Noob Here

[stutter]

Hello people my first post!    I was wondering if anyone here could give me some reccomendations for a distortion pedal.I want it to reach Dream Theatre type distortion but i dont want it to colour the sound of my amp, i know its inevitable it will,but the less the better.I had a look at the dr boogie but it looks like it may sound a bit dull and flat ie that mid scoop nu-metal sound which i detest 

Cheers

[fixr1984]

First off, welcome.
Im not familiar with Dream Theater's sound but The MXR
Dist + is a pretty easy build that sounds good.
http://aronnelson.com/gallery/album19

[Seljer]

First off, welcome.
Im not familiar with Dream Theater's sound but The MXR
Dist + is a pretty easy build that sounds good.

Dream Theater = I believe it was a Mesa Boogie Mark IIC+ and Mark IV on the slightly older stuff and on msot of the albums, then a Dual Rectifier for some live stuff and finally
went even more all out with multiple Mesa Boogie Roadkings for the dirty sounds and Lonestars for the cleans
and John Petruccis eq IS pretty scooped

though really, if you're looking for the Mesa Boogie sound in a pedal the Dr Boogie is probably what you want, you can easily change some values it if you want more midrange (though if this is your first pedal you might want to try something easier )

[stutter]

Yes this will be my first pedal but i have built amps before,im guessing the biggest issue with the boogie is squeels and hum.It does look like the kind of pedal that would destroy your tone for the sake of Chugga Chugga action though,which im not really looking for.What about the BsiabiII??

[Seljer]

its not that it squeals in general, you just have to be very very careful at how you build it. And it does the medium gain stuff too, no need to always crank it up to 10. But it is a rather diffucult build (probably oen of the harder distortion pedals out there)

the BIASB2 is a great pedal, does the Marshall sound in all variations (from Hendrix to Van Halen), though I'm not sure if thats really Dream Theatery enough


what kind of amp do you have? by your description of "not colouring the amp" it sounds like you might be looking for more of an overdrive pedal than a distoriton

[petemoore]

I was wondering if anyone here could give me some reccomendations for a distortion pedal.
  Lots of 'em...
  Not sure what D.T. Guitar Dist Record Sounds like.
  what kind of amp do you have?
  And...how is it run now...
1  "Tube amp sounds dull"...great base to try voicing a boost or fuzz on, almost certain alot can be done for the tone at a safe 9v.
2  "Amp sounds remarkably ____"[whatever..bright?/distorted?/...] Fuzz/OD/Dist choice might be more difficult, may Sound L.S., be unruly and hard to manage [noise/feedback/nasty, metalikky grit] Try a booster to make it sound *more [~like its own distortion].
3  "Amp is a 'digiclone"...already sounds great? try TS in its Loop? Probably won't fatten up in the Fuzz/Dist dept. much beyond it's presets.
4  'Amp is Very Small' doesn't get loud/distortey enough, or loses bass definition when I try to Distort", Fuzzing the inputswill not allow amps to surpass their limitations.

[amz-fx]

Doesn't our friend Troubled Tom make some pedals for Dream Theater?

You might check his page to see what he is building.

regards, Jack


Edit: I remembered the name of his web site: http://troubledvariance.com/

[stutter]

Right MXR+ it is,i can find a kit cheap.Now since john uses phaser alot i was thinking either the Ross phaser without the extra stages or buy one of those Daphon ones.What do you guys think? Are there any possible mods i could use on the daphon if i bought one?

Cheers

[petemoore]

  Right MXR+ it is Always liked it, Still use one. I-had-1-got-rippedO, nice to have more versatile replacement...diode to ground clippers are nice.
i can find a kit cheap.
  I built one from ~8bux of stuff from RS and some free parts I laid around.
  Now since john uses phaser alot i was thinking either the Ross phaser without the extra stages or buy one of those Daphon ones.
  Ross is nice platform for a phaser to mod, I like the sound of phasers, don't know 'what is Daphon', I guess a 4 stage phaser, Jfet, Photo, or Chip type of sweep control.
  What do you guys think?
  Building a first one for comparison or use requires a platform choice, and can insure the possibility to be modified easily. The Daphon phaser can be tested before purchase. A Well thought out Ross build?..I want one.
  Are there any possible mods i could use on the daphon if i bought one?. Yes, 'but possible mods you want' is more in depth, I can't answer.