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Re: levels of dirt
Posted: Sun Jan 12, 2014 7:49 am
by DarkAxel
Yeah, i feel you, man. I've always struggled with dirt variety, because there was just too muchoverlap
Currently, i can't say much since i haven't really had a rehearsal for... close to four months now. We're on hiatus due to injury. Anyway... Since then, I started using my FIngerprint for a really distinctive, velcro/unstable fuzz sound... Mini for a great gritty drive with the Bias a bit back, sounds fantastic. And then there is the duo that makes me a bit nervous - Fix'd fuzz and Elements. They are different, I have the Fix'd set for fatter, sustaining lead sound and the Elements for more twangy rhythm, but there certainly is overlap that might get smudged live.
I hope not though, because I've always preferred the Elements for rhythm, that's why I got the Fix'd in the first place...
But i know what you mean is what i'm saying...
Re: levels of dirt
Posted: Sun Jan 12, 2014 1:57 pm
by Casavettes
yeah it's a lot of fun to have those different flavors to suit whatever you're playing given the situation.
and it's also beneficial to have those options while in the studio
i guess where i'm at personally, i need the limitations.
Re: levels of dirt
Posted: Sun Jan 12, 2014 1:59 pm
by Casavettes
also miss having a mini because of that bias control
Re: levels of dirt
Posted: Sun Jan 12, 2014 2:02 pm
by D.o.S.
I mean, I think it's important to know what flavors of fuzz work well for you. Especially when you're recording. If you know you prefer, uh, the Klon to the JHS Klone, then you're solid.
Live, though, you can almost certainly get away with a Soul Food.

Re: levels of dirt
Posted: Sun Jan 12, 2014 3:34 pm
by Casavettes
Re: levels of dirt
Posted: Sun Jan 12, 2014 3:35 pm
by coldbrightsunlight
I definitely see where you're coming from, I try to have things that sound as different from each other as possible, but when I play live I definitely don't need as many things as I have. Realistically one overdrive and one fuzz would be enough in a band, but for recording and noodling by myself it's fun to have extra options.
Re: levels of dirt
Posted: Mon Jan 13, 2014 1:52 am
by zRobertez
Casavettes wrote:maybe i'm just stupid and trying to make sure every dirt pedal is at unison or slightly above is a task for me.

Oh my god yes
Re: levels of dirt
Posted: Mon Jan 13, 2014 2:45 am
by van_muddlestein
In the studio and at home I looooooove all kinds of different dirt pedals. Fuzz, OD, Distortion...they're all fun and they're great in the studio especially. Live I will probably always just prefer to have 1 sound and not futz with things. Normally that sound is coming from the amp and not a pedal.
Re: levels of dirt
Posted: Mon Jan 13, 2014 4:00 am
by phantasmagorovich
In a band context:
One OD, one fuzz, both with as radical tone controls as possible so you can tailor them to cut through. I am über-happy with a Demo Tape fuzz for lower gain and Maxon Ether for acid piss sounds. That's all I need to cut through and make sweet love to my guiterr.
Home use is different, but I found I like to have radical EQ or filter options at hand even at home so I can get nearer to what I have in mind without having to buy another pedal ALL the time. (Buying a pedal is a separate source of joy though.) Other staples I always go to are the 4Eyes and the MF-Drive I will probably hold onto for that country/blues/NeilYoung sound of a breaking up amp.
Re: levels of dirt
Posted: Mon Jan 13, 2014 7:08 pm
by friendship
There are a billion dirt pedals, and dirt pedals are fun so it's easy to get sucked in, but it's important to consider the cost vs. benefit of spending a ton of time thinking/trying them out.
For example, when I was going to buy my first regular overdrive pedal, I spent a stupid amount of time researching what existed, what would work for my setup, what the (often minute) differences were, etc. If I had just bought a pretty standard one after a cursory search I probably would have been fine with it and I could have spent all that time just playing. I know a lot of people feel differently, but these days I just use my OD-3 and I pretty much never think about changing this or buying other overdrive pedals. It does the thing I want an overdrive pedal to do, and trying to seek out variations would just be splitting hairs for me.
But I guess that's my overall attitude regarding gear. One tool isn't going to perform all functions, but I don't want it to, I just want it to do the thing that it does so I can get that thing done and not really think about it. A different piece might do the job slightly differently, but is all the time I spent switching shit out really worth the trouble? Not to me, anyway, at least not until I magically become independently wealthy and have all my time and money to fritter away.
I forget if this is related to your OP now
Re: levels of dirt
Posted: Mon Jan 13, 2014 7:08 pm
by friendship
There are a billion dirt pedals, and dirt pedals are fun so it's easy to get sucked in, but it's important to consider the cost vs. benefit of spending a ton of time thinking/trying them out.
For example, when I was going to buy my first regular overdrive pedal, I spent a stupid amount of time researching what existed, what would work for my setup, what the (often minute) differences were, etc. If I had just bought a pretty standard one after a cursory search I probably would have been fine with it and I could have spent all that time just playing. I know a lot of people feel differently, but these days I just use my OD-3 and I pretty much never think about changing this or buying other overdrive pedals. It does the thing I want an overdrive pedal to do, and trying to seek out variations would just be splitting hairs for me.
But I guess that's my overall attitude regarding gear. One tool isn't going to perform all functions, but I don't want it to, I just want it to do the thing that it does so I can get that thing done and not really think about it. A different piece might do the job slightly differently, but is all the time I spent switching shit out really worth the trouble? Not to me, anyway, at least not until I magically become independently wealthy and have all my time and money to fritter away.
I forget if this is related to your OP now
Re: levels of dirt
Posted: Mon Jan 13, 2014 7:12 pm
by skullservant
I usually have found I like one OD and one fuzz, and like Phanta said- they're pretty polar opposite from each other in terms of sound and stacking.
Re: levels of dirt
Posted: Mon Jan 13, 2014 7:21 pm
by sonidero
Just buy from Tom and...
Gotta have a light Od/Fuzz, a heavy ass bassy Fuzz, a gated rippy Fuzz and a good all around Fuzz and your set...
Re: levels of dirt
Posted: Mon Jan 13, 2014 7:40 pm
by friendship
sonidero wrote:
Gotta have a light Od/Fuzz, a heavy ass bassy Fuzz, a gated rippy Fuzz and a good all around Fuzz and your set...
And there are many pedals that can cover two, three, or all four of these things at once, if you know what you're doing.
Re: levels of dirt
Posted: Mon Jan 13, 2014 7:43 pm
by sonidero
Yeah but the title is LEVELS so I listed a few...
I can pretty much get away with my 5 way Algal and a delay...