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View Full Version : Recent OD/Distortion Pedal Purchases



duhvoodooman
October 23rd, 2007, 11:40 AM
Just a few comments on three OD/distortion pedals I've picked up recently on eBay:

Boss OD-20 Drive Zone -- This multi-distortion pedal (see pic HERE (http://cachepe.zzounds.com/media/quality,85/brand,zzounds/OD20-7fd0f25144a003f637e2ec6a4a34e13a.jpg)) offers 22 separate tones, ranging from subtle overdrive to death metal mega-distortion. This digital pedal uses Boss' Composite Object Sound Modeling (COSM) technology to emulate several vintage Boss OD/distro boxes, a number of competitive/boutique pedals, plus six "original" distortion tones unique to the OD-20. Subjectively, I find several of these quite good (the Boss OD-2 & BD-2, Stack, Klon Centaur, and Marshall Guv'nor emulations are my favorites), while others are just OK and several are of no real interest to me at all. Most of the latter are the ultra-high gain types which don't fit what I play, plus a couple others that sound just either nondescript or just plain weird to me (the Tube Screamer, MXR Distortion + and ProCo Rat emulations all suck out loud, IMO). Tonally, my main criticism is that several of these emulations sound very dry/sterile/synthetic to me. Admittedly, I'm not into highly distorted, scooped-mids tones and it's those that are least appealing to me. So maybe the issue here is the user's ear rather than the pedal's capabilities!

As far as ease of use and controls functionality goes, I find the OD-20 pretty straightforward to use, despite its apparent complexity. In addition to the usual Drive (gain) and Level (volume) knobs, it offers separate treble (Tone) and bass (Bottom) controls, plus a couple of additional ones called Attack Shape and Heavy Octave. The former controls how smooth or sharp the attack portion of your tone sounds, while the latter mixes in a lower octave tone when playing in the lower registers. The models themselves are selected with an 11-position rotary knob, with a push-button Variation control determining which of a pair of emulations is selected for each of the eleven positions.

The OD-20 also has four programmable memory settings that allow you to store your favorite tones, once you dial them in. These are controlled by one of the two pedal switches on the OD-20, while the other one selects between active or bypass mode for the pedal. One item of note--when bypassed, the effect is still very much "on", with indicator and button lights lit. If you want it to go dark, you have to either pull it out of your signal chain or detach the AC adapter plug (standard 9V type; will run off 6 AA batteries, also).

One last comment: It came as quite a surprise to me for such a recent vintage effect, but I've noticed that the OD-20 definitely sucks some tone, at least where I have it in my pedal chain. I haven't tried shuffling it around any in my set-up to see if this improves, as it's easier for me to just remove it from the chain when I'm not using it.

The OD-20 sells for $160 new, but used ones in good condition can be found on eBay in the $100 - $110 range. At this point, I still haven't decided if I'll keep it long-term or not. The issue is that almost all of the OD-20's tones that I like are available to me from other OD/distro pedals I already own. Where the OD-20 would really shine would be for the player who is (1) looking for a "do-it-all" distortion box, and (2) would regularly use the high-gain emulations that are of little interest to me personally.


Behringer TO100 Tube Overdrive -- Here's a pedal that's pretty much at the opposite end of the product spectrum from the feature laden OD-20! The Behringer TO100 is your basic overdrive pedal at a bargain basement price, as THIS PIC (http://www.behringer.com/TO100/TO100_medium.jpg) shows--a simple 3-knob OD box, with Drive, Level and Tone controls. Think "Tube Screamer clone", and you've pretty much got the intent of this one down pat.

The cool part of this little pedal boils down to two factors: how well it achieves its objective, and how cheaply it manages to do it. I bought the pedal brand new on eBay, and paid a mere $16 for it. Even with shipping included, it only came to $23 total. Behringer lists most of their wide variety of effect pedals at $45, but they typically sell for $30 or so at the major online stores, and even better deals can be easily found on eBay, as I found out.

