Looking for the TS tone but with a natural gain structure

[sabby]

Hi all. I'm really happy using a High Gain NKT SunFace as my main dirt. It's always on with a volume pedal behind it. But when I wind-up the fuzz -- poof -- the guitar disappears. Not a unique problem, I know.

I know the quick fix: get at Tube Screamer. The thing is, I hate 'em. Their gain structure is sounds fake to me and they clean-up horribly. I like to ride the volume knob, not stomp on pedals. I tried a bunch of the improved TS types (BBD, FDII, etc.) and some close TS cousins (KoT, LTD, etc.). While better, they all seem to have that "plastic" gain and stiff/choked cleanup, even with asymmetrical LED/MOSFET clipping.

By a long shot, my favorite ODs are JFET/MOSFET cascading gain types. I have a Menatone SUAD that I love, for instance. The only problem is that it's a pretty flat in the mids. It can get bright or dull, tight or loose, but there's no real mid-hump. In a band mix, it covers nearly the same territory as my SunFace. The Menatones with a mid push, and most other JFET/MOSFET types either are flat or, like the Meatones,are amp modelers. I'm not looking for more dirt, necessarily, or to charge the overall EQ structure of my amps; I just want a mid push.

So, I'm thinking of placing one of the following behind my SunFace. Please offer in experience you've had with these pedals, or any other suggestions you have for solving the single-coil midhump dilemma.

Fromel Shape EQ -- The strongest candidate so far.
Menatone Dirty Blonde -- My main amps are a Brown Pro and a BF Princeton Reverb. Through these, this may roughly "transparent" but for the mid push.
Demeter Fat Control -- Looks great but I don't like the inability to control output volume.
BYOC Tri-Boost -- Full- or mid-range boost out of the Rangemaster circuit just may do the trick.

Thanks in advance.

[todd richman]

XTS Custom Pedals Precision OD or Precision Multi-Drive will do exactly what you want.

[McQuade]

I have had great results running an Analogman Sunface NKT-275 running into a Barber Direct Drive set on the Vintage Marshall setting in the manual. Very responsive to volume changes and not that compressed tube screamer sound. It adds definition and snarl enough to hear the fuzz through the rest of the band, for me. This is with a strat through a super reverb.

[harryjmic]

A Timmy is like a TS9 but has a flat frequency response, btw it works excellent with a Sunface because the pedal has bass and treble controls and you can dial out some of the bass.

[cajone5]

I say get an EQ for sure

[flantrax]

Originally Posted by todd richman

XTS Custom Pedals Precision OD or Precision Multi-Drive will do exactly what you want.

+1...I have a Multidrive and it's a great pedal...I like the Jetter Jetdrive, Tritium, & Helium as well...a TIM is also a good choice...

[sabby]

Thanks for the advice, all. I'm a little too TS gun shy to bite on the Precision OD. It looks like another variation on the theme, which many like. I tried the Timmy too. Close but not quite there.

I asked Brian Mena if his custom shop might make a low-gain discrete FET-based pedal with the TS tonal signature. We'll see about that.

So far I'm still leaning toward the Fromel Shape and shamelessly soliciting more suggestions.

[AnthonyL]

I have an additional Lovepedal Eternity Burst (handwired) that I may consider selling for a good price...

[analogsystem]

try adjusting the EQ on your amp and turning up. I always have my muff, which is the worst culprit of "getting lost in the mix" of any classic pedal, set up to be the loudest thing in my whole chain.
Perhaps a clean boost / treble booster either before or after your fuzz will get you there too in a more organic / touch responsive way.

[KrazyKarl]

I can't say cause I've never tried it, but what about the Mad Professor Little Green Wonder. The site says it's the TS-style pedal for people who don't like TS-style pedals.

[donbarzini]

I am a TS nut, my favorite so far has been the TS-808 reissue modified by Analogman with his True Vintage mod, however, I know what you mean, you cannot turn the gain all the way up through a clean amp and play it like that, just doesn't sound good. I did just get an Xotic BB MB which I really like as well, more open sounding than the original and that mid boost just works great but still not great for using all the available gain. I do have one of these XTS Precision Overdrives coming in, I've been curious about that one for a while now.

[sabby]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I'll try the Fromel Shape and maybe a Menatone custom shop if that takes shape. I just can't get myself to go for yet another TS.

Hey all you builders, take this as a business opportunity: note the absence of low- to med-gain discreet FET circuits with a neutral EQ but for a variable TS-like mid push.

[roquero]

The Rockbox Boiling Point sounds like what you are looking for. It's pricey, but the RB is a sonic powerhouse!

[Cap'nMayhem]

Originally Posted by sabby

Thanks for the advice, all. I'm a little too TS gun shy to bite on the Precision OD. It looks like another variation on the theme, which many like. I tried the Timmy too. Close but not quite there.

I asked Brian Mena if his custom shop might make a low-gain discrete FET-based pedal with the TS tonal signature. We'll see about that.

So far I'm still leaning toward the Fromel Shape and shamelessly soliciting more suggestions.

Are you playing single coils exclusively?
What single coil guitars are you playing?
Would the pedal be on all the time with your Sunface?
Do you want the compression associated with the TS type circuit as well as the EQ curve?

The Blue Collar has less compression and can be set quite clean and turns down better than most TS types I've played but I understand the gun shyness.

An EQ pedal may do the trick as well if you don't need the compression.

I would only use a TS type pedal with a Strat personally but would definitely be interested in a cascaded JFET pedal with a mid hump option, especially done by my favorite builder (I'm keeping his identity to myself, no one will guess who). Let me know what Brian says.

[candletears7]

Originally Posted by roquero

The Rockbox Boiling Point sounds like what you are looking for. It's pricey, but the RB is a sonic powerhouse!

It's a Tubescreamer.

The best dirt box I have ever used to push mids, can sound a lot like a TS9, but cleans up fantastically and uses a cascaded JFET design is the humble Catalinbread Dirty Little Secret. Great pedal.