THIS IS THE MOST POPULAR POST ON THE BLOG!
ALL THE BEST 'CHEAP' OVERDRIVES' ARE HERE!!!
EXCEPTIONAL BUT PRICEY OVERDRIVES ARE ON OTHER POSTS
TO FIND THEM....EASY...THE FIRST WORD IS ALWAYS
OVERDRIVE - followed by the Posts title
 |
| NEW BRAND no info...no vids |
note...I intend to update this Post as much as possible.
I have 16 Overdrives...Why? I want my live sound to equal any recording.
In the studio the sound can be manipulated to the extreme to SIT BETTER IN THE MIX...
By choosing the perfect OD for a song or any part of that song...Live...my sound always SIT's PERFECT IN THE MIX!
Check out...AN OVERDRIVE PRIMER
it makes sense to get the big picture and it will only take a minute.
UNTIL I LEARNT WHAT IS IN IT I MADE MISTAKES BECAUSE I THOUGHT I NEW IT ALL."NOTHING LEFT TO LEARN " WAS MY MOTTO... LOL
My pedal board has 4 tiers and is 3 feet long and 2 feet deep with 48 pedals on it and it takes 6 multi power supplies and 3 ac/dc adapters to run it.It is controlled by a 5 loop ...5 channel switcher. There are 45 patch cords...and 45 DC power cables...inside it is a maze of 131` cables. The signal path runs 52' long.
The damn thing has wheels....it needs them
Hell I even put a motorcycle licence plate on it in case I park it too long I will only get a ticket ...it will not get towed and impounded. I recently aquired a tail light for it. LOL
.
it makes sense to get the big picture and it will only take a minute.
UNTIL I LEARNT WHAT IS IN IT I MADE MISTAKES BECAUSE I THOUGHT I NEW IT ALL."NOTHING LEFT TO LEARN " WAS MY MOTTO... LOL
My pedal board has 4 tiers and is 3 feet long and 2 feet deep with 48 pedals on it and it takes 6 multi power supplies and 3 ac/dc adapters to run it.It is controlled by a 5 loop ...5 channel switcher. There are 45 patch cords...and 45 DC power cables...inside it is a maze of 131` cables. The signal path runs 52' long.
The damn thing has wheels....it needs them
Hell I even put a motorcycle licence plate on it in case I park it too long I will only get a ticket ...it will not get towed and impounded. I recently aquired a tail light for it. LOL
.
Every pedal I recommend... I own...or explain why not. I have one or more in each of the overdrive categories.
I buy about 2 pedals a month. I have over 60. Because I have picked the cheapies clean I am onto the gourmet jobbies, I BUY MOSTLY DIRT PEDALS. That works out to about $600.00 USD a month.
Am I rich. No but I work in the road building bizness 10 hours a day building roads and bridges.
I do not spend money on entertainment or eating out. I do not even own a TV.
If you buy gourmet pedals by scoring for used
but current ones you can resell them for the same price of a shade higher. Often just a year
after getting a new one that same pedal might have increases in price. Hence you can sell yours and break even. Kijiji is the only route for the cheapies as shipping cost as much as the pedal. If you buy
checking the Post ...Where To Buy Cheap
you will be able to sell and break even on your sales.
THIS IS GREAT BECAUSE YOU CAN AFFORD TO TAKE CHANCES!!!
I now have 16 overdrives...(9 are gourmet OD's.)
The Gourmet pedals are better for where I use them.
The SDS cheapies are the best possible choice for where I use them too.
I love them all!!!!
The prices are current. Many I got on sale. I will return to this post and keep the prices up to date. I will especially advise you of a sale.
 |
| EXTRA JUMBO SUPER LARGE |
Am I rich. No but I work in the road building bizness 10 hours a day building roads and bridges.
I do not spend money on entertainment or eating out. I do not even own a TV.
If you buy gourmet pedals by scoring for used
but current ones you can resell them for the same price of a shade higher. Often just a year
after getting a new one that same pedal might have increases in price. Hence you can sell yours and break even. Kijiji is the only route for the cheapies as shipping cost as much as the pedal. If you buy
checking the Post ...Where To Buy Cheap
you will be able to sell and break even on your sales.
THIS IS GREAT BECAUSE YOU CAN AFFORD TO TAKE CHANCES!!!
I now have 16 overdrives...(9 are gourmet OD's.)
The Gourmet pedals are better for where I use them.
The SDS cheapies are the best possible choice for where I use them too.
 |
| $25.00 USD |
At present the only source for Thomas Blug's new pedal amp
Bluguitar Amp1 is Sweetwater...I have decided to get one.
I do not like selling my gear via Kijiji when it is a large item like my amp. It means inviting buyers into my home, I have been broken
into 3 times. The third was by 3 pro's. $16,000.00 worth of gear stolen including my Fender 60's guitars. I was well insured. BUT
the money does not replace my Fender's.
The point being I want to buy the Blug at a store & trade in my amp.
Plus I want to have that store be able to service/repair the amp.
Bluguitar Amp1 is Sweetwater...I have decided to get one.
I do not like selling my gear via Kijiji when it is a large item like my amp. It means inviting buyers into my home, I have been broken
into 3 times. The third was by 3 pro's. $16,000.00 worth of gear stolen including my Fender 60's guitars. I was well insured. BUT
the money does not replace my Fender's.
The point being I want to buy the Blug at a store & trade in my amp.
Plus I want to have that store be able to service/repair the amp.
The prices are current. Many I got on sale. I will return to this post and keep the prices up to date. I will especially advise you of a sale.
So how did I choose my pedals ??? I read a lot of reviews....watched a lot of videos...and in some cases I had a chance to actually play the pedal. I then bought the pedal....and reviewed it. Once playing the pedal for a few weeks I edit the review. I tell you of how it works in a band...and where it works best. Lately I have in a few cases got to exchange E's with the guy that designed a pedal. I learn a lot about there pedal and even more about the competition. The good news is that the guys that make them are more passionate about a great sound then us.
