Topic: Looking for "THE" overdrive,

Greetings all. I am new to the site and my first post will be a question.I play a solid body with HB's and a semi hollow with HB's through a Roland Jc-120. I am looking for a descent overdrive pedal to get some better blues tones. The Ibanez tube screamer in any flavor claims it will overdrive a tube amp.That's nice but my Jc-120 is solid state. I currently use a cheap off brand "blues overdrive" pedal and am not happy with it. Anyone with a similar setup and what do you have to to to get a good sound from it? I realise there are alot of variables in this equation. Any help is welcome.

Re: Looking for "THE" overdrive,

Welcome to Chordie Gundecker. I know nothing about pedals etc., but some one will be along who can help you out.

Re: Looking for "THE" overdrive,

Hello Gundecker, I have a Boss SD 1 super overdrive pedal and also play a semi hollow body with HB's through it. The road to finding a pedal you like will be a long and bumpy one. I have been down it and settled on the Boss. I could not be happier.
Cheers
Bushy

Not one drop of my self worth depends on your acceptance of me.
"Quincy Jones"

Re: Looking for "THE" overdrive,

+1 for Boss pedals here.

Jerry

Live the life you love, love the life you live

Re: Looking for "THE" overdrive,

I use a Boss ME-50 the pedal serves as a wah and a volume control it has oodles of nice over drive sounds plus delay and a harmonizer all in one unit it aint cheap but there are a few on ebay you could pickup for less then the online stores or music shops smile

"Growing old is not for sissies"

Re: Looking for "THE" overdrive,

Marshall- The Guv'nor (not the Guv'nor II).  There are several on Ebay right now.  Basically, its a Marshall preamp with 5 knobs: input, treble, mid, bass and volume.  You can set it from super clean to ultra dirty. Its your choice.  These are no longer in production and are getting harder and harder and more expensive to get but mine's lasted 20+ years and works great.

Now available in 5G !

Re: Looking for "THE" overdrive,

Thanks for the responses. The Boss might be the way I lean. I have tried several multi effect units and while they have versatility,they seem too harsh with no depth. I'm using a $14 Behringer now and it's time for a change. Thanks again.

8 (edited by Detman101 2011-05-12 13:58:11)

Re: Looking for "THE" overdrive,

Galaxie-Mod Boss BD-2

Bar none.

Dm

"Talent instantly recognizes genius,
but mediocrity knows nothing more than itself."

-Sir Arthur Conan-Doyle

Re: Looking for "THE" overdrive,

I went out and bought the Boss DS1 and wow! What a difference! Now I am reading about some mods that can be done. Think I'll leave it stock for awhile. Thanks for the advice.

Re: Looking for "THE" overdrive,

I have mostly Boss Pedals, including a couple of distortion models. I just got a Boss ST-2 Power Stack after trying one at a Roland Booth at the Arlington Guitar show. Main thing I like about this model is that I can get really good crunch at lower volumes.

Middleaged Redneck sorta guy who refuses to grow up...passion for music, especially Southern Rock but like bout everything cept Gangsta/Hip Hop. Collect guitars, mandolins, and love to ride Harleys.

Re: Looking for "THE" overdrive,

Have you had a look at the Zoom effects box? Incredible array of sounds for the money, I highly recommend them.

Re: Looking for "THE" overdrive,

I tend to buy more botique stuff when I can. I love the fulltone fulldrive 2 or a zvex box of rock  - my choices, hands down. They both have two drive buttons that get you both a clean boost or slight crackle depending upon settings, and then overdrive to sick blues tones. Love 'em both.

