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this is gonna make me sound stupid

jdecker12jdecker12 Posts: 41
edited February 2004 in Musicians and Gearheads
okay, I have been playing guitar for awhile, but I don't really get into pedals too much. I just have a distortion pedal right now because I don't really perform for anyone or anything, I just kinda jam with friends. But I was just wondering what the difference between a distortion and overdrive pedal is? Is one better than the other or better for certain styles than the other?
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Comments

  • MissYouAllDayMissYouAllDay Posts: 939
    kinda wondering the same thing.

    Overdrive pedals are like gain.

    Distortion pedals pedals can have many crazy sounds and effects.

    I think overdrive just takes the natural tone of your clean channel and "overdrives it"

    Where as distortion pedals bring in entirely different tone.

    Someone will correct me if I'm wrong and I'm just guessing so...
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  • brain of cbrain of c Posts: 5,213
    they're both noisy....and don't worry, there are no stupid questions......only stupid people.......:)
    d'oh!!!!!!

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  • jdecker12jdecker12 Posts: 41
    Originally posted by brain of c
    there are no stupid questions......only stupid people.......:)

    I think I got a lil of both ;)
  • mccreadyisgodmccreadyisgod Bumfuq, MT Posts: 6,395
    Overdrive and distortions are varying degrees of the same effect. Basically, both increase the signal gain and then "clip" the wave-form of the signal. An overdrive is a lighter version, a distortion is a medium version, and a fuzzbox (Big Muff, Fuzz-Face, etc) is the ultra version.

    Now, in conjunction with a good tube amp, an overdrive can push the input section a little harder, getting a bit more natural tube overdrive. A distortion will drive it about the same, but the signal will be clipped more going in, and the tubes will just add some warmth and compression. A fuzz will be the same, only more.

    In a transistor (solid-state) amp, the warmth and character of tubes will not be added, which will make a certain overdrive, distortion, or fuzz sound quite different.
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  • Pacomc79Pacomc79 Posts: 9,404
    brilliant summation MIG.

    I'll try to be as basic as possible.

    Overdrive- uses volume and gain to overdrive (clip) the pre amp tubes (or semblemance of in a solid state amp) creating a softer edged distortion basically Overdrive gives your amp a boost so you get more of the natural overdrive of your amp although depending on your circuitry many overdrives have their own character. If you love the sound of your amps own overdrive you just want more at a lower volume level you need to get a boost or Clean Boost pedal to achieve that sound a clean boost ideally does in theory not change the EQ of your sound it just gives you more of what you have.

    Distortion- able to create distortion on its own. This is a more compressed signal with a much higher potential gain level than an overdrive.
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