Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum
Forum Ringside => Guitars, Amps and Effects => Topic started by: Pieter-Jan on March 09, 2007, 03:12:22 PM
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Hey,
I'm looking for a pedal that can give me a little bit more of a heavy compressed metal sound. I heard about people running a Tubescreamer in their distorted channels. So now I'm thinking about buying myself one of those famous tubescreamers. Right now I'm leaning forward to the Maxon OD9.
Are the results really that nice? Are there any (eventually cheaper) alternatives to the maxon?
Thanks in advance
PJ
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I've got an OD-9 and it's great for solo boosts. Not sure how it'd work as a metal pedal though - it has a very strong midrange.
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HBE Powerscreamer does the same thing but with two more (and working) options via the diode switch and an added range.
To be honest, a Digitech Bad Monkey can capture the TS9 sound easily.
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I'm not a big fan of the TS9 sound, I think it's a bit too thin, the maxon od9 has a much better tone, especially in the low end!
Been looking for that powerscreamer, do they sell in europe?
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^ yeah, they do. As it happens I already have the HBE website opened (was suggesting them to someone on another forum, lol), I'll see if I can find the dealer locator.
http://homebrewelectronics.com/dealers.htm (scroll down to the bottom there and it gives you the international distributors.
FWIW, I think I've come to the conclusion that I prefer clean boosters to boost an already overdriven tone... something like an uno or dos mos. Though, it has to be said, it's debatable if that'd give you enough for metal, unless your "already overdriven" tone is almost metal already...
also, I guess it depends if you're boosting to get your rhythm tone or a lead tone... as that'll affect (probably) what type of tone you're trying to achieve.
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I use a Maxon OD808 with my cheap vox 30w, and it really turns it into a monster...i'll have clips of this soon
Then again, theres almost no difference when its in the chain with my crate 65w on the lead channel, but the crate kind of sucks ;)
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Mmh, the powerscreamer is very expencive, I might not buy it unless it REALLY sounds ALOT better than an OD9 pedal.
I'd love to hear clips of your vox!
+ my amp hasn't got enough gain for metal so it'll defenently need to be a boost and not a clean boost.
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^ ok, cool.
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anything with an 808 on the end. Ibanez Ts 808 or Maxon OD 808. The 808s are vintae reissues, and are overall built better, and have a better op-amp. The maxon OD 808 is the closest you'll get to an original tubescreamer, and also has a more durable switch....
screw the od9... 808 is where its at. =P
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Here's the tubescreamer I use
http://www.robertkeeley.com/product.php?id=36
Guys like Steve Vai and Paul Gilbert use it too. Incredibly nice pedal though a bit pricey, but worth it if you're willing to pay out for it.
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A tubescreamer doesn't really do metal. I don't think it's what you want.
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A tubescreamer doesn't really do metal. I don't think it's what you want.
Not on it's own. If you use it as a boost in an already distorted tone it'll compress the sound a bit and give something a little extra. Many metal guitarists use a tube screamer to tighten up their sound.
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i've known about this technique for a while, and i have never tried it out. i have a couple of questions before you launch back into the recommending:
1. will it sound very dramatic with a solid state amp?
2. would you put the pedal in the effects loop or in front of the amp?
thanks dudes
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Don't know about the solid state but you should put it up front. I use a DOD 250 reissue with my Ibz Valbee and it boost and tighten the OD channel quite dramaticaly. The down side is it's noisier with the DOD.
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Sorry I don't get it - an OD9 is a TS9 but with true bypass.
As to HBE - if you want more metal go for a Big D - the most versatile distortion you can by - not as a compressed as a TS9/OD9/PS sound, but settings that go from OD to distortion to Fuzz in easy clicks.
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to answer a bunch of questions....
ALWAYS put an overdrive infront of an amp. Putting it in the loop doesnt sound very good, and could damage some poweramps.
YES it will work with SS amps, effectively increases your gain and tightens your amp.
true bypass DOESNT MATTER with 808's. This is because they use "buffered bypass". In otherwords, the input is high impedance, because the power starts at the jack, essentially increasing the voltage of your signal to carry it through the effect without losing tone when the effect is disengaged. That way the low impedance that the effect causes is negligable because of the buffer.
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try to get your hands on a Keely TS9DX. its a TS9DX with the 808 chip in it and a ton of mods to it.
anyways, check out anything by Keely @ www.robertkeeley.com
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YES it will work with SS amps, effectively increases your gain and tightens your amp.
true bypass DOESNT MATTER with 808's. This is because they use "buffered bypass". In otherwords, the input is high impedance, because the power starts at the jack, essentially increasing the voltage of your signal to carry it through the effect without losing tone when the effect is disengaged. That way the low impedance that the effect causes is negligable because of the buffer.
It WILL work certainly, but the effect won't be as good as on a tube amp. When you add OD to a solidstate I tend to find the pedal thin out the sound more than anything else. OD pedals are primarily designed to drive the input stage preamp harder and cause it to drive more. This doesnt happen on a SS because the gain is less to do with the guitar and more to do with the preamp circuit itself.
About the buffer, I certainly don't mind it on the TS but the same high impedance buffer system is used on the Boss pedals and a lot of people complain about those. But buffers do have benefits because as you said, it helps the signal to be pushed through the circuit and one or two buffered pedal would be useful in a pedal board full of true bypass pedals.
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Ok, thanks for all the feedback!
I heard about the idea of using a tubescreamer before a dirty amp from andy sneep in a total guitar edition.
I went for the GAS 828 pedal (http://www.flexamp.com/). It should be shipped soon, mine will be serial number 21 :).
Thx again,
PJ