Conference napalm::guitar

    A friend of mine has the DOD Supra Distortion pedal . . . but he
    doesn't use it very much because it doesn't get a *quality* distortion
    sound.  It really just sounds like a raspy, buzzy fuzz tone, IMHO.
    It's definitely not a tube distortion sound.  $35.00 is a decent
    price, but remember . . . you get what you pay for.  I've got a
    Boss Turbo Overdrive (price was $90.00) which is able to get much
    closer to a tube type distorted sound, but even that doesn't get
    much use anymore because I finally sprung for an amp that gets
    better distortion than any pedal can (a Kitty Hawk).
    
    Whatever you do, listen to one in a music store before you buy,
    so you won't be buying an 'unknown' sound.
    
    Steve

    Thanks for the input (warning) on the D.O.D.   What I'm lookin'
    for is a nice overdriven tone with good sustain. I do not want a
    heavy metal screaming fuzz, but I DO want the sustain. I have a
    Strat (American Std) and my pickups are not hot enough for my Ross
    distortion unit....any suggestions?
    
    Steve

    Steve,
    
    	I'd recomend an Ibanez Tube screamer and these can be had for $40
    to $50 used for a solid state distortion pedal. For a Tube distortion
    pedal I'd look at the Chandler pedal's over the Real Tube flavor and
    expect to pay $60 to $100 used for these. The Ibanez is a better buy
    for the dollar....not a fuzzy distortion
    
    
    							Rick
    

This may be a rathole, but has anyone got any kind words for the
Boss ROD-10 distortion. This is one of the Boss Micro-rack effects,
and it has had good reviews in the UK music press, especially for
its versatility. 

I've not heard one, but I'd be interested in any opinions.

Cheers,

    Derek.    

    Ibanez tube screamers get good reviews, but I haven't tried or
    heard one.  I also used to have an AM STD Strat which I used with
    the Boss Turbo Overdrive with good results.  The Turbo Overdrive
    has two mode settings: turbo on and turbo off.  I found that when
    used with the Strat, I needed the turbo on mode to boost the single
    coils enough to get that smooth overdriven sustain I think you're
    looking for.  I'm not sure if the Tube Screamer has a 'hi-gain'
    mode switch though.  DOD also makes an Overdrive pedal as opposed
    to the Distortion pedal you saw advertised.  Now if you really
    want a premium overdrive sound, the Chandler Tube Driver is supposedly
    the Cadillac of distortion pedals (not to be confused with their
    rack mount model which is the Rolls Royce).  The Chandler pedal
    sells for around $130.

	I've heard good reports about the Ratt pedal by ProCo.  I A/B'd it
with Ibanez's FC10 Fat Cat and found it to have a smoother and longer sustain,
if not a bit brighter.

	Dan

I know Daddy's in Manchester has a Chandler Tube Driver floor pedal, used. 
they are asking $99, which means you can probably get it for about $75-$80, if 
you drive a hard bargain.

I have a Chandler Tube Driver, rack-mount version, and it is unbelieveable. 
Right now I am running my guitar, into the Chandler, then into a QSC power 
amp. Simple, yet effective and versatile - I love it!

The Chandler stomp box might be worth the extra $30 or so - if nothing else, 
you should check it out!

BTW - keep your eyes open - bargains can be found! I found a Chandler 
rack-mount Tube Driver for only $99 at the Daddy's in Portland, Maine. I 
believe they had mis-priced it to the stomp-box price!

Alan S.

    Great info guys.....thanx.
    
    I've had several other recommendations on the Ibanez tube screamer.
    If ya sees one for sale (used), drop me a note at Raven1::Dandrea.
    RE: .3...yes, that's the ticket.."smooth,overdriven sustain" is
    what I want!
    
