rough/low-gain distortion/boost for modern high-gain amp

[TheEscalator]

Hey guys,
just started getting into building my own stompboxes, and since I know what I want but cant find infos anywhere I might be more lucky here.
I already posted this request there: www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/index.php?topic=116597.0, gut I'm sure it fits much better here.

What I play: high-gain riffage/chugging, e.g. Meshuggah or any other generic Djent-stuff.
I own a peavey 6506mh, so no need for any more distortion, but for shaping the tone.

What I'm looking for:
A very rough/destructive boost/distortion without adding too much gain/harmonics/fizz to the overall tone, combined with a adjustable highpassfilter to cut off bass frequencies, a ts9-alike bost of mid/high-freqs and maybe a slight boost of frequencies around 1,4kHz.

already played around with a diyed tubescreamer, its going into the right direction but is still not really what i want.
not enough attack, still too smooth.

Any Ideas or tips are highly apreciated, links concerting this topic too, of course.
like - what type of clipping to go for?
which opamp and what kind of diodes?
how to design the eq-section?

Thanks alot!!

[Bill Mountain]

Based on your description my first thought was a TS808 with a diode lift.

The basic TS architecture is perfect for what you're describing.  The diodes clamp and compress the sound (the smoothness) but also choke it a little when you might prefer it to cut more.

[bool]

Maybe ... maybe ... try a TS-type circuit with diodes replaced - try the small 1,5mm diam tru-hole red leds.

[flashtilley]

I built a BYOC OD2 tubescreamer clone and it's great!

[robthequiet]

Check out Rat or possibly Tonebender, at low boost they can make the distortion a bit more grainy. Hard to know unless you get something into your rig to know how it interacts. Maybe for more pronounced clipping texture go for transistor distortion. A big muff with diodes left off the first stage, maybe.

To get more edge I find cutting some lows on the input helps clarify, then add bass as late in the chain as you can, probably on the amp. I concur with other posters about modding the TS with LEDs for starters.

Capacitors have a lot to do with the sound, try swapping in some larger value caps in the signal path to see if it gets you closer to what you want.

Another possibility is a multi-band equalizer, to shape the input signal going into the TS.

[bool]

Step 1: swap diodes for the smallest diam. red leds you can get. Smaller=better.
Step 2: try changing the 220nF lpf cap after the clipping opamp for smaller values and see which one your rig prefers. (150nF tant. should be a good compromise).

That should get you closer to the "modern" vibe.

[allesz]

I have seen a mate chuggin guitarist getting nice solo boost out of a sd1.
I like it better than the tube screamer.

Or you could try germanium and build a range master, or the crazy single ge transistor overdrive from pinkjimiphoton. Hear it to believe it.

[Ben Lyman]

Don't get me started on the SD-1, I'll never stop!!! Best OD ever in the history of the world. hehe.
Put the diode lift on a switch for the fun of it, that's like the so-called "comp-cut" of the Fulldrive II, tons of cleanish gritty boost with that option.

As Rob mentions, Tone Bender and Rat should work, especially the Rat because it gets a very loud clean boost and some midrange accentuation.

[bool]

A SD1 is a variation on the TS topology.

Which pretty much means that if you use a TS topology as a starting point and alter it, you can design a broad range of vintage-to-modern sounds with it.

[TheEscalator]

Hey, thanks for all the answers!
experimenting with differend clipping diodes seems like a great idea, will check this out asap.
furthermore i'm going to try just a clean op-amp boost combined with an active 2nd order highpassfilter, boosting up to lets say 20db (gain=10 if i'm right) and cutting bass between 43hz and maybe 100hz.

i'd really like to go for a 2nd order filter, just do maximise the effect.
but i'm not that sure how to make it adjustable, is it enough to vary just one of the two resistors?
imo the calculations say 'yes', but who knows...