touch sensitive overdrives...

[TheFlash]

Ok here's a scenario I'd love some input on...

Strat or Tele into one overdrive pedal into a peavey classic 30 clean channel with volume at 3 (no dirt from the amp). What overdrive would you choose that would give you the best touch sensitivity to pick attack and volume/tone knob control on your guitar to get anywhere from clean to medium gain?

[Stressfest]

Honeybee!!!! :AOK

[TheFlash]

Will the honeybee get medium gain into a fully clean amp? I was always under the impression that it's a pretty low gain box.

[MyVette67]

Fulltone OCD
Your requirements are exactly what I was looking for and I found it on the OCD
Anywhere from Clean to low gain to very hot into a clean channel all controlled by the guitars volume control

Good luck!

[jellyroll]

Barber LTD SR if you want to retain the natural sound of your guitar and amp. LTD silver for slightly more mids, or the black version for a more pronounced mids and softer highs.

[Tonemeister69]

Tim or HotCake

[Stressfest]

Honeybee can be quite gainy if your amp is clipping...otherwise it's on the low end of the scale. Still...the most touch sensitive i've played.

[Strat-O-Mechani]

I'll second the OCD suggestion. I just picked one up (V3) and am finding it to be a very dynamic pedal. It gets a very wide range of low to high gain sounds, is very sensitive to pick attack and cleans up easily with the guitar volume knob. So far, I'm impressed.

[jrigg]

The o/d with the best "feel" in my experience is the Proanalog Dirt Royale with cheeze.

:BluesBros

[Deaj]

The Fulltone OCD definitely fits that description.

[rewog]

What OD's are NOT touch sensitive?
(OD's - not distortions, not fuzzes.)

To be honest (and despite claims to the contrary), OD's that are based on diode clipping are not really very touch sensitive by design.
That means everything based on a Tubescreamer, as well as others - most overdrives.
The OCD is pretty good, as is BJ's stuff (Honeybee, LGW, etc).
Skreddy Screw Driver is also another nice one.

[µ¿ z3®ø™]

both my eternity and CJOD are very good in this aspect of being touch sensitive.

[ari]

I recommend Catalinbread Silver Kiss. Very touch sensitive -- at low gain settings I don't think it diminishes the amp's dynamic range at all -- in fact, I think it feels like a headroom-increaser. It does have a "presence" boost (above treble) that you can't dial out however, so it may not work depending on your rig/taste. I love it -- it acts like an enhancer in my rig, adding clarity and air.

ari

[brilliantmissta]

Electro Harmonix English Muffin. I play it into a Hughes and Kettner Puretone (1 channel, no gain knob amp) it gets dirtyyy but with still plenty of touch sensitivity...
check the video demo on you tube:RoCkIn

[Shredcow]

Blackstone MOSFET overdrive gets my vote... use with your vol pot on un-buffered setting, you got it all there... clean, break up, low gain, medium gain.

[dudeunitx5000]

I use teh Jersey Girl Fulltender.

[max_1975]

Menatone KarKrash

[Wooley]

I recommend Catalinbread Silver Kiss. Very touch sensitive -- at low gain settings I don't think it diminishes the amp's dynamic range at all -- in fact, I think it feels like a headroom-increaser. It does have a "presence" boost (above treble) that you can't dial out however, so it may not work depending on your rig/taste. I love it -- it acts like an enhancer in my rig, adding clarity and air.

ari

Well put. :AOK

[twangbanger]

the Blackstone and the KOT get my vote,I'll have to try the OCD though.

[TheFlash]

A lot of OCD love for this application. Time to do some research on the different versions...

[Droptop]

The OCD's are certainly nice for attack. I would also try out the T-REX Alberta. My Tele sounds amazing through that pedal.

[SamPaoli]

The V-Stack Classic does this amazingly well, but of course it's going to make it sound like you are playing through a Marshall. I'd think the V-Stack Tweedy would be more for those Fendery tones but have not tried one.
Also agree on the Silver Kiss, but it's just a little bright with my rig, so I don't use it as much.
I also like the Carb and Gain Stage, but the Carb has been getting more use than anything lately.

[TheFlash]

I played an OCD today at a music store and was pretty impressed. Anyone know the serial number that switched from version 2 to 3?

