Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum
Forum Ringside => Guitars, Amps and Effects => Topic started by: Henk on November 20, 2007, 09:43:29 AM
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Hey guys,
Im looking for a distortion booster to use with my mules. Allready have overdrive boosters but for some new stuff im doing i think a distortion based sound would work out better.
As im going to use it as a booster it has to be unusually low noise, VERY TIGHT and SMOOTH. No grit, no crunch just smooth tone otherwise its totally unusable for what i have in mind. It should have a good volume boost, it doen not need high gain since i just need the tone of it. Reliability is also very important, cr@p switches and pots annoy me very much.
I have been listening to samples and pretty much figure the vintage rat from proco should work out fine, but thats only from listening to the clips.
I have to order this one so i cant check it out in RL, so if anyone has tried it i would be glad to hear their opinion.
Also i would like to know if there are alternatives to be considered, the classic rat sounds nice also, but the vintage one is allready true bypass i have read so that would be great.
Another option could be modding some boss(which i use mostly) pedal, i can solder very well, but dont have any experience with modding stompboxes.
Thanks in advance for your interest,
Kindest regards, Henk
EDIT: Link to vintage rat clips
http://www.zzounds.com/item--PRCVINTRAT
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I bought a cheap DS-1 and done the Keeley Ultra mod on it. Gives a nice range of sounds and is pretty quiet. Really responsive to picking too, strum lightly and it is almost clean, got some excellent string definition using Country Boys in my tele.
Done the mod myself using this guide: http://www.geocities.com/overdrivespider/DS1/keeleyds1.htm
Easy to do and components are cheap.
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The MI Audio Crunch Box might suit you. It's a Van Halen type gain sound in a box and it's VERY smooth. It's the first pedal that sprang to mind when I read your post and I think it would suit you very well.
http://www.miaudio.com/CB2.htm
They're cheap too, which is nice.
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The MI Audio Crunch Box might suit you. It's a Van Halen type gain sound in a box and it's VERY smooth. It's the first pedal that sprang to mind when I read your post and I think it would suit you very well.
http://www.miaudio.com/CB2.htm
They're cheap too, which is nice.
twinfan is right!
that pedal is a classic and you should certainly give it a go! as well as a van halen type distortion you can turn the gain down and it gets crunchy and gritty. its a really good design... (a bit of professional jealousy there ;) )
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@ Badgermark: Ow wow great that would be doable, but i would need something exeptionally smooth and the keeley modded DS-1 does not have the sound im looking for in a booster.
If i run into a cheap DS-1 ill give this a try, sounds really good for a distortion pedal.
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Ow wow great that would be doable, but i would need something exeptionally smooth and the keeley modded DS-1 does not have the sound im looking for in a booster.
If i run into a cheap DS-1 ill give this a try, sounds really good for a distortion pedal.
i have a modded DS-1 which i never use. interested?
g
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One thing about the Crunchbox, I found it really small and compact. TOO small and compact actually. Hitting the switch without wrecking the knobs would be a challenge for me. I have big feet.
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The MI Audio Crunch Box might suit you. It's a Van Halen type gain sound in a box and it's VERY smooth. It's the first pedal that sprang to mind when I read your post and I think it would suit you very well.
http://www.miaudio.com/CB2.htm
They're cheap too, which is nice.
DAYM!!!!
It pretty much sounds like my JCM800 which was not exactly what i was looking for initially.
However i MUST have this kind of sound to put trough my Bluesbreaker RI combo which sounds really nasty with an OD based booster!
Just cheacking some more MI stomboxes...
PS. ill keep it in mind gwEm
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The MI Audio Crunch Box might suit you. It's a Van Halen type gain sound in a box and it's VERY smooth. It's the first pedal that sprang to mind when I read your post and I think it would suit you very well.
http://www.miaudio.com/CB2.htm
They're cheap too, which is nice.
DAYM!!!!
It pretty much sounds like my JCM800 which was not exactly what i was looking for initially.
However i MUST have this kind of sound to put trough my Bluesbreaker RI combo which sounds really nasty with an OD based booster!
Just cheacking some more MI stomboxes...
it goes to more gain than a JCM800... after about 12 o'clock, it gets super smooth and saturated (regarding the MI CrunchBox here)
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it goes to more gain than a JCM800... after about 12 o'clock, it gets super smooth and saturated (regarding the MI CrunchBox here)
I never use my boosters as a clean booster, and i think allmost all turn crunchy/gritty below noon settings so thats fine with me.
