Understanding overdrive types

[blue]

Sometimes knowledge just makes things more difficult. Josh from JHS, IMHO, does the opposite here. Lots of killer info. For instance, did you know the Klon was a hard-clipping pedal?!

Check it out!

[Guildman]

I went thru a bunch youtube videos when trying to decide on which about a year ago. Ended up with the DS-2 and have been pretty happy. Just play at home and keeping the amp volume down and using guitar really has a nice sustain.

[redir]

That was very informative. I didn't know about those categories of OD's. Personally after many many years of trying OD's a couple years ago now I got a vintage TS-9 like he showed in the video and there's no going back for me. Apparently I had been using the blues breaker and hard clipping drives. I actually had one of those DOD 250s back in the 90's and traded it for another pedal, a tube OD pedal, and now I see on Reverb they are selling for over $700 bucks LOL.

I recently traded a pedal for a Wampler Plexi Drive which he also reviewed and I have to say that's got a pretty good sound. I have the gain practically dialed to zero but it adds a nice touch of grit to my clean Fender Twin.

[ChrisN]

Agree that was useful info. I knew there were 6000 OD pedals out there with all manner of vague descriptions to boost sales, but, with no way to distinguish them, wasn't inclined to start throwing money at testing what would be only the tip of the iceberg. At least now I know how they're grouped, so I can narrow the field a bit. Who knew choosing the modeling equivalent of a cranked tube amp could be so hard?

[blue]

Originally Posted by redir

I recently traded a pedal for a Wampler Plexi Drive which he also reviewed and I have to say that's got a pretty good sound. I have the gain practically dialed to zero but it adds a nice touch of grit to my clean Fender Twin.

That is a great pedal! Wampler makes way too many killer overdrives. His Paisley Drives are ridiculous. Very likely will end up with one someday.

My current favorite "amp in a box" is JHS Twin Twelve, which is a "White Stripes in a box" Through a clean amp it is instant early Jack White!

[DukeX]

Yes very informative. Thanks!

[Dru Edwards]

I only skimmed through the video but I am an OD fan. I have a bunch of OD pedals but my favorite over the past few years is the EHX Soul Food, which is a Klon clone. Wonderful transparent OD and it's my "always on" pedal.

I think Josh's (JHS) Bonsai pedal would be great.

[redir]

Originally Posted by blue

That is a great pedal! Wampler makes way too many killer overdrives. His Paisley Drives are ridiculous. Very likely will end up with one someday.

My current favorite "amp in a box" is JHS Twin Twelve, which is a "White Stripes in a box" Through a clean amp it is instant early Jack White!

I had always been skeptical about the so called Amp in a Box pedals. But in this video the way he described stacks of transistors gaining on top of each other like gain stages in an amp makes sense. I wonder if that is a feature of all the amp in a box type pedals.

I mean, in the end of course it doesn't sound like a Plexi, but it kind of sort of goes in that direction.

[M Sarad]

There are 2 kinds.

The one Iike.

All the rest.

[blue]

Originally Posted by redir

I had always been skeptical about the so called Amp in a Box pedals. But in this video the way he described stacks of transistors gaining on top of each other like gain stages in an amp makes sense. I wonder if that is a feature of all the amp in a box type pedals.

I mean, in the end of course it doesn't sound like a Plexi, but it kind of sort of goes in that direction.

I don't know if it's a coincidence or not, but my two current go to overdrives, which couldn't be more different from each other, are both of the transistor types, which of course, I had no clue about before this video. A Keeley Super Phat Mod (handbuilt Keeley clone of the Boss Blues Driver with his mods made to it), and the JHS Twin Twelve.

Strangely enough my "Non-Tube, super portable, take it to the Jam" amp works the same way as these pedals. A Roland Blues Cube Boss Drive Special. It's supposedly a JTM45 in a "much larger box" It's not a modelling amp. It replicates the stages and interactions of tube amp components with circuitry.

So, it's either a coincidence, or this style of engineering really works for me.