What are the 'must-try' list of low gain overdrives

UnclePsychosis · June 2023

Over the weekend I picked up a Magnetic Effects Sandare and its really very good. Recommended.

Greatape · June 2023

I really like my old Timmy, but those are kind of unobtanium.

On my little 'travel light' gigging board, I oscillate between a Mooer Blues Mood and a Mooer Black Secret (turbo mode, gain low). Neither is my favourite, but definitely 'good enough'.

I have a few Lovepedals. Those can be great, especially the white Zen. That might be the present #1.

Would like to try: Peacemaker, Barber Gain Changer, Ss/Bs mini, Xotic AC, Greer LS, Lovepedal Eternity.

TimmyO · June 2023

Greatape said:

I really like my old Timmy, but those are kind of unobtanium.

On my little 'travel light' gigging board, I oscillate between a Mooer Blues Mood and a Mooer Black Secret (turbo mode, gain low). Neither is my favourite, but definitely 'good enough'.

I have a few Lovepedals. Those can be great, especially the white Zen. That might be the present #1.

Would like to try: Peacemaker, Barber Gain Changer, Ss/Bs mini, Xotic AC, Greer LS, Lovepedal Eternity.

If you want to try the Xotic AC then I can confirm (having had both side by side) that the Mooer Flex Boost is a successful clone

Jalapeno · June 2023

No love for the Xotic EP Boost ? I love it !

TimmyO · June 2023

Jalapeno said:

No love for the Xotic EP Boost ? I love it !

same - after a Crybaby it's my longest owned pedal - but I don't think you'd call it an overdrive

Jalapeno · June 2023

TimmyO said:

Jalapeno said:

No love for the Xotic EP Boost ? I love it !

same - after a Crybaby it's my longest owned pedal - but I don't think you'd call it an overdrive

Gotcha !

Usually use it to to boost one of Zendrive, Mooer Black Secret (Rat Clone), or TRex Moller - which are my overdrives of choice.

Bezzer · June 2023

Unpopular answer ... any of them. They all sound the sodding same as they are all trying to emulate one of three old pedals. The only difference is exactly where to stick the knobs to get that sound.

Sorry ... I'm so sick of OD pedals. Seems like 400 come out every week and they are all "clones" of a screamer or klon or ... another one I've forgotten.

That said, can get more fun if you stack 'em.

Oh shit, I've turned into Rocker ... ignore me and carry on as you were

Alexlotl · June 2023

The Keeley Super Phat Mod (wanky Boss BD-2) is filling this role on my board at the moment. Best pedal I’ve met for stacking and cleaning up on the guitar’s volume.

My Tele’s pickups are about the same volume, but drive a cranked amp very differently, with the bridge pushing into overdrive much earlier than the neck. My MXR Timmy put the same gain-knob layer of dirt on both, but the SPM acts just like the amp - the bridge pick-up breaks up before the neck.

It also cleans up so well that I can dial it in with medium gain then just use the guitar volume knob to back off for low gain. Although I really need to clean up my scratchy volume pot!

There is a hint of crackle in the decay, but it’s entirely possible to live with it, unlike the Hot Cake where it was more prominent and a real deal breaker.

rsvmark · June 2023

KoT has a good range but imho is better at high (cranked) amp volumes. No idea why. But the one that really impressed me was the Peacemaker

stickyfiddle · June 2023

I need to try the Hotcake again now I’m gigging once more.

It was my favourite OD for years last I was playing with others.

jonnygreentrees · June 2023

Timmy, Lightspeed, Barber LTD, 1981 Inventions DRV

sweepy · June 2023

Go get a Kermon Ridge, you’ll soon be selling a few pedals

digitalkettle · June 2023

sweepy said:

Go get a Kermon Ridge, you’ll soon be selling a few pedals

You've spellinged it wrong!

One too many footswitches and at least two too many knobs for me!

sweepy · June 2023

Indeed I did I blame lack of glasses , but I have tried most pedals out there and it’s stellar. What amp and main guitars are you using ? makes a massive difference to what you want

jmf1928 · June 2023

Is the reason people love low-gain ODs so much that they allow you to overdrive the input stage while simultaneously adding a bit (but not too much) of clipping character? I never quite got the appeal until I realized how much I like a boost and how different it is than just turning up the amp.

tone1 · June 2023

sweepy said:

Go get a Kermon Ridge, you’ll soon be selling a few pedals

Pedals that do it all remind me off Mrs Doyle in Father Ted…..She gets a tea making machine for Christmas and she’s crestfallen….

https://i.imgur.com/CcHqYOR.jpg

TimmyO · June 2023

TimmyO · June 2023

jmf1928 said:

Is the reason people love low-gain ODs so much that they allow you to overdrive the input stage while simultaneously adding a bit (but not too much) of clipping character? I never quite got the appeal until I realized how much I like a boost and how different it is than just turning up the amp.

