Pedal Shootout Comments/Questions
I’ve tried to lay out how this was done, and why, but if you’ve got a question or comment about this whole thing, feel free to post it here. I’ll do my best to comment as I have time and answer questions.
I’ve tried to lay out how this was done, and why, but if you’ve got a question or comment about this whole thing, feel free to post it here. I’ll do my best to comment as I have time and answer questions.
April 19th, 2010 at 10:07 am
This site is an excellent resource. I’ve definately bookmarked it. Hope you do other pedal comparisons.
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April 10th, 2010 at 11:24 am
This Comparinator is the bomb! I have just enough understanding of the recording process and the creation of streaming content to be blown away by how tough it was to create this and how well it works.
Congrats on a brilliant concept that is very well executed.
Now I gotta figure out where I’m going to get enough money to buy all these pedals!
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December 24th, 2009 at 3:20 am
Your “Comparinator” is a fantastic tool. For the first time on internet, I’m able to hear the difference between different pedals, just listen to them with my laptop. I’ve tested the comparinator with 4 pedals I know well, and it confirm completely what I feel and listen. Thanks a lot, you are great.
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December 4th, 2009 at 10:14 am
Hello,
I would like to buy OD pedal for my Fender American. std. strat and i have a difficult to choose what OD pedtal to buy. I thought about one of the followings:
Boss: OD-3, BD-2, Digitech: Bad Monkey, Screaming Blues, CM-2, Ibanez: TS808, TS9
Based on your vast experience with OD pedals, what is your recommendation?
I would like to mention that my favorite music is blues and classic rock. I specially like SRV, Eric Clapton but also Jimi Hendrix, Alvin Lee, Richie Blackamoor, Peter Green, Gary Moore, Michel Bloomfield, Buddy Guy, David Gilmor, Rory Gallagher, Jonny Lang and Johhny Winter styles
Thanking you in advance,
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October 9th, 2009 at 8:06 pm
I didn’t see the ZVEX Box of Rock in your comparison shootout list. Any plans to add it?
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Anthony Stauffer reply on October 9th, 2009 8:33 pm:
Hi Tim,
I did not have access to those pedals when I did the shootout. I don’t know how many more pedals I’ll add to it, but eventually I hope to do a much wider comparison with more pedals.
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May 4th, 2009 at 8:00 pm
What a great shootout!!! Fair delivery and execution- this really helped me to see some of the differences in the pedals. One thing that bothers me is that I have recently purchased a Bad Monkey according to the HC reviews and used it on the clean channel of my SCXD and I was very disappointed- the mid-range dynamics were very cool and exactly why I bought the pedal, but it wasn’t just warm as I expected- in my experience it was overly warm to the point that it sounded like my amp was under the table with the drive and level turned up.
That is not easily apparent in the demos here and that was very frustrating since I’ve already returned my Bad Monkey. I wonder if others have had the overly warm experience with Bad Monkey or any other pedals. I know that each pedal will react differently to each rig and pickups- so maybe my experience in an uncommon one.
On a better note, I’ve since picked up a Bluesbreaker II which doesn’t have the blanket effect at all and sounds really good to my ears on my SCXD with such a wide range of high and low frequencies and harmonics. I was very psyched to hear the guitar in these demos tap into the harmonic possibilities that this pedal has to offer.
Each of these pedals has their own character and to play them all “exactly” the same would only makes sense up to a certain point in order to be fair. This showdown was done extremely well- and is very useful!!!
All the mid range pedals sound great- TS right up there near the top, but I must say I like some of the character that BB2 has to offer and I think I would like to the Behringer T0800 added just for starters. Thanks againg to the providers of this “shoot out,” we need more goodies like this on tap.
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Doug Nichols reply on May 27th, 2009 4:04 pm:
Very impressive test you laid out here – the problem is, they all sounded pretty good to me. Which one(s) were your favorites?
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Anthony Stauffer reply on May 27th, 2009 9:52 pm:
Hi Doug,
Since my own opinions are very SRV-centric, I posted my thoughts over at http://www.steviesnacks.com in the gear section.
Anthony
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April 27th, 2009 at 6:48 am
What song do you play when you play with fulldrive ? please
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Anthony Stauffer reply on May 27th, 2009 9:53 pm:
Hi Pierre,
All the songs in this shootout can be downloaded in the backing tracks page under “Lessons” at http://www.steviesnacks.com.
