Favourite drive pedal?

[astfgyl]

Re last post:



That thing

[Shardknife]

Don't really have a favourite drive pedal per se, generally I get my gain sound from my amp for heavier stuff. When I do cover gigs I use an Xotic BB preamp for my lower gain sound and a Joyo US Dream (suhr Riot Clone) for higher gain into a clean fender style amp sim pedal which goes direct to the PA. The BB has a nice character to the gain without being too drastic a change from the clean sound. I have used the Boss SD1 and Joyo Uzi for similar gain staging in the past and they worked well too.

I've tried the tubescreamer/Boss SD1 into the front of my 5150 for the volume boost/mid hump tightening thing but I still need a clean sound and it's one more pedal to turn off so I don't bother with it for live stuff but have used it for recording. I do sometimes use DOD Carcoza to hit the front of the amp to get a gnarly sound but it's more fuzz than drive. It's one of the few fuzzes I have that still sounds good into a heavy amp sound without getting too muddy.

For bass stuff I either use a sansamp and get a little bit of grit from that or a HX stomp with a driven SVT sound, that's what I use for most of the more classic sounding stuff. I like the HM2 and RAT sounds on bass for death metal but it's too thin and lacking in low end for me live. I keep meaning to pick up a loop blender so I can dial back some clean blend in with the distorted bass tone.

Or just pick up a Battlehammer or Sledgehammer from me.  The reason either exist is because Rats are too thin for me plus the Sledgehammer has some hints of HM-2 in there too.

That said my favourite drives (that I don't make) are the Boss SD-1 and Blues Driver (ideally modded for more low end) and then the Turbo Rat for really low gain edge of break up stuff.

I've a few friends with battlehammers and they all say good things, have seen them one boards at gigs and they definitely sound huge. I don't think I've actually tried one hands on yet with my gear but I must have played through one at some stage!

[tonictitan]

I'm currently running a homemade Swollen Pickle on bass. I have it set at fairly low gain so it's almost a clean tone but it gives an insane amount of low end rumble.