Best overdrive pedal to compliment a Marshall?

[jcmjmp]

That's wrong



You seem to be confusing tone with style and technique



True Bypass... VERY misunderstood by many...

High impedance sources such as your guitar's output (assuming you have passive pickups) has very little current drive capability and it's signal is subject to a harsh environment once it leaves the guitar. You already know the adverse affect a long cable has on your tone. Same thing happens if you pass your signal through a bunch of effects pedals. Even if they have "true bypass" (an ugly, over-used term), each one will suck a little more of your signal along with the cables and connectors, mainly due to capacitive loading of your high impedance guitar signal. The end result is a muffled weak signal that lacks clarity. But once your high impedance guitar signal hits a properly designed buffer with a high input impedance, the buffer takes over, and uses its higher current capability (remember, its an active circuit that requires a power supply) to drive all subsequent stages, thus preserving your instrument's tone. This brings us to buffer quality. Buffers come in all types of designs, from discrete transistor, op-amp, to esoteric tube designs. All have their own unique sonic stamp.

Couldn't agree more. Again.... some people listen with their eyes and what they read on the 'net.

 

[zachman]

I would love to show what I can do with my gear but then you would think I suck at playing guitar. You would be an 100% right : I am a very bad guitar player. So there is no way I can post a video and never win the argument since no matter which tone I play, you will slam my playing.

I use my pedal with my Peavey Classic 30 combo amp. It easier to carry around then a Marshall Half stack when I practice with others. When I play the Marshall, I only have the noise gate/compressor pedal active. I like the Marshal DSL100 sound. I play with moderate gain and the DSL100 has plenty of it for my taste.

Call me snob for not liking Boss. I can live with it.

I can separate a part played from the tone utilized on the part. Can't you? I mean that seems to be the basis for your whole argument.

I like to think I'm fair, but really... Here is some food for thought:

Discussing gear and tone is ONLY relevant if one can play, because the point of it all is making music.

 

[Fogboundturtle]

I can separate a part played from the tone utilized on the part. Can't you?

I like to think I'm fair, but really... Here is some food for thought:

Discussing gear and tone is ONLY relevant if one can play, because the point of it all is making music.

I agree but in this type of argument, they are looking for a way to discredit me. I can play but not to the extend that some other player can. This is my problem with posting sound clip/video : One will always critic your technic/playing. It does take long for someone to come along and add that because of my skill level, I am unable to determine what a good tone sounds like.

I could play like Gary Moore ( God rest is soul) and it wouldn't be sufficient to win this argument that I have started.

Note : I am not way in hell capable of remotely play like him.

Let's put it to rest already. We agree to disagree.

 

[zachman]

Couldn't agree more. Again.... some people listen with their eyes and what they read on the 'net.

Oh ya... There are way more guys who talk the talk than are able to walk the walk... and they all seem to want to argue from a position of authority.

 

[zachman]

I agree but in this type of argument, they are looking for a way to discredit me. I can play but not to the extend that some other player can. This is my problem with posting sound clip/video : One will always critic your technic/playing. It does take long for someone to come along and add that because of my skill level, I am unable to determine what a good tone sounds like.

I could play like Gary Moore ( God rest is soul) and it wouldn't be sufficient to win this argument that I have started.

Note : I am not way in hell capable of remotely play like him.

Let's put it to rest already. We agree to disagree.

Look I've been playing as a professional guitarist for a long time, and have heard guys with great playing technique/skill, with lame tone--- and guys with poor technique with nice tone-- which is why I say "Tone" is not in the fingers. FYI, it starts and ends in the brain, and is affected by everything from the player playing his guitar, to his signal chain, and how it's all dialed in.


For the record, I'm not trying to win an argument. I am trying to give you some perspective that you don't have.

Playing, Engineering, Writing, Performing, and Producing are all separate arts in and of themselves.

Just saying.....

If you want to disagree, that's cool-- it has no impact on what my experience has taught me.

A word of advice, if I may-- you might want to consider opening your mind to consider the thoughts of those with more experience than you, so you can grow beyond where you are, instead of coming across like a gear snob-- which is SILLY if you can't play well, since the point of gear is to make music. I think you'll find that you'll encounter WAY less hostility like that from those who you say would discredit you.

You should put your ego aside, because there will ALWAYS be guys who are better. Learn from them instead of fucking with them and you'll be better off. Just because someone has an Enzo Ferrari, doesn't mean they can drive it like Schumacher, so when you go off on a tangent ripping into guys about Boss pedals while listing your TC gear you need to realize having gear doesn't make you Cool.... Being able to utilize it "well" does, because not everyone can. THAT is why guitar is cool-- because it's hard.

My $.02

 

[All4Tone]

.....you might want to consider opening your mind to consider the thoughts of those with more experience than you, so you can grow beyond where you are.

Probably the best advice anyone has ever given on any forum. This is something we can all remind ourselves to consider from time to time.

One thing experience teaches us is that this single piece of advice is key to many aspects of life in general.

 

[Rockerduck]

From a long time player here. I've used Boss pedals, Keeley modded, digitech (hardwire too),Zendrives,DOD,Visual Sound, etc. and I have always gone back to the tubescreamer and OCD v4. Those seem to be the best to me. The OCD has the best boost and gain adjustment. It also is extremely flat eq'ed from the factory so it does effect your tone at all.

 

[SpiritOfTheAge]

Look I've been playing as a professional guitarist for a long time, and have heard guys with great playing technique/skill, with lame tone--- and guys with poor technique with nice tone-- which is why I say "Tone" is not in the fingers. FYI, it starts and ends in the brain, and is affected by everything from the player playing his guitar, to his signal chain, and how it's all dialed in.


