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Not to go all TGP and as much as I'm thrown off by using the term transparent overdrive, I'm looking for something that will take the clean channel of any amp and just push it into a really nice and sweet breakup, sometimes more aggressive than that but not necessarily distortion if that makes sense.

Something natural sounding and an ability to add in more hair as needed would be a nice bonus. Im looking for something really dynamic and touch sensitive. I don't really want to change the actual tone of whatever amp I'm going through.

This would really be an always on pedal unless I wanted a pure clean tone, and it would be stacked with various fuzzes. I'm not really looking for TS derivatives (so I guess that means no Klones either?) and I already have a SD1, and I use that rarely and only in certain situations. I think I'd like something much flatter and more organic.

I have a couple of straight clean boosts, and while they help, I'm looking for more edge and versatility and dynamics. Am I legitimately looking for something like a "transparent overdrive", like a Timmy? Something else? Things Im considering would be:

Timmy and Timmy clones (Pure Sky?)

EHX Crayon (not sure if this would fit the bill)

BD2 (Unsure honestly, tho I hear they are good for something like this)

Honey Bee

I'm open to any and all suggestions here fellas lol

Yeah, Timmy and Pure Sky are fucking great for what you're asking.
Also the EHX Soul Food.

I’m not a “guitar” guy but I never hear anyone ever say a bad thing about the Fairfield Barbershop overdrive.

red llama?

retinal orbita wrote:I’m not a “guitar” guy but I never hear anyone ever say a bad thing about the Fairfield Barbershop overdrive.

Me either, I noticed it getting mentioned alot as well, along with the Honey Bee and Sweet Honey (not sure what they are based off of)

tremolo3 wrote:Yeah, Timmy and Pure Sky are fucking great for what you're asking.
Also the EHX Soul Food.

From what I can gather, the Soul Food is like a Klon, but if it doesn't have as much of a mid bump or really color the tone like a TS it might be worth a shot. The price is right

I use a BD2 for exactly this. There are a few cool mods to change the gain-range so that it's more low-gain friendly. Ianmarks here built mine. Timmy's and Westwoods feel kind of fizzy to me in a weird way.

MechaGodzilla wrote:red llama?

I have heard examples of this and it sounds like it does that thing nicely. Also gen.1 blues breakers have that feel from what i have heard. They just overdrive without eq-ing too much

THe best transparent overdrive, hands down, is the colorsound powerbooster (18v version), it slaughters your amp

qersty wrote:
THe best transparent overdrive, hands down, is the colorsound powerbooster (18v version), it slaughters your amp

Black Forest is sorta based on this….you can’t really call it flat as it has a lot of tone shaping options but it’s definitely touch-responsive and can do both high and low gain.

the_bright_undead wrote:

qersty wrote:
THe best transparent overdrive, hands down, is the colorsound powerbooster (18v version), it slaughters your amp

Black Forest is sorta based on this….you can’t really call it flat as it has a lot of tone shaping options but it’s definitely touch-responsive and can do both high and low gain.

I have no experience with the Black Forest. The power booster I have is pretty flat (which is to be differentiated from "transparent") and thus it distorts some pretty uncomfortable frequencies at gainier settings

qersty wrote: I have no experience with the Black Forest. The power booster I have is pretty flat (which is to be differentiated from "transparent") and thus it distorts some pretty uncomfortable frequencies at gainier settings

Oh yea, I just meant in relation to a Timmy, a BF doesn’t really have that fixed EQ. It’s very adjustable.

Is your power booster from Coloursound, or a clone? I gotta try one.

KO-amps, the real ones cost a fortune

Anyone know of any good BD2 clones that are cheaper then just getting a stock one from Boss and then having to mod it? The Pure Sky looks like it may fill the role for now, and the price is right.

Hell, I was thinking about trying out Caline's NightWolf 2in1, as it would have the Pure Sky on the "boost" side and the fuzz side is germanium based, so that may hold me over until I add an actual Fuzz Face to the rig if its half way decent on that side of things, I dont know.

The Black Forest is dope, but I'm looking for something that would kind of be a dedicated low gain, breakup specific deal one trick pony in a way. Aka, I know I'd just end up having the Black Forrest always set on kill because I can lmao

The colorsound looks really good as well, but as said originals are a fortune but there are good clones out there

+1 on the BD-2 and the Barbershop, both a+ drive pedals.
Also, the EHX hot tubes is an underrated classic but I'm not sure if it'll do low-low gain to the extent that you're looking for.
A prince of tone or whatever KoT clone might also be a good bet.

I was curious about the hot tubes, I know the Crayon supposedly incorporates it.

I think for the intended purpose I'm looking for here, almost as an always on if I want drive before the fuzzes, its either gonna be a Timmy style or the BD2. Gotta see what options there are out there with those circuits