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Distortion tips

MissYouAllDayMissYouAllDay Posts: 939
edited December 2004 in Musicians and Gearheads
Hey everyone,

I was wondering if anyone has some cool distortion settings I should try with my tubescreamer. Just today I turned the tone knob all the way to full treble for the first time (weird no?) and it produced a much harsher sounding gain then I had ever gotten outa my ts9 before. I had the level and drive at 5:00 too. It sounded wicked. So it got me thinking that alot of people all have their different favorite setting and might wanna share them :)

My understanding of tone knobs is as follows. as you turn the tone knob counter clockwise it starts taking away some higher frequencies. When it is all the way turned to the lower frequencies it kinda mutes the higher frequencies. It gives chords that kinda behind a wall sound. IS this about right?
I miss you already, I miss you always
I miss you already, I miss you all day
Post edited by Unknown User on

Comments

  • thingmaker88thingmaker88 Posts: 33
    I keep the tone on mine about 3/4 to the right, with the drive almost all the way up and the level at about 1/4. For an amazing distortion try running the tubescreamer before a harmonic distortion pedal. turn them both on at the same time and listen to the sustain and power. I think it gives a good heavy tone that is a little more retro, rather than the modern metal of the triple rec type distortions. I personally run my tubescreamer into and Ibanez sonic distorion. Great pedal!!!
    It's really great when your in a limo you can put your head to the window and look out at all the homeless people-E.V.
  • mccreadyisgodmccreadyisgod Posts: 6,395
    The tone knob moves the tonal center of your signal... so moving it down makes the tone more bass-heavy, while moving it up makes it brighter, more treble. This is the same thing, essentially, as what a wah pedal does.

    I have two tubescreamers, a Keeley Plus mod and a Keeley Baked mod. The Plus mod I use for a little grit and boost... Gain at about 9:00, Tone at 1:00, Level at about 2:00 or 3:00. The Baked mod I use for insane drive... Gain all the way up, Tone at about 2:00, level at about 12:00 or 1:00.
    ...and if you don't like it, you can suck on an egg.
  • exhaustedexhausted Posts: 6,638
    i don't have a ts9 but i do have a keeley BD-2.

    gain is usually down around 8 or 9 (practically off), tone around 9 or 10. and level varies from 11 to 3 depending on the amount of drive i want. i primarily use it as a boost.
  • mccreadyisgodmccreadyisgod Posts: 6,395
    exhausted wrote:
    and level varies from 11 to 3 depending on the amount of drive i want.


    Hahaha...

    Your Blues Driver goes to 11.
    ...and if you don't like it, you can suck on an egg.
  • MissYouAllDayMissYouAllDay Posts: 939
    Hmm with a harmonics pedal eh? where do you put the tS9? Before or after the fuzz. (mine is a fuzz)

    Yah Mod plus is what I have. I am very impressed with it although it was pricey. You get what you pay for I guess...unless you bought a gibson.

    "The tone knob moves the tonal center of your signal"
    This isn't entirely true is it? Because when you move your tone all the way to the treble side it still includes all of the bass frequencies doesnt it? Or were you describing specifically the pedals tone knob?
    Cause I understand on my tele that when I have it on the "brightest" setting it still includes all the bass and all the treble. As you roll the knob to the bass it takes those high ferquencies away rather than shifting the center. In other words the bright gives all frequencies where as the bass side just takes away some frequencies. Isn't this right? Or is it different for the pedal you think? Or am I just wrong?
    I miss you already, I miss you always
    I miss you already, I miss you all day
  • exhaustedexhausted Posts: 6,638
    MissYouAllDay wrote:
    Hmm with a harmonics pedal eh? where do you put the tS9? Before or after the fuzz. (mine is a fuzz)

    Yah Mod plus is what I have. I am very impressed with it although it was pricey. You get what you pay for I guess...unless you bought a gibson.

    "The tone knob moves the tonal center of your signal"
    This isn't entirely true is it? Because when you move your tone all the way to the treble side it still includes all of the bass frequencies doesnt it? Or were you describing specifically the pedals tone knob?
    Cause I understand on my tele that when I have it on the "brightest" setting it still includes all the bass and all the treble. As you roll the knob to the bass it takes those high ferquencies away rather than shifting the center. In other words the bright gives all frequencies where as the bass side just takes away some frequencies. Isn't this right? Or is it different for the pedal you think? Or am I just wrong?

    tone on a guitar just rolls off the highs. tone on an effect is what he was talking about. generally, setting the tone to 12 o'clock would be flat response.
  • mccreadyisgodmccreadyisgod Posts: 6,395
    exhausted wrote:
    tone on a guitar just rolls off the highs. tone on an effect is what he was talking about. generally, setting the tone to 12 o'clock would be flat response.


