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Recommend your favorite pedal (Blues/Blues Rock)

bratpack7

Member
Joined
Nov 28, 2003
Messages
246
I play a Les Paul through a Fender Blues Junior with the Cannibus Rex speaker. I would like to set it up reasonably clean and then run a pedal for solos and grit. It had the fat button on it but I don't have a foot switch. So I would like some opinions. The Boss Blues Driver seems like a possibility, any and all replies are much appreciated.
 

redisburning

Les Paul Froum Member
Joined
Aug 7, 2015
Messages
256
the two best non-high gain pedals I have ever used are the Lovepedal Eternity Burst and the Mad Professor Sky Blue Overdrive.

Other pedals I can personally recommend are

lower gain:
Paul Cochrane Timmy
J Rocket Archer (or any other klon clone, the VFE and Wampler ones are very good)
Lovepedal/Hermida Zendrive

Higher gain/rawk:
JHS Andy Timmons Signature
Fulltone OCD 1.7

if you're only going to have only one, and it's dangerous for me to recommend since I've not owned one (I'm on the waiting list), I'd have the Analogman King of Tone
 

Wilko

All Access/Backstage Pass
Joined
Mar 11, 2002
Messages
20,854
#1 MXR Microamp. The blues jr will actually break up pleny on its own, but for lower volume, you gotta kick it a little harder. Adding almost any distortion easily turns them to mush.

Blues Driver works well but keep the gain very low. My Blues Driver is the Keeley modded version with the fat switch. Helps a lot.
 

Big Al

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 24, 2002
Messages
14,537
#1 MXR Microamp. The blues jr will actually break up pleny on its own, but for lower volume, you gotta kick it a little harder. Adding almost any distortion easily turns them to mush.

Blues Driver works well but keep the gain very low. My Blues Driver is the Keeley modded version with the fat switch. Helps a lot.

DAYUM< Brother Wilko you gotta stop writing my posts before I do!!:laugh2::laugh2:

The MXR Micro Amp, or the Whirlwind Bomb, or my new fave the $70 EH Soul Food work great at kicking that Blues Jr in the but! I would spend the small change on a flipping' switch so you can use the FAT setting.

I do and I set my Master Volume up all the way dial up my Volume to where the amp is just breaking up when you dig in. If it is too loud, (if you are playing in the bathroom or a closet), you can dial the Master down a bit. Kick in the FAT and that usually does it, nice amp boost without a big volume jump, but if you must get some more, step on any of these preamp boosts and you will be there. The simpler ones allow you to slam the preamp and output tubes for natural breakup/overdrive, but the Soul Food also allows you to adjust gain by having an overdrive function.

I know it is a cliche but any version Tube Screamer still works great as do Boss Overdrives and that Blues Driver pedal. Old MXR Distortion+ still sound cool. You kinda haft come up with a solution on yer own. You'll know.
 
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bratpack7

Member
Joined
Nov 28, 2003
Messages
246
DAYUM< Brother Wilko you gotta stop writing my posts before I do!!:laugh2::laugh2:

The MXR Micro Amp, or the Whirlwind Bomb, or my new have the $70 EH Soul Food work great at kicking that Blues Jr in the but! I would spend the small change on a flipping' switch so you can use the FAT setting.

I do and I set my Master Volume up all the way dial up my Volume to where the amp is just breaking up when you dig in. If it is too loud, (if you are playing in the bathroom or a closet), you can dial the Master down a bit. Kick in the FAT and that usually does it, nice amp boost without a big volume jump, but if you must get some more, step on any of these preamp boosts and you will be there. The simpler ones allow you to slam the preamp and output tubes for natural breakup/overdrive, but the Soul Food also allows you to adjust gain by having an overdrive function.

I know it is a cliche but any version Tube Screamer still works great as do Boss Overdrives and that Blues Driver pedal. Old MXR Distortion+ still sound cool. You kinda haft come up with a solution on yer own. You'll know.

The problem I am having is that the rooms I am playing in are quite small. One gig is playing electric lead and fills in an amplified acoustic group, the other one is an electric blues trio. So cranking the the master to get the tubes cooking is just too loud. I can use a lot of preamp volume with the master rolled back to get a pretty nice crunch but I want to be able to quickly go from clean to 'blues dirty' quickly and then be able to use my guitar volume to go fine tune. In this case I can simply buy a foot switch I suppose for the FAT channel, I was just wondering if there was a better solution for my needs. Maybe more flexibility?
 

grimlyflick

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 27, 2005
Messages
1,276
the two best non-high gain pedals I have ever used are the Lovepedal Eternity Burst and the Mad Professor Sky Blue Overdrive.

Another vote for the Eternity, although I have the E6.

I also have a Cannabis Rex in my BJ, I set the amp so it starts to break up if I play real hard and then set the E6 at a low drive setting. If I need a little more sustain I have a Red Witch Grace set for a clean boost. My Vox rig has been gathering dust for a while.
 

