overdrive/distortion advice!

ryanasaur

ive experimented with it all, multi effects, rack set up, but im onw back to basics and returned to stomps.
im looking for a heavy distortion/overdrive but not metal kinda like a heavy fat 80's rock distortion, heres what i have:

eq
wah
compressor
delay
boss blues driver
x-drive (ts808 chip)
boss sd1 (not too happy with this one, its a bit thin)
all into a fender hotrod deluxe 4x10

any help would greatly be appreciated!

Grolschevik

I have a Marshall Guv'nor GV 2 and I think it's great. I used to use it all the time: great lead and rhythm sounds to be had out of it, and it cleans up nicely from the guitar's volume pots for a good modern bluesy tone. I really don't think you can beat it for the money and its pedalboard footprint.

But, as you'll have noticed, I said "used to use it". On my pedalboard for gigging, I currently use a Seymour Duncan Twin Tube Classic. Fantastic pedal for lead and rhythm. really, really good -- especially in front of a Fender, in my opinion.

I also have the remarkably impressive Carl Martin PlexiTone. That's a good one, too, but a bit limited in its range of tones.

That said, the one distortion pedal that lives in my guitar case for impromptu jams and gig emergencies is the Marshall GV2...

Sandvich

I love my SD-1, just wish it didn't lack low end so much. Such a let down.

rgt320q

All I can say is, write some stuff that really appeals to you (i.e., figure out your main "style/genre"), and just tinker around with whatever you have at your disposal 'til you find the tone that brings out the 'feeling' behind those riffs/licks best. You'll most likely know it when you hit it (though, as with anything, there's no guarantees when you will).

Another option is to try replicate the sounds of your favourite artists and move on from there - tailor those sounds to your own personal style.

rcaz

ProCo RAT! At the moment, it's the only distortion on my board, and it covers everything I need. Little bits of crunch, every degree of distortion, and almost just about verging on fuzzy territory. I'd recommend a RAT to anybody looking for a distortion, but a 'heavy overdrive/distortion' is exactly what a RAT can do. Just make sure you try one with a serial number over 3000000

PeterIanStaker

Try an MXR Distortion + Randy Rhoads used to use one.

Paolo_M

When you say fat 80s rock distortion tone I'm thinking Van Halen, Dokken, G N' R, Iron Maiden, Skidrow et al. Is that along the lines of what you mean?

If it were me, I'd sell that amp and all the pedals and buy a decent amp with fat, distortion available on board. The HotRod is going to limit you no matter what you do.

Your pick attack, guitar/pick-ups and amp are the foundation of your tone.
You'll waste a lot of time on pedals as your foundation does seem to be right for what you want.

10" speaker do not reproduce lows (or even low mids) well.

A good 2 X 12 cab will do a far better job. There's loads of amp heads available now for decent money with great clean and dirty channels.
Add a clean boost and possibly a phaser/flanger/chorus/delay and you're in 80s rock heaven.

What guitar/pickups are you using?

Sandvich

Actually a Barber Dirty Bomb could be a great choice for this.

An MI Audio Crunch Box or Catalinbread Dirty Little Secret also.

electrogrimey

Proco Rat.

shizz

PeterIanStaker wrote: »

Try an MXR Distortion + Randy Rhoads used to use one.

No no no please stay away from that. Awful sounding stock IMO.

Im with Paolo on this one. That Fender amp is just not ment for what your looking for in 80's rock.

PeterIanStaker

I think the MXR sounds great. Works for me anyway. Then again I'm broke.

shizz

PeterIanStaker wrote: »

I think the MXR sounds great. Works for me anyway. Then again I'm broke.

Well man if you like it that's all that matters. I think it sounds better with LED's being used to clip the signal but it is not a high gain pedal, more of an overdrive IMO.

Heres a video showing it stock and then with an LED in being used to clip it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnxTn1OE6_Q

8k2q1gfcz9s5d4

I have to agree with the comments about 10 inch speakers having a crap low end.

as regards pedals, ther MXR distortion +, I have one, i use it to give my singlecoils a bit of a crunch. im not a massive fan of it as a heavy distortion pedal. the best overdrive/distortion pedals i have ever used have to be the ones made by blackstar. I have the dual overdrive, one of my mates has one of the single channel distortion ones. sound amazing, but are expensive