Overdrive - Please help me make a decision

That seems like an unlikely possibility.

 

There's always gonna be a better pedal coming out every few months or every year that will cover every nuance in OD territory, and chances are you'll want to sell yours and but it. I've tried and owned all the Zen's, the GSR, Howie, Ethos and others, I currently own a Pearl Drive and I think this is it, because of its versatility, tone, sensitivity to attack etc,. But the Kingsley Jester seems a lot more versatile to cover even more OD territory, I would buy the Jester...




Cheers, Arnie.

 

hmm.. would you be gigging? A useful thing to note is that single stompboxes pedals do not offer you a huge tonal range live. Mainly because you do not have the option of tweaking your pedals on stage. Hence if you're gigging, i would use the money spent on the jester to buy average boutique pedals which may not have the od or tonal range, but at least it gives you many tonal varieties on stage.

 

this may not help, but I would think that a good compressor with a TS style OD and something with a different voicing and gain structure (Distortion box of any type usually) would be all you need. If you dont need a distortion, add a Red Llama type clone to the Pearl Drive and you should be set.

IMHO, the Tim and Timmaaayyy, are great, but I could never just dial them in to the sweet spot for me.

best!!!

 

What style do you play..?

You seem to be planning on purchasing a few overdrives are you?

If so just buy the few you've stated there.

If you could've afforded the Zen 2 + TIM,

I'd recommend going this route,
Zendrive + Timmy + Screwdriver.

This will keep you satisfied in the OD department for a long while.

Trust me :AOK

 

I don't know anything about the Pearl Drive but I don't have any particular love for the Zen. A lot of folks do, and it's a nice pedal but it just didn't speak to me. It has a low mid thing I just don't care for that much, and isn't as open on top as I want it to be. I went out and gigged with one several times along with about 4 other dirt pedals and almost every time I tried it I would kick it off and go to something else.

 

I agree with Doralin!!!

If you dont like the Zen, put in the Pearl Drive, and you SHOULD BE SET FOR A WHILE

 

Can`t say anything about the Pearl Drive, but 2 or 3 I`d recommend very highly! Cmatmods Signa Drive, Lovekraft Mojo Drive, Wampler Ecstacy Drive!

 

For me the old TS 808 or the Voodoolab sparkle drive....The Maxon 808 is probably the 808 to get nowadays......If you want a clean OD that sounds sweet try a Rangemaster treble booster type thing.......The compressor idea is good too.

 

Your Hot Rod Deluxe is really a good pedal platform. I have its predecessor, a Blues Deluxe, and here are some of the pedals I really love,

With my Les Paul:
Zen Drive
Jetter Gain Stage Red
Jetter Gain Stage Blue
Voodoo Labs Sparkle Drive
Original early 80's TS9

With my 50's Strat:
Voodoo Labs Sparkle Drive
Voodoo Labs Sparkle Drive goosed with an Xotic RC Booster
Jetter Gain Stage Red

If I had to stick with only two pedals, they would be the Sparkle Drive and Gain Stage Red.