Danelectro transparent CTO-1 vs. CTO-2: what's the difference?

I know there have been other threads on this basic topic. So, here's another one. What are the significant differences between the two versions, CTO-1 & CTO-2?

I bought a new CTO-2 a few months ago. Like all, I hate the knob layout; but the ability to get "on the verge of" distortion, and back it down a bit, keeping your guitar's sound pretty similar to straight through, with a good amount of boost available, and fairly quiet operation, make it a very useful pedal to a jazz-oriented guy like me. Real good for a 40's/50's sound like Barney Kessel or T-Bone, using an archtop. Adds a nice drive to a tube amp.

What I don't like apart from the "interface" is that the full-on "distortion" with the gain on full is just a bit weak, and tubby-sounding, for those times when I might want to bluesify in the Buchanan/Collins etc. vein with my tele.

I already found a tentative (friend) buyer for the CTO-2, and put a bid on a used CTO-1 off e-bay. I guess if this all works out I can answer my own question.

I posted this same general response a year or more on my two cents on the CTO-1 vs. CTO-2 and without getting too much into the history of this pedal vs. the Timmy, I got the CTO-2 (already owning a CTO-1) while both were still in production (being sold at the same time...)

To the point, I just found the CTO-2 to just not provide the same breakup, specifically the controllable/gradual taper of the Gain knob of the CTO-1 from cleanish boost >medium Gain OD- as well as just not liking the sound of the distortion produced. Playing around with the CT0-2's dip switches did not seem to do much,the pedal seemed to prdoduce a 'garbly' or weak OD anywhere in the Gain knob's rotation. Now if someone else gets a great sound like a TS by cranking the Level and backing off on the Gain that's fine, just not how I used it I'm dialing in a distorted tone from the pedal. So, $20 more for an inferior pedal, IMO, and returned it asap.
This is all coming from the perspective of me being able to dial in predictable breakup (at a few different "dirt points") with the distorted sound I want to hear using a clean Fender amp at low to moderate volumes.I basically like to dial in a 2nd " dirty Fender amp" channel and toggle between this and my clean amp tone depending upon songs...

I will say this I don't feel like the CTO-1 is particularly dynamic; unlike a few other low OR higher gain pedals (even the Dano CO-1 Drive OCD clone) it does not cleanup well with guitar volume. You get what you get as far as how you set the Gain on the OD wherever your guitar volume is. However it still has the right sounding breakup and EQ transparency for me and that's adjustable on the pedal.

What amp are you using with the Tele? I'm not sure a transparent OD would be my first choice for Buchanan/Collins blues tone but who knows...

Your archtop thing sounds interesting. Are you playing any dates around town?

I posted this same general response a year or more on my two cents on the CTO-1 vs. CTO-2 ...

Thanks very much for that response! As someone who has used both versions, you are the ideal "responder". Very helpful.

I will say, that the model that's available now, the Danelectro CTO-2, is quite good for a jazz-type cat. If you are that guy, you don't ever want some big wall of detectable fuzz; but you might just want a bit of clipped grit & slight compression onto your regular guitar sound for the "big moments". This gizmo can provide that, without adding too much hissy noise. But just maybe, the older CTO-1 model is better overall, as so many have said on the interwebs etc. I guess I'm looking to "downgrade". I've done that with computer stuff many times!

Your archtop thing sounds interesting. Are you playing any dates around town?

Thanks for that interest; I'll PM the next time I have a gig that fellow musicians would maybe be into.

I have also used both versions but not at the same time.
V1 was a superb OD.
Basically, it did/does what a Timmy does. +/- a tad. Rightly or wrongly, and theres a known 'reason for that' and hence the V2!

V2 is a complete disappointment if expecting anything even remotely similar to V1.. Thus plenty going cheap on ebaY - which is how I got mine. Paid next to nothing for it. Sold it one for about the same.

It sounded more like a 'clean boost', with some kinda synthetic layer of dirt thrown on top.
The dip settings did do something - but not a lot - sounds ranged from meh to bleh.
However, my evaluation of this pedal was not at volume with a cranked tube amp - which might be the better way to use one, and make the whole thing very, very different.