Over time I have researched and learnt about the sound of different transistors op-amps and about 2 gain stage OD's. FET transistors sound the most like tubes ...op-amps can add distortion or be close to neutral and a 2 gain stage pedal can vary both the amount of distortion and change it's characteristics.
All pedals have their own voicing ...which is a fancy way of saying a fixed EQ' The fixed EQ in a Marshall pedal sound is the opposite of a Fender. The sweet spot on a pedal is usually where a frequency at that point tends to resonate. This is a killer ...because if it is too high or low in the mid range you will either love or hate the pedal. LOL
The good thing is at this point is that it gets down to your taste.
(I totally struck out twice on my choices ...you will be glad to know none of these were OD's)
The recommended pedals have videos included with the review. About 98% of all pedals have a video on U-tube. Check the manufacture too. Many of the On-line stores have a video as well. Be sure to check for at least 2 other videos before you buy...or before you give a pedal the thumbs down. There are many poor videos...and good ones that the demonstrator can pull off enough slick playing to fool you.
Over time I have researched and learnt about the sound of different transistors op-amps and about 2 gain stage OD's. FET transistors sound the most like tubes ...op-amps can add distortion or be close to neutral and a 2 gain stage pedal can vary both the amount of distortion and change it's characteristics.
All pedals have their own voicing ...which is a fancy way of saying a fixed EQ' The fixed EQ in a Marshall pedal sound is the opposite of a Fender. The sweet spot on a pedal is usually where a frequency at that point tends to resonate. This is a killer ...because if it is too high or low in the mid range you will either love or hate the pedal. LOL
The good thing is at this point is that it gets down to your taste.
(I totally struck out twice on my choices ...you will be glad to know none of these were OD's)
The recommended pedals have videos included with the review. About 98% of all pedals have a video on U-tube. Check the manufacture too. Many of the On-line stores have a video as well. Be sure to check for at least 2 other videos before you buy...or before you give a pedal the thumbs down. There are many poor videos...and good ones that the demonstrator can pull off enough slick playing to fool you.
LETS BUY AN OVERDRIVE
LOW GAIN OD
the winner is a clone...and I mean part for part an outright clone. The name borders on copyright infringement
.
MOGOO
DEMON TUBE SCREAMER Overdrive Pro ts808 & ts9 (with a Keeley mod)
I only use the ts 808 ...not that the ts9 is poorly executed but I feel it is headed into the 50's FENDER type of sound and I own a good pedal to do that. I use it mostly on my Strat with the tone wide open for a nearly clean sound...I often stack it for more overdrive. It sounds so good on a Strat that I do not use my Strat without having it turned on.
The pedal is well made. It looks and feels much like an MXR.
This pedal is a steal. It easily sounds as good as an Ibanez ts808 or Maxon od808. Any difference in the sound is negligible.
Every part of this pedal's guts is accurate to the ORIGINAL spec
...this is a bulletproof must have pedal for a Strat
.
Current Price: $34.00 USD Current Price $165.00 USD
If you heavy into low gain OD's at $23.00 USD to your door you could have both so going from a ts808 to a ts9 even in the same tune becomes a very nice option.
The vid is a bit lame. The soapbars are harsh as having one I can attest too.The playing is not conducive to a fair review of the pedals tone. lol In short ..it sucks. lol
Some players are into the Stevie Ray Vaughn thing of a great guitar and amp and just want a nice little boost to push their amp just that last step. Mr V. actually used a ts10 ...which is quite funny because the 10 was considered the first dumbed down version that ibanez made. LOL
Can the sound be improved? Well maybe. The ts. does lack any serious low end. A bit more aggression might be nice too.
At least that's what Truetone (formally Visual Sound) thought.
So...if just a Tube Screamer is your thing you might consider the Route 808. It keeps the 808 vibe but give the pedal a bit of punch.
So I think it gets down to the overall sound. The Tube Screamer works the best when used to take an amp or other OD to another level. It has mid boost and a rather soft low end.
The Crayon gives you a much wider curve in the mids ....and with the tone controls a lot of control over the highs and definitively the lows. I think it sounds stronger on it's own then a ts808.
It is a problem solver like the ts 808...but it has the advantage of light years of updates, changes and the input of creative people to borrow from.
Bottom line. It is the ts808 of a new era.
If there is a problem it is like the Klon...without stacking it...it colours the sound big time.Not that the sound is not good ...it is just impossible to ignore. The ts808 does so too but simply not as much.
So...there are trade offs. You can pick to go with this hot new pedal ...or stay with the 'it ain't broke...why fix it.'
There are no bad choices this time. Maybe one of each is the answer. LOL
I only use the ts 808 ...not that the ts9 is poorly executed but I feel it is headed into the 50's FENDER type of sound and I own a good pedal to do that. I use it mostly on my Strat with the tone wide open for a nearly clean sound...I often stack it for more overdrive. It sounds so good on a Strat that I do not use my Strat without having it turned on.
The pedal is well made. It looks and feels much like an MXR.
This pedal is a steal. It easily sounds as good as an Ibanez ts808 or Maxon od808. Any difference in the sound is negligible.
Every part of this pedal's guts is accurate to the ORIGINAL spec
...this is a bulletproof must have pedal for a Strat
.
Current Price: $34.00 USD Current Price $165.00 USD
Current Price $149.00 USD 
 |
$23.00 USD |
MOSKY MINI SCREAMER
Formally the MOSKY MINI TUBE SCREAMER lol
It is a ts9. The second Tube Screamer ...made to replace the ts808. Many love it because it starts with the ts808 circuit but bumps up some lower mids. It is fatter the highs seem a bit smoother and it has a second sweet spot when you kill the highs ...you get this great mellow sound that is fat smooth and without any mud. The Moggo does both so it is #1 in my book. Oddly enough though I do not feel too deprived by having this one. With 48 pedals sometimes there are trade offs because of real estate In short A VERY GOOD OPTIONAL CHOICE..
If you heavy into low gain OD's at $23.00 USD to your door you could have both so going from a ts808 to a ts9 even in the same tune becomes a very nice option.
