Not diggin' the FDII as much as I had hoped

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HeeHaw

Senior Member
Messages
4,964
:eek: It was the first higher end boost pedal I have ever bought and it's just too much boost and gain for me. I only do gain levels up to about AC/DC and really need a clean boost or maybe a treble boost. Any suggestions?
 
C

Cranknfrank

Member
Messages
163
I've been using the FD2 for almost 10 years and it has some great tones in it. First, I'd say try it in Comp Cut mode, this will give you more of the Clean and Boost nature of the pedal. Next, don't be afraid to really cut back on the Gain and Boost knobs ie increase the Volume of the pedal and decrease the Gain and Boost. The pedal opens up nicely when you dial the Gain and Boost back in my opinion.

The FD2 is not going to give you Angus tones right out of the box. You need some humbuckers that aren't too hot and a Marshall style amp also. Again, try the gain somewhere around 10 o'clock and set the boost around 12 o'clock with the pedal in Comp Cut mode. It will take some tweaking but the pedal can sound good for what you looking for.
 
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dinrodef

Originally posted by Cranknfrank
I've been using the FD2 for almost 10 years and it has some great tones in it. First, I'd say try it in Comp Cut mode, this will give you more of the Clean and Boost nature of the pedal. Next, don't be afraid to really cut back on the Gain and Boost knobs ie increase the Volume of the pedal and decrease the Gain and Boost. The pedal opens up nicely when you dial the Gain and Boost back in my opinion.

The FD2 is not going to give you Angus tones right out of the box. You need some humbuckers that aren't too hot and a Marshall style amp also. Again, try the gain somewhere around 10 o'clock and set the boost around 12 o'clock with the pedal in Comp Cut mode. It will take some tweaking but the pedal can sound good for what you looking for.
Click to expand...

Your advice on FD2 settings is exactly what I've found . I've been playing mine for about 5 years and it sounds best with the gain and boost dialed low... As long as your amp sounds good to begin with it just adds some sustain and bite. But it sounds so good I hardly ever turn it off when playing with a strat.

For an ac/dc type boost I usually use a zvex super hardon clean boost with humbuckers. It adds some "presence" instead of changing your eq... pushes the amp right over the edge... sustain for days
 
H

HeeHaw

Senior Member
Messages
4,964
My amp is a Reinhardt Titan and it gets to AC/DC and early VH with room to spair, when I'm not using a boost. I'm just looking for something that will add a volume boost without a bunch of added distortion. I'll fiddle with it some more today, but I'm always on the lookout for the next best thing.:D
 
trisonic

trisonic

Member
Messages
13,153
It's pretty difficult to add volume to a tube amp (any amp?) without increasing gain in some way.................unless the gain and volume is too low to begin with.
If you find a way, do tell.

Best, Pete.
 
DerekMinnich

DerekMinnich

Member
Messages
2,254
Legendary Tones in conjucture with Robert Keeley makes the Time Machine boost. I had one, it was a great pedal.

Bottom line is though, a tube amp will NOT do what you want it to do.

What pete told you was absolutely correct. If you are playing into an overdriven tube amp(overdrive FROM the amp) and you go to boost the volume or add any more signal on the front end, it will add more gain, period. You can boost certain frequencies that might cut more, but a lot of the time, your going to get more gain period. Also, a tube amp is not always louder on 10 then it is on 7, just more gain.
 
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gregovertone

Member
Messages
537
i reviewed the FD2, with 7 other OD's, and compared with an ac30, jcm, plexi, and blues jr.
my thoughts on the fd2 lie in here

:) hope it helps.
 
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dinrodef

Originally posted by gregovertone
i reviewed the FD2, with 7 other OD's, and compared with an ac30, jcm, plexi, and blues jr.
my thoughts on the fd2 lie in here

:) hope it helps.
Click to expand...
Those are cool reviews... You're right about the FD2. I always use it with my amps dialed almost clean (just a little bit of break up)
 
grego7

grego7

has left the building
Gold Supporting Member
Messages
2,906
Originally posted by trisonic
It's pretty difficult to add volume to a tube amp (any amp?) without increasing gain in some way.................unless the gain and volume is too low to begin with.
If you find a way, do tell.

Best, Pete.
Click to expand...

Put your boost pedal in the effects loop. I know, I know - sacrilege, but try it. All you want to do is bump the volume, and not add a ton of gain, so just set the level high and the gain low; I think this is the exception to the rule of gain and drive before the amp, time mod effects in the loop.

Just try it.

Honest.
 
M

mcalo42

Member
Messages
88
I happen like the FDII. As a previous poster said, for a clean boost (with a little edge) use comp cut mode with very low gain and boost settings. However, I find FDII does color the tone a bit but not in a bad way.

For a cleaner, more transparent boost I would recommend an RC boost from Xotic. The first link is the product description and the second is some nice demo's. All the demos aren't exclusively for the RC but they are included in many.

http://www.prosoundcommunications.com/english/xotic/effects/rc_booster/index.html

http://www.prosoundcommunications.com/english/video/index.html
 
waylon

waylon

Member
Messages
1,949
Rich,
Try and RGW Electronics Bad Bob Boost. Works for me for exactly what you want. Very little distortion added but does add a little treble.
 
C

Cranknfrank

Member
Messages
163
You might want to check out the Fulltone Fatboost. Place it behind the FD2 and you can get even more variations of drive, boost, etc. The Fat Boost is designed to give you "more" of what the amp is already giving you. Just an idea...
 
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