Overdrive pedal advice

[JSHRED]

Last week I picked up a new tube head, a 3-channel 100W high gain sort of affair that does everything from Fendery clean to a fairly high gain, maybe just a little shy of 5150 gain.

My issue is that I'm a high speed high gain shredder, and I'm accustomed to all my guitars loaded up with Dirty Fingers going into high gain rigs and being able to just hammer and pull off and tap and sweep and everything else with very little effort. I have that maximized-efficiency Gambale kind of picking down to an art and I've become spoiled by fast light picking. I'm finding without the gain I like, it's a little more work to build the kind of Gilbert speed I'm accustomed to.

-SO-

What I'm asking is if anyone has any recommendations for an overdrive pedal that will BOOST my high gain lead channel. Something to go between my axe and the amp's input. There's all kinds of conflicting opinions out there on the net, and it's hard to cull overdrive reviews from the reviews of straight up distortion pedals (Metal Zone types etc). Add to that the people who use an overdrive pedal on a clean channel to get a pushed bluesy sound, which isn't nearly what I'm after.

I was starting to look at things like MXR Wylde pedals etc but I'd like to hear from anyone with any personal experience with overdriving a high gain lead channel.

Thanks!

[JSHRED]

Oh, the amp is a Traynor YCS 100 Head.

http://www.traynoramps.com/products.asp?type=1&cat=60&id=357

[Lazy_McDoesnothing]

I use the Jekyll side of a Visual Sound Jekyll & Hyde pedal.  The left is a TS808 circuit and the right is distortion which I don't really use.  The Jekyll side with the drive on zero, tone and volume where you like, run into an already distorted amp does exactly like you describe.  This method can be used with just about any overdrive/distortion so you may have to try a bunch out to know which is for you.

Here's a few off the top of my head that'll do the job:

Maxon 808
Ibanez TS808
Ibanez TS9

There's dozens of other capable units out there that I haven't tried but I'm sure someone here has if you wait for more replies.

[38thBeatle]

I am not sure if it will fit the bill but I too would vouch for the Jekyll side of the Jekyll & Hyde.Like Lazy McD, I tend not to use the Hyde and I also have the drive low.

[mikey5]

Whatever you do DO NOT get a boss MT pedal. I have one, and it sounds bad. I suggest Radial tonebones Hot british for distortion or. Maybe a TS808.

As I see it you have am opportunity to get a good pedal so I would stay off the beaten track as possible. Like I mentioned the Tube Screamer is a great pedal for boosting an amps gain. If you can visualize your cranked gain in your amp even further boosted, and you think you would like it than I would look for a booster. Distortions can tend to color your tone. I know Kirk Hammet uses a tube screamer,

Another option is Joe Bodenhamers version of the Tube Screamer. He is basically the Bare knuckles of guitar effects. There is also the HBE Power screamer which is a really good effect. If you want something even more gain then that then there is the Vox Cooltron series. The Bulldog and Dual Overdrive are great as they have two channels, and they are popular with knocking an amp into overdrive. And last and by no means least AMT electronics makes some of the best effects out there. Umm thats what I am looking at right now I have been researching pedals to do the same thing, and I havent found many quality ones. My problem is I need something two channeled

[mikey5]

Vox Bulldog
Radial Plexitube or Hot British
Carl Martin Plexitone
AMT electronics Califoria sound-Great for shredders-it is a soloists pedal check it out
Blackstar pedals (can color your tone)
Love pedal 800
Ibanez Jemeni

[Will]

I would guess you want a booster rather than an OD? Just to push the preamp a bit harder
And with the dirty fingers, I would not want a middy pedal, ie tubescreamer.
Try the Xotic stuff, as they have huge clean boost capabilities, with the option of adding gain

[JSHRED]

Right Will, I think you're nailing what I'm getting at.

I'm not looking for a distortion box, I'm looking for something to give my gain channel that extra little "push over the cliff," as Mr. Tufnel puts it. Just to add responsiveness, and some extra gain on the front end. A little coloring of the tone isn't the end of the world, but then again you never know what that color will be until you put a device in your signal path to find out.

I looked at the Xotic pedals, the BB looks like it might be along the lines of what I'm after. Noise seems to be a concern with some of the boxes out there, but I already have an ISP Decimator lined up to address that.

Thanks all for the ideas so far. I'm still open to all suggestions/experiences.

[HTH AMPS]

Like some have suggested, a tube screamer type pedal is all you need for a little extra 'push'.  There are dozens of TS-808 knockoffs on the market and the cool thing is that you don't need to go with the expensive ones to get 'that' tone.