    Steve

    Well, how do I admit that in my own search for a warm, sustained
    distortion, I took a shot at the low priced DOD Supra ?  The 
    most remarkable feature is the "tone" control which puts a
    real big bottom boost into the sound making your amp sound
    like it suddenly got a few extra 15 inch speakers.  The tone
    control is normal in the middle, boost treble clockwise, and
    boost bass counterclockwise.  The unit can be warm when using
    the bass boost.  The distortion control has its final eighth
    of a turn marked "overdrive", which it certainly does and this
    is also the only area where you'll get sustain, but you'll get
    lots of it with a little noise.   The relationship of the level
    control to your amp volume will also affect the distortion,
    and seems better opened up.  I would classify the Supra as
    having more of a 70s type of distortion, but not to the extreme
    of metallized distortion like the new Boss Metal pedal (try one
    just for the experience).
    
    As I looked at pedals, I found myself arriving at the conclusion
    that pedals don't provide the depth of distortion that preamps
    can provide (you should try a Marshall Micro Stack amp head - it
    has a preamp out), and that the amount of sustain is a key
    ingredient in a distorted sound.  The Supra only sustains when the
    distortion becomes very edgy, but then again, it is much
    cheaper than the Rockman Sustainor, which you can read about in
    other notes.  The other quality that I was looking for was a
    fairly even amount of distortion across the frequency range of
    the guitar; in this category you would find that the Supra
    will give warm tube clips until you try a lead high on the
    upper strings.  
    
    So, I can only emphasize that you try as many distortion devices
    as you can find, paying attention to how well the sensitivity of
    the device, at the price you can pay, will adapt to the music
    you have in mind.
    
    -Bill

                         
    One stomp box I *don't* recomend is the BOSS Digital Metalizer.
                         
    It has six settings :-
                         
    Distortion           
    Distortion with Short Digital delay
    Distortion with Medium Digital delay
    Distortion with Long Digital delay
    Distortion with chorus I
    Distortion with chorus II
                         
    In theory it sounds good but the sound is sooooooo tinny (specially
    if you drive two or more cabs or run it into two amps (it has stereo
    outputs). However, if you are looking for a real heavy metal sound
    then try this pup with long digital delay, but its a bit restrictive
    for non-metal playing.
                          
    -Tony                

    I used to have a Rat pedal by ProCo, and I was very pleased with
    it.  It had a lot of flexibility so you could get warm tones all
    the way up to screamin' metal and the harmonics were pretty colorful
    as well.
    
    
    
    
    				Scary

    
    	I need some calibration here.  In a rookie move, I bought a
    Peavey Hotfoot digital distortion pedal sight/ear unseen about a
    year ago.  I liked it at first since it seemed a lot brighter than 
    the distortion circuit on my Dean Markey amp (50w) and it does scream.
    Now it kinda irritates me.  I think it's because I can't get the
    warmer sound I'm looking for and I'm always messin' with it.  How does 
    this unit measure up against the Ibanez Tube Screamer (or whatever)?  
    Go ahead hurt my feelings, after all, that was me asking about the
    GSP-5 so I can't be all that pumped up about the Hotfoot (but Hey, it 
    LOOKS cool). 
    
    -pat
    pumped up about the   

    
    Re: .12
    
    Some things to try to "warm up" distortion sounds:
    
    1. Don't use your bridge pickup!!!  Use the neck pickup instead...
    
    2. Turn down the tone or treble control on your stomp box, if it has
       them.
    
    3. Turn down the treble on your amp.  Try boosting and cutting the mids
       on the amp to see if that helps.
    
    As far as the Tube Screamer goes, at high settings I think it's pretty
    buzzy and nasty sounding but about halfway up, it sounds nice
    *particularly* into a tube amp.  I've worked with a few blues players
    who use this box (seems to be the most popular stomp box amongst those
    few blues players who will deign to use one) in conjunction with old
    Fender amps, and they go from a clean sound to a nice round overdrive
    easily.  Of course, they are not trying for metal-style distortion,
    either.  
    
