[SJB66]

Hey guy's,
I'm looking for an overdrive pedal to use through my effect send/return on my AC 30. Im looking for the sort of crunch sound the Beatles had on Revolver -- 'She Said, She Said', 'And Your Bird can Sing' & 'Dr Robert.' I realise I can get a crunch sound from the amp, but living in an Apartment I cannot turn it up that loud. I need it for recording. Something that will not muddy my sound. Anyone have any recommendations? I have not owned an effect pedal for year's, I used what came with my Line 6 which had been ok. I don't really even know what is out there these day's.
Thank's,
Karl

[roadjunkie]

Originally Posted by SJB66

Hey guy's,
I'm looking for an overdrive pedal to use through my effect send/return on my AC 30. Im looking for the sort of crunch sound the Beatles had on Revolver -- 'She Said, She Said', 'And Your Bird can Sing' & 'Dr Robert.' I realise I can get a crunch sound from the amp, but living in an Apartment I cannot turn it up that loud. I need it for recording. Something that will not muddy my sound. Anyone have any recommendations? I have not owned an effect pedal for year's, I used what came with my Line 6 which had been ok. I don't really even know what is out there these day's.
Thank's,
Karl

It's a long waiting list but these are perfect for Vox based amps



The Tim's goes for 150 and the Timmy goes for about 99

Both are a clean boost but the Tim has a gain channel. If you're interested PM me and I'll send you Paul's phone # yeah you have to do this over the phone!

[dafreeze]

I bought a modded Ibanez TS-808 Tubescreamer from Robert Keeley and although kinda pricey, it's the perfect OD to my ears. If it disappeared, I'd not hesitate to order another.

Don't know if it'd be the sound for your application, but I do know there weren't too many OD pedals back then. (were there any?) I also know an AC 30 is the next high ticket item on my list of necessities.

Perhaps another option to consider would be a THD Hotplate. I'd been thinking of going that route before I got the Tubescreamer.

[roadjunkie]

Just a personal opinion but I don't think tubescreamers and Vox mix and match too well. You already have that sizable midrange with the Vox and matched with a TS you're gonna lose a bunch of what bass is available.

[iowa]

Originally Posted by roadjunkie

It's a long waiting list but these are perfect for Vox based amps



The Tim's goes for 150 and the Timmy goes for about 99

Both are a clean boost but the Tim has a gain channel. If you're interested PM me and I'll send you Paul's phone # yeah you have to do this over the phone!

I'm on the list. I ordered in April and I am hoping to get it by Christmas. In the meantime, I should have a Deucetone Rat delivered this week.

[bug music]

IMHO you can't go wrong with "The Monkey" !

http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/p...dal?sku=150831

Best money I've spent in a long time. I got mine for $39 on sale.
Great pedal - stupid name.

- Jay

[Synchro]

I would agree with Big Music. The Bad Monkey is a great little pedal at a very nice price.

[noelweller]

Ha I spent a whopping 39 bucks for my Danelectro cool cat Transparent overdrive. and guess what. I like it cause when I play it sounds like my guitar and my amp no matter how little or much gain I have. There true bypass yada yada yada.... don't need to spend big bucks to get a great sound.

[Jukebox]

Then, why did ya ask?

[drgonzo2]

I'd suggest a treble booster rather than an o/d. As roadjunkie said, there weren't any overdrive pedals about when the Beatles were recording, but there were many treble boosters around. The one most likely to have been used by the beatles is probably the Vox/coloursound 'Tonebender'. There are plenty of modern versions of these early pedals around.

dafreeze's suggestion of a hotplate is also good. A clean AC30 is LOUD. An AC30 cranked to the point of distortion is BLOODY LOUD. Noise complaints from the next block over loud. As with most of the classic 50's/60's amp designs, they were designed to fill large rooms, playing to 1000+ audiences. As such, they need to be turned up to 'ouch!' to get the best from them. An attenuator (hotplate/airbrake/etc) is a really useful thing to have, letting you crank up the amp enough to get the best from it, without blasting your ears/the neighbours/the audience through the nearest wall. In an apartment an attenuator is a necessity if you want to use a large valve amp(20watts+) beyond '1' on the volume control...