Re: Looking for "THE" overdrive,

Just joined up here but have played some 46 years now.  Don't get too caught up in looking for "the" pedal.  You just want to make sure it doesn't have that fizz sound.  As far as solid state amps go, a few of our predecessors used solid state amps.  Overdrive, which differs from distortion is obtained by literally overdriving (overloading) the tube(s) in a tube amp.  Pedals and some solid state amps have electronic simulators to obtain this sound.  Many say the pedals and such do not have the warmth of tubes but honestly, unless you are a seasoned guitarist and listening specifically for such, your audience does not know or hear the difference.  My suggestions are these; first play around with your amp in all its settings.  The only thing I know about your amp is that it is renowned for being clean.  When you find you can't get what you are looking for then time to go to your local music store and play through them all.  Take your guitar with you and use it while you are looking. Try to use your amp as well so that it will sound the same when you take it home.   I cannot emphasize enough to find what you like and you will know it when you find it.  It will just fit.  The worst thing you can do is try to find something so you will sound like (fill in the blank).  Our uniqueness in our playing style, tone, effects, etc, etc. is what it is really all about.  Carlos Santana did not set out to sound exactly like someone he admired.  Clapton listened to the old guys, their styles, their phrasing, etc. but decided to use an unthinkable (at the time) guitar and amp combination.  Just with these two examples you do not have to look at the credits to know it is Santana playing or Clapton playing because they are unique in their sound and style.  You be the same.  Your goal should be to find your sound and when others hear you, even without seeing you, they know it is you.  Just remember there is a lot of hype created by marketing animals (forgive me if I offend anyone) and too many musicians buy by brand name and what their "heros" are using.  Don't ever fall in that trap.  Some years ago the guitar makers literally laughed and a guy who took a band saw and created a guitar out of a plank of wood.  What respected musician would play a guitar like that?  That guitar became known as the Telecaster and the rest is history.  Good luck and most important...have fun!

Re: Looking for "THE" overdrive,

nwshred wrote:

Have you had a look at the Zoom effects box? Incredible array of sounds for the money, I highly recommend them.

I have a new Zoom B9.1ut in front of me right now.  I'm re-programming the Z pedal for all the patches to control volume.  That's the only complaint I have about it.  I love the tube pre-amp, and the thing looks like an old 50s Chevy.

Someday we'll win this thing...

[url=http://www.aclosesecond.com]www.aclosesecond.com[/url]

Re: Looking for "THE" overdrive,

DOD overdrive preamp.The yellow one.I have had the same one since 1984.It serves me well.I also have an MXR distortion pedal and have borrowed my daughters death metal pedal but they dont compare to the DOD.The only drawback to the older one is that it wont work on my pedalboard without a battery.The ac adapter plug is different.Hope that helps

Enjoy Every Sandwich
Nothing In Moderation  -- Live Fast. Love Hard. Die Young And Leave A Beautiful Corpse. -- Buy It Today. Cry About It Tomorrow.

Re: Looking for "THE" overdrive,

Get an old 70's/80's rat. If you cant find one get a more recent turbo rat.

"Nobody paints by ear so why would I play guitar by sight?" hmm

Re: Looking for "THE" overdrive,

stedgett wrote:

Just joined up here but have played some 46 years now.  Don't get too caught up in looking for "the" pedal.  You just want to make sure it doesn't have that fizz sound.  As far as solid state amps go, a few of our predecessors used solid state amps.  Overdrive, which differs from distortion is obtained by literally overdriving (overloading) the tube(s) in a tube amp.  Pedals and some solid state amps have electronic simulators to obtain this sound.  Many say the pedals and such do not have the warmth of tubes but honestly, unless you are a seasoned guitarist and listening specifically for such, your audience does not know or hear the difference.  My suggestions are these; first play around with your amp in all its settings.  The only thing I know about your amp is that it is renowned for being clean.  When you find you can't get what you are looking for then time to go to your local music store and play through them all.  Take your guitar with you and use it while you are looking. Try to use your amp as well so that it will sound the same when you take it home.   I cannot emphasize enough to find what you like and you will know it when you find it.  It will just fit.  The worst thing you can do is try to find something so you will sound like (fill in the blank).  Our uniqueness in our playing style, tone, effects, etc, etc. is what it is really all about.  Carlos Santana did not set out to sound exactly like someone he admired.  Clapton listened to the old guys, their styles, their phrasing, etc. but decided to use an unthinkable (at the time) guitar and amp combination.  Just with these two examples you do not have to look at the credits to know it is Santana playing or Clapton playing because they are unique in their sound and style.  You be the same.  Your goal should be to find your sound and when others hear you, even without seeing you, they know it is you.  Just remember there is a lot of hype created by marketing animals (forgive me if I offend anyone) and too many musicians buy by brand name and what their "heros" are using.  Don't ever fall in that trap.  Some years ago the guitar makers literally laughed and a guy who took a band saw and created a guitar out of a plank of wood.  What respected musician would play a guitar like that?  That guitar became known as the Telecaster and the rest is history.  Good luck and most important...have fun!

Just wanted to say what an excellent post, well said that man.

Jerry

Live the life you love, love the life you live