Hey Madbean! (and you others): Whats your favorite OD?

[Beedoola]

I was browsing FS.org and saw your (Madbean) post in the Paul C Timmy thread. You said about the timmy/tim

like the pedals, but they are not the "go-to"ones for me anymore. I've used both on some studio recordings and the TIM has a really nice presence about it with both channels engaged. However, I think I prefer a traditional tone control (or none at all) to his bass-treble cut designs. It's just too tempting to fiddle with them, when what I really want is just one great, identifiable sound out of each pedal I own (hey, versatility is over-rated, right?)

I just wanted to know what OD you preferred these days? Since you've built/played probably many.

Question extends for all you folks here too.

I'm looking for something "transparent" like the Timmy but with the nice decay of the Klon. I've built both and liked the timmy's sound but felt the decay wasn't very amp like and smooth, whereas the Klon, I love the decay but the gain sound gets mid rangy when the gain is past like 8-9 o'clock. I use the Klone for a boost.

I use an ampeg v4>marshall 4x12 and a ampeg gemini one. I'm looking for something as "amp like" in terms of dynamics and response as possible with a nice gain decay - not splaty of fuzzy.

Thanks!

[madbean]

Huh----I don't even remember writing that. Must have been a while back! For the most part, it's still true for me, although more and more I appreciate a simple treble cut as a tone control. IMO, if an overdrive is well designed you should not end up with either an excess or deficiency in treble content in its nominal setting. When that is the case, you really only need a very limited amount of treble cut or boost as a control. A lot of tone controls go way overboard in this area!

Tone controls are also overused in effects sometimes, I think. It's as if people include them more out of habit than necessity. Personally, I almost always prefer fiddling with the tone control on the guitar. The exception is in certain active controls, where you can get some nice boost in mid-range.

In general, I prefer discrete based overdrives over op-amp ones. Of my own projects, the FatPants is a good example of what I like. I don't really have a favorite necessarily and the only non-DIY OD I own is a TS-10. I'm actually still digging the natural overdrive I get out of my Vox amps---the overdrives and boosts just give it a bit more icing.

[mjcyates]

I like lot's of different ones but the one I would not want to be without would be the Barber Direct Drive.

[junkemail86]

For lower gain, I personally like the Timmy, Red Snapper, and Zen drive

[Beedoola]

Huh----I don't even remember writing that. Must have been a while back! For the most part, it's still true for me, although more and more I appreciate a simple treble cut as a tone control. IMO, if an overdrive is well designed you should not end up with either an excess or deficiency in treble content in its nominal setting. When that is the case, you really only need a very limited amount of treble cut or boost as a control. A lot of tone controls go way overboard in this area!

Tone controls are also overused in effects sometimes, I think. It's as if people include them more out of habit than necessity. Personally, I almost always prefer fiddling with the tone control on the guitar. The exception is in certain active controls, where you can get some nice boost in mid-range.

In general, I prefer discrete based overdrives over op-amp ones. Of my own projects, the FatPants is a good example of what I like. I don't really have a favorite necessarily and the only non-DIY OD I own is a TS-10. I'm actually still digging the natural overdrive I get out of my Vox amps---the overdrives and boosts just give it a bit more icing.

Thanks, I'm eying the fat pants PDF right now. Might be my weekend etching project.

[pryde]

There are so many good ODs it is hard to say for sure. I have built and/or played many but everytime I play the Timmy I always dig it and feel inspired. To me it is just a great pedal although I do agree all the knobbies and switches are always temping.

[atreidesheir]

I like lot's of different ones but the one I would not want to be without would be the Barber Direct Drive.

I love that one too and I have never managed to find a layout for it.  Great generic gain.  Sounds great through anything.  i always wanted to build it and use it as a testbed.

[culturejam]

For the most part, it's still true for me, although more and more I appreciate a simple treble cut as a tone control.

Me, too!

[juansolo]

Boobtube and BBT for me The only other one I ever use is a Klone/Sunking. Though I've just built a Fatpants and am really digging that.

[LaceSensor]

Way Huge Pork Loin is really nice low gain OD with clean blend too

[nzCdog]

There are so many good ODs it is hard to say for sure.

+1 
Depends on the rest of your gear really... with my setup I'm a huge fan of the Lavache. 
But for  'transparent and amp-like', ultimately you gotta try a nice tube overdrive pedal... they take some beating.

[midwayfair]

I actually prefer a fuzz with high output and clean up controls as my low-gain OD, since I think it gives a convincing amp-y sound at low volumes. I'm using a hybrid right now (built by Luck Duck) that has a lot of output and, between the pregain, fuzz, volts, bias, and tone knobs, I can get a fuller sound with a tiny bit of hair and volume boost at low volumes. If I feel so inclined, I can turn it back into a fuzz (and a loud one at that). It's the only dirt pedal I use live regularly, since I'm 90% clean tone with compressors.

My favorite production OD is the EHX Germanium OD.

And I like a ton of different boosts. My preferences are definitely in the transistor, and especially Germanium transistor, direction.

[GermanCdn]

This question casts a broad net for me, cause it really depends on which guitar and amp I'm playing.

My current production favourite is actually the Sparkle Drive, but I use it mostly to bring in just a little dirt under the clean tone, with a Blues Driver and an AC boost being close seconds.

In the DIY circuit category, right now it's a toss up between a DLS circuit and a TS9 circuit I'm tinkering with with a 2N7000 and 1N34As. 

That being said, I'll build or buy another one next week, and undoubtedly it will sound a little bit better with certain amps or guitars, but that's the fun of the hobby.

[jkokura]

Crazy enough, but the only OD I'm using on a consistent basis right now is my own design, loosely based on the Tubescreamer family. I also use a modded Sunking and a modded TIM clone.

Jacob

[jtn191]

The one's I've got on my board now are a Sunking (klon duplicate w/ vox-ish character), a Neutrino (Fenderish tubescreamer), and a Danelectro Daddy-O (Guv'nor copy, Marshall-ish) running into a blues jr. Haven't tried playing with my friends yet to test 'em out but I like these