But the V1 does sound v. good - by itself - i.e 'as a transparent OD effect' at lower vols.

telepath nailed it

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xe3WadF77Ig&feature=youtube_gdata_player

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Maybe a V2 could do what a V1 could do, but, you have to tweak the heck out
of the dip switches...like a combination lock..too much work.

I got the CTO-1 right at the end of their availability. I like the pedal a lot. It gives you some nice transparent crunch without tone coloration. Depending on the gain settings you use it is fairly versatile. I also like to use it as a volume boost at times.
My understanding is that is a more or less direct copy of the "Timmy" circuitry. As tstaed earlier, Danelectro re-issued the pedal to avoid the bad press they werre receiving for copying somebody else's design. The comparison videos on you tube show the differences between the original and V-2. I like V-1 better and probably will never get rid of it.

I have the V1 pedal, and it's alright, but I prefer the Dano CO-1 Drive. Can't speak at all for the V2

me to i am trying to find one without a huge price tag

me to i am trying to find one without a huge price tag

I am the OP, and am stunned at what this used Danelectro pedal (CTO-1) sold for. I bid $65, thinking that was a lot, but that I'd cop the thing for that. With two minutes to go, the price was at around $45. I left the room to finish up making dinner. When I came back to the computer later, I saw that there had been some last minute bidding war, and the thing sold for almost $80.

If this pedal had a decent, normal interface, and if it really is significantly better than the current CTO-2 [which you can get new for $50 or less, and which I already have], I could see why someone would pay that. But, the layout of the pots is poor. You need reading glasses & a flashlight just to tweak the settings.

For $129 you can order the "real" thing, brand new, of course there's a waiting time. That would be the Timmy pedal.

http://www.fatsoundguitars.com/store/effects/tim-timmy-pedals/paulcaudio-effects.php

I might've shot myself in the foot by making this thread while the auction was still on!

So, I'm rethinking this whole deal. I just don't think that this model is worth big bucks, to me.

I have the V1 pedal, and it's alright, but I prefer the Dano CO-1 Drive. Can't speak at all for the V2

I've owned all 3, just have the CTO-1 now as I just prefer the actual sound of the OD/distortion thru the entire rotaion of the Gain knob.

I do think the CO-1 Drive was (is) more dynamic (than the CTO-1) in terms of guitar volume cleanup, but just realized I did not care for the distortion tone produced;not bad at all but just a harder rocking sound than what I needed. I think it's a heck of a pedal, great value too.

Sold for almost $80 ??? Geesh, I might have to throw mine up on ebay now...sits in a box because I hate the knob location.

Sold for almost $80 ??? Geesh, I might have to throw mine up on ebay now...sits in a box because I hate the knob location.

This is what I was thinking!

My buddy just got on the Timmy wait list, and its only at 3 months now...versus the 6 to 9 months it was at when they were first released.

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I think you got it Two Steps. I've got the V2 and it does what I need it to do. The V1 does sound better but I ain't losing any sleep over it. Any $ I'm going to spend on pedals will go elsewhere.

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I have the V1 and honestly I have not been able to get it to work for me, as such I am very reluctant to go for a Timmy. I've tried it right after my compressor and at the end of the chain after my delay. Running into a blackface DR or PR. I agree the knob location stinks but I can live with that if I can get a good OD sound . . . any suggestions from those of you who are diggin this thing?

I have the V1 and honestly I have not been able to get it to work for me, as such I am very reluctant to go for a Timmy. I've tried it right after my compressor and at the end of the chain after my delay. Running into a blackface DR or PR. I agree the knob location stinks but I can live with that if I can get a good OD sound . . . any suggestions from those of you who are diggin this thing?


As the CTO-1 (or TOD V.1) is not as dynamic as other OD pedals I own, I don't use this one as an 'always ON/turn up guitar volume to go from clean> breakup' the way I will with say my Blues Driver.

But I do like the sound of the distortion produced by the V.1 and its relative flat EQ, so I set it to step on as a "dirty or OD channel" for my old DR. So for me that means Gain around NOON; Bass at 2:00/Treble at 3:00 clock (this is just a little Treble bump to an otherwise flat EQ for my amp), and Level really just at 10:00-11:00 as this pedal has a lot of boost to it. So those settings right there put it just a little louder than unity (pedal bypassed), and I just set my amp volume wherever I need it, say 3-4, and I get a nice breakup with the Dano that sounds very natural, does not change my guitar>amp tone drastically and does not impart a ton of distortion. I can stack another "dirt" with this for more Gain/solo boost...