[Mapleneck]

My Blackstone cleaned up way better than my OCD v1. But the OCD still gets props for good clean up and it had slightly more gain if I remember right. But it is tough to beat the clean up (and versatility) of the Blackstone. A ge fuzz cleans up better, but that is a totally different beast for most people. I would also love to try a BoR which from clips and descriptions sounds like it might give the Blackstone a run for its money and then some.

[Chrissy]

ProAnalog Power Driver
ProAnalog Dirt Royal w/cheeze
Landgraff DOD (on middle switch position)
Okko Diablo
Blackstone

[Uma Floresta]

Ok here's a scenario I'd love some input on...

Strat or Tele into one overdrive pedal into a peavey classic 30 clean channel with volume at 3 (no dirt from the amp). What overdrive would you choose that would give you the best touch sensitivity to pick attack and volume/tone knob control on your guitar to get anywhere from clean to medium gain?

Try an OLC Supreaux. VERY "touch sensitive" (I prefer the word "dynamic").

[derek_32999]

To be honest (and despite claims to the contrary), OD's that are based on diode clipping are not really very touch sensitive by design.
That means everything based on a Tubescreamer, as well as others - most overdrives.
The OCD is pretty good, as is BJ's stuff (Honeybee, LGW, etc).
Skreddy Screw Driver is also another nice one.


I would have to disagree. For example, BJFe's LGW as mentioned above DOES use diode clipping as it is a BJF tubescreamer, the Eternity uses diode clipping too and sounds spectacular, no to mention being touch sensitive as does the Landgraff.

+1 to the Screwdriver being touch sensitive as I have found most hybrid fuzz designs to be (Hellbilly being another) The great thing about a hybrid fuzz is it can sound more like an overdrive AND fuzzier and it cleans up with the volume knob nicely AND touch sensitive. They are just too fuzzy for a lot of people.

[Dale]

Sfx-03

[rewog]

I would have to disagree. For example, BJFe's LGW as mentioned above DOES use diode clipping as it is a BJF tubescreamer,


It's Bj's take on the TS sound, but it's NOT a Tubescreamer.
I think you will find it uses transistors.
Maybe Donner or BJ can jump in here and enlighten us.

[JPenn]

The OCD is pretty touch sensitive, and it's very volume knob sensitive. It actually cleans up faster than I want to clean up. It's gets pretty clean with the volume rolled back to 7 or 8, depending on how much OD you have the pedal set up for. I would like it to have a little more workable range.

[hipfan]

H&K Tube Factor - at least on Factor 1, that is. It cleans up just like my amp. Uncanny.

It's big, bulky, expensive, has a fairly useless (to me, so far) channel switching feature, and I didn't want to like it. However, it does something for my tone that no other pedal has been able to do. Great, dynamic pedal.

[StompBoxBlues]

Of the ones I've tried...I would say
Cot-50, Zendrive (even though TS-"based"), Klon.

Blues Devil, I wasn't getting as much sensitivity out of. But it may be because I use it set pretty up on the gain.

See, that is a major thing too...setting the OD gain, AND the guitar gain. That really is the main thing. You can get pedals not seen as particularly touch sensitive to be so by setting correctly.

[TheFlash]

Of the ones I've tried...I would say
Cot-50,

I was under the impression that the cot-50 would not be at its best into a clean amp.

[VintageToneGuy]

Let's keep em' comin'. I've got interest in this thread (see signature below).

[StompBoxBlues]

I was under the impression that the cot-50 would not be at its best into a clean amp.

Not in my experience. Turn the bias up, and with guitar volume you can get some good OD going, clean it up. It MAY sound even better with a broken-up amp, but I find it really nice with clean, AND really nice in front of other OD's. Love the cleanup with guitar vol on it!

[trinitysun]

Antelope Lovelight Overdrive

These should be available soon. I've got one of the prototypes and it definitely fits the bill and is very sensitive.

I dont really consider the honey bee touch sensitive. More oozy. gooey. mmm

[Dave Orban]

I've had good success using both the Hot Cake and the Zen Drive.

[Mapleneck]

I always want to clarify something (for myself) whenever a thread about pedal dynamics pops up. Some people drive their amps with their overdrives. When you do this, you can back off the guitar volume and the pedal doesn't drive the amp so hard and the pedal appears to clean up well. But really it is the amp that is cleaning up well because it isn't being driven so hard. What I am assuming you are asking when you want to know about pedal dynamics is if the pedal cleans up well. If the amp is set clean and ALL the distortion is being generated by the pedal, and then you roll down the guitar volume, does the pedal clean up nicely? Or does the volume drop slightly and the amount of apparent distortion remain mostly unchanged?