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April 17th, 2009 at 12:36 pm
Absolutely fantastic. It was so refreshing to see someone provide a demo that wasn’t trying to sell me their pedal. I was trying to compare the OCD and the Sparkle Drive demos without much luck, until I stumbled upon this page. Thanks much. I have already sent this page to my guitar-playing friends so thy can check it out as well.
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Anthony Stauffer reply on May 27th, 2009 9:53 pm:
Hi Jerod,
Glad you liked the shootout.
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April 2nd, 2009 at 3:37 pm
The comparinator is the best demoing faculity I’ve ever used! Please add more pedals!
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Anthony Stauffer reply on May 27th, 2009 9:54 pm:
I will be doing this in the fall hopefully.
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March 31st, 2009 at 10:20 am
Hey, do you have any suggestions on Wah pedals. I had a Vox Clyde McCoy but it got stolen from my house the other day along with my other effects
I found the Clyde to be far to harsh in the toe down position and the sweep was not very smooth. What would be a good replacement. I’m looking into the Budda Wah as I’ve heard good things about it. Thanks!
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Anthony Stauffer reply on April 4th, 2009 6:42 pm:
I actually don’t have a functioning wah pedal right now, so I’m in the same spot you are
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March 4th, 2009 at 8:55 pm
Anthony -
This totally rocks. I think I’ve had 5-6 pedals in your comparinator. Where were you 2 years ago before I dropped all this coin!? Seriously, great work and I really like the isolated settings for the Blues Jr. I’m still trying to find my magical setting but it always helps to see how others dial things in.
I thought I read somewhere that you contemplated doing some BillM mods to one of your Blues Jr.’s (tolex maybe). If so, it would be totally awesome if you could do this type of comparinator once those mods are done to show people the A/B versions of Blues Jr.’s with and without mods. As you may know, this is a very polarizing topic among Blues Jr. owners and it would be nice to give some great audio/video clips to allow people to make up there own mind once and for all.
As a new father myself, I know you have your hands full but I think I speak for everyone when I say “Thanks” for all your hard work and these awesome reviews, lessons, tips…..
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January 24th, 2009 at 9:56 am
A fantastic idea, works great for direct comparisons. I’m wondering if sometimes the lit pedal is the not sound playing. eg I just compared the BD-2 to the modded one, and the sound of stock one when lit up was fuller and less shrill, but that’s what the modded one is described as. Fantastic idea anyhow. Wish your modded pedals were more available in Australia.
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January 21st, 2009 at 6:35 pm
doesn’t work in internet explorer or firefox for me
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January 14th, 2009 at 3:31 pm
Thanks Anthony,
This is fantastic way to AB pedals. I have the Hot British ToneBone pedal which I use through a NOS Blues Jr. It would be interesting to see how it would sound next to some of the other pedals. I go back and forth between this and my Analogman modified TS9. The Tonebone obviously has more distortion versatility but I also seem to prefer it with the drive backed down as an overdrive. It could be the buit in EQ shapes the sound a bit better as I haven’t tried an EQ with the TS9.
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January 3rd, 2009 at 3:32 pm
Great work. I really like the presentation, and the playing – it’s just enough, to show off the pedals and not overshadow them. I think that you have a great platform with which to keep going – just need more pedals. So you need to figure that out. Maybe a statement about how if they’re sent with return postage and insurance you’ll take good care of them? And you can use the same comparo format for other pedal types – compressors, delays, etc. So, if you wanted to, this could become a commercial venture for you.
I was surprised at how the OCD sounded very full in the bass, and less trebly (as compared to mine). I understand that there is a sequence of versions, maybe you need to track serial or version numbers for reference. Beyond that the tube screamer was dead on, very convincing evidence of a good test.
Again, great piece of work. Can’t wait to see more.
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admin reply on January 4th, 2009 8:22 pm:
Hi John,
Right now the only limiting factor is time. There will probably be a lull at OTZ when my son is born (sometime in the next few weeks), but as 2009 rolls on, I’d like to expand the pedal comparison as well as comparing guitars and other stuff in similar fashion.
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December 22nd, 2008 at 2:54 pm
Hi Anthony
I’dd like to know what is the first song of the fullgain shootout? I realy like the feel. I’ve learn it, the best I can from your video but I’dd like to have the backing track. Is it your creation?
Thank for the answer an Merry Christmas to your and your familiy!
With all my respect!