The vid is a bit lame. The soapbars are harsh as having one I can attest too.The playing is not conducive to a fair review of the pedals tone. lol In short ..it sucks. lol
TRUETONE ROUTE 808
Some players are into the Stevie Ray Vaughn thing of a great guitar and amp and just want a nice little boost to push their amp just that last step. Mr V. actually used a ts10 ...which is quite funny because the 10 was considered the first dumbed down version that ibanez made. LOL
Can the sound be improved? Well maybe. The ts. does lack any serious low end. A bit more aggression might be nice too.
At least that's what Truetone (formally Visual Sound) thought.
So...if just a Tube Screamer is your thing you might consider the Route 808. It keeps the 808 vibe but give the pedal a bit of punch.
 |
Current Price $99.00 USD |
ELECTRO HARMONIX CRAYON
This pedal is the marriage of a Tube Screamer and a Klon and any other pedal that started with
either of these circuits. The goal was to fatten up a Strat. but keep it's clean bell like tone.
They have succeeded.
EH claims it stacks really well.
I am sure it would. :-)
EH claims it stacks really well.
I am sure it would. :-)
 |
Current Price $65.00 USD |
The Crayon gives you a much wider curve in the mids ....and with the tone controls a lot of control over the highs and definitively the lows. I think it sounds stronger on it's own then a ts808.
It is a problem solver like the ts 808...but it has the advantage of light years of updates, changes and the input of creative people to borrow from.
Bottom line. It is the ts808 of a new era.
If there is a problem it is like the Klon...without stacking it...it colours the sound big time.Not that the sound is not good ...it is just impossible to ignore. The ts808 does so too but simply not as much.
So...there are trade offs. You can pick to go with this hot new pedal ...or stay with the 'it ain't broke...why fix it.'
There are no bad choices this time. Maybe one of each is the answer. LOL
FENDER BROWN,TWEED & DELUXE OD
These tend to be in 2 category's.
The oldest Fender amps that can really dirty up the sound much like a Marshall but with less lows but killer lower mids...and the majority of 60's type Fenders that have very crisp highs no mush ...tight lows and very defined notes when hitting a chord. So Browns and Tweeds have a rich warmth but lack definition. Deluxe models have shimmering highs a lot of aggressive bite but to some they are too strident.
All Fender amps have a weak mid range.
CALINE CP-18
ORANGE BURST
This pedal is a real workhorse. It has a generic...though very pleasing sound that can stand in for a vintage Fender Deluxe a Fender Brown or Tweed..or even a Bluesbreaker...which it was meant to be.
In short think of it as CLEAN CRUNCH.
You can see by the pic...it was intended to be an Exotic...BB preamp clone. The difference is subtle. If pushed a bit the BB tends to muddy just a bit in the low end...oddly enough the Joyo does not.
Another way to see it is think of it as a Tube Screamer with more grit and punch.
The price speaks for itself!
Current Price $34.00 USD Current Price $168.00 USD
.
The BB stands for Bluesbreaker...as it was meant to copy the Marshall combo amp that Clapton used on the legendary 'Beano' album.
The amp was odd for Marshall as it used Fender style 6L6 tubes. Jim Marshall always wanted to make all his amps this way...but he went with the now famous EL34 tubes because they were considerably cheaper. The amp was not made for long. At this time the Marshall Stack was born and even Clapton changed to it.
The point is that the pedal passes for a Fender amp sound because it is a Fender type design that it mimics. In fact the schematic of a Bluesbreaker is identical to a 50's Fender F56-A Bassman.
In rock...there are Fender amps and Marshall...all others are simply a variation on either one or the other.
Yes...you will find a few obscure or minor exceptions... like the Vox AC30 (which has the mids of a Fender but the tone of the EL34 tubes gives it a bit of a Marshall sound)
All but the most exotic are Fender or Marshall wanna-be's LOL
So it is damn handy to have a pedal that gives you a Fender type sound...because it is a nice contrast to also having a Marshall Plexi or a JCM 800. The choices for a Fender type distortion are minimal.
In comparison there are dozens and dozens to pick from for a Marshall type sound
.
Most of us will buy a Marshall OD...In fact I did so myself. If your budget will stretch...this pedal is a keeper. It gives you a decent Fender type of sound...and is cheap
Alternatively you could get the Mogoo clone...or should we say counterfeit BB preamp. Just a few weeks ago they were easy to find. The ones available did not even have the word Mogoo on them.
They must be laying low .Over the last year they would appear...for a few weeks...then vanish again for awhile. I believe they wanted about $50.00 USD. Mogoo do a lot of clones. They often will borrow the name but build it in a different box.On the plus side the guts are great clones right down to using Japanese or German parts...you do get a sonic copy. I even recommend their Tube Screamer.
These pedals are also a good alternative to a Blues type pedal.
It is more versatile...you can keep it clean
for a B.B.King type of thing or dirty it up enough for a Chicago style Blues sound.
TOM'SLINE
AD-3 DUMBLER
Dumble made $6000.00 gourmet amplifiers based off of the best of old Fender amps. He made them one at a time...each one slightly different for each customer who he insisted on meeting. He let them test the amp then tweaked anything that was not perfect for them. The Dumbler is a Hermida Audio Zendrive gourmet pedal clone. This is a favourite of those who play Modern Jazz Rock. It is definitely more to the mellow side. Robben Ford leaves his Dumble in the studio and uses
the Zendrive. The Dumbler is very,very close to the Zendrive sound.
Note; this pedal is unique in that it gives you the most distortion possible without a hint of raw or rough tones. But! First that is not a lot of distortion...neither can it give you long sustains in comparison to most pedals. I have one and it fits nicely here and there. In short it is very much a fine wine. If like me you prefer straight whisky then pick another pedal.This best suits a jazz tone. So if your thing is Jazz this is one sweet pedal that nails it.
.
