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Post by langford on Jun 11, 2021 19:27:17 GMT -5
If you could have only one on your board, which would choose? I'm looking at this question because I've been watch JHS on YouTube. I've finally caved and started assembling a modest pedal board without making a bunch of purchases right out of the gate. I have a few basic pedals, including a Tech 21 OD pedal that I bought from a friend a few years ago as a favour. I don't really care for it, but I've only ever used it by myself. I don't know what it's like in a mix with other instruments. From playing around with a Spark amp, I've discovered that I like boost pedals for kicking the sound of a guitar up a notch. I'm big on clean tones, so I'm wondering if I might prefer a boost pedal instead of an overdrive as an early purchase. Any thoughts? A local guitar who I like a lot has a neat trick: He uses an EQ pedal when he solos to push frequencies that stand out in the mix. It's a slick move that he uses to great (and subtle) effect.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jun 11, 2021 19:54:04 GMT -5
I use OD's as a boost (less drive) and do like the distinction. Boost for me is something to standout with some authority. OD is for a little more break-up and saturation
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Post by langford on Jun 11, 2021 20:06:58 GMT -5
You nailed the question for me, 60. I'm interested in a tone that stands out as opposed to getting the grit. I think of the ideal guitar tone (for me) as something like a horn section -- clean and muscular. "Authority" is a good word for it (although that's going to take a lot more work on my part.) That's why I don't really care for the Tech 21 overdrive \ I currently have. It's about distortion from the outset. Not that distortion is a bad thing. It's great, in fact. But I'm looking for the "horn section" character as a starting point. Break-up and dirt come after. I'm I'll have both types of pedals in time, but I'm tempted by the boost first. What overdrive do you have and what settings do you use?
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jun 11, 2021 20:25:25 GMT -5
I've been using a slot on my board that I keep trying new pedals on. I do have a TRIOD which has a mix of tweed/California/brit. For that I would use the tweed as a boost. I swap that with EHX Soul Food, Love Pedal Eternity, EHX Glove (like fulltone ocd), Earthquaker Dunes, Friedman smallbox. If I'm using it for boost, I simply lower the gain. If it's a good pedal, hidden frequencies seem to bloom, and this varies by guitar, some HB's respond better than SC's. I'm looking for more of the guitar getting aggressive, that authority that is on the edge. Plain out distortion is a whole other category lol, but I think the essence of great OD/boost is the most elusive. Just to add, a little more top/mid with a boost sometimes helps. Also, the JHS Bonsai pedal is pretty cool, it's like 9 variations of the tube screamer circuit, which is really boost-like.
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Post by langford on Jun 11, 2021 21:55:37 GMT -5
I've been looking at the Bonsai as a possibility. I played through an old Tube Screamer once and really liked it. More recently, my only experience has been with the Spark model of the pedal. It seems to be all about the distortion, not the boost, so I'm a little wary of TS's at the moment. I should go to my local guitar shop and see if I can try out the real thing for a change. LOL.
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Post by cedarchoper58 on Jun 12, 2021 15:17:17 GMT -5
i use non master volume amps with Ultimate Attenator. It has dual footswitchable volumes so i boost there and i use a old TS9 tubes screamer and wha. i run my amps around 7-8 on the volume so the tubes are working and back down guitar volume for cleans and maybe hit the footswitch on the attneuator if i need to boost the volume
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MoJoe
Wholenote
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Formerly Known As: quiksilver
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Post by MoJoe on Jun 13, 2021 1:21:58 GMT -5
Boosters for me, as I like my amp sounding the way it does. Orange Squeezer or Xotic RC for initial boost or Ibanez mini od w/gain@zero into a Xotic EP to further boost the TS. 😎
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jun 13, 2021 9:51:39 GMT -5
Funny thing is, if you listen to a lot of iconic songs/guitar tone, it's really not that distorted. It's just great tone and sits well in the mix.
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Post by langford on Jun 23, 2021 12:48:34 GMT -5
So, I decided to buy a Caroline Icarus pedal. It's a boost that you can dial gain into. The concept sounds about right. Will report back if there's interest. Meantime, a preview...
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Post by Peegoo 🏁 on Jun 23, 2021 14:36:31 GMT -5
It totally depends on the amp I'm using. If it's a responsive tube amp I use a boost to shwack the preamp. If it's a loud clean amp, I like an overdrive.
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Post by jhawkr on Jun 23, 2021 17:28:54 GMT -5
Boost for sure. I have one of those tiny Spark boost pedals that does a fine job.
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Post by langford on Jun 23, 2021 20:24:26 GMT -5
I haven't had a lot of time with the Icarus today, but so far so good. I like that when you have the gain dialled it's just a plain ol' schwack in the preamp tube. The gain could come on little more slowly, IMO. But it still has decent breathing room. I think this one will grow on me.
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Post by langford on Jun 24, 2021 10:01:58 GMT -5
FYI. The Icarus really likes Teles. Very nice. This pedal was a good purchase.
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