ShortScale.org

I have been using a modified Ibanez TS9DX for about 2 years now and I have recently changed amps and the pedal doesn't seem to be cutting it anymore. It seems to lack bottom end and clarity, all my other fuzz/distortion pedals seem to be fine though - Modified Rat, Way Huge Swollen Pickle & Fat Sandwich.

I'm looking for something to use for mild overdriven sounds, as I don't often play clean it may be used for cleaner songs or for cleaner parts of songs where I don't want to be too distorted. The Rat and Fat Sandwich cover the heavier/noisier bits.

Can anyone recommend something to me for no more than £100?

Marshall BB-2 Bluesbreaker II or a used Danelectro Transparent Overdrive would by my low-gain reasonably-priced picks.

Thanks Mike.

I forgot to mention that it would be much better if it had true bypass, in the past i've found using dirt pedals without true bypass effect the sound of my other dirt pedals too much.

See if you can find the Danelectro CC Trans OD used, the v1 that I played is a really good low gain drive pedal. The cool cat line is all true bypass as well.
Knowing what amp you have would help a bit too

Ask Mike to make you a DLS

I have 2 amps, a Carlsbro 50 Top and an Orange Rocker 30.

I'm not familiar with a DLS, could you let me know what it is.

Johno wrote:Ask Mike to make you a DLS

I keep confusing that with DSL, which would be a bit more ambitious for Mike to attempt.
Dirty Little Secret

I've got both the Dano TOD and the DLS and think that either would fit your needs.
The DLS is more versatile with 2 modes and happens to be my favourite pedal, but the TOD is really good too.
Check out some youtube demos, I know that there are some good ones on the Catalinbread youtube channel for the DLS. And there are some of Mike's on the Shortscalegeardemos youtube page as well, I *think* for both pedals.

I like the sound of the versatility of the Dirty Little Secret and from the quick Google search I did it sounds like an awesome pedal, however I also like the price of the Danelectro. I'll have a look at some clips on YouTube tonight to see what I like the sound of the best.

Thanks for the suggestions and please feel free to keep them coming.

Thom wrote:I've got both the Dano TOD and the DLS and think that either would fit your needs.
The DLS is more versatile with 2 modes and happens to be my favourite pedal, but the TOD is really good too.
Check out some youtube demos, I know that there are some good ones on the Catalinbread youtube channel for the DLS. And there are some of Mike's on the Shortscalegeardemos youtube page as well, I *think* for both pedals.

+1 for this. Give them both a listen/try and you probably won't be disappointed. Just be sure to get V1 of the TOD though

If you can stomach my playing, I have done demos of the TOD and the DLS (wel, a DLS I have built). I should stress I am not hocking for business here.

TOD
[youtube][/youtube]

DLS
[youtube][/youtube]

You might also consider a MBM Saltbreaker. I just love mine and it would be in your price range. Very smooth OD. It is replacing my Boss OD-20.

[youtube][/youtube]

I've got the TOD which sounds cool through the Pignose. from those vids It sounds like the Saltbreaker has a more even impact across the EQ range which sounds better to my ears.

The TOD is a good pedal.


Really though, any dirt pedal can be an OD if you just back off the gain and crank the volume on them. All OD pedals are basically gain-limited regular dirt boxes.

Crowther audio hot cake is a great transparent overdrive. I have recently acquired haze's MBM box of cake, which is a modded up hot cake. This pedal does low gain great, you can even roll off the gain all the way and just use it is an EQ/presence boost. Its a really great pedal.

the crowther ones even have tiny slider switches on the pcb to change from a regular hotcake to the bluesberry mod, and from a guitar to a bass version. Very cool pedal

the hot cake is a cool pedal
a friend of mine has one
if your thinking its between the dls and the danelectro
you gota think whether a dls is worth the extra cash
eather way there both pretty cool pedals

is the TOD all that different from a tubescreamer? i have one, it's good an' all but it seems essentially like a slightly gainier TS type thing with a bit more of a flexible EQ.

if you want my opinion (which you may or may not, granted) i'd be looking towards other things. fulltone are worth a look, the OCD is cool, and don't rule out/be fooled by the name of/ the distortion pro- i witter on about it all the time but it really is a versatile pedal. it does everything from (proper, not 'white man') bluesy sludgy overdrive to those thin fuzzy sounds the guy from portishead uses. definitely not a one trick pony. (i'm obliged to mention that pedal every time a discussion about dirt FX crops up or else the bad men will kill my family)

TOD is not a Tubescreamer. At all. The frequency response and tone controls are completely different.