I actually have Xotic EP booster at the end of the chain for volume boost. At this moment it`s at the end of my pedal chain but still BEFORE overdriven amp.
I wouldn`t mind a little bit more gain while boosted but just a bit.
Was thinking about chorus pedal as it would add some depth to cleans as well, but I`m little afraid to use it in front of the amp.
so you recommend Tc electric classic sustain parametric equalizer to run it at the beginning of the chain and while still using EP booster as a volume boost for solos?
Basically I need something to tight the tone up, add some 'depth' on both distortion and cleans. Ideally I would keep that pedal on all the time regardless the channel I`m on, plus I would keep EP Booster for volume boost on solos.
I already know that compressor pedal that I have laying around idle is not a good option.
if you can find one for cheap, yes I do
it was like 300 USD new, but I got it in a really good trade with lots of cash on the other guys side
mine is the reissue version, but people on internet claim that the original 80's version is better
as I said, it won't really work as a "tightener" as well as an overdrive as it won't cut the low end, but it with proper setup, it will thicken up your tone if you add some mids and a little compression without adding a lot of bass like a real clean boost pedal like the ep booster would do, so it does make you sound tighter
I'm still able to get pretty tight KsE-like tones with my short hydra (basically a lp custom) loaded with a holy diver/emerald set
the more mids you add, tighter and more overdrive-like it will sound, up to a point it will start sounding like a crybaby
adding lower mids or upper mid range sounds great for some other stuff, though, but I tend to focus on the center mids
it works great as a mid cut too, so you can clean up a distorted channel instead of boosting it
I use it right after the wah and before everything else
jerry cantrell crybaby -> planet waves tuner pedal -> tc classic sustain -> boss/ibanez/visual sound delays/choruses -> hush noise suppressor -> modded '73 marshall
if I add my oliver roland licensed sd-1 clone or my lovepedal superlead, it will be right after the compressor
I'm pretty sure there are other compressor pedals with similar mid boost or eq features, though
if you don't need an actual compressor, you could try an actual parametric equalizer with more band controls instead
that would probably do the job for me too
the advantage of having both things is that I can add a little more sustain from the compressor and not just the extra sustain from pushing frequencies into the amp input stage
Maxon / Tubescreamer will make it more aggressive?
Compressor will be useless for that application?
Chorus will sound bad in front of distorted amp ant too messy?
1 - I love them, but yes, they tend to sound aggressive in comparison to the non-overdrive alternatives
2 - not really, as you can still get better sustain without using a lot of gain in the amp
I personally don't like setting a lot of gain in the amps, as most of them tend to get flubby and bassy when the gain control is set high, even if they're not really high gain amps
plus, turning a pedal off can help you go back to cleaner sounds without messing with the volume controls in the guitar, which can be much more confusing for some people (like me)
3 - SOME chorus pedals can sound good in front of a distorted amp, but they don't just thicken up the sound
a chorus in the front will always give a certain vibe that's different from the natural sound of an unmodulated distortion
there's always that early Alice in Chains/Zakk Wylde thing going on, which can be desirable or not