NOTE: I bought this on sale for $29.80
The oldest Fender amps that can really dirty up the sound much like a Marshall but with less lows but killer lower mids...and the majority of 60's type Fenders that have very crisp highs no mush ...tight lows and very defined notes when hitting a chord. So Browns and Tweeds have a rich warmth but lack definition. Deluxe models have shimmering highs a lot of aggressive bite but to some they are too strident.
All Fender amps have a weak mid range.
CALINE CP-18
ORANGE BURST
This pedal is a real workhorse. It has a generic...though very pleasing sound that can stand in for a vintage Fender Deluxe a Fender Brown or Tweed..or even a Bluesbreaker...which it was meant to be.
In short think of it as CLEAN CRUNCH.
You can see by the pic...it was intended to be an Exotic...BB preamp clone. The difference is subtle. If pushed a bit the BB tends to muddy just a bit in the low end...oddly enough the Joyo does not.
Another way to see it is think of it as a Tube Screamer with more grit and punch.
The price speaks for itself!
Current Price $34.00 USD Current Price $168.00 USD
The amp was odd for Marshall as it used Fender style 6L6 tubes. Jim Marshall always wanted to make all his amps this way...but he went with the now famous EL34 tubes because they were considerably cheaper. The amp was not made for long. At this time the Marshall Stack was born and even Clapton changed to it.
The point is that the pedal passes for a Fender amp sound because it is a Fender type design that it mimics. In fact the schematic of a Bluesbreaker is identical to a 50's Fender F56-A Bassman.
In rock...there are Fender amps and Marshall...all others are simply a variation on either one or the other.
Yes...you will find a few obscure or minor exceptions... like the Vox AC30 (which has the mids of a Fender but the tone of the EL34 tubes gives it a bit of a Marshall sound)
All but the most exotic are Fender or Marshall wanna-be's LOL
So it is damn handy to have a pedal that gives you a Fender type sound...because it is a nice contrast to also having a Marshall Plexi or a JCM 800. The choices for a Fender type distortion are minimal.
In comparison there are dozens and dozens to pick from for a Marshall type sound
.
Most of us will buy a Marshall OD...In fact I did so myself. If your budget will stretch...this pedal is a keeper. It gives you a decent Fender type of sound...and is cheap
Alternatively you could get the Mogoo clone...or should we say counterfeit BB preamp. Just a few weeks ago they were easy to find. The ones available did not even have the word Mogoo on them.
These pedals are also a good alternative to a Blues type pedal.
It is more versatile...you can keep it clean
for a B.B.King type of thing or dirty it up enough for a Chicago style Blues sound.
TOM'SLINE
AD-3 DUMBLER
Dumble made $6000.00 gourmet amplifiers based off of the best of old Fender amps. He made them one at a time...each one slightly different for each customer who he insisted on meeting. He let them test the amp then tweaked anything that was not perfect for them. The Dumbler is a Hermida Audio Zendrive gourmet pedal clone. This is a favourite of those who play Modern Jazz Rock. It is definitely more to the mellow side. Robben Ford leaves his Dumble in the studio and uses
the Zendrive. The Dumbler is very,very close to the Zendrive sound.
Note; this pedal is unique in that it gives you the most distortion possible without a hint of raw or rough tones. But! First that is not a lot of distortion...neither can it give you long sustains in comparison to most pedals. I have one and it fits nicely here and there. In short it is very much a fine wine. If like me you prefer straight whisky then pick another pedal.This best suits a jazz tone. So if your thing is Jazz this is one sweet pedal that nails it.
.
NOTE: I bought this on sale for $29.80
TOM'SLINE
AD-3 DUMBLER
Current Price $40.00 USD
Current Price $40.00 USD
Tom'sline is a rebranded Mooer.the Mooer Rumble Drive is exactly
the same pedal!
SEE MOOER
REBRANDS
Current price $52.80
JOYO JF-14
AMERICAN
It is technically a modeling amp but I feel a great deal of players will get it for it's incredible OD abilities. It can create both a 57 Fender Deluxe or a Tweed..and is exceptional. There's a blindfold test on Youtube by a guy that owns a 57 Fender Deluxe. It is in 2 parts where you are asked to choose which is real and which is the pedal. The second video has the answer
It is definitely a Tech21 Blonde clone..
It is technically a modeling amp but I feel a great deal of players will get it for it's incredible OD abilities. It can create both a 57 Fender Deluxe or a Tweed..and is exceptional. There's a blindfold test on Youtube by a guy that owns a 57 Fender Deluxe. It is in 2 parts where you are asked to choose which is real and which is the pedal. The second video has the answer
 |
Current Price $169.00 USD |
 |
Current Price $30.00 USDNote:Tech 21 now have a Deluxe Jobbie...meant to replace an amp with a XLR low imp. to go straight to the board and with more bells and whistles then a Gourmet amp. |
IMPORTANT
There is a very extensive review of these pedals with many videos in the Post
A PEDAL THAT CLONES AN AMP PERFECTLY PT.1
I placed mine as the second last pedal and removed a graphic EQ...it serves the same purpose but has a great organic sound.The last pedal is a clean boost which i use to get the best signal possible to the amp...i use 3 amps 2 practise amps one for personal practise ...one for song writing at a different address ...and my 50 watt live amp.
they all need a different strenth of signal.
CALINE MARK IV
MESA Boogie MK IV
OD/Dist.
MESA Boogie MK IV
OD/Dist.
The Mesa Boogie MK4...like most Boogie amps is a Fender on steroids.
The pedal has 3 knobs.....with one to increase low end gain...and another to increase the high end gain.....and off course the usual level/volume control.
Only one good vid.
although not in English...first the guy can shred.
the simple visual display of the pedal followed by moving gain 1 and 2... to all critical positions
leaves no guess work as to what the pedal can do....and a complete
idea of it's possible sounds. Perfect!
listen...once and you will have a great idea if this is for you.
The pedal really puts out....nothing to criticize...it is the essential American sound.
It sets out to capture that sound and does a stellar job.