    Big difference between active and passive tone controls. And yep, tone at center (12:00 o'clock) would be theoretically flat, or no effect (although it is bound to color SOME, just by being there).
    ...and if you don't like it, you can suck on an egg.
  • MissYouAllDayMissYouAllDay Posts: 939
    Oh... okay. So for my TS9 its more like putting the bass up on an equalizer and not rolling off the highs. Thats cool. But yah it sounded just wicked with the tone all the way up. Very harsh sounding, so cool.

    If only my roomates would leave for a week... and the neighbours.
    I miss you already, I miss you always
    I miss you already, I miss you all day
  • thingmaker88thingmaker88 Posts: 33
    MissYouAllDay wrote:
    Hmm with a harmonics pedal eh? where do you put the tS9? Before or after the fuzz. (mine is a fuzz)

    Yah Mod plus is what I have. I am very impressed with it although it was pricey. You get what you pay for I guess...unless you bought a gibson.

    "The tone knob moves the tonal center of your signal"
    This isn't entirely true is it? Because when you move your tone all the way to the treble side it still includes all of the bass frequencies doesnt it? Or were you describing specifically the pedals tone knob?
    Cause I understand on my tele that when I have it on the "brightest" setting it still includes all the bass and all the treble. As you roll the knob to the bass it takes those high ferquencies away rather than shifting the center. In other words the bright gives all frequencies where as the bass side just takes away some frequencies. Isn't this right? Or is it different for the pedal you think? Or am I just wrong?


    I run the tube screamer before the harmonic pedal so my chain looks like this


    Amp<
    HD<
    TS<
    guitar

    I don't know how that would sound with a fuzz though. I'm not big on fuzz it gets too muddy with abything more than a power chord
    It's really great when your in a limo you can put your head to the window and look out at all the homeless people-E.V.
  • MissYouAllDayMissYouAllDay Posts: 939
    Yah thats totally true. I think its really fun though. I am currently trying to learn lead so I wanna create the ludest most distorted signal I can sometimes. Like just a crazy cutting bad ass distortion.

    But yah Big Muff is no good for cording I agree.
    I miss you already, I miss you always
    I miss you already, I miss you all day
  • mccreadyisgodmccreadyisgod Posts: 6,395
    For nasty lead work: MXR Blue Box

    http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=22669&item=3768449976&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW
    ...and if you don't like it, you can suck on an egg.
  • MissYouAllDayMissYouAllDay Posts: 939
    Octave synthesizer eh?

    Isnt that what they used on Rocket? Or was that an octave pedal. Or is there a difference. It sure looks cool and blue.
    I miss you already, I miss you always
    I miss you already, I miss you all day
  • Pacomc79Pacomc79 Posts: 9,404
    MissYouAllDay wrote:
    Octave synthesizer eh?

    Isnt that what they used on Rocket? Or was that an octave pedal. Or is there a difference. It sure looks cool and blue.


    That was actually a big muff as far as I know, It could certainly be a blue box.

    Listen to the two different solos on Pearl Jam's "Ghost" the dirtier version sounds like a blue box.

    Most octave fuzzes produce an octave ring an octave up.

    The Blue Box goes one octave down.


    Trent Reznor uses them frequently.


    EHX also has a cool old "bass" pedal I believe called the Octave Multiplexer.
    My Girlfriend said to me..."How many guitars do you need?" and I replied...."How many pairs of shoes do you need?" She got really quiet.
  • samicksamick Posts: 373
    I just bought a boss DS-1 Distortion ...........have not had much time to play with it being that i just got it out of the box..............
  • mccreadyisgodmccreadyisgod Posts: 6,395
    samick wrote:
    I just bought a boss DS-1 Distortion ...........have not had much time to play with it being that i just got it out of the box..............


    Ah, the old standard. If you only own one distortion pedal, it should be a DS-1. As far as it goes, it's the most predictable pedal with the most predictable sounds out there. Good choice...

