Clean Mix Overdrives

[aziltz]

How do the OD's that mix in clean signal stack up?

Pork Loin vs Pure Drive vs Sparkle Drive? Are the Overdrive sounds different or are they all TS (and i mean really TS) circuits like the Sparkle Drive?

Disclaimer: Opamps + Diodes does not = TS.

[dorfmeister]

Well it is a fuzz but the Malekko B:Assmaster has a clean blend function and I really like it. Allows the possibility of a greater range of tones, blending in greater clarity, and with the fuzz all the way down, clean boost.

[aziltz]

not really interested in fuzz/cleans. i'm a set-and-forget/use what its intended for kinda guy, if its capable of fuzz, i don't want to use it as clean boost. thanks though

[CWFurst]

The Pork Loin is a little different than the other pedals mentioned. It has two effects in one with w blend control instead of mixing in the dry guitar signal with the overdrive signal. 1 british preamp and 1 overdrive circuit. I'm not an electronics guy so I don't know what the actual circuit is but it sounds original. The clean side of the PL is fantastic and has tons of output available too.

[Sherwood]

I don't know the Pork Loin (who builds it?), but I "think" I own every od pedal with clean blend available today (and a discontinued one as well).

As I'm not an electronics conoisseur I'll try to compare their OD side tone against my Ibanez Keeley mod TS-9 wich is my reference for tubescreamer tone:

- The Sparkle Drive is a TS indeed. Just a tad less compression than the TS, but same fat mid content. The tone control settings sound remarkably similar until 2-3 o'clock, from then on the VoodooLab pedal brings more high-mids than the TS-9. The Keeley TS-9 has a bit more gain and sounds airier while the Sparkledrive sound a little more imediate. No worse or better here.

- Pure Drive (I own the compact non-boost version). It can sound like a TS-9 with the mini-switch on the lower position, but in essence it is another beast. I think it shines as a different flavour of overdrive and I like it best with the mini-switch at the middle (the "un-tubescreamer position"). Gain amount is similar, it has less compression, mids are more neutral, it has more bass and more highs on tap. More amp-like than a TS.

- T Rex Moller is a very transparent overdrive that can do some faux-tubescreamer, but it sounds best as a crunch marshall-like overdrive with clean blend. Gain amount is like an original TS-9 and less than the Keeley TS-9. Excellent pedal but not compressed at all (sometimes one may want a little compression).

- TC ELectronic Vintage Tube Primer is exactly like the T Rex Moller, just a little warmer than the Moller: I don't know who copied who... great pedals nonetheless.

- Maxon OD-820 is simply the best real tubescreamer around with a clean blend. I think they share similar circuitry (besides the fact Maxon employs an 18V current circuit). Can't say enough good things about this pedal.

- Matchless Hot Box II. This is the king of all clean blend od pedals, in my humble opinion. This thing sounds terriffic. It sounds like a tubescreamer if you work the bass and treble controls accordingly (takes some time because they're interactive). Don't go too deep on the gain and you'll find a deep, breathy and complex tone to die for. Sounds like a superb tubescreamer and than you can blend a super detailed fat tube
clean tone. If you go higher than an equivalent of 65% gain on a tubescreamer the Matchless pedal will start to go too loose on the lows, keep the gain down with this one and you'll hear the best TS tone a TS-9 could never deliver.

- The TC Electronic Vintage Overdrive is not a clean blend TS but do yourselves a favor: TRY THIS PEDAL OUT!!! This thing sounds amazing and you'll be able to hear a clean signal mixed in (notes retain tremendous detail). It does sound like a tubescreamer and I have to say I like it even more than my Keeley TS-9. The filter control can give any flavour of tubescreamer you want. It has more gain on tap. Amazing tubescreamer sound - don't know if they're similar design-wise.


Hope that helps becouse I've done the same research some time ago but could not find the results... I ended up buying all the pedals to figure it out myself - and I don't regret!

[CWFurst]

Here is some info on the Way Huge Pork Loin. You can also visit www.wayhuge.com.

[re-animator]

get a TRex moller.


I've got one and its fabulous. It does the whole hendrix "half-clean" sound even better than my fuzzfaces.

the moller is extremely transparent too..... it does a better job of approximating my AC30 on 10 than the master volume does. Its a quick solution to cranked tone for me.