Only one good vid.
although not in English...first the guy can shred.
the simple visual display of the pedal followed by moving gain 1 and 2... to all critical positions
leaves no guess work as to what the pedal can do....and a complete
idea of it's possible sounds. Perfect!
listen...once and you will have a great idea if this is for you.
The pedal really puts out....nothing to criticize...it is the essential American sound.
It sets out to capture that sound and does a stellar job.
- the vid shows off the pedal with it's older graphics
 |
Current Price $35.00 USD |
BLUES OD
DONNER BLUES DRIVER
I really like the Boss BD-12 Blues Driver....Mooer makes a very good and very accurate clone
I bought the rebranded Donner Blues drive. This pedal is a ' must have' if you like doing extended hook filled riffs letting your palm mute the strings. The notes just pop. I love doing unison riffs with the bass with it too. It just growls yet keeps out of the bass guitars range. Oddly it is a tiny bit thin but sounds unusually powerful. It is useless to accompany vocals...it just fights for attention. I have just lately put it onto my distortion loop as it is more of a solo sound. I highly recommend that you keep $35.00 aside for one of the re-brands that show up this cheap several times a year.
A nice extra for stacking even if you are into Metal. They add a truck load of bite and put in a nice little scoop in the mids when stacked with a Marshall type pedal.
DONNER
BLUES DRIVER
 |
MOOER BLUES MOOD
|
Current Price $31.00 USD
BELCAT OVD 302
This is either a brilliant stroke of luck or a piece of crap. Belcat are an accessories company...with countless bells and whistles that they can sell cheap. I think they cater to the Mom's and Pop's market.
In short...they sell cheap crap. LOL They have recently got into the Pedal market. It must be surprisingly lucrative because they are actually manufacturing there own pedals. This pedal is more concerned with cost then anything else but it is quite robustly constructed. Mom's and Pop's stores are big on warranties. Many of the parts in any pedal are not designed for ONLY audio. The same part could end up in industry to be part of a the shop floor machinery etc. The point is...the parts can be robust and long wearing...but one brand of part could sound great in an audio situation another brand of the same type might sound like crap.
They are already into the Rebranding market with some pedals sold under the 'Crossfire' name. You will note there isn't a brand name on the pedal. I suspect the only thing different between a Belcat and a Crossfire...is the box it came in. LOL
Ok kidding again. they print the brand on the side...once again keeping things simple but cheap.
They are already into the Rebranding market with some pedals sold under the 'Crossfire' name. You will note there isn't a brand name on the pedal. I suspect the only thing different between a Belcat and a Crossfire...is the box it came in. LOL
Ok kidding again. they print the brand on the side...once again keeping things simple but cheap.
 |
Current Price $32.00 USD |
I was at a loss for where to put this pedal. It is clean...but harsh. I suspect the simple math said the biggest selling OD ever is the Tube Screamer. Why is it green. LOL
Yes some Mr. Big in a suit said "they sound the same to me."
BUT.....if used on purpose for its raw trashy but cool sound it could be effective. One thing about it is that it has nice tight low end if not pushed to full distortion.
As it is it could pass as an old time blues pedal representing a really cheap old amp turned up full.
Used that way...it is quite good. I just think the tone is accidental considering the market the pedal is aimed at.
Oh my...I am late in the game. There is already a buzz going around that this is a very cool Blues type pedal.
.
Used that way...it is quite good. I just think the tone is accidental considering the market the pedal is aimed at.
Oh my...I am late in the game. There is already a buzz going around that this is a very cool Blues type pedal.
.
AMMOON TUBE DRIVE
A Joyo Ironman ...perhaps Husky Drive rebrand.I expect
the circuit I expect is the same ...BUT circuit board is
stuffed with cheap parts. but back off the highs a bit
 |
$23.00 USD |
The Joyo/Donner version has the better video.
ULTIMATE DRIVE
The thing that impresses me...is this is a pedal that sets out to capture a Plexi. A good impression of one can be more then adequate. Many pedals are great sounding just getting close. This pedal is so close it's scary.!!! Love it!!!
I just recently read a review on the.... 5 best overdrives...not very inspired...the usual Boss pedals etc.
.....but the reviewer picked the Joyo Ultimate Dive as one of them...even noting that it is an OCD.
Lately I have added a few Gourmet OD's to my board...I just realized that it would never occur to me to replace it....it is just as good as the $200 plus pedals it sits with...it's a no brainer buy...I can not imagine someone buying it and on first try feeling let down
...just pull up a half decent clean sound on your amp...crank it...then click on this sucker..and play.......WHOA!!!
MARSHALL PLEXI PEDALS
JOYO JF-02
ULTIMATE DRIVECurrent Price $30.00 USD
FULLTONE OCD
$111.00 USD
Check out the comparison between the Joyo and the real OCD
This OCD is a fake. It is made by Mogoo who issue it on AliExpress once or twice a year for $40.00 USD and leave it there for about a month. They then kill the 'store' and pop up again months later. It sounds quite good. A little warmer then the Joyo. I have both and I love to stack them with the Joyo pushing the Mogoo.
NEW JOYO RE-BRAND
AMMOON AP-2
ULTIMATE DRIVE
Current Price $26.00 USD
 |
Current Price $22.00 USD |
MOSKY
OBSESSIVE COMPULSIVE OD
Another OCD clone. Mosky nailed the sound but it is nowhere near as fat as the Joyo.
But it sounds good. Sometimes a pedal with a little less low end is just what you need.
A small pedal at this price can be damn handy.
AMMOON TUBE DRIVEAmmoon are made by Joyo. The box this is in is their Ironman casing less the little plastic cover. All the ironman OD's have 4 knobs
So this has me puzzled.
Not much sustain but the tone is OCD.
E-WAVE
DOUBLE PRESS OD
 |
$35.00 USD |
AS FOR OCD PEDALS...you are best off to stay with the Joyo Ultimate Drive or the Ammoon
rebrand....