I have the 2205 JCM800 which is a 50 watter, it has two channels and i set the gain channel to a nice and thick drive, then use the booster on clean and drive channel to get leads or power cords etc, very complete setup for me.
Still wondering if someone used the vintage rat before, it sound alot more organic then the crunch box, would love that too since im playing alot of really old rock atm, and LOVING IT!!!!!
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I know _tom_ has a Keeley rat that he bought off of HJM (a name that you super old-skool BKPers will recognise). Hopefully he'll chime in soon
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Listened to more keeley clips, the keeley rat sound like an overthe top fuzz distortion, sounds great but not what i need.
The SD-1 5-star modded is simply the best of the keeley's IMHO, it really kicks in just the right spot. Shame there is only the DS-1 mod online......
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Listened to more keeley clips, the keeley rat sound like an overthe top fuzz distortion, sounds great but not what i need.
The SD-1 5-star modded is simply the best of the keeley's IMHO, it really kicks in just the right spot. Shame there is only the DS-1 mod online......
actually it is:
http://www.geocities.com/overdrivespider/SD1/stepfour.htm
but even the standard SD-1 is pretty good i think... even more considering the price. i would work with the standard one a couple of weeks first to see if you like it just the way it is.
theres also these kits:
http://www.monteallums.com/pedal_mods.html#bosssd1
which i can recommend.
i tried the standard monte allums kit and then tweaked it with some of the Keeley stuff, and added a couple of ideas of my own.
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heres the famous indyguitarist bleed fix
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Listened to more keeley clips, the keeley rat sound like an overthe top fuzz distortion, sounds great but not what i need.
The SD-1 5-star modded is simply the best of the keeley's IMHO, it really kicks in just the right spot. Shame there is only the DS-1 mod online......
actually it is:
http://www.geocities.com/overdrivespider/SD1/stepfour.htm
but even the standard SD-1 is pretty good i think... even more considering the price. i would work with the standard one a couple of weeks first to see if you like it just the way it is.
theres also these kits:
http://www.monteallums.com/pedal_mods.html#bosssd1
which i can recommend.
i tried the standard monte allums kit and then tweaked it with some of the Keeley stuff, and added a couple of ideas of my own.
Man.... my SD-1 will get modded, definately.
Its not that i dont like the SD-1 as it is, the OD-1 is smoother which is what i need in my setup.
Maybe you can understand if i put it like this, i set my jcm800 to a moderate gain level, you know that unbeatable oldskool rock sound, then i boost certain frequencies, usually the high mids (which the OD-1 does without tone control), this way you can switch from rythm to lead without changing the actual sound much and thus retaining as much as possible of the original amp sound. Still an overdrive pretty much covers the high spectrum, but i also need a destortion to cover the lower spectrum.
The booster you use HAS to be as neutral as possible otherwise it will destroy the amp sound, with the SD-1 the boosted tone get just noticably grittier and harsher, which is not what im looking for. Probably really puristic, but anyway.
Thnx for the info
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we have basically the same amp.
modded sd-1 is good...
but i sympathise with what you say and think you should get an EQ pedal - modded GE-7... thats my tip, its ideal for tweaking the distortion of that amp.
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I had one, but mine was noisier then when basing the same effect on an OD box. Pretty much getting the OD-1 made me switch, it even enhances the harmonics.
Ill try and speed up the whole recording thing, that would create a way better reference.
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I had one, but mine was noisier then when basing the same effect on an OD box. Pretty much getting the OD-1 made me switch, it even enhances the harmonics.
Ill try and speed up the whole recording thing, that would create a way better reference.
standard GE7 is noisy - modded one is like a mouse ;)
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That pretty much makes me wonder why Boss is all making them that badly.........
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That pretty much makes me wonder why Boss is all making them that badly.........
i suppose they are greed for the money.
if you want to try doing the GE-7, changing the three 8pin DIL chips to RE4559 is basically what do. theres other stuff as well, which i can't remember, but it doesn't matter. i guess they save 30-50 eurocents a pedal by using shitety op-amps :(
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Thanks alot man, ill keep it in mind, i do think it would be wiser to just not get a Boss one but a better brand if i find the need for a EQ.
Still i think i have gotten set on my ways pretty much. I had my times of piling effects and rather enjoy the simplicity of things that just work without too much fumbling. Im pretty prefectionistic and rather try to focus on playing instead of fumbling to get the sound just right. I wish those digital preset sounds would do it for me, would make stuff alot less complicated.