    							Brian
    

    	Brian's right,the tube screamer(TS10) does get pretty nasty when you
    turn up the drive. I usually use mine at the 12 to 2 oclock position
    with the tone about the same. It's output volume set to give you a bit
    of volume boost for solo's. I use single coil pickup's and Fender amp's
    and any number pickup combination's(neck,bridge,middle) SRV,Eric
    Johnson are a couple of people who use Tube Screamers,but no particular
    names of tunes come to mind which really are a good example of what it
    sounds like. 
    	It will not make a strat sound like a lespaul/santana/boogie type
    sound of smooth overdrive.
    	I'd just go check out your local Ibanez dealer....
    
    
    							Rick
     

    I'll second Jerry's recommendation of the ProCo Rat pedal.  It did
    sound nice, and similar to the Chandler tube-driver, there is a
    two channel rack mount version of this puppy too.
    
    jc

    
    
    
    	The overdrive pedal that I've been using is a Butler Tube Driver
    (the guy who designed it for Chandler).  I got mine for $60, and I'm
    really pleased.  I play Stevie Ray, Robert Cray, (heads bowed please)
    Eric Clapton (grin), Jeff Healey, Billy Gibbons through a Fender stage
    lead (xtor amp) and when the over drive is turned on it sounds (to me
    anyway) just like some of my friend's tube amps, Fender concert,
    vibrolux reverb.   I had a DOD fx56 (I think) American Metal, and IMHO
    it sucked big time... heck I couldn't even get a decent metal sound out
    of it... thin 'n' cheesy is the way I would describe the sound... I'm
    not trying to upset folks who use them and like them... this is my ears
    only that I'm talking about.
    
    
    Steve

    Looks like tbe driver,screamer, overdrive, whatever is what I be
    needin'.  Musician's Friend has 1 Ibanez left for $69.97 (tube
    screamer). Hmmmmm, it's almost Christmas......
    
    Steve

    Ibanez doesn't put tubes in them...
    
    jc

    Has anyone ever tried the Big Muff Pi (mfg. by ElectroHarmonix)?
    
    Although it did have it's 'muddy' characteristics, it was probably
    the *warmest* sounding distortion/sustaining device I've ever
    used.  They're pretty cheap, too!
    
    cheers/mike

    Big Muff Pi ?
    
    Hmmm, no but I used to have a Big Muff. <Gawd, sounds personal!>
    It was pretty good for real old technology stuff, and especially
    for the price.  I think I paid $15 for it at MacDuffs...many moons
    ago...
    
    jc

    re: .15  ProCo, two Ratts in a single rack slot
    
    That thing looks like a real nice idea, but I doubt they're selling too
    many of them, they're grossly overpriced.  (BTW it's called the R2DU I
    think).  I priced one up when they first came out (before I turned into
    a midiot).
    
    For my money, one of the tube driver units (with a real tube) sound the
    best.  If you don't mind spending big bux, there's the ADA MP-1 which
    is one of the most flexable units I've ever used (about $550).  The
    Chandler/RealTube/Butler units sound great, are very flexable, and are
    reasonably priced.
    
    Greg
              

    
    Big Muff ?? Agagaga...
    
    Yeah, I got one here in rainy old England.
    
    I don't use it anymore coz I moved up to Boss Met., but I think
    I'll dig it out tonight and give it a whizz.
    
    Cheers,
    -Tony

    >    Has anyone ever tried the Big Muff Pi (mfg. by ElectroHarmonix)?
    
  >  Although it did have it's 'muddy' characteristics, it was probably
  >  the *warmest* sounding distortion/sustaining device I've ever
  >  used.  They're pretty cheap, too!

   Mike,
    I haven't seen EH effects in YEARS!  Who is currently selling them
    in your area....area code/phone number please?
    
    Thanks,
    
    Steve

    Steve, EH has been out of business (at least as far as making
    effects goes) for about 5 years now.
    