I think it’s just that when you stomp you want a bit more “rarrgh” - and a low gain ticks that box but also still allows you some degree of dynamics rather than just becoming ‘power chords or bust’

digitalkettle · June 2023

sweepy said:

Indeed I did I blame lack of glasses , but I have tried most pedals out there and it’s stellar. What amp and main guitars are you using ? makes a massive difference to what you want

I don't want to sully this thread with a rig rundown

I'm pretty much a believer in the following gain structure:

any guitar with a volume control
-> something to kick the tone, e.g. treble booster [Drybell Unit67]
-> overdrive pedal (optional depending on the amp gain) [Greer Lightspeed]
-> something to shape and lift for solos in the loop [Strymon Deco]
-> single-channel crunchy amp [Marshall SV20H or Dr Z Z-Wreck Jr]

dean111music · June 2023

Pedals I have owned that are well worth demoing

Browne Protein or Browne Carbon (Bluebreaker)

Pedals I really want to try

The Dane by Thorpy

RandallFlagg · June 2023

King Tone Duellist V2 and Wampler Tumnus

Fishboy7 · June 2023

Is a low gain overdrive much different from a high gain overdrive with the gain turned down ?

dean111music · June 2023

Should have never started reading this thread!

Has any compared barbershop to Dane or peacekeeper?

I understand the Dane is based of the peacekeeper?

interested in how it stacks with boost going into it (like the Dane) or driving other od.

I guess it’s best to buy both and try them

Th4fonz · June 2023

I’m prob repeating a few that’s been mentioned but ones I’ve owned.

King tone duellist
Vemuram jan ray
thorpy dane
mad prof royal blue
Lightspeed ——- my favourite——-
ryra klone
browne protein
gladio sc

I’ve currently got the protein up for sale as gets no use. I’m happy with my ryra klone into the lightspeed. Lightspeed is fantastic and feels the best dynamically to play. Gladio sc had a nice feel also.

Nerine · June 2023

MXR Duke Of Tone has to be worth a shout.

Jazzy_Jake · June 2023

Surprised this hasn't been mentioned yet, but the JHS Double Barrel is amazingly versatile and offers a huge spectrum of low gain overdrive sounds if you are willing to tweak some knobs.

It is a Morning Glory (Bluesbreaker based) on one side, and then a Moonshine on the other side (Tubescreamer based), which itself has a gain structure switch and a clean blend knob. You can stack them and swap the order with a switch.

Mr_Claw · June 2023

Cookiemonster said:

Barbershop is one of my favourite pedals

Heed the Cookiemonster.

Mr_Claw · June 2023

Fairfield Barbershop is ace.
Tortenmann TA-100 often over-looked.

Both these do low gain very well. The TA-100 - with the boost switch - can do very gainy too. But it's a transistory-sort of ear-piercing / 'hairy' gain - almost fuzz. Run it at 18v in the boost mode with the gain and vol up and it'll kick the cr*p out of the front end of the amp. But run it low-gain and it's charismatic and vintage-y, but doesn't colour your tone too much. Massively under-appreciated gain pedal IMHO.

handsomerik · July 2023

I’ve been through tons over the years and oddly the one that I’ve settled on as being the sound I was chasing all along in the strymon deco (tape saturation side).

I also have the kernom ridge which is brilliant at all sorts of low gain drives.

selexis · July 2023

Mr_Claw said:

Fairfield Barbershop is ace.
Tortenmann TA-100 often over-looked.

Both these do low gain very well. The TA-100 - with the boost switch - can do very gainy too. But it's a transistory-sort of ear-piercing / 'hairy' gain - almost fuzz. Run it at 18v in the boost mode with the gain and vol up and it'll kick the cr*p out of the front end of the amp. But run it low-gain and it's charismatic and vintage-y, but doesn't colour your tone too much. Massively under-appreciated gain pedal IMHO.

Almost forgot about the TA-100, I used the original Telenordia pedal for years. Such a great pedal!

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What are the 'must-try' list of low gain overdrives

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