Too much choice . . .

Paul_C · September 2023

I've run out of weird, glitchy and modulation pedals and sold off one of my unused amps, so my thoughts have turned to drive pedals.

The trouble is there are too many to choose from, and even the cheap ones seem to be pretty good.

I could probably be perfectly satisfied with what I'm using at the moment (Tonelab ST) but I have spare funds and very little else to spend it on, so thus is a problem created.

Top three at the moment are:

Automatone (too expensive)

CB Brothers (possibly not what I'm after - if I even know what I'm after)

Kernom Ridge (cheapest but same as above)

see also Tumnus Deluxe, Poly Flat V etc. etc.

Wazmeister · September 2023

Paul,

I think the 3 that you list are all very good options.

The CB Brothers is very good I think, but the Kernon Ridge is excellent. Im really pleased with mine, although I tend to be more low gain/break up.

If you use midi, the Kernon excels. If not, there are only 2 presets.

blobb · September 2023

I think we follow a similar path. I just bought a Broadcast if that's any help.

AntonHunter · September 2023

To quote @DesVegas in another thread.

"The answer is, as always, a Rat"

DesVegas · September 2023

@AntonHunter You're goddamn right

Sassafras · September 2023

Is it Sporky who always recommends a Metal Zone and a Miku?

Sporky · September 2023

Sassafras said:

Is it Sporky who always recommends a Metal Zone and a Miku?

That does sound like me. I think Paul already has 14% of the world's Mikus.

GavRichList · September 2023

Brothers is great. Wish I still had one. Not sure they’re quite worth the money people ask for them now, but I did love mine.

personalnadir · September 2023

I’m tempted by the Fredric Effects Accomplished Badger and JSA Effects Porta IV at the moment. Andertons did have a good deal on the Flat IV

personalnadir · September 2023

My favourite drive sound remains the Bigfoot Engineering Thunderpup hitting a good preamp (the Cali 76 worked wonderfully). Always interested to hear what their Eq pedal with drive sounds like

allen · September 2023

I find the kernom ridge underwhelming.

I have the automatone, but poly flat v is most interesting/inspiring (for me).

https://youtu.be/cwxgUyqn6l8?si=j3sNfrGWe6CYlbuL

Shark_Eyes · September 2023

I would second a Rat, but I'd also suggest an Old Blood Noise Fault V2, the EQ sliders allow you to get pretty odd with it.

GavRichList · September 2023

If you don’t have to have midi, buy a Zvex Box Of Rock and be happy hereafter. What a glorious pedal it is.

richman6100 · September 2023

If you're open to the idea of more than one pedal, the pairing of Thorpy's Peacekeeper and Warthog covers everything from transparent low gain through medium and high gain, distortion and practically into the realm of fuzz. Wonderfully touch sensitive, very tweakable, built like tanks and they stack brilliantly. Such a great combination. I've tried a lot of drive pedals - and I probably will continue to do so if I'm honest - but these two pedals are exceptional and have never left my board. If I could only have two drive pedals it would be these two without a doubt.

Paul_C · September 2023

Having spent an hour or so yesterday evening looking at videos of Yamaha keyboards *sigh* I have bought something.

I'll update when it arrives on Monday.

Edit: It is a pedal, not a keyboard, just to be clear.

Supportact · September 2023

richman6100 said:

If you're open to the idea of more than one pedal, the pairing of Thorpy's Peacekeeper and Warthog covers everything from transparent low gain through medium and high gain, distortion and practically into the realm of fuzz. Wonderfully touch sensitive, very tweakable, built like tanks and they stack brilliantly. Such a great combination. I've tried a lot of drive pedals - and I probably will continue to do so if I'm honest - but these two pedals are exceptional and have never left my board. If I could only have two drive pedals it would be these two without a doubt.

Agree with all of this. There is no end to the sounds available with that combination.

fretmeister · September 2023

Get one of the Source Audio drives - doesn't really matter which as all the drive models in the app work on all of them, even the bass ones.

Then you'll have all of them.

I can let you borrow my Aftershock if you want to play with it?

stickyfiddle · September 2023

What do you want to use it for?

Aside from the obvious TS, Klon, BB options, and the obvious "everyone needs a Rat" notwithstanding, my perennial recommends are:

Origin Revival Drive - any version but the Compact is a fine thing and not a compromise imo
DOD Looking Glass; just a nice OD that's a little different to your standard ODs that everyone else has
Benson Preamp - fabulous "add grit and make better" box
Kingsley Page - genuinely the best low-ish gain OD I've used. I never want to turn it off

Sassafras · September 2023

Paul_C said:

Having spent an hour or so yesterday evening looking at videos of Yamaha keyboards *sigh* I have bought something.

I'll update when it arrives on Monday.

Edit: It is a pedal, not a keyboard, just to be clear.

Is it a sustain pedal for a keyboard?

Paul_C · September 2023

Sassafras said:

Paul_C said:

Having spent an hour or so yesterday evening looking at videos of Yamaha keyboards *sigh* I have bought something.

I'll update when it arrives on Monday.

Edit: It is a pedal, not a keyboard, just to be clear.

Is it a sustain pedal for a keyboard?

No

It has been mentioned in the thread, so someone might approve.

I've also got a JAM Delay Llama Supreme coming next week too.

fretmeister said:

Get one of the Source Audio drives - doesn't really matter which as all the drive models in the app work on all of them, even the bass ones.

Then you'll have all of them.

I can let you borrow my Aftershock if you want to play with it?

That's very kind of you - I'll see how the new toy goes and let you know

Greatape · September 2023

OP, what is the guitar, amp and musical idiom(s)?

Paul_C · September 2023

Greatape said:

OP, what is the guitar, amp and musical idiom(s)?

Mostly Telecasters, Katana/AC15, no particular thing in mind just general noodling, low gain more than high.

A new pedal is arriving on Monday but having said that, based on past history there's every chance I'll buy more stuff in the future.

Greatape · September 2023

Paul_C said:

Greatape said:

OP, what is the guitar, amp and musical idiom(s)?

Mostly Telecasters, Katana/AC15, no particular thing in mind just general noodling, low gain more than high.

A new pedal is arriving on Monday but having said that, based on past history there's every chance I'll buy more stuff in the future.

Hmmm....Timmy, Lightspeed, Hot Cake, Gain Changer, etc. Or RAT

Be interested to see what you chose....

GavRichList · September 2023

I’ve never tried a light speed, but heard one in a vid the other day and thought it sounded incredible.

Paul_C · September 2023

New toy arrived

No time to properly try it yet, but what I've heard I liked.

personalnadir · September 2023

Very nice! And actually after hearing Jesse from Believable Audio/29 Pedals decry EQ in favour of filters (though I'm not sure what the difference is) would love to compare how it shapes the tone vs a standard drive EQ control

Paul_C · September 2023

Yes, I'm looking forward to mucking about with it at some point, once I've stopped just playing with patch 1.1 on (the schottky diode).

The Delay Llama Supreme was another recent buy and the Gravitas a birthday present from a dear friend.

blobb · September 2023

Where did you get the delay llama from?

Paul_C · September 2023

blobb said:

Where did you get the delay llama from?

Reverb - someone here is selling a DL Extreme and out of curiosity I went on Reverb to see what the going rate was for one and found the Supreme

blobb · September 2023

There's one on there from Germany at the moment but all the tax stuff puts me off. Thanks Brexit.

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