fulltone fulldrive II

[EVT]

Hi everyone,
I was wondering what recommendations you may have for me. I have the fulltone fulldrive II and I love it, but I want to make another smaller pedalboard for live shows and I want to pick up another distortion pedal to not have to be taking the fulltone off of the pedalboard I have in the studio every time I play out.

I would buy another one, but I'd rather try something else that has similar qualities. I like the sound with the toggle switch on vintage (I usually just keep it on that setting).

Thanks
evt

 

[drbob1]

That's really close to a TS9, you could pick up an old one (good investment) or a modded TS5 (cheap)...

 

[Franklin]

I have a boss SD1 that was modded by Analog Man. It's got a very similar sound to the FD2 because I have the option to switch between symmetrical and asymmetrical clipping. The FD2 uses assymetrical where the tube screamers used symmetrical. It's a little raspier sounding than the ts9s, just like the FD2.

I sold my FD2 before I got the new SD1, so I did not do a side by side comparison.

The SD1 is not exactly like the FD2, but sounds great -especially great through a cranked tube amp! The only thing I don't like is that it is not true bypass. Even though it does not suck tone when off, being a tone/pedal snob makes me wish it was true bypass!!!

"Edited to change DS-1 to SD-1, do'oh!"

 

[TAVD]

I have a Banzai fireball 2 and it's pretty similar. Plus it has a bunch of trim pots and dip switches inside to tune it to sound more 808-ish or FD2-ish. Parts selection and build quality are fantastic.

Or if you want something a bit cheaper, you can get a route 66 pedal and replace one of the silicon clipping diodes with an epoxy power diode as used in the FD2. Maybe have some other mods done depending on what you're after.

 

[jeffhef]

TS10 is a low cost option.

jeffhef

 

[EVT]

thanks for the replies everyone. Any others? Just want to get a lot of recommendations to drive myself nuts choosing one
evt

 

[Rid]

Bought a limited run TS-808.
Sounded surprisingly well, very alive and not dead as most TS-style pedals tend to be, builded nice overtones on a c-30 peavey, and sounded absolutly fab on a fender 57 twinamp.

 

[rawkguitarist]

Eternity by Lovepedal. It's my new favorite. Very cool for low gain stuff. Very cool for medium gain stuff too. It honestly does nothing to your eq, just ads a nice smooth gain. Main thing, its a OD that isn't compressed and retains your guitars tone. I first bought one for my gigging board. Got tired of taking it off to play with at home, so I bought a second one.

 

[EVT]

Hi,
I have a distortion DS-1 pedal. I don't know that much about the modding. Would the DS-1 pro mod get me a similar sound to the fulldrive II? From what I read on analog man's site it seems like it might be a good way to go. I agree that the ds-1 is thin and buzzy sounding, and what is described for the mod seems like it would improve the pedal big time, but how would it compare in sound to the fd-II. Are there soundclips? Comparisons of the pedals? Or would you say right off the bat that it isn't going to be the same kind of sound I'm looking for.
thanks..
evt

 

[Rollo Timbre]

The DS-1, even modded, is a different animal than the FD-2. For a smaller footprint, TS type pedal, you might look into the Pedalworx TP-toggle. The toggle gives you different compression responses, from old school tubescreamer to uncompressed, similar to the FD-2 comp-cut mode. George also has the 808+ coming out with both the compress select and also a bass response switch. That's a cool pedal and I have one on my board along with an old FD-2.

 

[heybulldog]

I have a ts-10 for sale in the emporium
james

 

[John Phillips]

Boss SD-1 Super Overdrive. I can't believe no-one's mentioned this so far! It uses the same asymetrical type of clipping as the FDII (not like the TS-9) and is probably the cheapest decent overdrive pedal on the market.

(From reading what Franklin said about the clipping, he may have meant this pedal not the DS-1 Distortion though.)

If it's too midrangy and boxy for you (they are for me) you can easily open up the tone by changing or removing one capacitor (C6, in the tone stage), but it does sound like you may prefer it stock.

 

[TheGrooveking]

I am an avid user of the Fulltone Fulldrive 2. There has been one on my main board for over four years. I too have migrated to a smaller board for more impromtu gigs/jams. I recommend either the Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer with the Analogman Silver mod or the Paul Cochrane Timmy. The Timmy can get you into some higher distortion that the TS9, it also has internal switches that allow you to switch between the asymmetrical or symmetrical clipping. The Analogman Silver modded TS9 is a keeper as is the Timmy. Matter of fact I may score another one of each to make sure I have backups.

My two pesos....(value modified to incorporate inflation)

TheGrooveking

 

[rawkguitarist]

Yeah John, I also thought of the SD-1 but remembered he wanted a slightly different flavor than the Fulldrive. BUT, while were on the subject... I have an SD-1 that I modded with a indyguitarist.com kit, Fu**clone mod. My SD-1 sounds nearly identical to my friends Fulldrive II (or the one i used to have, for that matter).

I love my SD-1 now!

 

[Franklin]

Originally posted by John Phillips
(From reading what Franklin said about the clipping, he may have meant this pedal not the DS-1 Distortion though.)
[/B]

You are right John, I am indeed a dumbass!! It is the
Boss SD-1 I was talking about.

Thanks for clearing that up, I am not a fan of the DS1 at all.....

 

[John Phillips]

The interesting thing about the Boss distortions (not overdrives) is that I think the best-sounding one is the DF-2 Distortion-Feedbacker - even if you don't use the Feedbacker bit. I've heard it described as being like the DS-1, but it definitely isn't - it's much less harsh. I'm actually using one as my low-volume amp-substitute pedal at the moment.

 

[TheGrooveking]

Are you using the DF-2 Super Feedbacker and Distortion or the DF-2 Super Distortion and Feedbacker?

Keeley can do the same Ultra mod on the DF-2, something to think about.

TheGrooveking

 

[John Phillips]

They're exactly the same pedal, it's only the name that's different - it was originally called the Super Distortion & Feedbacker, but DiMarzio complained that it contained the words 'Super Distortion' which is their trademark, even though a pickup and a pedal are not exactly related...

Anyway, both of mine are Distortion & Feedbackers, and I don't want them modded!

 

[tthompso7]

Try an OCD, it's the right size and will sound similar to the FD 2 but more open and with more high gain options. I just ordered the Timmy from Paul Cochrane... I'll bet that would do the trick as well. There's a one month wait but for $105 you can't go wrong.

 

[TheGrooveking]

John Phillips, just messin with yah! I knew there was no difference because I have played them together. I do have a modded one by Keeley and it does for the DF-2 what the Ultra mod does for the DS-1.

TheGrooveking