Settings for your OD Pedal

[kfowler8]

This may seem like a remedial question but what settings are you using for your OD pedals going into a preamp stage of an amp? For instance are you setting the level high and drive low or are you slamming it with the drive as well?

I've never really used one for this purpose and was curious. I have a VL Sparkle Drive that I primarily use for the classic breakup going into a clean amp. Never used going into say my JCM 900 SL-X.

Thanks,

[Heady Jam Fan]

Depends on the type of OD and amp, etc. The Sparkle is TS based and those tend to shine pushing a tube amp that is near breakup. I use a TS9 Silver and mostly as a boost, the only reason I have any gain on it is for more volume. On the other hand, I use my low-gain, transparent OD's a little above unity with fairly low distortion so it really mixes and interacts with the amp. For me, its all about how it blends with the tube break up and options for stacking with other pedals.

[JP~)]

Originally Posted by Heady Jam Fan

Depends on the type of OD and amp, etc. The Sparkle is TS based and those tend to shine pushing a tube amp that is near breakup. I use a TS9 Silver and mostly as a boost, the only reason I have any gain on it is for more volume. On the other hand, I use my low-gain, transparent OD's a little above unity with fairly low distortion so it really mixes and interacts with the amp. For me, its all about how it blends with the tube break up and options for stacking with other pedals.

same...same.

[Bluedano1]

First off I use one of two "Flat EQ" OD pedals ( in my case a Blues Driver or a "modded" MXR Classic Distortion, depending upon which Fender amp I'm using) into a clean Fender amp at moderate volume. I personally prefer to keep this pedal ON most of the time as I can really adjust these pedals for clean boost/a little breakup/and distortion as needed during a gig- also I can create a nice breakup at any volume.

It may just be the kind of music (old stuff!) I play but to get more distortion/crunch I prefer the sound of aTube Screamer type OD at a high Drive setting more than a dedicated Distortion pedal; they just sound too aggressive/hair band to me- so I will stack the "TS" into my main OD- as a dedicated "rock lead" pedal. Right now the BBE Green Screamer is being used this way. all works wonderfully!

[JRBain]

Volume all the way up, gain typically no higher than 9:00 (though it does sound great with the gain cranked).

I'm using a modded SD-1. It sounds amazing, but in particular it has two added modes which are monstrously loud, and my preference with my current setup is to crank the preamp gain and then slam it with the pedal. It sounds really good into a clean amp, but if I'm going to have one sound (i.e. my amp is a single channel), I need the volume knob control.

[kfowler8]

Originally Posted by JRBain

Volume all the way up, gain typically no higher than 9:00 (though it does sound great with the gain cranked).

I'm using a modded SD-1. It sounds amazing, but in particular it has two added modes which are monstrously loud, and my preference with my current setup is to crank the preamp gain and then slam it with the pedal. It sounds really good into a clean amp, but if I'm going to have one sound (i.e. my amp is a single channel), I need the volume knob control.

Thanks! Exactly what I wanted to know.

[imguitardan]

Yeah, I crank the volume as well to push the amp, then add gain and tone to taste.