Anyway, my amp is humming..... :wink:
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Another option, anyone know the Roger Mayer VOODOO-1?
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I have an MXR rackmount 31 band EQ on its way :roll:
Thought it would be fun, and give me more control. I think I will be moving 3 sliders at a time to start off with, so it shall be like a 10 band.
Due tomorrow, or day after. Will let you know my thoughts on it :D
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I have an MXR rackmount 31 band EQ on its way :roll:
Thought it would be fun, and give me more control. I think I will be moving 3 sliders at a time to start off with, so it shall be like a 10 band.
Due tomorrow, or day after. Will let you know my thoughts on it :D
wow - you don't do things by halves, lol
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Ive got a Crunchbox coming my way, due to arrive this afternoon if all goes like it should.
Its a used 1st version, the second version has a presence modulation on the tone control.
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Ive got a Crunchbox coming my way, due to arrive this afternoon if all goes like it should.
Its a used 1st version, the second version has a presence modulation on the tone control.
Cool! Keep us posted, I may get one too, or a booster.
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Will do, only alas it didnt arrive today allthough it should have...... :evil:
Ill report when i get it so i hope monday.
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My MI Audio Crunch Box came today, it a version 1, so it doesnt have the presence modulation on the tone control.
People say its like a marhall in a box but its not nearly as dirty as a marshall, on the clean channel it sounds more like a mesa to my ears pretty straight forward, tight and lots of gain.
Actually i was pretty shocked about the HUGE mid boost from this little thing, its just goes right over the top on a dirty channel, when turned up over 3/4 its just like the attack is so extreme you feel violated. Yes its really that agressive IMO.
After some fumbling i found a good spot when i set everything at 13:00 and played some stuff on my bright custom with mules. I sounds a bit ZZ Top-ish, you know a alot of mids and very compacted highs, exellent for lead. It does have alot of distortion but not as much sustain as you would normally expect from this amount of gain, the attack is absurd still, very dry sounding also. Hammer-ons are very articulate but like i said a bit dry, maybe some extra sustain would make them better. One thing im pretty sure off, you wont find such an increadible mid boost in any other pedal. Cleaned up very nicely too, first distortion pedal that does that well enough for me, the attack is cutting trough everything.
Then if tried my SG which has alot more low end, the nice and tight (even to a point you dont even notice it anymore) when playing the custom turned into a really mean growl on the SG. Tons of heavy mids and, still very open sounding so its not really suited for that scooped metal sound. Bottom end was not as tight anymore but i got more of a wall of gore in the bottom end, still the attack in the heavy mids made it all cut trough perfectly. Sound was more grindcore like napalm death but heavier/more metal tightness in the mids.
Now i must add that both these guitars have more then enough presence in their sound, so i really dont need any more. With the custom i even set the presence on the amp back to zero and i didnt even hear any difference, the crunch box just gives that much attack.
I think i set the crunch box too high still, tomorrow ill try a more moderate setting, and also try it on my bluesbreaker combo, i really like it on the clean channel so probably that will be great.
Dont take me for a wuss just yet, because i can handle a good deal of gain well enough, it just that combination of pretty dry gain and that huge attack which makes it so impressive. The gain does sound best over noonish though, lowes gain settings sound more crunchy. Probably thats why they call it crunch box.
Ow yes, this pedal has NO actual low gain setting, its like the gain is rerouted trough the same effect loop so setting the gain to 0 sounds like setting to noon on a 'normal' distortion like a DS-1 or so.
Rediculous small little bugger really, but me likes it :twisted:
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Rediculous small little bugger really, but me likes it
I like it too!Very nice thick lead tone.On my M&B,it sounds Marshally..
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Tempting. Although still awaiting the EQ, stupid couriers didn't leave a card or ring the doorbell :evil:
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Rediculous small little bugger really, but me likes it
I like it too!Very nice thick lead tone.On my M&B,it sounds Marshally..
Thick or compressed sounds pretty much the same i think. Maybe since i play only marshall i listen to it differently. The gain from my JCM is also thick/compressed but much dirtier and has way less attack than the CB IMO.
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I'm surprised you say it cleans up well. I find it rolls off LOADS of treble as you reduce your guitar volume.
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I'm surprised you say it cleans up well. I find it rolls off LOADS of treble as you reduce your guitar volume.
It does, but i get a nice rythm tone at about 7ish, volume reduction is at about 20% guestimating. The the attack is still cutting enough, but the sound is more balance since it is VERY trebly on my custom with mules. I think it highly depends on which guitar you use, good point there.