Sébastien
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December 12th, 2008 at 5:51 am
Anthony,
Great tool which I had to introduce to my german readers.
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December 8th, 2008 at 11:34 pm
I was suprised by the Route 66, especially at the higher gain setting. I traded mine for a Sparkle Drive years ago and now maybe I’m sorry. Hmm, maybe a VS Double Trouble would do the trick….
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December 6th, 2008 at 5:38 am
Anthony,
Great board, very well laid out. Were there pedals that you tried which just did not make the cut? I wonder how the Jacques line of pedals, like the Tube Blower, might stack up. Thanks for all your work.
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November 21st, 2008 at 7:30 pm
Hi Tony:.
I was curious. Your OD comparisons were performed with the Boss Parametric Eq on, right? You can hear the articulated compressed kind of sound that the Boss pedal puts out as mine does. It does not sound right without it on. Thanks, Edwin
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admin reply on November 21st, 2008 9:26 pm:
No, there were no other pedals on while I was recording these demos. That’s a good question, and I’m glad you brought it up because I had forgotten to mention it.
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November 20th, 2008 at 10:11 pm
Wow! Very useful approach to comparing side-by-side (almost sync’d to the music)…for me, I think the Bad Monkey has great clarity with just the right grit in the partial gain or full gain stages.
I currently use an Xotic AC Booster with a Voodoo Labs Sparke Drive, they do will together.
Peter
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November 20th, 2008 at 12:51 pm
I would have to say that this is a very good shoot out. It was nice to see how the boutique pedals compete with the stock pedals. I really liked the OD-9, it has a very natural sound. Next the Fulldrive Mofset, and last the voodoo lab (excellent cleans)
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November 19th, 2008 at 8:33 pm
Thanks for your work Anthony. My top 3 would be:
Digitech Bad Monkey
Voodoo Labs Sparkle Drive (I own one)
DOD Mystic Blues
Peter
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November 18th, 2008 at 10:10 pm
Just got my second Voodoo Lab Sparkle Drive, sitting in front of my first, to provide extra kick for solos — the Clean dial helps me a lot with that. Thanks again for your hard work — it has been very helpful.
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November 18th, 2008 at 4:30 pm
Way to go! Congrats on the hard work. In my humble, non-professional, very subjective opinion you should go with the Hardwire cm-2. Never heard of it before your “shootout” but it certainly stands out above the rest. (May even get one myself if I can find a dealer here in Israel!)
good luck… love your video lessons
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November 14th, 2008 at 11:06 pm
Great job. I know it was tough to do. Just spent an hour going through them all every single clip, many times over too to compare. My ears hurt now. But I think I like the Fulltone OCD best with these in order afterwards: Ibanez TS808, Nobels ODR-S, Sparkle Drive, Maxon OD-9, and DOD Mystic Blues OD. The Bluesdriver was good on Partial but I did to look at those Mods for mone as it’s lacking. But surprisingly, I really liked the Blues Jr all by itself too – Clean, Partial and Full really turned my ears on and w/o any pedal. Really rich tone alone. Guess I’ll have to try another one. My first one blew up on day one and sounded like a heliocopter crashing. And of course that guitar player in the tests was great too, he’d make any pedal sound good. Nice string attack.
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November 14th, 2008 at 7:58 pm
Of all of the recordings, I liked the Voodoo Labs Sparkle Drive the best, so I ordered one up and it’s really working well for me. Thanks for your hard work!
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November 14th, 2008 at 8:03 am
I like the Fulldrive and Voodoo Labs pedals the best. But I didn’t listen to all of the clips. Mostly Ibanez and Boss. I felt the two I mentioned sounded much more expensive than the Boss and Ibanez. And… of course they are:)
But a modded Blues Driver… that’s a pedal that will hold it’s own vs. the more expensive pedals. But also… I guess a modded Blues Driver isn’t really a cheap pedal anymore!
Anyways cool shootout Anthony,
Nick
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November 14th, 2008 at 3:31 am
Hey Anthony,
I was trying to compare the difference between the full gain and clean boost on the blues jr. alone, and I can’t really tell the difference. I have the same Tweed Blues Jr. as you do, and I can’t get much crunch out of the amp even with master turned up max. But that’s where pedals come in! So thanks for your pedal shootout. Keep on blues-stringing!