    Especially considering the price.
    ...and if you don't like it, you can suck on an egg.
  • samicksamick Posts: 373
    mccreadyisgod wrote:
    Ah, the old standard. If you only own one distortion pedal, it should be a DS-1. As far as it goes, it's the most predictable pedal with the most predictable sounds out there. Good choice...

    Especially considering the price.



    I love the sound i'm getting so far..........$39.00 well spent i say
  • DirtLikeMeDirtLikeMe Posts: 91
    Pacomc79 wrote:
    That was actually a big muff as far as I know, It could certainly be a blue box.

    Listen to the two different solos on Pearl Jam's "Ghost" the dirtier version sounds like a blue box.

    Most octave fuzzes produce an octave ring an octave up.

    The Blue Box goes one octave down.


    Trent Reznor uses them frequently.


    EHX also has a cool old "bass" pedal I believe called the Octave Multiplexer.

    I think that's Stone playing his Fulltone 69 distortion; a fuzz pedal with harmonics.
    And if hope could grow from dirt like me, it can be done
  • pariahpariah Posts: 596
    Pacomc79 wrote:
    Listen to the two different solos on Pearl Jam's "Ghost" the dirtier version sounds like a blue box.

    I'm pretty sure that's an OC-2 Mike uses there... I'd have to search for the source though.
    "Until you realize the importance of the banana king, you will know absolutely nothing about the human-interest things of the world."
  • exhaustedexhausted Posts: 6,638
    pariah wrote:
    I'm pretty sure that's an OC-2 Mike uses there... I'd have to search for the source though.

    yes, it's an OC-2.
  • pariahpariah Posts: 596
    exhausted wrote:
    yes, it's an OC-2.

    And there's our source. :)
    "Until you realize the importance of the banana king, you will know absolutely nothing about the human-interest things of the world."
  • All Those YesterdaysAll Those Yesterdays Posts: 2,723
    I have a crazy idea that only someone like 'mccreadyisgod' will get, sense its coming from me. Turn the pedal off, and crank the amp!
    E. Lansing-98 Columbus-00,03,10 Detroit-00,03 (1&2),06, 14 Cleveland-03,06,10 Toledo-04, Grand Rapids-04,06 London-05, Toronto-05, Indianapolis 10, East Troy (1&2) 11, Chicago 13, Detroit 14

    https://www.facebook.com/aghostwritersapology/
  • mccreadyisgodmccreadyisgod Posts: 6,395
    All Those Yesterdays wrote:
    I have a crazy idea that only someone like 'mccreadyisgod' will get, sense its coming from me. Turn the pedal off, and crank the amp!


    That's why I have small tube amps...

    Although even I have two Tubescreamers.
    ...and if you don't like it, you can suck on an egg.
  • Pacomc79Pacomc79 Posts: 9,404
    mccreadyisgod wrote:
    That's why I have small tube amps...

    Although even I have two Tubescreamers.


    Fattness. I don't like the way my preamp tubes saturate over about 4 or so on the pre-gain, pumping them with volume and or light gain in the front end instead and setting the amp for loud and clean works best for me...though it's difficult to describe verbally. The little orange just gets too muddy when the gain knob is up too high.

    Part of the reason I'm wanting to sell my rat or just take it out of the chain for a while and get some kind of smoother high gain pedal like a Baked TS-9 or maybe even a Blues Driver.
    My Girlfriend said to me..."How many guitars do you need?" and I replied...."How many pairs of shoes do you need?" She got really quiet.
  • mccreadyisgodmccreadyisgod Posts: 6,395
    Pacomc79 wrote:
    Fattness. I don't like the way my preamp tubes saturate over about 4 or so on the pre-gain, pumping them with volume and or light gain in the front end instead and setting the amp for loud and clean works best for me...though it's difficult to describe verbally. The little orange just gets too muddy when the gain knob is up too high.


    That's the inevitable problem with amps that have pre-gain AND master volume controls. The best thing is to do what you're doing, get that phat clean tone that might be just on the edge of breaking up, and then drive it with something out front.

    Me, I'd never choose an amp with pre-gain and master volume controls. Useless.
    ...and if you don't like it, you can suck on an egg.
  • thingmaker88thingmaker88 Posts: 33
    I say boooo to master volume. Like the talking goat said "crank it up fuckers!".
    It's really great when your in a limo you can put your head to the window and look out at all the homeless people-E.V.
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