When looking for an OD or Distortion....

[Modern Saint]

Do you look for a variable amounts of options (ie: more than 1 drive pedal on the board)? Or do you just look for one sound and only one sound?

 

[sunvalleylaw]

I have and like more than a few drive pedals, and like them all for different sounds. I like to play with the adjustments until I get the sound I want, and then use that pedal mostly for that sound. I have for example, a very versatile rat clone that does a few sounds I like, a DS-1 (I like to combine it with my chorus, and/or my Bad Monkey), a swiss army knife type tubescreamer clone with boost built in, a Bad Monkey OD(I like to combine it with my DS-1), my EH Fuzz, my tweed based Catalinbread drive, another fuzz, . . I think that is about it right now. So that makes about 7. I have 5 on my board right now.

But I am pretty much an at home experimenter, and don't have to haul all that around for a living.

 

[sleewell]

right now I have one od set as a boost and one fuzz pedal that has 2 fuzzes in it. I also use a 2 channel amp.

I'm always intrigued by pedals that have a lot of sound options but at the end of the day how it sounds is the most important. if a pedal with only one great setting sounds better I will go with that over one that does a few things but doesn't shine.

I tried to like the EQD palisades bc it had lots of options but at the end of the day my keeley ts9dx just sounded better as a pure boost which is all I need so the keeley stuck around.

 

[dodgechargerfan]

Three.
Two Silver Ponies: one to set the tone and the second to provide a bit of crunch - almost like a boost.
Something stupid crazy distortion/high gain kind of thing for fun.

 

[Dogsinplastic]

I was going to ask about drive stacking, which dodge covered a bit.

So for those of you using more than one drive, do you mix them together to create more sounds? Will you use them with the clean(er) channel and/or in conjunction with an amp's drive channel or sound to add more options?

I know that stacking can get messy at times, but when the mix is "right" it can add wonderful new dimensions and sounds.

 

[BuzzBaloo]

I don't know how to answer. I kept one OD and one fuzz on my board for years.

But it's not like an above (or below) having more. I buy a pedla or two every few years, but most lately have been for very different flavors of OD or fuzz. But I wouldn't mount like 3 different BMp's or Rat's on my board (like some here do).

 

[Chad]

I don't know how to answer. I kept one OD and one fuzz on my board for years.

But it's not like an above (or below) having more. I buy a pedla or two every few years, but most lately have been for very different flavors of OD or fuzz. But I wouldn't mount like 3 different BMp's or Rat's on my board (like some here do).

wave0

I know my board currently has 3 muffs (although they sound remarkably different), but that is only because I don't gig and I have every pedal I own on my board right now. I usually would only have 1 fuzz and maybe an OD. Depending on the gig.

 

[jelloman]

Ideally I try to get 2, one set with less gain and one with more, that stack well together...

 

[Denverdave]

I only have two on my board right now, but ideally for me there would be three. Low gain - mid gain, and a Rat clone. In lieu of the low gain you can always set your amp so that you have the low gain drive sound when the guitar volume is cranked and back off the volume a hair for clean tones. I prefer the amp loud and clean though.

I am really happy with my two drives now (Cmatmods Signa Drive for mid-gain, Cmatmods Ratified for my Rat tones). The Signa also can cover the low gain very well, but I don't like resetting my pedals mid set.

 

[Chad]

To answer Saint's question, I usually only need one. I have always been in bands that primarily play original music and when we did throw in some covers, we never worried about getting the original tone. We sounded like our band playing that tune. So I would set the amp for clean and have a single dirt pedal when needed, usually a Rat.

 

[Help!I'maRock!]

I don't buy a lot of dirt pedals. My main dirt for the past 8 years has been the Pickle Drive. I added the Skreddy Hybrid Fuzz Driver a couple of years ago as a dirty boost pedal.

That said, this Musicmaster amp may need another mod. If it has a bright cap, it needs to be clipped. My beloved Pickle Drive sound harsh through it. @Modern Saint @Wyatt Thoughts?

 

[sunvalleylaw]

I was going to ask about drive stacking, which dodge covered a bit.

So for those of you using more than one drive, do you mix them together to create more sounds? Will you use them with the clean(er) channel and/or in conjunction with an amp's drive channel or sound to add more options?

I know that stacking can get messy at times, but when the mix is "right" it can add wonderful new dimensions and sounds.

Yes. On clean channel. For example, the DS-1, with the Bad Monkey down stream of it, sounds really phat. The Bad Monkey really takes the harshness off of it, and makes for a cool sound.

 

[sunvalleylaw]

wave0

I know my board currently has 3 muffs (although they sound remarkably different), but that is only because I don't gig and I have every pedal I own on my board right now. I usually would only have 1 fuzz and maybe an OD. Depending on the gig.

Yeah, I am kinda like that too.