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Stone Deaf PDF2
Hudson Effects Broadcast

Two different beasts, but I'm after something fuzzy but practical and these are the two have my attention. I had a compressor to even out the level of my strat pickups, but it felt like a compromise when using it in combination with distortion, fuzz or delay, or even (optical) tremolo. It just kind of killed the nuances that I love about each pedal enough to bug me. It excelled clean, and with reverb and flanger, but It wasn't really earning its keep.

So I'm after something that can even things out and/or tweak certain frequencies but with more flexibility, and be capable of sound filthy, because more filth never hurt. The Broadcast sounds like it has a Super Hard-On kind of thing going on, which I quite like. Evening/stiffening things out, but the Broadcast offers a little added flexibility and lovely sounding fuzz edges. The PDF2 on the other hands seems like it's more of a useful tone shaping tool that will work in conjunction with other pedals very well, as well as adding it's own nice sounding fuzziness.

I'm leaning more toward the PDF2 as it seems way more practical for me, but the Broadcast durt sounds soooo nice, and keeps things a little more simple.

Anyone using either of them? Any other suggestions?

Can't testify to the Hudson as I haven't tried it, but I have a PDF-1 and it absolutely rules. My only gripe was that the fuzz wasn't switchable, but obviously now that's fixed. Super versatile pedal, can go subtle or really focused Q with the filtering, and the fuzz sounds really good. Also as you suspect, it indeed works great with other pedals.

Popvulture speaks the truth.

Plus it's basically the sound of the first QOTSA record in a box.

I didn't manage to get anything but 'subtle' tones out of my PDF-1
The fuzz didn't nearly get gainy enough for me, and the filter didn't get cocked wah enough for me...Ymmv I guess

No experience with that Hudson pedlol. Don't want to turn this into a "try out this other pedal'" kind of thread if you're really set on getting eather one of those two...But I'm sorta on the lookout for a moog mf drive myself. Seems to have a little more gain than the PDF-1, and in a less scratchy fuzzy harsh kinda way.

frigid midget wrote:I didn't manage to get anything but 'subtle' tones out of my PDF-1
The fuzz didn't nearly get gainy enough for me, and the filter didn't get cocked wah enough for me...Ymmv I guess

Really? That's surprising. I don't have mine in front of me right this sec, but the detented thin / fat knob is basically Q, and whatever setting is the narrowest (I can't remember, but I'm gonna go with the obvious and guess "thin") yields some crazy filter sweeps with the freq knob in my experience. On the other end of the Q setting, the effect of the freq is indeed pretty subtle.

frigid midget wrote:But I'm sorta on the lookout for a moog mf drive myself. Seems to have a little more gain than the PDF-1, and in a less scratchy fuzzy harsh kinda way.

That was another I was considering, actually. I've owned it twice before for some stupid reason, but I just couldn't bond with it. It sounds great when the gain is pushed. Nice and full, but otherwise I wasn't using it. It also really benefits from an expression pedal, it's like you have a great wah pedal for not much money. Works really well clean and dirty, but again, I'm not going to use that. Maybe versatile for some, just not for me.

This reminded me of the fact that I still want to try a pdf2

If you're going to get a Broadcast, this is the one to get: http://www.peachguitars.com/fx-pedals/h ... 24v-fs.htm
I've had the original Broadcast as well as the 24v (single footswitch version) and they are amazing, really unique sounding pedals. I've owned more dirt pedals than I can remember and there is truly nothing like the Broadcast. Dunno if it's the transformer or germanium or both, but the way it breaks up is very saturated and awesome sounding (and compressor-like in that it doesn't really get louder when it saturates so much as it just gets...more...ish), but it does low gain really well, and sounds awesome into solid state and tube amps. It will definitely highlight the bright aspects of a guitar or amp, and it's picky about what gets stacked into it, but it sounds unilaterally awesome before virtually any dirt pedal (and great after delay/reverb).

I used it (the 9v version) as dirt on my band's record that we recorded in March (see signature, http://difficult.band, I'm the single guitar playing in the beginning of both tracks, right side) and still use the 24v version, but now as a post-delay lead boost type pedal, but also rhythm stuff with the volume rolled back and delay on (cool story bro). I fucking love it, and am considering the version I linked above. I've never used the PDF-2 but they seem like radically different pedals. I can't think of anything comparable to the Broadcast except the JHS Colour Box or Crayon (barf), and Fredric Accomplished Badger, which I've been meaning to check out: http://www.fredric.co.uk/accomplished-badger, but neither have transformers (except the Colour Box, but, fuck JHS).

haven't tried the pdf yet but the broadcast is A+ awesome. i actually contacted michael at hudson about using a variation on it as a front end of the pretty years because they sounded so good together and although he wasn't keen on the idea he sent me some nice resources to check out and was incredibly chill overall. i have the switchable 24v version fyi.

I've only heard the broadcast in demos (didn't like) and live through a 100w marshall (liked very much). I'm uncertain how well it would work for me but I'd really like to have a go.

No experience with the Hudson, but it looks nice and demos sound good.

The pdf is brilliant though. Love mine and the gain switching on the 2 sorts out my only gripe with it. It can be very subtle or seriously in your face.

Plus this:

D.o.S. wrote:Plus it's basically the sound of the first QOTSA record in a box.

The broadcast is cool, not sure I'd qualify it as a fuzz though. I had the original first run with the rare transistor in it, it was cool. I flipped it and now I have a dual gain 24v one. You can definitely get more dirt at 9v, but 24v is the more flexible sound IMHO. The dual gain option (custom option) might be a good option for you if you are looking for flexibility. It adds a second footswitch and second volume pot.

The pots become Low cut, Gain Trim, Level A, Level B. You choose one gain setting but you have an output pot for both settings, selected by the second footswitch.

Then, the 3 way gain switch (3 way in the 24v version low/medium/high, 2 way in the original 9v-24v version low/high) becomes a selector between low-high/low-medium/medium-high. This allows you to use a different switch setting on A and B. Makes it real useful as a low gain od and high gain dirt pedal. They have a custom run going with two footswitches but without the 3 way switch, that's a bit less flexible.

I remember reading that the 9v would likely be more fuzzy, so I was thinking that version rather than the newer ones initially, but the 24v makes more sense. Didn't realise there were two dual-footswitch versions.

My hear wants the Broadcast, my brain wants the PDF

Get both!

Can you still only use Stone Deaf's own expression pedal with the PDF2 (and their other dirt, i guess)? That's pretty lame if that's the case.