How do you use your overdrive/distortion stompboxes?

[rasco22862]

Hi, I just want to know how you guys use your distortion stompboxes, and what sound for? Amp Channels? Maybe in the loop?

[WorkBench]

I have a MXR dist +, with silicon diodes that I use set almost all the way clean just for a touch of grit.  Then I have an analogman TS9 silver set halfway for leads, and then another TS9 that I modded to TS808 specs, and a few tricks of my own for all out distortion.

[m-theory]

I run my amps hot, so they're well overdriven just by cranking the guitar volume.  I use O/D, distortion, and/or boost for soloing. 

[Melanhead]

Set my 22watt boogie with a slight breakup.

I have three TS type circuits on my pedal board: 1 is a clone with a bit more bottom end which I use for a slight solo boost, the other is  close to a Landgraff but with variable lows which is my main overdrive, and I have a modded TS9 that I use for high gain rhythm stuff (modded for more gain etc ...) ...

I use my "Ego Boost" pedal for a lead boost in conjuction with my main overdrive or the TS9. I get about a 6db volume boost for solos. I have to keep my amp on about 2 for this to work otherwise all I get is more distortion and no volume boost. I play small clubs, so it's not an issue.

[mac]

I use only a Laney LC30II.
RM --> Fuzz Face (unity gain) --> clean chn at 8 (of 10).
RM --> Red Fuzz (little dist, unity gain, max treble) --> OD chn, master and gain so many presets, but mostly master at 8, drive at 3 or 4.
Sometimes I use a P90 or a Funky Vibe, my own version of Bass Fuzz, FAIM fuzz and Green Ringer.
I like vintage tones. I'm one of those guys that believe the less pedals in your signal path the better.

mac

[23]

I use a marshall 100w plexi for cleans and run almost all boxes into it to the best highgain sounds i can get (usually wide open)... i play way to loud.......

[hellwood]

i use overdrive when im pissed off and distortion when im REALLY PISSED OFF!

[superferrite]

Right now I'm using a GGG "boutique sixties" FF into a Digitech Bad Monkey, or either alone depending on the song.  It all feeds into a silverface Bassman Ten combo with the channels jumped.  Volume knob really does the trick with this setup.  Yeah, it's loud, but not as much as that freakin'  100 watt Plexi!
Anyone want to suggest a build to replace the Monkey with a DIY pedal?  I've got it set up as a mostly clean boost (drive at 9:00, volume at 3:00) with the low end bumped up.  Thanks!

Mac, that Laney looks like a killer amp.

[caress]

wurlitzer > ge fuzztone > rangemaster > other stuff... > slightly overdriven silverface twin
- fuzztone for chunky, gnarly rhythm stuff
- rangemaster for cutting through the mix with melodic lines


yamaha vss-30 > ge/si wooly mammoth > other stuff... > slightly overdriven fender pa 100 head
- for a washy huge guitar type sound without the guitar

some other stuff too, but i can't think of them right now.  all keyboards, though...

[CGDARK]

I use an custom overdrive with my Mesa/Boogie on the lead channel for solos. I play shred and I need a little more drive for the fast alternate picking and arpeggios.

CG

[petemoore]

  Starting at the 'other' end of the chain:
 Alnico Blue // Tonetubby Hempcone // Wharfdale // Greenbacks.
 Blue is a 15w singing puncher, loud - effecient, sweet and responsive.
 Tonetubby Hempcones are deeper sounding, as in mid-bass resonance and punch, sweet highs.
 Wharfdale is a ceramic that came from a new VOXAC-15 cci I own, it sounds great !
 Cabinets range from open back, 2x12'' antique pine boards, ported w/GB's, I have 2ct. of 1x12'' [also pine but thicker, one with TT and one has WD] reflex enclosures I found and refurbished, and a pine 1x12'' 'max-slant' enclosure w/Alnico Blue.
 Next would be the driver for the speakers, which are all irons matching to tube outputs.
 5W recto has Hi Fi tranny, choice recording amp for distortions.
 15w 5e3's are marshally voiced, great for cleans at low volume, great SE sounds from these 3 amps.
 Then there's the Vox AC-15cci which benefitted greatly with the MM irons and has a  TT speaker in it.
 Next is the 'big' one, another push pull,  this one is 18watt w/GDS output and old RCA PS iron mojo.
 ok...FF sounds fine through all of them, if adjusted to do so, which pretty much dictates the volume levels.
 For harder tones, a boost of Jfet, Mosfet, Ge, DynaComp, [actually any or all, all is a bit noisy, mostly it's just one or two pre-boosts, that's easiest for me to setup and be able to use] or Bipolar transistor puts into hard clipping, 'sustainey' leads tones.
 Then there's the minibooster and Supreaux after wards, oh and the CMOS distorter and tone bender are thrown in the middle near the FF...
 Generallly I turn the chosen amp for the room size to a volume where the speaker[s is 'going', then set the FF for a bit over that unity, same for the boosts, a little bit above unity.
 Once the fuzz is set I'll pick two boosters, or a comp-boost combo, and get one set about unity so the FF acts as harder clipper but not too out of control or noisey, then set the other booster for above unity ~10%, then I have slicey-sustainey lead sounds.
 And much of the time it'll just be the FF or FF>'Minibooster with tone control' so that the volume control on the guitar and picking dynamics can offer gain control.
 For heavy distorted crunch-o's, the CMOS with the Supreaux driving it let the comp or boost or comp 'n booster drive the CMOS [with treble rolloff knob of course] into heavy distortions that a FF doesn't get into [maybe with serious knob tweeking, then it'd be driving the MB and...would be so loud when the MB isn't attenuating..stomping without tweeking would jolt to nasty feedback tones.
 The knobs on the Supreaux actually get routinely twisted [if I"m going from FF to CMOS or V-Versa], because the FF can drive the supreaux./
 Anyway I try or tried to keep away from much knob tweeking, but here's the order for today:
 Splitter-Buffer<
A side: Vox wah, Omega, Microvibe, FF, Supreaux/Greenringer,  CMOS, TB, Minibooster, EchoPark.
B Side: CB wah, Dynacomp, *LBP/Ge/Mos Booster, phase 90, FF, Bobtavia.
 Splitter is on the 'B' pedalboard, both PB's are 2-tier type.
 I just today added the beefy old EV horn driver to the B pedalboard, it has a plug-in style tube and also the 1/4'' speaker wire, and tucks between the 2-tier board in the back, I take Splitters B output to the 5w amp to the HF driver, large tube but great talkbox sounds [w/FF etc. on it]
   

[mac]

Mac, that Laney looks like a killer amp.

I was looking for somehing different, and aftert reading all that positive comments at harmony-central I tried one.
I was bored of Fenders and Marshalls, and this amp had the character, clean chn and tone I was after.
No more big amps for me, just this Laney, next a vox ac30/15 uk-made, and possibly a valve jr. or laney 5watt lion heart.
The only thing I regret about selling my old fenders and marshalls is their market value when I'm 64

mac

[StephenGiles]

Very sparingly, it's amazing how a clean sound can sound good......and remember - it's better to be in bad taste than to taste bad!