The TS-9 is 99% the same as the TS-808 (a couple of resistors in the output buffer).  The Ibanez TS-5, TS-7 and TS-10 pedals are all very close to the TS-9 and TS-808s. 

In use as a booster (i.e. OD down low and volume set high) I doubt you'd even notice the difference.

I know the Digitech Bad Monkey is very cheap and perfect for this application - probably get one for £35.00 on ebay I'd imagine.

Lastly, the good old Boss SD-1 is perfect for this too.  Countless players use them to drive their amps a little harder.  They are insanely easy to mod as well if you wish to do so - the popular mods are very well documented on the web (or just ask me).

I personally see no reason to go 'boutique' for a booster or tube screamer type pedal, it's just throwing good money away (imo).

[JSHRED]

Well, I've spent the day doing hardcore research on the world of booster/OD pedals to drive my gain channel just a bit harder. I like my new amp's tone, I just want it to be more than heavy, I want it to burn.

So after the hundreds of reviews I've read of everything that's out there, and all the videos and sound samples (only 25% of which actually demonstrating a high gain application in said samples) here's where I'm at:

I think I'm looking at a Seymour Duncan pickup booster.

If anyone has any first hand experience with one, I'd like to hear it. And not a strat going into a Twin, I mean for rock or metal playing. The way I look at it, the box is about 50 bucks US (that might be 5 pounds, the way the exchange rates are going!!!) and it looks like it makes my preamp gain go to 11, so to speak, without changing my tone or EQ at all.

So that's where I'm at. I'll watch for one on eBay unless I hear a horror story here.

\m/

[Brow]

Well, I've spent the day doing hardcore research on the world of booster/OD pedals to drive my gain channel just a bit harder. I like my new amp's tone, I just want it to be more than heavy, I want it to burn.

So after the hundreds of reviews I've read of everything that's out there, and all the videos and sound samples (only 25% of which actually demonstrating a high gain application in said samples) here's where I'm at:

I think I'm looking at a Seymour Duncan pickup booster.

If anyone has any first hand experience with one, I'd like to hear it. And not a strat going into a Twin, I mean for rock or metal playing. The way I look at it, the box is about 50 bucks US (that might be 5 pounds, the way the exchange rates are going!!!) and it looks like it makes my preamp gain go to 11, so to speak, without changing my tone or EQ at all.

So that's where I'm at. I'll watch for one on eBay unless I hear a horror story here.

\m/

I had 1 for a while up until about 18 months ago.

To be honest, I always preferred using it on a clean/crunchy amp to push it into drive than I did on an already driven amp. I dunno why, it just did nothing for me when used on an already heavily driven amp.

For the use you're saying, I'd say something like a BOSS SD1 (as HTH also said) would be great for what you're looking for. I used 1 on my JCM800s  distortion channel for ages and really liked what it added to the tone.

Plus, you can get them very cheap if you look around. Think I got my old Japanese 1 for about £10  :lol:

[kellar]

I haven't heard much about the Seymour Duncan pickup booster but I tend to think that when it comes to booster/OD pedals, you don't have to spend a lot of money. There are some good ones out there for decent money.
I have a Boss SD-1 and have been using it for years. It is Keeley modded, but the stock ones aren't bad at all. It does exactly what I want. Brightens and tightens. It pushes the amp just that extra bit that I need.
Also, why don't you check out the Digitech Bad Monkey. They are outstanding for as cheap as they are. Ask anyone that uses one. Incredible value.
For a booster, you really don't need to drop a 100 quid.

[Twinfan]

The new Digitech Hardwire looks like a great TS-type:

http://www.digitech.com/products/Hardwire/HW_TubeOverdrive.php

[gwEm]

i have a modded ts5 soundtank tubescreamer in a plastic case. it sounds wicked - "that tone" - indeed, but there are some disadvantages, the stomp switch is unreliable, and its only really good in the studio. however it was really cheap.

i have an xotic rc booster, and i find it alot less noisy than my ts5 or sd-1 i like the 2 band EQ and the resolution is better too. on the other hand it doesn't sound really like a tubescreamer, and its alot more expensive.

[mikey5]

Sorry to be one to disagree, but I have the misfortune of owning a digitech pedal. Its Delay, but the problem is with this peice of rupper which activates a censor to activate the effect. Well It has been misbehaving GRR and I have been taping little peices of eraser to the back of it to get it to engage the effect properly but I have to open it every time I practice. I dont know, but my faith in Digitech is low for having that particular set up. Boss is better for that. I do agree the Bad Monkey can do some good things though. Id go with a power screamer over that though.