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Topic: Overdrive Choices |
Jim Hoke
From:
Tennessee, USA
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Posted 26 Sep 2020 2:02 pm |
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| Anybody had a chance to compare the MXR distortion (small 2 knob version) with the newer Sarno Earth Drive? I'm looking for something simple and compact, like my Boss delay. |
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Tom Dillon
From:
La Mesa, California, USA
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Posted 26 Sep 2020 2:34 pm
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| They are very different sounding. I used to have an MXR Distortion III, with three knobs. Not exactly what you have, but probably in the same ballpark for sound. Later I got a used Sarno Earth Drive, liked the sound much more, and I sold the MXR. I also have the Sarno Solar Flare, and that's the one I take to every gig. |
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K Maul
From:
Hadley, NY/Hobe Sound, FL
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Posted 27 Sep 2020 3:55 am
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I like X-otic’s BB Preamp
_________________
KEVIN MAUL: Airline, Beard, Clinesmith, Donner, Evans, Excel, Fender, Fluger, GFI, Gibson, Hilton, Ibanez, Justice, K+K, Live Strings, MOYO, National, Oahu, Peterson, Quilter, Rickenbacher, Sho~Bud, Supro, TC, Ultimate, VHT, Williams, X-otic, Yamaha, ZKing. |
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Tony Prior
From:
Charlotte NC
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Posted 27 Sep 2020 5:19 am
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The thing about OD pedals is first, they are not all equal ,far from it, 2nd is we really have to understand the operation, how do dial them in for OUR sound, if its even possible. Sometimes, its not possible regardless of how many times we turn the knobs.
I'm far from an OD pedal expert but I have owned countless pedals that I no longer own. I've bought and used pedals that others loved and recommended, Nope they didn't cut it either. Gone.
Hundreds of dollars and years later I am down to two. They are both different and are in different pedal boards.
Voodoo Labs Sparkle Drive , not cheap. 4 glorious knobs, Gain , Tone CLEAN and Level . The trick to this one is the CLEAN knob , dial in the setting you like and add or decrease the drive with the CLEAN knob. Sounds like overkill until you use it for a while and you understand its function. This PED is also great for the 6 string electric slide as in Warren Zevon .
The other is the Nobels ODR-1, Natural OD. IF you are looking for extreme OD, this is not it, look elsewhere. This one, once familiar with operation is like cranking a tube amp up just over its CLEAN point with added boost. This one is in my small 3-Pedal TELE only board . Added grit. Tuner > ODR-1 > Delay
These are my standards now. I don't see me changing anytime soon. I can't say if these would work for you 
_________________
Emmons L-II , Fender Telecasters, B-Benders , Eastman Mandolin ,
Pro Tools 12 on WIN 7 !
jobless- but not homeless- now retired 9 years
CURRENT MUSIC TRACKS AT > https://tprior2241.wixsite.com/website
Last edited by Tony Prior on 27 Sep 2020 8:48 am; edited 2 times in total |
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Jim Hoke
From:
Tennessee, USA
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Posted 27 Sep 2020 7:30 am
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| Thanks for the good ideas! I'll research accordingly. Hey Kevin - you doin' okay? |
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K Maul
From:
Hadley, NY/Hobe Sound, FL
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Posted 27 Sep 2020 7:51 am
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Doing very well. We’re snowbirds!
_________________
KEVIN MAUL: Airline, Beard, Clinesmith, Donner, Evans, Excel, Fender, Fluger, GFI, Gibson, Hilton, Ibanez, Justice, K+K, Live Strings, MOYO, National, Oahu, Peterson, Quilter, Rickenbacher, Sho~Bud, Supro, TC, Ultimate, VHT, Williams, X-otic, Yamaha, ZKing. |
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Mike Schwartzman
From:
Maryland, USA
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Posted 27 Sep 2020 7:28 pm
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I can't compare the MXR to the Earth Drive, but I do have a 2 knob OD pedal by Boss from the early 80's. I've owned other OD's also, like the Tube Screamer, DOD etc.. One thing I can say about the Earth Drive is that the sweep on the drive knob has more useable settings (to my ear) than of any of my other OD pedals. And that goes for pedal steel and 6 string electric as well. I don't play a lot of heavily distorted stuff, but that's what the 2 knob Boss OD 1 does well.
I used to play with a guy that used a Sparkle Drive with 6 string electric. Very sweet pedal, but I've not tried it myself.
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Emmons Push Pull, BMI, Session 400, Home of the Slimcaster Tele. |
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