For me to consider a pedal dynamic, I should be able to, using only the guitar volume and playing into a rig where all the clipping is coming from the pedal, back down to a mostly or completely clean tone before my overall volume drops off so much that I get lost in the mix. I don't care where that happens on the guitars volume knob. Fuzzfaces clean up VERY fast (8 or 9 sometimes), and others take longer (6 - 7). But what is important is that the cleaned up tone still has close to the same volume as the dirty so that I actually cleaned up to a sound I can use while playing in the context of a song live.

[Realfi]

Honeybee can be quite gainy if your amp is clipping...otherwise it's on the low end of the scale. Still...the most touch sensitive i've played.

Yep..me too.

I remember having a Honey Bee on my pedalboard at the same time as a Blackstone Appliances Mosfet which are always praised for touch sensitivity and I thought the HB was at least as good in this respect.

[derek_32999]

It's Bj's take on the TS sound, but it's NOT a Tubescreamer.
I think you will find it uses transistors.
Maybe Donner or BJ can jump in here and enlighten us.

Uses transistors for clipping? I dont understand this. Or are you saying Bj leaves out the op-amp and makes a discreet opamp using his own parts (Which i KNOW he doesn't do cause I can see the op amp in my LGW). Sorry, but the LGW is NOT transistor based. As if you open it up you can plainly see an opamp. Maybe you are thinking Germanium diodes or silicon diodes for clipping? :confused:

[Jack]

+1 on OCD. I would recommed version 3. I had a timmy at one time and sold it. I'm trying to remember if it does this.

Never owned, but believe that Cactus Crunch and Small Fry may do this, but check with someone else.

Tone Factor Mule is like this, but I think you need to turn the amp up louder to get the most from it. Always sounded better onstage than at home.

[JUSTJOB]

The Keeley BD2 would suit your situation fine. It will go from chord clean to medium overdrive with just a small spin of the volume knob, and is very transparent not coloring your tone. I sure do love mine! On a side note however there are many good choices these days, and many good products out there. Order from someone who will let you return if it is not what you want, or doesn't fit your situation. Many companys give you a certain amount of time to return if it doesn't work out.

[Craise]

Uses transistors for clipping? I dont understand this. Or are you saying Bj leaves out the op-amp and makes a discreet opamp using his own parts (Which i KNOW he doesn't do cause I can see the op amp in my LGW). Sorry, but the LGW is NOT transistor based. As if you open it up you can plainly see an opamp. Maybe you are thinking Germanium diodes or silicon diodes for clipping? :confused:

The LGW is a boutique Tube Screamer...for sure....just like the Landy and Eternity. (it "is" named the little "green" wonder...)
I think it has red LED clipping (maybe close to landy in down position?)
At any rate...it sounds killer! and would be the OD I would keep if I had to get rid of all ODs but one.

[oxtone]

TheFlash,

I use a Peavey Classic 30 on 3 - 4 (clean) for some Church gigs. I mainly
use my Barber Burn Unit EQ, with the Dynamics control all the way up.
The Burn Unit cleans up nicely with a twist of the guitar volume.

I also use an Xotic BB Preamp pedal, which also sounds great with the amp.

My Classic 30 has a Mojotone BV-30H speaker that I installed after trying many speakers. Best I've heard with the amp.

[waxnsteel]

The OCD is pretty touch sensitive, and it's very volume knob sensitive. It actually cleans up faster than I want to clean up. It's gets pretty clean with the volume rolled back to 7 or 8, depending on how much OD you have the pedal set up for. I would like it to have a little more workable range.

Sounds like V1. I thought V3 wasn't as good at the sensitivity/cleanup thing. The volume reduction before you get cleanish on V3 is pretty big compared to V1, too. V1 lacks mids, V3, I think, sounds congested. Never played V2.

AS far as what I have, I have OCD V1, Timmy, Hotcake (BB), TS9. That's from most sensitive to least.