MARSHALL CV-2
GOV'NOR PLUS
This is a very cool sounding pedal. It is yet another Plexi. It has a fat mid range and gives you that 'wall of sound' effect. The OCD has a more versatile sound...but a lot of these sounds although great...they move far away from the Marshall Plexi sound...I have lots of pedals so I just keep away from those sounds.. I must admit the OCD sound is great for riffs.....but when it comes to chords...the CV-2 is tops. The Gov'nor has an incredibly full and thick mid range. It does not have a modern high end...there is a simple mod to change that but noticeably thins out the sound...I tried it and had to restore it back to its former state. It has been around for years and could do with an update.
The best part is that it has a knob labeled 'deep bass' (a boost under 600Kzh) which in practice can create the resonant sound of a Marshall 4x12 cab. The cabinets in a Marshall stack are not insulated so they vibrate with a distinct 'honk' in the low end. This honk is often referred to the Marshall 'Low end Thump'. The Marshall thump makes the amp sound like it is gasping for air. It is dead cool.
So it is more impressionistic then a pedal that models the sound....
It is a real workhorse to back up a vocal with.
.
Still as nice as it is...check out the Caline
Sandstorm. It is similar but with a fantastic slashing high end.
Marshall CV-2
Gov'nor Plus
Current Price $55.00 USD
CALINE CP-21
ROCK FACE
Are you are looking for an OD that is tight,
glassy but not metallic...great for busy
chord work?
It is a take on a Marshall JTM 45.
Note the only Vid I can find is not in English.
...the opening is a long chat...You may want
to skip past it to the playing.
(and this guy can play!!!)
glassy but not metallic...great for busy
chord work?
It is a take on a Marshall JTM 45.
Note the only Vid I can find is not in English.
...the opening is a long chat...You may want
to skip past it to the playing.
(and this guy can play!!!)
Although the pedal sounds great...note the clean sound of the amp used...it has an awesome low end...so do not confuse that with being
the bass in the pedal.
I do not have one...but if I had the room I would.
the bass in the pedal.
I do not have one...but if I had the room I would.
Yes...even without that punchy low end
it has a nice tight sound...very usable.
it has a nice tight sound...very usable.
TONE CITY GOLDEN PLEXI
Tone City is the J. Wong brand...these are serious Gourmet pedals in construction and Tone. If you own an exceptional Chinese clone by any brand...it was probably designed by J. Wong.
Wong had to fight the company's that hired him who wanted to dumb down some of the parts he used to save $5.00 on the asking price etc. So with his own company he could make a no compromise product that can better or match the best for less the $80.00.
In short ...charge double the standard Chinese price and make the 'real deal' for half the price of other gourmet pedals.
The Golden Plexi is a Carl Martin Plexitone in all but name.There are many models of Plexi amps. The early models (Hendrix) had very heavy low mids the later ones had fat high mids (AC/DC)
This is an early Plexi. Sort of ...LOL
.
So...knowing that the Golden Plexi is Tone city's biggest seller...I gave it a listen and thought I'd give it a shot.
The quality of Tone city's Klon clone made me view the Golden Plexi with much anticipation.
My first impression was disappointing...I was expecting an early Marshall 100watt. If used for clean chord work they would give you very chunky sound with a heavy lower mids and highs that were actually just a tad nasty and aggressive
.
So what did I get...well the mids are pretty even from low to high. The high end (of which there is a generous amount of) is very brite...but as sweet as sugar. The overall sound is very,very creamy but not muddy very distinct almost Klon like.
AND!!!
... the sustain is more then any pedal I have or have heard ...even when the gain is backed off.
the tone is just silly smooth...and dripping with quality.
It sounds good just about any where on the gain. The whole range is your sweet spot.
The pedal is quiet.
The fit and finish is superb....Flawless.
All and all an excellent pedal. I just don't know yet where I will use it. LOL.
The price for the quality of it is a steal.
Golden Plexi $98.00 USD PlexiTone $198.00 USD
(10/8/16) I have had this pedal for quite awhile now. I have several better pedals for leads and heavy crunch. But if tou need a pedal for a medium crunch with big time fat, full thick sound for even busy chord work ...this is 'IT'. A lot of pedals when backed off sound annoyly scratchy ...they sound 'TURNED DOWN' . This sounds really good a lower gains.
MARSHALL JCM 800 PEDALS
 |
$65.00 USD |
NINE VOLT PEDALS
I WAS A WOLF IN THE FOREST DISTORTION
I WAS A WOLF IN THE FOREST DISTORTION
Nine Volts are Japanese manufacturer. They are very popular in Japan but have only a trickle of pedals seem to make it internationally. Odd because they make great sounding well designed and decently built cheap pedals. Most Japanese pedals are damned expensive.
The overall tone says Marshall JCM 800.
The voicing on the pedal is already excellent and with just enough controls to tweak it with the basic tone,gain and level.
knock of the bottom plate and you can boost the bass and presence.
knock of the bottom plate and you can boost the bass and presence.
They have nailed the tone for the basic voicing so well if someone told me Nine Volt was some Gourmet American company that wanted $180.00 or a bit more I would have not even blinked.
If you have been thinking of getting an OCD or clone...I
would compare it to this before you buy.
If you have been thinking of getting an OCD or clone...I
would compare it to this before you buy.
JOYO JF-39
DELUXE CRUNCH
The Joyo Deluxe Crunch is 'not' just another cloning effort...it appears to be a Joyo original..
It does however fit into the Marshall JCM 800 category. It is unusually versatile because just like an amp it has 2 knobs to control the gain . It is like driving the preamp into the amp...on a real amplifier.....with one volume for pre and one for the amp.
The result is you can get a nice punchy controlled sound for chord work...or push it for some ripping riffs.
No matter what amount of crunch you need on a tune...you can dial it up on this. I am a guy that would rather have one pedal that does one sound perfect then one pedal that does everything ...just OK....so the versatility of this pedal is impressive. Another bonus is that it sounds good with single coils. I heard a Tele thru it and it really rocked.
