Hard to keep up with all the great offerings around here in the OD or distortion world but after something new/different maybe,
I use an expandora a lot and have been pushing it with a klone getting some inspiring tones for sure. However, the expandora is pretty bright and a bit thin overall. I also still have and use my faithful boneyard on occasion.
Really would like to have something with some THICK midrange that has a alot of pick attack say Andy Timmons type of thing maybe.
What have you folks built lately that you are really digging in the medium-OD to distortion world? Thanks for sharing :)
I haven't finished boxing it yet, but the Sparklehorn will likely be my new favourite OD. When I was pre-box rocking it, I was pretty much in love with it. The fact that it has a great delay built into it is just icing on the cake. And I typically like my delay in the FX loop, but it just works in the Sparklehorn arrangement. Not too much gain, but would seem to be a good compliment to what you're already running.
Got a couple of Aion's boards in the boxing stage as well that I'm pretty happy with as well. And one that I misdrilled in the enclosure for >:(.
Mad Professor Stone Grey Distortion. It managed to kick my trusty old Dirty Little Secret clone that had been sitting on my board since 2010 off my board. I find it to be quite comparable to the DLS in an A/B test, but in a band mix it seems to sit better in the mix. The Stone Grey was also tied with a Crunch Box clone, which I thought sounded just a little better, but because it was prone to squealing with the gain maxed the Stone Grey won.
Björn does seem to know how to make a tasty stompbox. 8)
I'm honeymooning with the SuperJudge at the moment. It's squarely in the Medium to not-quite-super heavy range and has a bit of raunchiness that makes it exciting.
I have been revisiting older layouts like the Barber LTD & Direct drive. I forgot how much I loved them.
Cody
I love my sparkplug. I am also digging my catch22 which I need to box
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Grease Gun?
Thanks for the ideas, most of which I wouldn't have considered but will definitively look into them.
A "rich and chewy midrange-y" overdrive seams to be the Xotic BB (madbean glitterati I think). Another COOL option might be Thomas H Tube Driver project. Not sure how either of these would sound as a "standalone" base OD tone with a Klone pushing it for leads of heavier riffage.
Thoughts on the BB, tube driver, or any others? Keep em coming :)
If I remember correctly mr Bean had a project that has been amongst the PIF pcbs around Christmas that was this BBplus and Klon hybrid which sounds absolutely up your alley. I am also interested in that one and whether or not it will reapear at some time.
+1 on the Superjudge for midrange attitude, it has a truckload. Another build I put together recently is a KOT-style setup (2 Bluesbreakers) using a Morning Glory and a Nucleon Atomic Blue OD. Both of those have a decent amount of midrange by themselves and together it's very pronounced. 2 switchable gain controls also make it flexible and easy to get the amount of dirt you want. I'll bet 2 8balls and/or a Grindcustoms Goat combo would sound amazing. I've been meaning to set one of those up myself actually.
The BB preamp has been my primary overdrive for the past few years... Fits the bill for me perfect.
Just pulled the trigger on a Xotic BB mid-boost (MB) pedal. Greatly discounted due to a blemish. I will just re-house it if it's fugly ;D
It looks like it fits the bill for what I am after and the active mid boost should be damn sweet. Haven't bought a pedal in years so I guess it is about time. It did not look like there was any sort of project out there for this one so I figured why not.
Definitely going to check out some of the options you guys suggested to build as well.
The BB preamp is also a favorite of mine. Lately, I have been also been very fond of the "Dynamic Overdrive" and "Jan Ray" circuits.
Quote from: rullywowr on January 20, 2015, 07:26:54 PM
The BB preamp is also a favorite of mine. Lately, I have been also been very fond of the "Dynamic Overdrive" and "Jan Ray" circuits.
I am waiting for those to come up on your site to order. I got a bunch of relays for cheap on the 'bay as well, so I'm looking forward to trying the clickless true bypass.
Quote from: rullywowr on January 20, 2015, 07:26:54 PM
The BB preamp is also a favorite of mine. Lately, I have been also been very fond of the "Dynamic Overdrive" and "Jan Ray" circuits.