However, even $16 could be too much for a crappy sounding pedal, so how does the TO100 perform tonally?? Answer: amazingly well. The pedal produces a nice TS-ish overdriven tone, a bit heavy on the midrange, and quite smooth in character. The controls work well with the Drive and Tone each having a reasonably wide and useful dynamic range. Does it sound "just like a TS-808?" Well, I don't have one of those, but I did compare it head-to-head with my homebuilt ZYS pedal, which is based directly upon the venerable TS-808 circuit. And while it doesn't have quite the transparency, note clarity and full-gain grit of that pedal, it gets pretty darned close! OTOH, it doesn't have as pronounced of a mid-range "hump" as the 808 circuit, which would be a definite plus for some people. And when you consider that the big stores get $170 for a TS-808 reissue and $100 for a TS-9, this puppy is an incredible bargain.

One other comment here--the TO100 works great in tandem with another overdrive. I was playing my LP Std. through the ZYS and kicked in the TO100 behind it, resulting in a deliciously raw overdriven tone that was especially good for pinch harmonics, but still wasn't too harsh on the top end. Very useful!

The TO100's one notable drawback is "gigworthiness". The Behringer pedals have plastic casings and comparatively flimsy knobs, features that are bound to be a concern for guitarists stomping around on dark stages or constantly throwing gear in and out of the backs of vehicles. Even though the plastic used seems to be thick & tough, these pedals aren't going to compete with those metal quasi-tanks made by Boss, Digitech, et al. as far as durability goes. But many of us "hobby players" really don't need that level of toughness.

Bottom Line: A great bargain for the budget-minded guitarist looking for that Tube Screamer overdriven tone at an insanely low price point. A DVM Best Buy.


Marshall Guv'nor Plus -- This is my latest acquisition, purchased used on eBay for $48.50 (they typically sell new for $70). I went looking for one after enjoying what I'd heard from the Guv'nor emulation on the OD-20. After listening to the sound samples on the Marshall website, I decided I had to try one firsthand! I haven't had it long enough to put it through its paces thoroughly, but here are my initial impressions....

Think "vintage-Marshall-stack-in-a-stompbox", and you'll have the gist of what the Guv'nor Plus is all about. Now while it's not really reasonable to think that you could get the tone of a JCM800 head and a 4x12 cabinet out of a pedal, the Guv'nor Plus gets awfully close! Tonally, the GP seems to fall into that seam between lower gain overdrive pedals, and high-gain distro boxes. Personally, that's exactly where I wanted to be, so this pedal delivers just what I was looking for. It's great looking, too, with its brushed aluminum finish and gold knobs and trim (see the pedal HERE (http://images.miretail.com/products/optionlarge/Marshall/468718jpg.jpg)). It's extremely sturdily built and very heavy for its size, and the knobs are recessed below the level of the top of the casing, protecting them from being stepped on accidentally.

What makes the Guv'nor Plus stand out among the crowded field of distortion effects is its tone control system. While most pedals in this genre give you one or maybe two tone controls, the GP presents you with four! In addition to bass, mid and treble controls, this pedal includes a "Deep" control that really rolls on the thunder and gives an amazingly close approximation of that feel-it-in-your-chest thump of a 4x12 cabinet, as long as your amp's speaker(s) is capable of pushing the air. These four controls are located on two concentric knobs, supplemented with the customary Gain and Volume controls. The gain range on this pedal is very wide, affording anything from a middling overdrive to a fairly high gain distortion. Death metal players will probably want more output than this pedal can deliver, but using that Deep knob and scooping the mids should at least get you into that ballpark, if that's where you want to be. All in all, a very flexible and affordable pedal that wears its Marshall heritage well!
Well, that's plenty for now, kiddies....

sunvalleylaw
October 23rd, 2007, 11:46 AM
Do you put the Bad Monkey in the OD category? How does it fit in with these three in your mind, O pedal master?

Spudman
October 23rd, 2007, 12:15 PM
Nice review Voodoo. Thank you.