For the record, I'm not trying to win an argument. I am trying to give you some perspective that you don't have.

Playing, Engineering, Writing, Performing, and Producing are all separate arts in and of themselves.

Just saying.....

If you want to disagree, that's cool-- it has no impact on what my experience has taught me.

A word of advice, if I may-- you might want to consider opening your mind to consider the thoughts of those with more experience than you, so you can grow beyond where you are, instead of coming across like a gear snob-- which is SILLY if you can't play well, since the point of gear is to make music. I think you'll find that you'll encounter WAY less hostility like that from those who you say would discredit you.

You should put your ego aside, because there will ALWAYS be guys who are better. Learn from them instead of fucking with them and you'll be better off. Just because someone has an Enzo Ferrari, doesn't mean they can drive it like Schumacher, so when you go off on a tangent ripping into guys about Boss pedals while listing your TC gear you need to realize having gear doesn't make you Cool.... Being able to utilize it "well" does, because not everyone can. THAT is why guitar is cool-- because it's hard.

My $.02

Well well you live and learn, I had you down as a bit of a knob ( pecker head in you vanacular) but you seem to be a straight up guy who doesn't get all bent out of shape by a little grunt like myself who didn't like your initial tone,so apologies if I came off as a tool, and have a nice day.

peace.

 

[zachman]

Probably the best advice anyone has ever given on any forum. This is something we can all remind ourselves to consider from time to time.

One thing experience teaches us is that this single piece of advice is key to many aspects of life in general.

Thanks....

I have been so fortunate to have had fantastic guys take the time to show me this and that...

and it is the reason I am where I am, and I am not looking for fights with guys-- I want to be able to pay forward the experience and expertise that was passed to me, by guys better than I'll likely ever be.

We are ALL into the same things-- making music with our guitars (Not talking about collectors, rather players), so we should not be arguing with and trolling each other, we should be supportive and encouraging each other. That's my take on it anyway.

 

[zachman]

Well well you live and learn, I had you down as a bit of a knob ( pecker head in you vanacular) but you seem to be a straight up guy who doesn't get all bent out of shape by a little grunt like myself who didn't like your initial tone,so apologies if I came off as a tool, and have a nice day.

peace.

Thank you... MOST appreciated. We're cool.

I literally had surgery 3/23 (Abdominal hernia), so I may not have been as articulate or come across as intended... been taking pain meds, and I'm still definitely feeling the after affects of having been sliced open and stitched back up (NOT fun stuff).

 

[JayCM800]

Well, i don't like dessert...

Just kidding...

For me "the best overdrive pedal to compliment a Marshall" is an EQ pedal (i have an MXR 10 band). I don't use anymore, i go straight into amp. I sometimes use it to run two amps at the same time, though.

 

[Tele52]

The best OD pedal for my 1974x, is a treble booster, a Keeley Java Boost. The 1974x breaks up pretty quickly to begin with. I found the OD were a little too much, the Java just kicks in like a turbocharger. Try a Treble booster!

 

[Gtarzan81]

Theres no 1 answer to this. Theres 50 different pedals out that could work.

That being said, I like my cheap tubescreamer.

 

[bulldozer1984]

Well, i don't like dessert...

Just kidding...

For me "the best overdrive pedal to compliment a Marshall" is an EQ pedal (i have an MXR 10 band). I don't use anymore, i go straight into amp. I sometimes use it to run two amps at the same time, though.

Well you have KK's MXR EQ curve built in to your amp !!

 

[JayCM800]

Well you have KK's MXR EQ curve built in to your amp !!

Well, it can be "bypassed" with a button, anyways...

 

[iBrows]

I love running my 2203 like this:
Preamp on the amp at about 5 for slight crunch, and hitting the front end with a Carl Martin Plexitone. Channel one on this pedal takes you into Back in Black territory, while channel two will send the 2203 into "cali modded" saturated 80's heaven.

Fuck, I love this amp -> pedal combination. Nothing in the world beats a boosted/hotrodded Marshall.

 

[Troy T. Blues]

Any tubescreamer type will work well.

I'm currently using a Lovepedal Eternity (not the hand wired one) or an original Marshall Guv'nor.

 

[acidvoodoo]

Keeley SD-1 sounds great in front of my TSL60 and HT-5!

 

[Lampens]

I'm using a maxon od808 in front of my slx. I have it on all the time. balance all the way up, overdrive all the way down. I makes the amp cut through even more, and gives it a slightly warmer bit more boosted sound. Without it I find my amp to sound a bit bland. But that's maybe because I'm so used to it with it on.
One thing though. The od808 is noisy as fuck. Even with the volume on the guitar down you can still hear it's on. Blowing up a fucking storm.
Been thinking of getting a bad monkey just for the hell of it. They are cheap and a lot of people seem to like em. Don't know if those are quieter.

 

[truckdub]

There is no "right" here. All the pedals suggested here will work and sound good if the person using then thinks it sounds good. That what's important. I have been using a Vox Ice9 overdrive set to modern voicing. Then the happy accident happend. I bought one of those MXR Classic Overdrive pedals that GC has for around $40 bucks. Was looking for a Screamer type pedal and the price was right. My chain is wah>MXROD>Ice9>M13>DSL50 set on totally clean. I had the MXR on and didn't realize it. And there it was! I have the MXR set as a clean boost going into the Ice9. I think I have found my "heavy" humbucker sound.

For single coils I really like the Visual Sound Open Road OD.