    And to think I used to have two of them, and sold them for 10 bucks
    for the pair!  ugh!
    
    BTW, I called Tewksbury Music and they said that they got a 
    "Bass Muff" in stock, whatever the heck that is!  Probably
    most likely some distortion device for bass gits.
    
    cheers/mike

    Thanks Mike,
    It was a short lived nostalgia attack, anyway....I'm gonna try and
    find a used tube screamer....
    
    Steve

    Whats a Bass Muff ?
    
    Well, it's obviously intended for someone with a deep voice.
    
    Agagagagaga...Sorry.  Couldn't resist.
    
    jc

    I still can't believe that BIg Muff Pi's are out of business.
    
    I never got sick of them....
    
    ...and I think *everyone* should have at LEAST one!
    
    :^]
    
    cheers/mike

    
    
       I still have 2 EH Big Muffs. Their great, especially if you're
    into Frip/Jimi type sounds.
       I recently sold one to Rogue Music (I had three!) for $70.
    These are really sought after devices, especially if it's an old
    one. The old versions have a small stylized lion head below the
    footswitch.     
    
    					Rich
    

    
    $70 for a Big Muff???  Only in NYC, I guess...
    
    Last one I saw was being in an old Plymouth station wagon as a wedge to
    keep one of the back windows from falling out of the frame.  8^)  8^) 
    
    

    The first time I bought one, I paid $30 (probably back in '76 or
    so).  The next one I bought was about $45.
    
    cheers/mike

    I'd like to publicly thank Rick (Video::Busenbark) for "finding"
    me a used Ibanez Tuber Screamer.  I ordered one today ;used, sight
    unseen and sound unheard, but  I got it cheap enough to justify the risk.
              
    Thanks for all the input guys, I'm hopin' this unit is just what
    my strat needs for that extra punch and sustain.
    
    Bulldawg

     Rich, doesn't the guy from the CURE use those???
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    -Bill (yuk-yuk!)

    
    
       Gee Bill. I don't know...never wanted to see em.
    I thought you said you were the bassist in the CuRe?. 
    I'm confused now................
    			nEeD A nUpRiN..........Rich
    

    Getting BACK to the title/subject of this note 8^), I recieved my
    Ibanez Tube Screamer (Classic TS-10) from Daddy's yesterday ($29),
    and I LOVE it.  It was just the thing I needed for that extra punch,
    the right amount of distortion, and sustain. The tone control does just
    that, and does it well. I liked it about 1 1/2 below the middle or
    slightly on the bass side of normal.  I have the drive at 3 o'clock
    and the level gives the same tone at all the settings, so I'll tune it
    about 12 o'clock or so. I still have my strat's natural tone, with the
    clip I'd get from an old tube amp cranked open! With the tone control
    on the tube screamer, and on my strat, I was experimenting, and I found
    using my bridge pickup, that axe was sounding CLOSE to my old SG! 
    When I use the neck pickup, with the tone on my strat and on the
    screamer low (bass), I get that REAL WARM sustained creamy sound. This
    is fun.....
    
    Anyway, I recommend this baby to everyone who is playing blues or
    classic rock,you can drive the sh*t out of yer axe's natural tone, or
    you can vary the tone, and distortion. It's great! Thanks to Rick
    Busenbark for the hot tip.
    
    Steve
    vary the tone

    My son has now decided he does indeed want to stick with the guitar.
    His teacher said he needs to add some distortion to his sound....
    he's playing a Kramer Striker through my old Shure P.A. system. I
    promised I would pay half for whatever he decided. Anybody have any
    current day preferences.
    
    Pc
    

    For distortion stomps, I think the RealTube boxes are pretty flexable
    and have a very good sound.  They're a little more expensive then a lot
    of units, but I think they're more flexable.  My experience with most
    stomp box distortions is that they have one basic sound and that's
    about it.
    
    It all depends on the sound he wants to get...
    
    Greg