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November 14th, 2008 at 1:08 am
I really leaned towards the Route 66. It seemed to have plently of distortion while at the same time I could hear each note clearly.When you hit up the other vendors hopefully you can include xotic pedals. Thanks again.
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admin reply on November 15th, 2008 3:31 pm:
The Route 66 is one that I’d like to get more time to experiment with. The compressor circuit seems like an interesting idea.
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November 13th, 2008 at 5:08 pm
After listening one time thru all the pedals i think the Boss OS2 sounded more or better than the nobels. Which one did you do a double take on?
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November 13th, 2008 at 8:37 am
Very good page Anthony, I enjoyed the demos.
Having read the effort Anthony went to to get the results to us I was amazed. Well done for that but there is an easier way! All it needs is a dry recording of the guitar done to the tracks and then the signal routed to each pedal in turn and that signal recorded. I see Anthony had recording eqipment available.
An even better way is to purchase the BOSS GT-10. Where the user can build on the blues tone given from the factory settings. You can get all these blues tones easily as well as other effects and amp models for around $300. That is what I use. IMHO
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admin reply on November 13th, 2008 9:30 am:
I considered using reamping, but I didn’t have time to set that up, I only had the pedals for one night so I had to move quickly. In the future, I may do something like this to save my fingers
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DevLee reply on December 4th, 2008 10:21 pm:
I’ve thought about doing A/B testing that way as well, but there IS a potential risk of altering the tone with that method. Pedals have a high impedance input circuit that interacts with the guitar pickup output in different ways, depending on the pedal. If you record the dry guitar signal with DI, then play it back via a mixer output (very low impedance), it could sound different than going straight in with a guitar. You’d also have to take care not to feed to much signal into the pedal from your mixer, needs to be very low level like pickup output.
The tone differences could be insignificant, I don’t know. Would be worth a try though, since it has the advantages of being both easier, and providing an exactly identical signal to compare with.
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November 12th, 2008 at 1:20 am
Anthony- This is just amazing! It takes me hours to make a simple youtube vid, I can only imagine the time it took you to do something like this with so much detail.
I think this will bring you hundreds of questions and everyone with different likes and dislikes.
Is there going to be a “poll” so we can pick what pedals we think sound best???
I’m still stuck on the Nobels, the CM2 got my attention, Mystic Blues has a nice clean ring to it, TS808 still is hard to beat but lacks enough OD. I have been comparing using the “no music” so I can hear them better. It is so cool you added that feature!!
Anyway- Thank you, this is a guitar players dream for guys like me who like to explore differnt tones and don’t have the money or time to compare.
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November 11th, 2008 at 8:21 pm
AWESOME. That is the only word that comes to mind to describe how I feel about this shootout. There are so many distortion pedals and it’s so hard to judge from random audio clips what each one will sound like. Having a consistent shootout like this is a godsend for pedal (and tone!) shopping. If you decide to add to this list in the future, I’d love to see the Behringer TO-100 reviewed. It’d be interesting if for no other reason than it’s incredibly cheap price point, to see how a $30 pedal stacks up to the rest of the field
Thanks again for the amazing effort you’ve put into this, I’m sure it will be useful to thousands of guitarists in the future, myself included!
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admin reply on November 15th, 2008 3:29 pm:
I was at Target the other day and saw that they are selling electric guitars/amps and distortion pedals. Incredibly cheap stuff, but I almost spend $40 on the distortion pedal to put it in here and see how it stacks up. Wouldn’t that be a bummer if it sounds like something twice as expensive.
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Jay Loden reply on November 19th, 2008 12:55 am:
Turns out I actually meant the Behringer TO-800 not the 100, the 800 is the one meant to be a Tube Screamer clone. I just picked one up on ebay ($23 shipped) for the heck of it to see how it sounds next to – and doubled up with – my TS9. Perhaps I can loan it to you if you feel inclined to test it out with the same setup you used here. If a $30 pedal can keep up with stuff twice the cost, all the better for all the budget players out there. On the other hand, if it sounds like crap, at least I didn’t lose too much $ on it
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Thom O reply on November 21st, 2008 11:37 am:
This is really great! I was thinking about ditching my Bad Monkey for a CM-2 but after putting them side by side I think I’ll save my money.
One thing, what are the settings on the Marshall BD-II? Those knobs are impossible to see the settings on, I know I have one, and had to paint the top of the knob so I could see the setting. Bad idea by Marshall, too much glare off those chrome knobs.
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