Really subtle OD?

[Alpha579]

Hi evryone,
Are there any really good, really gentle Od's out there? Sort of like the Klon Centaur, to drive your preamp while adding a tiny bit of distortion?
Thanx for any suggestions,
Alex

[Xavier]

The new Barber LTD seems to be a good choice although I haven't heard it yet. It was built with this idea in mind (low gain OD)

[SnooP_Wiggles]

A boss Bd-2 can be quite subtle, but its needs to be modded to be decent.

[B Tremblay]

The Peppermill, Professor Tweed, and Supreaux at runoffgroove.com can produce subtle, transparent overdrive.

[Mark Hammer]

The various Rangemaster clones/derivatives can be subtle, delivering something that is definitely not fuzz but also not clean either.

I would imagine that if you cascaded two stages similar to the TS-9/808 or SD-1's clipping stages, with a small value resistor (e.g., 2k2) in series with the diodes, keeping the gain modest (e.g., no more than 10-15) in each stage, you'd probably end up with something that delivered lots of output with modest coloration.  Manage the feedback cap value in each stage well, and you shold get ballsiness with buzziness.

[Ge_Whiz]

To Brian's list I'd add the 'Blue Magic'.

[jimmy]

if youve got the resources, you might want to try ron blacks tube distortion. the sound clip at ROG is absolutely gorgeous. i think it might be on the other ROG site, homewrecker or something.

cheers
Jim

[Gilles C]

A tube overdrive would be the first choice.  :twisted:

Then, look for FETs.

The first kind of nice sounding overdrive was produced by the tube amps themselves.

Then a transistor fuzz would be added to produce distortion...

FETs are closer to tubes in their operation than transistors are, so I think that if you choose one of the FET circuits you'll find here, it should fit the need.

A good start: listen to the sound clips. It helps to make up your mind in the kind of sound you would like.

A good place to start:

http://runoffgroove.com/salvo.html

[Gilles C]

A good start...

http://st13.yahoo.com/lib/tonefrenzy/klon-overdrive.mp2

http://runoffgroove.com/professor1.mp3

http://runoffgroove.com/pmill1.mp3

http://runoffgroove.com/pmill2.mp3

etc...

(I love to listen to sound clips  :twisted: )
((My wife can't stand them anymore...  :evil: ))

[Lonestarjohnny]

I agree, The Professor Tweed has that nice tube type tone and dialed in just right the drive vary's with your pick attack, very nice, but the Supereau is just as great, plenty of great choice's for you to look at,
Have fun !
JD

[B Tremblay]

if youve got the resources, you might want to try ron blacks tube distortion. the sound clip at ROG is absolutely gorgeous. i think it might be on the other ROG site, homewrecker or something.

The Ron Black Tube Distortion clip, as recorded by Aharon Colman, is at http://home-wrecker.com/salvo.html#rblacktubedist

[petemoore]

1. Has a Tube in it [12a_7], The Ron Black circuit looks good, [haven't tried it, I'll listen to the clip], The Shaka Tube is great, I've built 2. IMO these tube stages are just real hard to beat for what I like in the realm of tone that you outlined.
 2. Has two Fet's ... [3?].
 Phillip [from F.C.] is working on a new page I believe, a Clean Mosfet boost [2 mosfet stages], Ez Parts, Ez to assemble, top shelf 'clean' boost, acutallly it 'distorts' [in the EE terminology of 'distort'], very softly, has excellent drive characteristice, just feels to have great 'controlled' gain...adds harmonic content [a little] but sounds like Guitar, excellently boosts the timbre in a natural sounding way...it moves to the 'A' position during all the A/B tests I've been running on it. Great build
 3. You probably know what a TS type circuit does?

[Alpha579]

Whens Phillips site gonna be a up for veiwing

[RDV]

http://www.diystompboxes.com/cgi-bin/webbbs_scripts/webbbs_config.pl?noframes;read=485

HeeHeeHee

Actually you can mellow it out to the point where it serves as a clean boost with active EQ, all the way up to a firebreathing monster.


RDV

[Alpha579]

Lol, not quite what i was looking for :wink: , but that tone control lookes cool...