[b weird]

I want to buy a distortion/overdrive pedal but I'm not sure what to get.

Here's my perdicament:
I have a 5 watt Fender tube amp with just one channel. I want a pedal where I can set my amp for clean and engage the pedal for distortion, not real thick distortion though, just enough for a crunch but not so much that chords are all muddy.

The pedals I'm looking at are the Boss DS-1 or the Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer. I'm thinking the TS9 but IDK. If anyone has any opinions on other pedals I'd like to hear them.

For an example of the sound I'm looking for, listen to anything by the group Paramore.

(Seriously if anyone out there like punk listen too Paramore they're REALLY good.)

[jackr]

The DS-1 is fine. Nice inexpensive pedal. The tube screamer are more of overdrive pedals and may not have the "crunch" unless you turn your guitar on 10 or start really digging in.

So really they are for 2 separate purposes. I use a Boss BD2 for that and I like it. But it has gotten mixed reviews. The distortion pedal I really like, ( and there are a lot of good ones out there) is the Electro Harmonix Little Big Muff.

Here is a demo

[b weird]

Hey yeah the Little Big Muff may be what I'm looking for.

[groovemongrel]

The Tubescreamer is an overdrive pedal, not distortion. There is a difference. I have a TS9DX and a Marshall Guv'nor. Both have their own sound and purpose.

[Tennessee Jedi]

I use the Bluesdriver as well - love 'em. Does the Dead well for me. I use two in my chain - one as a boost and one with some gain ...
The Big Muff is a total different beast - non Dead like but I have a thing for EH pedals ...
The Big Muff is a cheap pedal in $ and quality IMHO. I have a pile of broken Muffs.
The One MUFF for me though is the English Muffin ...
It has tone that you can work with as compared to the regular Muff which just pummels your guitar tone into oblivion.
Non cheap but way better quality than the Muff

[strumminsix]

This thread may help:
http://www.rukind.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=319&t=2336

[playingdead]

I use the Boss OD-2R for my Playing Dead rig. It's just right, to my ears. I used to have a TS-9, but never really liked it all that much without using compression with it.

However, someone here turned me on to the ZenDrive (I have the ZenDrive II tube version). That's a great pedal, very variable, terrific sound. Everything from a little warm overdrive to the "Dumble in a box" tone that is so close, Robben Ford tours with one instead of his real Dumble.

Pricey, hard to find (waiting list), but a great pedal.

I'm going to put a bunch of gear up for sale soon, and my ZenDrive will probably be included, as the Egnater M4 preamp and five tube modules I have really cover all the bases for me.

[strumminsix]

I'm going to put a bunch of gear up for sale soon, and my ZenDrive will probably be included, as the Egnater M4 preamp and five tube modules I have really cover all the bases for me.

That is a great pedal! The list is very long and it's a wait for a new Zen Drive last I checked.

[jonarobb]

Can't go wrong with these. Kind of does everything. It's totally doofus proof as well.

[tigerstrat]

DS-1 (a distortion),and a Screamer (a classic overdrive) are two vastly different pedals. OD-1, SD-1,OD-3 and BD would be the comparable Boss overdrive pedals. DS-1 is more akin to a HM-2 or the Distortion Feedbacker pedal, which I believe JG only used sparingly, circa 84-85- I have ferggiten...

Main diff between Ibanez and Boss OD's is Boss is asymmetrical clipping while Ibz is symmetrical clipping. The TS has easily spawned the greater number of copycat/clones, like the Fulltone, etc

I modded my SD-1 to TS-808 specs but left the asymmetrical clipping (still a "Boss"); seemed (for me and my style) to result in a smoother-yet-grittier (finer grit?) pedal at the same time.

[petcat]

I use five distortion/OD pedals in my rig in this order: BOSS OD-2, BOSS OD1, Clapton, MXR Classic, and Xotic RC. Each has a different sound. Distortion pedals (can be) some of the least expensive out there. You can pick up many for very little and decide/sell off till you are happy. It's nice to change the distortion during songs without having to try to reach around (or down) to the dial.

[b weird]

I was just flipping through a Musicianfriend catalog and came across a OD/Dist. pedal called V2JH Jekyll & Hyde by Visual Sound, anyone heard of it or have it?

[tigerstrat]

If I was to throw out one different suggestion to try, esp. for "crunch" specifically, it would probably be the Crunch Box, by MI-Audio. Great little pedal for an instant British sound.

[b weird]

Here, here's my MySpace address.

http://www.myspace.com/deadhead1234

Go to my profile player and listen to any of the four songs by paramore, specificly "Pressure" song # 2. What kind of sound does the guitarist have and what pedal would be best to replicate that sound.

Thanks.

[Guyute24]

i've used the ds1, ts9, big muff pi, and mxr distortion +, all in my setup before, i found the ds1 to be a great cheap pedal, but all i use now is the mxr distortion + for distortion, and the ts9 for overdrive. i found the big muff pi to be too much for my tastes, and the boss blues driver to not be enough for me.