[aziltz]

Originally Posted by Sherwood

I don't know the Pork Loin (who builds it?), but I "think" I own every od pedal with clean blend available today (and a discontinued one as well).

As I'm not an electronics conoisseur I'll try to compare their OD side tone against my Ibanez Keeley mod TS-9 wich is my reference for tubescreamer tone:

- The Sparkle Drive is a TS indeed. Just a tad less compression than the TS, but same fat mid content. The tone control settings sound remarkably similar until 2-3 o'clock, from then on the VoodooLab pedal brings more high-mids than the TS-9. The Keeley TS-9 has a bit more gain and sounds airier while the Sparkledrive sound a little more imediate. No worse or better here.

- Pure Drive (I own the compact non-boost version). It can sound like a TS-9 with the mini-switch on the lower position, but in essence it is another beast. I think it shines as a different flavour of overdrive and I like it best with the mini-switch at the middle (the "un-tubescreamer position"). Gain amount is similar, it has less compression, mids are more neutral, it has more bass and more highs on tap. More amp-like than a TS.

- T Rex Moller is a very transparent overdrive that can do some faux-tubescreamer, but it sounds best as a crunch marshall-like overdrive with clean blend. Gain amount is like an original TS-9 and less than the Keeley TS-9. Excellent pedal but not compressed at all (sometimes one may want a little compression).

- TC ELectronic Vintage Tube Primer is exactly like the T Rex Moller, just a little warmer than the Moller: I don't know who copied who... great pedals nonetheless.

- Maxon OD-820 is simply the best real tubescreamer around with a clean blend. I think they share similar circuitry (besides the fact Maxon employs an 18V current circuit). Can't say enough good things about this pedal.

- Matchless Hot Box II. This is the king of all clean blend od pedals, in my humble opinion. This thing sounds terriffic. It sounds like a tubescreamer if you work the bass and treble controls accordingly (takes some time because they're interactive). Don't go too deep on the gain and you'll find a deep, breathy and complex tone to die for. Sounds like a superb tubescreamer and than you can blend a super detailed fat tube
clean tone. If you go higher than an equivalent of 65% gain on a tubescreamer the Matchless pedal will start to go too loose on the lows, keep the gain down with this one and you'll hear the best TS tone a TS-9 could never deliver.

- The TC Electronic Vintage Overdrive is not a clean blend TS but do yourselves a favor: TRY THIS PEDAL OUT!!! This thing sounds amazing and you'll be able to hear a clean signal mixed in (notes retain tremendous detail). It does sound like a tubescreamer and I have to say I like it even more than my Keeley TS-9. The filter control can give any flavour of tubescreamer you want. It has more gain on tap. Amazing tubescreamer sound - don't know if they're similar design-wise.


Hope that helps becouse I've done the same research some time ago but could not find the results... I ended up buying all the pedals to figure it out myself - and I don't regret!

The most useful post ever (IMO). Even though i hate TS pedals, they're still a good comparison point to find out what DOESN'T sound like them.

I think I'm going to look into both the Pure Drive and the Pork Loin

[storm319]

+1 for the Maxon OD-820. Think TS crossed with a Klon

[nibus]

I owned a Pure Drive compact version, and I have to say I liked it best with the clean blend off. With it off, it was very amp-like and had a great growl. But with it on it sounded kinda fake to me.

[aziltz]

Originally Posted by storm319

+1 for the Maxon OD-820. Think TS crossed with a Klon

haha, i'd like to avoid that...

[nateco]

For what it's worth... I hate tube screamers and love the pork loin.

[ruger9]

FWIW, I liked the SD alot, love the PL, feel "ok" about TS's, and didn;t like the OD-820 at all.

I think of the PL like a "Zendrive with a clean blend... but the clean isn't 'clean' ". I can get FD2 tones out of the PL, as well as Zendrive tones. But then you add the driven-clean blend on top, and it's quite a nice setup.

[Brett Valentine]

Picked up a PL Sunday. Love the smooth feel of it. TS's are pretty nice, but I think the PL has more character and a more interesting sound to em.

[jgyn]

Sparkle Drive, Maxon 820. The Klon, sort of.