Good to know Ben. I just seen your Glass Hammer project, I assume this is what you are referring to. Since you are familiar with the BB, how does the GH compare? ...Might need to check one out.
I love the OCD (mad bean ego driver) and my dynamic overdrive from ggg. I've got a Timmy I run all the time to warm up my ac15c1 before everything.
I've got a kingslayer and spark plug waiting to be finished right now. As well as the black 65.
I didn't really fall in love with the quasar built to RC booster spec.
After I clear off my workbench. I think I need the dead ringer ii
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My favorite OD configuration right now is this: Guitar-->Aion Electronics DIY Klon(e) (the Refractor) set to low gain (9:00), and 3:00 on treble-->Tube Screamer DIY (vero build) with controls set to taste (gain at noon, treble at 4:00)-->Amp. This sounds very Marshall-like and is great for classic rock. The Klon(e) really adds something wonderful to the sound and is always on (like a preamp) at the start of my effects chain.
Got the Xotic BB-MB in and spent some time dialing it in. Overall impression...meh :-\
It is a nice overdrive really and the baxandal tone controls, as well as the mid boost give a massive range of shaping but on my old Traynor it has a certain harshness and honk in the gain structure. To my ears not as warm as I expected. The consensus is that this is a very warm OD but not so much on my rig I don't think. Bummer. I am going to spend some more time to be sure though.
Anyway popped the back to have a looksie. Nice alpha 3PDT switch, all through hole components, and well built. They gooped a few areas as well as the opamps ;D
One neat trick in here I learned is the zip tie around the inside of the 9v switch with a little goop to keep the nut from loosening.
Quote from: pryde on January 22, 2015, 06:27:36 PM
Got the Xotic BB-MB in and spent some time dialing it in. Overall impression...meh :-\
It is a nice overdrive really and the baxandal tone controls, as well as the mid boost give a massive range of shaping but on my old Traynor it has a certain harshness and honk in the gain structure. To my ears not as warm as I expected. The consensus is that this is a very warm OD but not so much on my rig I don't think. Bummer. I am going to spend some more time to be sure though.
Anyway popped the back to have a looksie. Nice alpha 3PDT switch, all through hole components, and well built. They gooped a few areas as well as the opamps ;D
One neat trick in here I learned is the zip tie around the inside of the 9v switch with a little goop to keep the nut from loosening.
Here's my mantra when it comes to Traynors and ODs (I own four Traynor amps and two Traynor cabs) - Traynor = low gainer. Tim-type circuits, klones, boosts, and zens really make the Traynors sing, while higher gain pedals tend to bring out too much honk and fizz, especially in the YCV series.
Quote from: GermanCdn on January 23, 2015, 12:09:15 AM
Quote from: pryde on January 22, 2015, 06:27:36 PM
Got the Xotic BB-MB in and spent some time dialing it in. Overall impression...meh :-\
It is a nice overdrive really and the baxandal tone controls, as well as the mid boost give a massive range of shaping but on my old Traynor it has a certain harshness and honk in the gain structure. To my ears not as warm as I expected. The consensus is that this is a very warm OD but not so much on my rig I don't think. Bummer. I am going to spend some more time to be sure though.
Anyway popped the back to have a looksie. Nice alpha 3PDT switch, all through hole components, and well built. They gooped a few areas as well as the opamps ;D
One neat trick in here I learned is the zip tie around the inside of the 9v switch with a little goop to keep the nut from loosening.
Here's my mantra when it comes to Traynors and ODs (I own four Traynor amps and two Traynor cabs) - Traynor = low gainer. Tim-type circuits, klones, boosts, and zens really make the Traynors sing, while higher gain pedals tend to bring out too much honk and fizz, especially in the YCV series.
Yes I have an old YGM3 but have modded it plenty to make it a pretty well-balanced amp overall. It typically takes all kinds of pedals very well. The BB isnt terrible, just not what I expected as of yet.
I've been well happy with my Total Spack Vibe OD for a while now.
Sounds massive and full of character at high gain, loads of crunch and gristle.
As with most uncompressed overdrives there's a little loss of low end but it's great for a nice gritty but mellow setting for the first stage, then kicking in the 2nd footswitch so that your speakers sound like they're shitting themselves and loving it.