WBailey

Active member
Joined
Apr 23, 2015
Messages
1,131
The problem I am having is that the rooms I am playing in are quite small. One gig is playing electric lead and fills in an amplified acoustic group, the other one is an electric blues trio. So cranking the the master to get the tubes cooking is just too loud. I can use a lot of preamp volume with the master rolled back to get a pretty nice crunch but I want to be able to quickly go from clean to 'blues dirty' quickly and then be able to use my guitar volume to go fine tune. In this case I can simply buy a foot switch I suppose for the FAT channel, I was just wondering if there was a better solution for my needs. Maybe more flexibility?

You've answered your own question.

Dial in your " blues dirty " to comfort, and use your guitar volume ( or volume pedal ) for cleans. :salude

( another BJ is as inexpensive as a boutique pedal ) just sayin

when I gigged a LP and BJ I used a Mesa V-Twin. YMMV

If you are not running the BJ master full throttle, you are not getting the full potential ( benefit ) of the design.
 
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renderit

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 19, 2009
Messages
10,951
Get the footswitch for the fat switch, cheap and easy. Then get one of these. Pay whatever it takes. You will be into awesome money. Huge money. You will also learn what I am talking about. This is the TX-P version. If you cant do that then get the Slide Rig with the Dual Chained option. Same Manufacturer. Almost as good. I prefer the full sized but the Dual Chained in the small is a hell of a unit as well. But you need the 2 switches so you can set the overdrive on the solo channel and the regular sound on both. Best money I EVER spent.

 

bratpack7

Member
Joined
Nov 28, 2003
Messages
246
I would spend the small change on a flipping' switch so you can use the FAT setting.

This is what I am going to do to start. I've ordered the switch and I'll start by using the amp/guitar controls to find the sweet spots for clean and crunch. I might have to go heavier on the volume and leaner on the master for now just to get that lower volume breakup.

I appreciate all the suggestions and might still look at a pedal if the FAT alone doesn't do the trick.
 

Classic

New member
Joined
Dec 6, 2004
Messages
1,624
The BMF El Jefe is my favourite bluesy type pedal. It adds warmth but retains string separation even when the strings are hit hard. It's a dynamic pedal too.
 

c_wester

Well-known member
Joined
May 9, 2002
Messages
2,116
The Catalinbread RAH is fantastic if you have a Historic Les Paul.

I highly recommend it as it really fixes som of the blanket sound.
And it does it alot better than changing electronics.
 

frenchphil

Active member
Joined
May 30, 2010
Messages
1,223
i d say xotic bb preamp or catalinbread dls both very marshallesque but catalinbread has lots of headroom and less distortion
 

B Ingram

Member
Joined
Jan 3, 2016
Messages
730
Get the footswitch for the fat switch, cheap and easy. Then get one of these. Pay whatever it takes. You will be into awesome money. Huge money. You will also learn what I am talking about. ... Best money I EVER spent.

I'm anxious to try this out for myself. It ain't easy tracking down a TX-P...
 

renderit

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 19, 2009
Messages
10,951
Order of sound:

Origin Effects Cali76 TX-P
2- Origin Effects Cali76's Regular or mini Compact Deluxe (CD). Basically 2 of them is maybe a tad better than the TX-P (a touch more control but added hassle) but the transformer won't be as pretty. Still great, but the TX-P is perfect.
Origin Effects Slide Rig Dual Chain/regular or mini


Everything else.

I actually now can run my TX-P into a G unit which is the Cali76 with a germanium output. Don't think the germanium output is all that and a box of rocks, but with it turned down it is a regular Cali76 which means I have a Cali76 with a custom transformer with separate boost channel (that's the TXP) + a fully functional Cali76! Kinda overkill, but total control.

The Slide Rig just gives up the ability to select the attack and release. But the point they picked is really the "sweet spot" so it is the easiest to use. The dual chain just puts 2 together which is cooler than hell. Particularly if you play slide.

All of them are built to emulate a Uri 1176. A unit noted for adding a glow to anything plugged into it. As a compressor it actually does NOT restrict the tones that most compressors do. It remains VERY colorful. Maybe even makes it more colorful.

I prefer the older larger units, but they are huge and bulky. I think they sound a smidge better and there is some dip adjustability there as well. But if I was buying now I think the mini's would be easier on the wallet and board.
 
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dez

New member
Joined
Jul 10, 2004
Messages
625
Analog King of Tone or that new Overrated Special arent too shabby.
 

MapleFlame

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 3, 2005
Messages
14,044
Older Blues driver, and Older Tube screamer. First run of Xotic effects too. Lovpedal Kot and tweed version too. Personally I like tweed amp break up without pedals.
 

Mr. Papa

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 14, 2002
Messages
1,418
These days I get a lot of mileage out of a Tech21 Liverpool pedal for overdrive. It sounds awesome, no matter what I run it through.
 

B Ingram

Member
Joined
Jan 3, 2016
Messages
730
I play a Les Paul through a Fender Blues Junior with the Cannibus Rex speaker. I would like to set it up reasonably clean and then run a pedal for solos and grit. ...

Whenever I see this thread, I always think:


  1. Set amp for Solo tone with guitar volume full up (possibly with guitar tone control rolled back a bit).
  2. Turn down guitar volume for clean(er) rhythm sound (with guitar tone up if not 50's wiring).

Is it not that simple?

But do get the switch for your amp. Probably the cheapest easiest option aside from the above.
 
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