonebone Trimode, the two channel version of the Classic; two channels of individually set overdrive plus true bypass, a filter to compensate for bright amps, mid boost (more useful than I had expected), on-board eq, three stage gain range selector (common to both channels but there is a separate gain trim for channel one to help balance out the two or to increase the difference between the two if needed). A friend of mine has the Classic. It doesn't have the flexibility of the Trimode but it sounds amazing.

I second Drew's recommendation of the Ibanez Tube Screamer too!

[dmbfan32]

Love my Boss BD-2. Great overall pedal for adding some crunch.

Also recently got the nano big muff. Pretty good fuzz pedal so far and I am enjoying it. Plus it takes up very little space on the pedalboard.

[blue]

My favorite is a seymour duncan twin tube classic. I got it used for a steal. Amazing pedal.


They also have blues dedicated model. I haven't tried that one.

[McShepherd]

Per Analog Mike's suggestion, I fell in love with the combo of TS9 (Actually, the AnalogMan silver-modded Maxon OD9) and the BD-2 (in my case, the Keeley phat mod), because they're both quite different; and they combine into a killer combo. Either one or both do wonderful things with the clean channel of my Delta Blues 115.

[Don W]

Check out the Zen Drive...its really good.