[derek_32999]

The LGW is a boutique Tube Screamer...for sure....just like the Landy and Eternity. (it "is" named the little "green" wonder...)
I think it has red LED clipping (maybe close to landy in down position?)
At any rate...it sounds killer! and would be the OD I would keep if I had to get rid of all ODs but one.

THANK YOU!! LOL, BTW because of Maplenecks recommendation, I did a test with an amp running at very low volumes not pushing the tubes and found out that by itself NONE of my opamp based pedals were touch sensitive. However, with the amp turned UP some of my opamp pedals were more touch sensitive than others. ;) FWIW, I NEVER run my amps at that low of a volume. Thats why I have a low, medium and fairly high wattage amps so I can have "just breaking up" tones at any volume.

Also, The Honey bee never ceases to amaze me as far as touch sensitivity goes. :drool

[El Gallo Negro]

Another great one for your purpose, and inexpensive too, is the Monte Allums H2O Blues Driver. As dynamic as the OCD, but without the scooped mids.

[JPenn]

Sounds like V1. I thought V3 wasn't as good at the sensitivity/cleanup thing. The volume reduction before you get cleanish on V3 is pretty big compared to V1, too. V1 lacks mids, V3, I think, sounds congested. Never played V2.

AS far as what I have, I have OCD V1, Timmy, Hotcake (BB), TS9. That's from most sensitive to least.

It's the v2 OCD. I'm wanting to try out the v3. The v2 can get congested as well. I can't seem to find a pedal that rounds off the bass notes a little like an overdriven amps does, yet doesn't get too thick like most distortion pedals do. The Barber DD is another pedal I like, but it keeps the bass notes snappy like a TS does. That's cool for some things, but not big rock n roll crunch.

I'm wondering if maybe it's not more rig dependent than pedal. I used 2 Tubes Screamers thru a SF Bandmaster Reverb/4x12 for a good while and never had a problem getting a "Marshally" tone. I'd set one pedal up with the drive and volume wide open and the tone @ 9:00, then the other was used to boost for heavy stuff and leads. I'm thinking maybe a GB loaded 4x12 might help out a lot.

[rewog]

Uses transistors for clipping? I dont understand this. Or are you saying Bj leaves out the op-amp and makes a discreet opamp using his own parts
:confused:

There are many pedal designs that use transistors for clipping, and many designs that don't use an opamp.

You are right that the LGW uses an op-amp. A search reveals that it was BJ's first design using one.

[derek_32999]

There are many pedal designs that use transistors for clipping, and many designs that don't use an opamp.

I know this. I just didnt know of any tubescreamers that used TRANSISTORS for clipping. If you quote my ENTIRE post you will see I am talking about the LGW. I know fuzzes, many of BJ's other pedals, tonebenders,MKI,II,III's use transistors and many many more pedals use transistors. Many of these are touch sensitive and/or clean up with the volume knob on the guitar.


You are right that the LGW uses an op-amp. A search reveals that it was BJ's first design using one.

Thats what I was tryin to say. :AOK

[erksin]

Ok here's a scenario I'd love some input on...

Strat or Tele into one overdrive pedal into a peavey classic 30 clean channel with volume at 3 (no dirt from the amp). What overdrive would you choose that would give you the best touch sensitivity to pick attack and volume/tone knob control on your guitar to get anywhere from clean to medium gain?

Honey Bee
OCD
HotCake
Liquid Sunshine
CoT50

[rewog]

I know this. I just didnt know of any tubescreamers that used TRANSISTORS for clipping. If you quote my ENTIRE post you will see I am talking about the LGW. I know fuzzes, many of BJ's other pedals, tonebenders,MKI,II,III's use transistors and many many more pedals use transistors. Many of these are touch sensitive and/or clean up with the volume knob on the guitar.



Thats what I was tryin to say. :AOK

I'm sorry Derek_32999... I did read your entire post, and when you say :-
"Uses transistors for clipping? I dont understand this." it sure sounds like you're saying you didn't know that could be done.
My confusion... sorry.

BTW - I'm surprised you could see an opamp in your LGW - I've never tried to dig into a BJ pedal, but they seem to be pretty well sealed. I think the one I did try to have a peak at was sealed with some kind of silicone sealant.

[street]

Really happy with the DOV III by Lovepedal.
great tone, nice and clear. Real good grind and definately touch sensitive.

[JUSTJOB]

Can't go wrong with the tried and true Keeley BD2!