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Joske Turbo
Silver Member
Belgium
412 Posts |
 Posted - 01/08/2010 : 17:20:15
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Hi folks
I think I'm gonna take my Big Muff off my board soon. It has a cool sound but I dislike it more and more that my playing nuances aren't coming through and that my high notes are really pushed away by the massive bass when I strike powerchords. But the main reason is that with my new Gretsch hollowbody, I suffer a lot from feedback. Therefore I thought to replace it with an overdrive, and the MXR looks real good to me, especially with the boost function. Does anyone has or tried this pedal?
Thanks
 Joske |
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FRANZONI
Double Platinum Member
Ireland
3543 Posts |
Posted - 01/08/2010 : 18:23:03
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The eternal problem of a hollow body guitar ..massive bass and natural reverb especially when using booster and distortion pedals..,your probably right about the Muff being the wrong pedal for that guitar...from what i've read about the C.A.E pedal is that while being a good pedal (all the CAE stuff is usually top notch) it might not be the right one for the Gretsch either...it realy depends for what sort of sound your going for but if your looking to use a guitar like that with massive amounts of fuzz and distortion you might have problems,as you know i have a 67 Fender Coronado II great for jazz and blues and some twangy stuff but not for heavy rock......maybe something like the Barber LTD which is a light sounding overdrive might be better..also what sort of amp are you using..?..... |
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Joske Turbo
Silver Member
Belgium
412 Posts |
Posted - 01/08/2010 : 18:39:46
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| Hi Franzoni, thanks for the response. I'm not looking for a thunderous fuzz sound but more the classic rock sound. AC/DC, ZZ Top, Deep Purple,... you know what I mean. Also some stoner rock like QOTSA, Kyuss,... but that's really the heaviest I play. I will run it into 2 amps: Marshall MG 100 DFX (solid state), and a Blackheart Little Giant stack (tube, 5 watt). |
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Goran
Double Platinum Member
Sweden
2203 Posts |
Posted - 01/08/2010 : 18:42:03
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I donīt know anything about the new MXR pedal, but Big Muff Iīve had several of and came to the same conclusion as you. BUT itīs a hate-love relationship 
If I was you I would look around for a really good and transparent overdrive, there are many to choose from.
Cheap: Danelectr Cool Cat Transparent Overdrive
Expensive: Fulltone OCD (well, not that transparent but sounds very good)
Ask the forum for more opinions on good overdrives  |
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FRANZONI
Double Platinum Member
Ireland
3543 Posts |
Posted - 01/08/2010 : 18:59:47
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| All the bands you mention use either solid or semi-solid guitars..i think that CAE pedal is based more around a more 'polished' americian sound like Toto/steve lukather or bands of that ilk rather than more 'stoner' type bands..an overdrive (like Goran suggested) i think would suit you better for the classic rock sound rather than a fuzz or distortion pedal..also i would pull the drive level back a bit as well....what does it sound like through the marshall overdrive channel..i use one of those amps in rehearsal and it's not a bad amp.... |
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Dirk
Platinum Member
Netherlands
1309 Posts |
Posted - 01/08/2010 : 19:33:12
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Slash uses the MXR overdrive/boost nowadays in his rig for guitar solo's.
But off course he's known for the Les Paul/Marshall combination. |
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The_Doc
Gold Member
United Kingdom
509 Posts |
Posted - 01/08/2010 : 23:31:28
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Hi Joske Turbo
I had the MC-401 Boost/Line Driver (the one without the overdrive) in my rig for a while just to boost the pedals in the effects loop of my amp. By accident, when I plugged it in between the guitar and the amp (a Marshall JVM) it pushed the amp into overdrive and kept all the picking dynamics nice and clear. Because it wasn't in the effects loop, the volume hike wasn't much at all, so that was easy to control. I've heard, although I've never tried one, that the overdrive on the MC-402 is not so good - a bit flat and unexciting.
In the end, the MXR came out of my rig and now I use a Fulltone Full Drive 2 - which can go from a nice clean boost to a raging overdrive. That one will stay on there for 2010 gig schedule.
Sorry - forgot to say (dumb old me  ), my main guitar is a PRS CU22 (I use both the humbuckers and the coil taps) and our set is predominently 'classic rock' covers - Stones, Free, Bad Company, Thin Lizzy, etc - so a good overdriven tone is important to me. |
Edited by - The_Doc on 01/08/2010 23:35:01 |
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Witloofboer
Gold Member
Belgium
513 Posts |
Posted - 01/09/2010 : 09:31:16
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quote:
Originally posted by The_Doc
... now I use a Fulltone Full Drive 2 - which can go from a nice clean boost to a raging overdrive.
I like the Full Drive 2 very much. It's quite transparent & it's quite versatile. It's only drawback is the price  .
Ps. I tried it with a hollowbody (telecaster, no f holes), and I had no feedback problems. |
Edited by - Witloofboer on 01/09/2010 09:34:16 |
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Joske Turbo
Silver Member
Belgium
412 Posts |
Posted - 01/09/2010 : 11:54:47
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| A few others pedals that seem good for my sound that I found are the EHX English Muff'n and the Blackstar HT Drive. Anyone has any experience with those? |
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Witloofboer
Gold Member
Belgium
513 Posts |
Posted - 01/09/2010 : 15:12:38
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quote:
Originally posted by Joske Turbo
... and the Blackstar HT Drive. Anyone has any experience with those?
I think Archimedes & DasBeef own one. |
Edited by - Witloofboer on 01/09/2010 15:13:15 |
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silvertone6120
Gold Member
USA
609 Posts |
Posted - 01/09/2010 : 15:57:01
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Joske, I mostly play only Gretsch hollowbodies, and I play a lot of the same material you've alluded to. I've gotten excellent results with a Seymour Duncan Twin Tube(I sold it a few months ago though), and also for several years I've used a Keeley-modded Blues Driver.
The simple secret to playing a hollowbody is that the overall volume onstage has to be lower. If you have a bombastic drummer or another guitar player that uses a Marshall on earbleed volume, the vibrations from those frequencies can cause your hollowbody to howl. If everyone lowers the volume onstage and lets the soundman control what's going out to the house, then the hollowbody won't howl as bad, the overall sound is tighter, and everybody's ears will last a few years longer! |
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Joske Turbo
Silver Member
Belgium
412 Posts |
Posted - 01/09/2010 : 17:34:51
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| Thanks for the replies, Witloofboer and silvertone6120. I've checked out the twintube also but I find it a bit overpriced. The stage volume is a future problem because I'm just forming a band at the moment. I will take it into account at our first live shows. |
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Joske Turbo
Silver Member
Belgium
412 Posts |
Posted - 01/13/2010 : 18:23:58
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| I decided to go for the OCD. It is quite expensive, but I think it will be perfect for the sound I want. Thanks for all the tips!! |
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nosi0
Gold Member
Netherlands
511 Posts |
Posted - 01/13/2010 : 18:28:26
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| I just saw this topic and i don't see why nobody mentioned the Laurie HZD its a great pedal with functions similar to the OCD and MXR 401. Either way, how do you like the OCD? |
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Joske Turbo
Silver Member
Belgium
412 Posts |
Posted - 01/13/2010 : 18:29:29
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| Sorry if I misleaded some of you, guys. I did not already get the OCD. I just decided that I want it. You forget the saving part... |
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nosi0
Gold Member
Netherlands
511 Posts |
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Topic |
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MXR Custom Audio Electronics Overdrive/Boost
