By virtue of their electrical properties, tubes generate a special waveform when they're saturated, which is why tube engineering has tremendous tonal advantages over solid state or DSP solutions, particularly for crunch and lead sounds. Tubes enter the saturation zone gradually or softly, which lends tube-driven tone its trademark yet totally unique character.
Destortion From good amps and pedals?
If you have a very good amp, e.g a fairly expensive half stack amp, would there be any point in using a destortion pedal ? Or would that just take away the unique sound or the amp ? Also does anyone find that zoom pedal makes your guitar sound exactly the same as any other guitar and amp using that same pedal ?
# 1
At first I thought my marshall JCM2000 stack didnt have enuff distortion, and compared to the AVT marshall ones it doesnt, but you still dont need a pedal.
With an amp that big when you get it reasonably loud it creates its own distortion.
Ive tried several pedals with it but it took away the great sound of the amp, to be honest Ive been pretty disapointed with almost all the pedals Ive tried. I dont think you can beat the tone of a marshall and the inbuilt reverb.
What amp you got and what amp you thinking about getting?
With an amp that big when you get it reasonably loud it creates its own distortion.
Ive tried several pedals with it but it took away the great sound of the amp, to be honest Ive been pretty disapointed with almost all the pedals Ive tried. I dont think you can beat the tone of a marshall and the inbuilt reverb.
What amp you got and what amp you thinking about getting?
# 2
I’ve totally ditched drive pedals since I bought my Peaveys- Ultra Plus (tube) & the XXL (solid state). If you have a good drive from the amp, then a pedal isn’t necessary unless it serves as a booster. I’m using the Ibanez tubescreamer for just that.
# 3
One more thing… it depends on whether you like the on-board drive.
As for Marshalls… I find then more fuzz than distortion.
As for Marshalls… I find then more fuzz than distortion.
# 4
its the age old question. the REAL sound of distortion originated with "power tube" distortion. the harmonic content was pleasing, so it caught on.
amps with gain/masters that can distort at low volumes usually pale in comparison to tube amps that are played LOUD so that the power tubes distort.
in recent years, some real pricey solutions have come out, for both amps and pedals. and they can sound exactly like power tube distortion at ANY volume.
the best gain/master amps, that keep a good sounding distortion at low volumes are
DR Z ($1500-2000)
BOGNER ($2300-4000)
the best pedals that have a REAL power tube tone are
fulltone's fulldrive (175-200)
barber's tone pump (225-250)
t-rex's mudhoney (170-200)
and check out pedalsnake on EBAY. its a new invention that carries DC power and guitar signals in one cable. i love mine. it makes things easier, and looks so cool!
amps with gain/masters that can distort at low volumes usually pale in comparison to tube amps that are played LOUD so that the power tubes distort.
in recent years, some real pricey solutions have come out, for both amps and pedals. and they can sound exactly like power tube distortion at ANY volume.
the best gain/master amps, that keep a good sounding distortion at low volumes are
DR Z ($1500-2000)
BOGNER ($2300-4000)
the best pedals that have a REAL power tube tone are
fulltone's fulldrive (175-200)
barber's tone pump (225-250)
t-rex's mudhoney (170-200)
and check out pedalsnake on EBAY. its a new invention that carries DC power and guitar signals in one cable. i love mine. it makes things easier, and looks so cool!
# 5
Well i like the look of the peavy 5150 . Michael angelo used it when i went to see him and it seem to have good destortion and good tone. I also like the look of Engl amps, but i havnt ever heard one. From what i've heard from people and websites they sound good.
By virtue of their electrical properties, tubes generate a special waveform when they're saturated, which is why tube engineering has tremendous tonal advantages over solid state or DSP solutions, particularly for crunch and lead sounds. Tubes enter the saturation zone gradually or softly, which lends tube-driven tone its trademark yet totally unique character.
# 6
Pedals tend to be made more for people who just want distortion to practice or play around with. If you're looking for a solid professional edge you probably won't find it in any pedal, but you will in a better setup.
Besides, if you have anything like a Mark IV or a Marshall Mode 4 (cheers for Static-X) odds are a distortion pedal isn't going to do anything better than what you already have. It's not so much a matter of messing with the amp's unique sound as much as it's just using something that sounds worse. That isn't to say awesome pedals don't exist, I just haven't ran into any myself. If I see any of the ones Groovemule mentioned I'll be sure to try them out, they could be good.
So, yeah. If you have a decent stack you probably won't be needing any stomp boxes for distortion.
Besides, if you have anything like a Mark IV or a Marshall Mode 4 (cheers for Static-X) odds are a distortion pedal isn't going to do anything better than what you already have. It's not so much a matter of messing with the amp's unique sound as much as it's just using something that sounds worse. That isn't to say awesome pedals don't exist, I just haven't ran into any myself. If I see any of the ones Groovemule mentioned I'll be sure to try them out, they could be good.
So, yeah. If you have a decent stack you probably won't be needing any stomp boxes for distortion.
"If one has realized a truth, that truth is valueless so long as there is lacking the indomitable will to turn this realization into action!"
-A.H.
-A.H.
# 7
Originally posted by Death55
Also does anyone find that zoom pedal makes your guitar sound exactly the same as any other guitar and amp using that same pedal ?
I've never used zoom, but I have seen that exact thing with two different digitech processors so I do know it's a very real possibility. Zoom is one of those little digital things, I assume. I'm not a big fan of those digital porta-computer effects, they tend to suck compared to real firepower and have some wierd drawbacks, like exactly what you just described. If I'm wrong and zoom isn't one of those, at least keep in mind that a rediculous number of products on the market now are like that.
I've seen a lot of threads about or mentioning zoom here. Do a search, you might run into something.
"If one has realized a truth, that truth is valueless so long as there is lacking the indomitable will to turn this realization into action!"
-A.H.
-A.H.
# 8
I use my BOSS Blues Driver, along with the 2 distortion channels on my amp to get all kinds of different tones.
Electric Guitars are the inspiration for cries of "Turn that damn thing down"-Gibson website
# 9
I've heard good stuff about the blues driver, but I've never had the pleasure of playing around with one myself.
"If one has realized a truth, that truth is valueless so long as there is lacking the indomitable will to turn this realization into action!"
-A.H.
-A.H.
# 10
Despite the menacing distortion with tube amps cranked up, I find that they lack clarity, unlike its solid state counterpart. However, to keep me happy, I own both…
# 11
i dunno, but i LOVE the distortion sounds that are on my Boss ME50 - dont need anything else. goin directly trough the Stage PA. hardly ever use my amps.
[FONT=Times New Roman]Holiness is in right action and courage on behalf of those who cannot defend themselves. What you decide to do every day makes you a good person... or not.[/FONT][br][br]
# 12
Is it your Boss ME50 that gives you that nice tone then azrael ?
By virtue of their electrical properties, tubes generate a special waveform when they're saturated, which is why tube engineering has tremendous tonal advantages over solid state or DSP solutions, particularly for crunch and lead sounds. Tubes enter the saturation zone gradually or softly, which lends tube-driven tone its trademark yet totally unique character.
# 13
that and my ART SGX 2000 - but the newer posts are with my ME50
[FONT=Times New Roman]Holiness is in right action and courage on behalf of those who cannot defend themselves. What you decide to do every day makes you a good person... or not.[/FONT][br][br]
# 14