I've been eyeing that Boss pedal as well. If you decide to loose it get hold of me.

duhvoodooman
October 23rd, 2007, 12:21 PM
Do you put the Bad Monkey in the OD category? How does it fit in with these three in your mind, O pedal master?
Yes, the Bad Monkey definitely fits squarely into the OD category. Of these three, it compares most directly with the TO100. However, the Monkey's dual tone controls (separate treble and bass) give a greater extent of control than the TO100's single Tone knob. The gain range is somewhat wider, and the pedal is a bit less mid-rangey, to my ear. Nice warmth to its tone, too. I'd definitely give the nod to the Bad Monkey as the better overall OD pedal of the two, but it's also quite a bit more expensive.....though still a great bargain. I've noticed that as the Monk has made a name for itself, prices have gone up, both used & new.


I've been eyeing that Boss pedal as well. If you decide to loose it get hold of me.
Yeah, I'd think that the OD-20 would match up well with that impressive collection of Ibanez metal machines you own! If I decide to part with it, you'll get first shot, Spuds.... :AOK:

sunvalleylaw
October 23rd, 2007, 12:31 PM
Thanks PedalMaster, for the great insight! I got my Bad Monkey for $25, though I had to repair the battery lead. Glad I got it when I did. The Gov sounds like a cool thing on its own, and the Behringer sure seems a steal. Great comparison!

SuperSwede
October 23rd, 2007, 01:26 PM
Nice review DVM! I´m interested in the TO100 since I dont have a tubescreamer at the moment. Would you say that the TO100 does the tubescreamer sound better than the TS mode of the OD20 (my local music store has a used OD20 for a pretty good price)?

Robert
October 23rd, 2007, 01:41 PM
Thanks for those reviews, VDM! Very nice write-up.

That Governor Plus pedal would be fun to try for sure.

Tone2TheBone
October 23rd, 2007, 01:46 PM
The Guv Plus is a keeper.

duhvoodooman
October 23rd, 2007, 02:07 PM
Would you say that the TO100 does the tubescreamer sound better than the TS mode of the OD20 (my local music store has a used OD20 for a pretty good price)?
Yes, I would. Unfortunately, I found the OD-20's TS emulation among the weakest of all the models it has. Didn't sound anything like the stock mode of my TS-808 based ZYS. I found it lifeless and dull sounding. Made me wonder if Boss intentionally made the TS emulation sound bad, so that people would think that the original sounded the same way and stay away from Ibanez pedals! As I said in the review, the OD-20 has some very nice tones on tap--I just wouldn't include the TS emulation among them! BTW, the ProCo Rat emulation isnt much better. The Fulltone Fulldrive II and Klon Centaur models are very good, though, as is the Guv'nor model. Go figure....

SuperSwede
October 23rd, 2007, 02:13 PM
Yes, I would. Unfortunately, I found the OD-20's TS emulation among the weakest of all the models it has. Didn't sound anything like the stock mode of my TS-808 based ZYS. I found it lifeless and dull sounding. Made me wonder if Boss intentionally made the TS emulation sound bad, so that people would think that the original sounded the same way and stay away from Ibanez pedals! As I said in the review, the OD-20 has some very nice tones on tap--I just wouldn't include the TS emulation among them! BTW, the ProCo Rat emulation isnt much better. The Fulltone Fulldrive II and Klon Centaur models are very good, though, as is the Guv'nor model. Go figure....

Ok, thanks.. sounds like I have to try one of those Behringer pedals then. I think Behringer offers a tubescreamer clone with a more rugged casing (TO800?).. I´ll have to check that out as well.

*update* It was the VD1 model, and it is not a tubescreamer clone..

duhvoodooman
October 23rd, 2007, 03:12 PM
I think Behringer offers a tubescreamer clone with a more rugged casing (TO800?).. I´ll have to check that out as well.

*update* It was the VD1 model, and it is not a tubescreamer clone..
The TO800 that you referred to is quite definitely their product aimed most squarely at the Tube Screamer sound, even more so than the TO100. I haven't played or heard one, but all you have to do is look at the product description on the Behringer site to see what target they're shooting at:


"Get screaming tube-like distortion, smooth sustain and super-fat tone with our TO800. In order to recreate the authentic vintage sound we've used the original 4558 opamp and the legendary MA150 distortion diodes. Dedicated drive, tone and level controls are provided for awesome sound shaping. Noise-free operation is guaranteed with a first-class electronic On/Off switch, and there is a status LED for effect on/off and battery check for added comfort and ease of use. The TO800 runs on a 9 V battery or DC power supply (not included). If you want vintage and screaming tube-like distortion, the TO800 is the one to go for!"

