ShortScale.org

A guitar noob inquiry regarding OD pedals...

I have to play through headphones as I live in an apartment and can't crank my amp. So, I'd like a pedal that would provide a clean or transparent type of OD and would preferably be $70 or less. I'm using a Blacktop Jazzmaster and a Duo-Sonic (which will eventually be replaced by a Gretsch G5122) and playing through a Pathfinder 15r. I have a You Dirty Rat on my pedalboard and although I like it for certain tones, I think of it as more of a fuzz, although I've seen it described as a distortion/fuzz hybrid. It's my only dirt pedal and so I guess I'm looking something with a cleaner tone that can make the amp sound overdriven at fairly low volume or through headphones.

I know that the Danelectro TOD is well regarded (would only buy it used, though) here and prices seem to be a little out of my range on eBay at the moment. Any other suggestions? Would musical examples help explain what I'm looking for? Thanks.

You could mod your YDR to Monte Allums Rat specs, I have one and it sounds ace and if you mod it yourself it will be real cheap.

Thanks for that suggestion. I don't have any modding experience or mod tools, but I do have a friend who does and I might consider doing that.

If you go to Monte's website he has recommended modders who may be able to do it for you if your friend can't.

well I know u like cleaner jangly tones right?..... your best bet would be the Cool Cat TOD...... other than that your not gonna get anything new...... If you do not want the TOD your best bet is to buy used or have someone build u a pedal....

Are you wanting a booster or a Overdrive pedal?

basically what are u looking for, a slight boost or something that will get into classic rock territory?

im perfectly content with using the pathfinders gain after the led mod I did, great through decent headphones. Hotcake sounds good, sd1 is good if a bit flubby in the bass [mine is modded albeit]

if you can find one in your price range, a zoom pd-01. they sound fantastisch

Just so you guys get an idea of the sort of overdrive I'm looking for--I'll include some vids that have the general overdriven tones I'm into. As always, you may or may not like the music itself, but these are examples:

[youtube][/youtube]

[youtube][/youtube]

[youtube][/youtube]

The part that interests me most is the big hook around 1:05, although it's very heavily processed (typical of Slowdive):

[youtube][/youtube]

Also, I watched GMD's comparison of both versions of the Dano TOD and really didn't mind the sound of the version 2 at all. Have any of you had a chance to listen to both? It seems that a lot of people won't settle for anything but version 1, but are CTO2s decent?

MBM TubeScreamer Clone
http://madebymike.co.uk/

guitargeek says
Slowdive Boss OD-2 & Rat

http://guitargeek.com/search?qt=b&q=slowdive&x=11&y=10

if u do not want to wait around to find something used on CL than I would just grab the Cool Cat CTO-2, I had the V1 and it was a great pedal...... there is also the Boss SD-1 for $40 too

Honestly, with playing on a smaller solid state amp thru headphones I am not sure if you will be able to hear a huge difference in pedals anyway...... especial between a V1 or V2 Cool Cat CTO

I listened to a demo of the OD-3 in a post that GeorgeF posted earlier and it's not bad and might work for what I want.

I think my suggestion of the modded YDR may be too much for what you showed in those clips. I'd go for the TOD if I were you, however if you want the sound from the Slowdive song you'll need a digital delay of some sort - Boss would suit.

After thinking about it, I probably shouldn't have included the Slowdive clip because there's so much going on, in terms of effects, in that song (and three guitarists playing stuff). The House of Love & Chameleons tunes pretty much illustrate what I'm after.

And after listening to some demos (can't find this pedal in the local stores), I've decided to go with a used Boss OD-3 for $50. I couldn't find any CTO-1s anywhere close to that price and I considered the CTO-2, but I liked the examples I heard with the OD-3 and GC has a 30-day warranty/satisfaction guarantee with all of the used stuff they sell.

Thanks everyone, for the input.

didn't chameleons & terry bickers use solid state amps like a JC120 or something? Nice choices of songs by the way. I think a TOD might be a good choice as well

Fran is a big Terry Bickers and Chameleons fan so he might be able to help you out here as well.

I also found this which might shed some light on it - http://www.thechameleons.com/band/faq.php#II15

Glad you liked the clips. Sometimes I feel like no one knows who House of Love were/are, so it's always cool to see other people who were into them. And after listening to those clips, it started me thinking about a vibe pedal. It never ends...

I'm not sure about the amps (or pedals), but I watched some live clips, an in-studio feature, and videos which showed Guy Chadwick primarily playing either a semi- or hollowbody Epi and Terry Bickers recently playing what looked like something similar, but maybe not quite the same, as well as a couple of Jags (featured prominently in the older footage). It seems like no one really knows what they used back then because I haven't seen any of their gear choices documented. I'll be happy to PM you the links to those vids if you'd like.

As far as the Chameleons, I read on shoegazer.co.uk that they used Micro-Frets guitars, but I couldn't find anything about pedals or amps.
http://www.shoegaze.co.uk/shoegazeforum ... html#22269

I figure if the OD-3 doesn't cut it, I can return it and get a used CTO-2. I won't buy new Danelectro stuff.

I saw House of Love and Chameleons back then, in fact The Chameleons were a local band and every band I worked with at the time wanted to sound like them. Lots of chorus, digital delay and solid state amps. Semi acoustic guitars were the norm as well. In those days a lot of stuff was rack mount stuff and most pedals were Boss ones. Also try a tremolo pedal as well if you want to get that sound. I don't remember Vibes being used as much in those days though but that might just my memory.

PM me the clips and I will take a look to.

I know Bickers used Boss so i'm guessing a OD-3 or SD-1. Most OD pedals around in the 80's were Tubescreamer variations though so also well worth a try.
Having said that and taking The Chameleons into consideration i think Reg Smithies used to use a channel switch for his amp. It appears that way on the Camden Gig video from 1984.
So they may well have used the Amps OD channel.

Smithies used SG's and on a lot of the early House of Love recordings Bickers actually used a Strat.
The CE-2 Chorus seems dominant with both bands as well, a lot of other Chorus pedals dont seem to get that same sound i found. The Danelectro Cool Cat Chorus gets some good Bickers tones though, i played along to 'Christine' all day long when i bought mine.

have a listen to this peel session of 'destroy the heart', there's no chorus on it and the guitars sound a bit clearer:
i can upload the whole session to mediafire if anyone wants it.