I have the V1 and honestly I have not been able to get it to work for me, as such I am very reluctant to go for a Timmy. I've tried it right after my compressor and at the end of the chain after my delay. Running into a blackface DR or PR. I agree the knob location stinks but I can live with that if I can get a good OD sound . . . any suggestions from those of you who are diggin this thing?

I have a V1 also... I don't use a compressor... so that kinda confuses me. But I have min in the middle of my chain: Guitar > Wah > Fuzz > DIRT > Delay > Amp. Now realistically I never have everything on... usually only one thing at a time, except maybe the delay... And there are several different dirt pedals that make a steady rotation depending on the amp I'm playing through.

I use my CTO-1 like Chiogtr4x does... As a 'dirty channel'. I will usually keep it on for a whole song, or for a whole section of a song, all the choruses or all the verses, etc. I've messed around with using it as a solo boost... But never quite settled into any pedal for a solo boost. It basically makes my amp sound like it's saturating a little early. I don't max out the drive, and am usually trying to keep it close to Unity, or maybe slightly above.

I use it the opposite of the way you would use a Tubescreamer. The TS, you use to push your amp. The CTO-1 I use to be able to keep my amp volume down, but still sound like I'm pushing my amp into breakup.

Damn me! Now I've gone and pre-ordered one of those Paul Cochrane "Timmy" pedals! I don't have some big budget for stuff like this, so $129 plus shipping seems like a good chunk. But, I certainly can't see any sense in paying out a lot of $$ for a used Danelectro copy of the "real thing". I'd rather have a brand-new unit, with a regular, gigworthy knob layout. Made right here in TN, too! Once I receive the Timmy I'll try & sell off the CTO-2, and some other pedals I have that are collecting dust.

I guess with "correction for inflation" this isn't too much more than the $50 I spent on an MXR Distortion +, back in 1981!

Likewise to Chiogtr4X I use mine for a little dirt and it works very well for that. Since I am plugged into a DRRI with a Weber 12F 150, the amp won't start to really "Break up" until I get to around 5-6 and for where I play that's generally too loud. It's right after my compressor in the chain followed by the Wampler Ecstacy for soloing. The knobs are a pain if you are constantly tweaking them, but I don't so they don't bother me.
As far as the price goes I bought mine on Ebay for $50 before they came out with V2. If you can buy one for $80.00 and it fits your needs, that's a fair price for what it brings to the table. I wouldn't pay more than that either, but I sure as heck wouldn't part with it for less.

I have a V1 also... I don't use a compressor... so that kinda confuses me. But I have min in the middle of my chain: Guitar > Wah > Fuzz > DIRT > Delay > Amp. Now realistically I never have everything on... usually only one thing at a time, except maybe the delay... And there are several different dirt pedals that make a steady rotation depending on the amp I'm playing through.

I use my CTO-1 like Chiogtr4x does... As a 'dirty channel'. I will usually keep it on for a whole song, or for a whole section of a song, all the choruses or all the verses, etc. I've messed around with using it as a solo boost... But never quite settled into any pedal for a solo boost. It basically makes my amp sound like it's saturating a little early. I don't max out the drive, and am usually trying to keep it close to Unity, or maybe slightly above.

I use it the opposite of the way you would use a Tubescreamer. The TS, you use to push your amp. The CTO-1 I use to be able to keep my amp volume down, but still sound like I'm pushing my amp into breakup.


^^ Yup! This is how I end up using most OD's to be honest, whether it's the Dano TOD or say my "always ON", more dynamic pedals like my Blues Driver or even lately, my GFS "Rat clone" (which despite the high Gain potential, has great guitar volume cleanup). I just rarely do gigs where I can turn up my amp loud enough to OD on its own. Plus, I never want to get too far away from a clean Fender tone anyhow.

+1

You know what would be great? a CTO-1 with a switchable boost (w/Level control), but I think that's called a "Tim!":wink:

The Ecstacy sort of does that but it ain't cheap

CTO clean boost. yea.
vol-straight up
tone-straight up (both)

Gain-Humbuckers...0.-->1.50 just a hair so you know it's on
Gain-Single coils.. 2.0-3.0 (not clock,linear)