Specifically:

The use of the term "screaming tube-like distortion" not once but twice in six sentences.
"Original 4558 opamp"? Lemme see, what pedal was that opamp originally used in? It's right here on the tip of my tongue....
Seasick-green colored enclosure. Coincidence? Methinks not....
TO800? Why 800? They skipped TO200, 300, 400, 500, 600 and 700. Gee, why do you think that might be? ;)
My guess is that the TO800 does it's job pretty well, based upon the TO100. Probably a little more mid-rangey and a little more edge to the distortion. Marnold has one, and he's very happy with it. Same plastic case as the TO100, though.

That VD1 looks like it's more along the lines of a Boss DS-1 (similar name!), MXR Distortion+, or ProCo Rat.

BTW, Behringer does offer a more expensive pedal called the "Vintage Tube Overdrive VT911", which actually contains a 12AX7 preamp tube. List price shows as $75, but not yet available in the US (2Q'08). Available in Europe, though. And it has a metal case.....

marnold
October 23rd, 2007, 05:39 PM
Probably a little more mid-rangey and a little more edge to the distortion. Marnold has one, and he's very happy with it. Same plastic case as the TO100, though.
Yep, I do like it. It has a significant mid-range boost typical of a Tube Screamer. I like it a lot better than the various OD models on my EX-7, although I can't exactly put my finger on why. My only gripe is that the battery is a major PITA to swap out. It's now permanently on a wall wart.

SuperSwede
October 24th, 2007, 12:00 AM
Hmmm who doesnt love that screaming tube-like distorsion... I only wish that it had push/pull gain for some really screaming solo´s as well. (see old thread about push/pull gain).

Marnold, I have only tried one of Behringers pedals and to me it felt like it was made of very low quality plastics? This was one of the earlier pedals, and maybe they have upgraded their construction?

marnold
October 24th, 2007, 08:45 AM
Marnold, I have only tried one of Behringers pedals and to me it felt like it was made of very low quality plastics? This was one of the earlier pedals, and maybe they have upgraded their construction?
It doesn't give the impression of being particularly sturdy. However, I read a couple of things online where people toured with them with great success. I've never felt that the pedal was in danger when tapping it on or off with my foot. Since mine never moves from this point on the floor, it's a non-issue.

sunvalleylaw
October 24th, 2007, 09:17 AM
I have two Behringer pedals, and they both have performed fine for my home and occasional away from home use at jams and our student gigs. I treat my stuff well, but I don't think they are going to fall apart any time soon, and at the price, I could get a new one then I suppose. I agree with Marnold that Battery changes are a little difficult due to needing to pop the top pedal button off to do it, but not too big a deal. I think the quality is fine, and for the price, worth a try.

duhvoodooman
October 24th, 2007, 11:45 AM
As someone who made a living in the plastics industry for over 20 years, let me make two observations:

With a couple of notable exceptions (ever heard of polycarbonate?), it's true that plastic doesn't generally have the strength and durability of metal.

That doesn't mean that, when the right plastic is combined with a good part design, that it can't be PLENTY strong and tough enough for stompbox enclosures.
Sure, you can mold cheap, low-grade plastic resin into a flimsy housing and it will break easily. But use a good, tough resin like high-grade ABS or even impact-modified polystyrene in a well-designed enclosure and it should stand up to a lot of abuse. I'm not certain what the Behringer stompers are made from, but it sure looks like ABS to me. For reference, that's what much of the interior of your average car is made from, and I assure you that it is very tough stuff. So while they may not be quite up to the durability level of a Boss or Digitech mini-tank, I would expect these pedals to be plenty tough enough for most of us....

marnold
October 24th, 2007, 11:51 AM
The best part is that if you find it won't serve your purposes, you're out about $20. Even poor white trash such as myself could handle that. My TO800 certainly isn't as "idiot proof" as my EX-7, but when the EX-7 is retailing for almost two bills, it better be tough.