One final thought. If/when you get hold of a booster/od, put it in front of the amp, not in the fx loop. The fx loop is best used for time based effects like delay or reverb. Signal boosters (od/dist/etc) work best before the amp, allowing the amplifier's preamp section to roll off the 'bee in a jam jar' fizz that they can produce.

HTH... G

[Jukebox]

Originally Posted by noelweller

Ha I spent a whopping 39 bucks for my Danelectro cool cat Transparent overdrive. and guess what. I like it cause when I play it sounds like my guitar and my amp no matter how little or much gain I have. There true bypass yada yada yada.... don't need to spend big bucks to get a great sound.

Where are the pictures? You know the rules!

[Gretschy]

If you have an AC30 with an FX loop, doesn't it have a master volume. If it has a master then....uh...am I missing something?

A Keeley modded Blues Driver works pretty well with my AC30. I have the one with the Freak Fuzz and phat mod. It is a fantastic pedal with a lot of vintage fuzz vibe without crazy excessive gain.

I also have a Solasound Tonebender MKII clone but I would not call it a treble boost. It is a full on, high gain, nasty Fuzz pedal. Jimmy Page used them on a bunch of Zep.

Beware though, generally speaking, AC30s are usually not too pedal friendly. I think there's a mod or two out there to help out, but I don't really run more than a clean boost through mine usually. I have an EF86 Channel that gives me all the Voxy Grit I need. I find that it really doesn't take much to Overdrive an AC30. I personally just dig in a little harder. I love the touch sensitivity of that amp.

[noelweller]

Originally Posted by Jukebox

Where are the pictures? You know the rules!

Pictures to come...

[Poppatwang]

Fulltone Fulldrive. The new version is even more tweakable. I've got an older Fulldrive 2 that's been on my pedalboard for years.

[drgonzo2]

Originally Posted by Gretschy

If you have an AC30 with an FX loop, doesn't it have a master volume. If it has a master then....uh...am I missing something?

Yup. Power valve distortion. The 'other half' of the amp's tone.

[Gretschy]

Originally Posted by drgonzo2

Yup. Power valve distortion. The 'other half' of the amp's tone.

I realize that. All but 1 of my amps have no Master. That may be why he wants to run his OD through the effects loop-to skip the pre amp and drive the power tubes.

I think if it were me, and I had a Master, I would experiment with different pre amp tubes that would push my Power tubes into distortion at lower volumes, until I got the tone I wanted. I think you can actually put EF86 Pre amp tubes in any AC30. That is a hell of a tone.

[getbent]

I'd look at finding an Award JD10.. I have owned several of the above and a sparkle drive and several home brew boxes... I looked down the other night and kinda chuckled... my jd10 was right back on my board.. it is a sure thing AND if your amp dies it is also a direct box (including a speaker simulator) so, you can go direct to the PA if you had to....

You can usually pick them up on ebay for 80.00

Here is the website... the guy who makes them is a very nice man.

[Mark W]

Originally Posted by Synchro

I would agree with Big Music. The Bad Monkey is a great little pedal at a very nice price.

Bad Monkey used to cost an unbelievable $39...now it is $49.00. If all you want is an overdriven sound...this will nail it. One other for a whole lot more money that will di it very well is a Robert Keeley Modded Boss BD2. I personally would spank the Monkey!

[Synchro]

Originally Posted by Mark W

Bad Monkey used to cost an unbelievable $39...now it is $49.00. If all you want is an overdriven sound...this will nail it. One other for a whole lot more money that will di it very well is a Robert Keeley Modded Boss BD2. I personally would spank the Monkey!

I had a BD2 for a while too. They're both good pedals but the BD-2 didn't sound as good to my ear as the Monkey . . . except for with my Dynasonic Duo Jet. The BD-2 and Dynas are a match made in heaven.

[Scott]

That's what I use. My BD-2 is Keeley modded with the Phat switch mod only. Adds bottom end that IMO the BD-2 sorely needs.
I've had mine for 4 or 5 years now. I bought a Seymour Duncan Twin Tube pedal last year; used it a few months and went back to the BD-2. Not saying the Twin Tube was substandard...hardly the case. Just that the BD-2 suits my needs just fine.