The only down side is it only has a basic tone control. When pedal makers do this they design the pedal with a basic 'fixed EQ'. Your option is to leave the control wide open or cut some highs. My point is that they choose to make the fixed EQ with a mid range cut...for the classic JCM800 scooped sound. This could be argued acceptable. But if you want to fatten the sound you need a mid range control. Even so this pedal is a keeper. It really holds it's own right beside a couple of the best gourmet overdrives. I know as I have them. lol
Bottom line the thing has a sound of it's own with some character to it. It is the mainstay for a couple of my tunes...and for those tunes nothing is better.
MY SWISS ARMY KNIFE >>>This is not my favorite OD. BUT every time I can not get that just right distortion in a tune ...especially behind a vocal it can be found on this pedal ...in seconds ..every single time !!!
Current Price $30.00 USD
JOYO JF-39.
DELUXE CRUNCH
JOYO CRUNCH DISTORTION
JF-03
Where as the Deluxe is a scooped sound...the JF-3 has a 'fixed' huge fat mid. It is different enough to justify owning both.
Check out the Caline Sandstorm following this review. Both pedals are good and sound very similar.
Current Price $42.00 USD >>>>
CALINE CP-27
SAND STORM
DISTORTION
In spite of Caline calling it a distortion pedal it is an overdrive.
Not so different from the previous pedal the Joyo Crunch Distortion.
Another clone? It is probably closest sounding to MI Super Crunch Box.
It is yet another fat mids...JMC 800 type pedal. perhaps one of the best at any price for that Wall of Sound thing.
Current Price $25.00 USD
 |
Current Price $36.00 USD |
MOGOO CRUNCH BOX
It is the same only different. Mogoo do one of their clones...in this case it is the MI Audio's V.1 of the CRUNCH BOX.
The 'youKOO '...site ...has a good video...I could not transfer it here for you as everything is in Chinese on the site.
The box sounds incredibly beefy and ballsy. Check it out! You won't be disappointed.
I'd love to see a Sand Storm vs Mogoo Crunch Box...they both sound great. The Mogoo is darker sounding and has more growl.
The Sand storm is brighter ...it still maintains some growl and has a nice creamy translucent sound.
They are both great...and the price is not so high as to
really affect a choice.
Getting down to the CRUNCH
Everyone does the JMC800...The most flexible is perhaps the Wampler Plextortion...but it ain't cheap. It's also discontinued.
I like that they did not scoop the Sand Storm...so you can get a decent fat sound out of it. Check out the video.
You get a lot for your $25.00
GFS BROWNIE CLASSIC
GPS ( or Guitar Fetish) is an American company who sell a lot of guitars, parts and pedals. I believe it is all made in China. They source cheap manufacturers to make a Strat copy in the Squier price range. The fit and finish will be about the same but they use Alder for the body and Canadian hard rock maple for the neck etc. You get more or less a Mexican Strat for a Squier price.The pedals all sell for $50.00 USD.
 |
Current Price $50.00 USD |
The Brownie is a generic Marshall pedal.
More JCM800 then Plexi. It has a 3 way toggle to select between
Comp...an over saturated tone
Power ...A kind of Boss DS-1 overdiving a Marshall...with lots of bite
...or
Open ...a bit like a Carl Martin Plexitone.
I found the position labelled 'Open' to my likening. It is fat and chunky.
The pedal does have a lot of aggressive bite. Kind of like a Blues Drive pedal but much fuller.
It will certainly cut thru in a band.
On the whole it is well worth considering.
The oversize case is really annoying and I doubt it is necessary.
NU>X BROWNIE Mini
 |
$50.00 USD |
This is the new Mini Core series from Nux. Same name as the GFS. But it is all PLEXI!
And a damn good one too. Gourmet sound!!! But $50.00 USD or less!
It is not overbuilt like the XVIBE but the sound is of the same calibre!
It eclipses's all the 'Crunch' clones...and you can use it as if it was one.
just as a good wall of sound as even the original M.I. Audio v.1 Crunch Box
this is the PEDAL OF THE YEAR for 2017 budget buyers
XVIBE THOMAS BLUG GOLDEN BROWNIE
Xvibe have been just another Mooer rebrand for a long time.
But by hiring guitarist engineer Thomas Blug they are
But by hiring guitarist engineer Thomas Blug they are
doing the TONE CITY/J. Wong thing. Gourmet pedals for under $100.00. Great sounding pedals in
 |
Current Price
|
Because this is a Marshall JCM800 type pedal I thought it would have that brutal in your face top end with great sustain. A pedal that could shred with the best. I was expecting a tone that was a bit harsh with a weak low end. .
So what a surprise. The tone is very rich like a good 2 or $300.00 pedal. It has a decent low end...not massive ..but not feeble like a lot of EVH wannabes. None of this is at the expensive of a really great sustain. The notes have that nice little swell too...that is unusual even for pedals at twice the price
It is a terrific 'rock' distortion....it is not a modern Metal type sound
It is more like a gourmet pedal based on a classic You get to keep the great tone but the sustain and response is beefed up considerably.
The bottom line is this is just simply one great distortion. I would recommend this to anyone.
But value for money and it's mini size will find it tucked into even a guys board that is not budget conscious.
For a budget pedal...this has got to be PEDAL OF THE YEAR 2016!!!
CONCLUSION...If I could only have one pedal for under $100.00 USD ... Without hesitation I would pick this pedal !!!
...if you can find the cash get the NUX BROWN Mini TOO!!!
Solo on the XVIVE Golden Brownie
...back the vocals with the NUX Brownie
add a light OD later and you have the bases covered!!!
and with mini pedals too...what's not to like???
VOX AC30 OD
JOYO AC TONE AC-13
VOX AC-30
ChANNEL OD
This is a Channel OD...it is meant to turn your whole amp into a Vox AC30. You can st up both a a crunch and a solo sound. It is a clone of a Tech21 Liverpool. Now before you get all excited...lol
This is NOT a Brian May sound. You need a Rangemaster treble booster to overdrive (or equivalent) it to get that sound. This is a Beatles 60's pop sound.Check out the very early Beatles recordings...and really listen to that sound. Once again...clear and clean like a 60's era Fender but much fatter
 |
Current Price $30.00 USD |
 |
| Current Price $169.00 USD |
This is a Brian May set up...
Do not be confused Harley Benton is a Re-Branded Joyo
METAL OD
CALINE CP-15
HEAVY METAL
TANTRUM
I stumbled on this by accident...I was looking for a price for some guitar hardware and this was in an ad. I have heard a lot of Metal OD...in fact there may even be a better one out there. It was priced on Amazon for $23.00 USD....soooo...I checked it out on YouTube ...Impressive...huge sound...lots of bite....and nice lead heavy bottom end.
It is by Caline's own admission...a Boss MT-2 Metal Zone clone.
I can't hear it....the Caline sounds better to me...more bite...more balls and more bass end.
It could be the choice of vids...the one I chose is nothing special...but the others were worse.
The Boss sounds thin..and buzzy.
It is by Caline's own admission...a Boss MT-2 Metal Zone clone.
I can't hear it....the Caline sounds better to me...more bite...more balls and more bass end.
It could be the choice of vids...the one I chose is nothing special...but the others were worse.
The Boss sounds thin..and buzzy.
HEAVY METAL
'TANTRUM'
Price $25.00 USD
 |
Current Price $85.00 USD |
BOOSTER
MOSKY EP BOOSTER
A tough thing to do is to review something that makes no sound. BUT...as luck would have it the
booster that gets all the stellar reviews is the Xotic EP Booster .Fortunately the Mosky is a part for part clone of the Xotic EP Booster. Both pedals have a 20dB boost both have internal DIP....EQ switches (one gives you punch in the lows...the second a very nice crystal clean ring at the top of the highs') Both pedals come in the same casing...both use FETS Sorry...but both don't come in black.
Both are meant to be the Preamp section of the old tube Echo Plex. Maybe??? but I owned one for years and it was a very warm sound ...these are not.
So what. Why do you need one?
They can be used 3 ways...in the front of all your pedals to give them all the richest signal possible.
Or...at the end of the chain to boost the input signal so high it overloads...thus overdriving the amp itself.
The third way is similar...punch the gain up until it distorts...then back it off a notch...you then have the hottest signal the amp can take ...while still staying clean. Then get any distorted tones from your pedals. I prefer this one. With so many pedals I want to hit anyone and get the sound from it. This way I can get the best possible sound without any awkward surprises with volume levels remaining constant from pedal to pedal...and each overdrive with it's distinct sound in tact.
....I have had this for some time now ...it is an always on pedal..if I listen to it I think to myself ...why did I buy this? ...then I turn it off ...hit a few chords ...then turn it back on. LOL
Current Price $116.00 USD Current Price $21.56 USD
Both are meant to be the Preamp section of the old tube Echo Plex. Maybe??? but I owned one for years and it was a very warm sound ...these are not.
So what. Why do you need one?
They can be used 3 ways...in the front of all your pedals to give them all the richest signal possible.
Or...at the end of the chain to boost the input signal so high it overloads...thus overdriving the amp itself.
The third way is similar...punch the gain up until it distorts...then back it off a notch...you then have the hottest signal the amp can take ...while still staying clean. Then get any distorted tones from your pedals. I prefer this one. With so many pedals I want to hit anyone and get the sound from it. This way I can get the best possible sound without any awkward surprises with volume levels remaining constant from pedal to pedal...and each overdrive with it's distinct sound in tact.
....I have had this for some time now ...it is an always on pedal..if I listen to it I think to myself ...why did I buy this? ...then I turn it off ...hit a few chords ...then turn it back on. LOL
Current Price $116.00 USD Current Price $21.56 USD
So...one thing I know for sure is thanks to 411 players like you the most important pedal in your rig is the overdrive.
ReplyDeleteThere are hundreds of them. I would love to post the ones that you have discovered that are great.So get typing and share
the cool stomp box that you have found.
Thanks for the support. I put hours into this. I even write to the owners of the companies to get the inside story of how and why they come up with the pedal. It gets interesting. Wampler likes everything tight which means you have to kill a lot of cabinet resonance...where as JHS likes the cabinets live. Tight is easier to control...but the resonance is very exciting even though you really have to play cleaner.
DeleteThe GV-2 is a good distortion pedal and can be made even better with one easy mod. The treble side is not bright enough on a stock GV-2 but if you open the pedal up and look for the the number C22 and clip it you will get the much needed brightness you prefer. I did that and now my pedal sounds better than ever....just google Guvnor C-22 mod....it works.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the heads up. I new you could change the value...but I love the simplicity of your mod.
ReplyDeleteOutstanding post brother! The best info on the net I have read so far. Made my mind up about several pedals because of this. You should get a medal for this! Excellent work and thank you!
ReplyDeleteThankyou for the compliment.
ReplyDeleteAs you know I also cover the very best of the best...some of the old established companies new efforts at over $200.00 are not even good enough to be on this Blog But the ones that are are usually breath taking!!!
A few new CHEAPIE companies have sprung up but either they do not even do OD's or they make junk.
NUX made junk but they have a new line Mini Core. their BROWNIE...isn't but it is a mind blowing PLEXI
at $50.00 USD or less it is going to be sitting on my board amongst 14 OD's I paid between $200 t0 $300 for.
I already see it as the SDS OD of 2017.
the big problem with the CHEAPIES is when I started there were about 200 pedals to check out. It seemed enormous!
In a half a year. DONE...these companies do not need to add to their offerings when the same pedals keep selling so new cheapies just dribble in . Just a few a year. One new thing looks promising. By doubling their price from about
$30.00 to about $60.00 they can get into the NEW MADE IN CHINA GOURMET market. XVIVE, TONE CITY and now NUX are doing just that. At 30 you get the Boss,EH etc. quality. But $60 they can make a $200 plus type pedal. It just takes a few more US, German oR Japanese parts! Hence another $20 0r $30 and BANG..we get some really god pedals.