Reccommend OD/Fuzz to go beyond FDII

I'm really happy with my current tone:
RCray Strat -> Full-Drive II MOSFET -> MXR Dyna Comp -> Super Champ XD (Clean)

The FDII is toggled for Flat-Mids (FM) and is set on MOSFET mode, low-gain (9:00). Dyna Comp is at min sensitivity. This is basically a clean tone, with warm break-up on the attack. Compression is after the FDII so have maximum control at the volume knob and the best pick sensitivity. The BOOST section of the FDII is set around 11:00 for a thicker, bluesy lead tone. No complaints about any of my set-up so far.

But, sometimes I crave a "searing, soaring, sustain-filled" lead tone. Do I need a distortion pedal, a fuzz type? Warm tones are what I prefer. Do I need a Fulltone '69 MkII or can I get there with a RAT?

Talk to me about super-saturated dirt! In the mean time, I'll keep my amp clean, work on my Real Tone.

Well, I use the FDII Mosfet too, set similarly to yours, except I use the boost knob quite a bit higher. Don't use the boost much though, so...

I stacked a Fulltone OCD after mine about two years ago, and have not looked back. Searing and soaring are definitely two words I'd use to describe it. If you leave on your FDII in non-boosted mode, and use the OCD on top of it, it's ridiculously cool. If you use the OCD by itself as a "dirt channel" for dirty rhythm, then add the FDII for lead boost, it's also totally cool. I think if you want a sustainy gain monster pedal to play well with your FDII, it's hard to find a better match than the OCD. FWIW, I don't run mine high gain. Running the volume up to 3-4 o'clock, and the gain around 9 or 10 o'clock is more gain than I would ever need out of anything. But there's plenty more there if you need it.

Also keep in mind, I run mine mostly with humbuckers, you might want to punch the gain up a little with singles, but it's there, for sure. These two pedals play REALLY well together.

Well, I use the FDII Mosfet too, set similarly to yours, except I use the boost knob quite a bit higher. Don't use the boost much though, so...

I stacked a Fulltone OCD after mine about two years ago, and have not looked back. Searing and soaring are definitely two words I'd use to describe it. If you leave on your FDII in non-boosted mode, and use the OCD on top of it, it's ridiculously cool. If you use the OCD by itself as a "dirt channel" for dirty rhythm, then add the FDII for lead boost, it's also totally cool. I think if you want a sustainy gain monster pedal to play well with your FDII, it's hard to find a better match than the OCD. FWIW, I don't run mine high gain. Running the volume up to 3-4 o'clock, and the gain around 9 or 10 o'clock is more gain than I would ever need out of anything. But there's plenty more there if you need it.

Also keep in mind, I run mine mostly with humbuckers, you might want to punch the gain up a little with singles, but it's there, for sure. These two pedals play REALLY well together.

This. It's really easy to get the FD2 and the OCD to play nice together.

This. It's really easy to get the FD2 and the OCD to play nice together.

Interesting. OCD wasn't even on my radar, as I thought it must be "too similar" to the FDII to be worth adding one to my chain. I will rethink that assumption.

@Jakedog - I do run-up the BOOST on my FDII a lot, often at MAX. But I'll roll-off considerably at the volume knob and work the OD from my guitar. Because of this interaction, I am hesitant to put anything in front of my FDII (but yeah ... and OCD would probably play just as nicely with my guitar).

Edit to add: I mostly use the BOOST as a simple lead boost, that is I set the BOOST knob according to how much extra volume I need, which isn't always the same thing as the amount of drive I may want. The FDII BOOST channel does not have its own volume control, so if I dial in the drive I want I am usually way too loud in comparison to the normal channel. (making sense?)

Interesting. OCD wasn't even on my radar, as I thought it must be "too similar" to the FDII to be worth adding one to my chain. I will rethink that assumption.



It can, but it doesn't have to. You can make the OCD sound exactly like the FD2 if you want, but it is quite versatile. I actually run mine after the FD2, with volume set at unity, gain about 1 or 2 o'clock. This way I can use the different combinations of the two pedals to get a range of different flavors. My fave is the FD2 stacked together with the OCD, but that's a lot of dirt and not always necessary for a lot of our stuff we play.

Thought I'd jump on this train and add that I'm very happy with my FDII Mosfet going into my OCD. They're my only dirt pedals, but with the boost on the FDII I essentially have 4 gain stages (and that's without playing with my guitar volume).

I actually run mine after the FD2, with volume set at unity, gain about 1 or 2 o'clock. This way I can use the different combinations of the two pedals to get a range of different flavors.

This sounds like what I'm after, a range of gain/drive/dirt somewhere at or around unity.

Thanks for the suggestions!

The OCD is definitely a distortion, where the FDII is an overdrive. Except for the fact that are both dirty, they are really not similar at all to my ears. Even in flat mid mode, the FDII has a TON more mids than the OCD. It's actually got a pretty huge hump, that becomes obvious when you set it down next to something like the OCD. I don't mind, I like that. I always run my chain- Guitar--> BBE Boosta Grande Clean Boost--> FDII Mosfet--> OCD for gain pedals. It's so versatile it's amazing, there are no bases I can't cover with that setup short of flat out metal, which I don't play anyhow.

... short of flat out metal, which I don't play anyhow.

OK. I admit to being a Rush fan, but that's healthy step short of today's metal. :grin:

I would say I spend most of my time playing Americana (Band/Petty/J.J.Cale) and my tone with the FDII is just right 99% for the time ... but occasionally I want to venture into Slash/Santana/Gilmour territory, and that's where a new pedal just might help me out. :lol:

I listened to some OCD vids and I honestly did not hear the sustain I'm after (OK ... not paired with the FDII, so maybe not fair?). The OCD sounded really good, but I also need other options to weigh it against.

Point is, this whole reply is really just a bump to see what other ideas come up. :?: :cool:

Thanks in advance!

I notice that you have the FDII before the Dyna comp why? I think you would get closer to the tone your looking for be just change those two pedals order. Just a thought.

I listened to some OCD vids and I honestly did not hear the sustain I'm after (OK ... not paired with the FDII, so maybe not fair?). The OCD sounded really good, but I also need other options to weigh it against.

Point is, this whole reply is really just a bump to see what other ideas come up. :?: :cool:

Thanks in advance!

Fair enough. Someone else suggested placing your compressor in front of your FD2, I would second that. I run a Boss compressor, but the Dyna Comp is good too, mine is set for about 2/3 of the sustain it will do, so a fair amount of sustain from the compressor, but nothing crazy. With just the comp & FD2, I'm getting some of the tones you described (rock, but nothing like the lead sonic glory you're after). That's where the OCD comes in. The other day with this setup, I was getting Gary Moore type sustain with my cheap Agile Les Paul copy and these pedals stacked thru the Frenzel set clean (fine amps by the way).

I think you run your SCXD clean (my SCXD stayed clean on channel 1 when I was gigging with it, it sounds pretty good), so you should get good results with a similar setup.

I notice that you have the FDII before the Dyna comp why? I think you would get closer to the tone your looking for be just change those two pedals order. Just a thought.

And a good thought, a plan that would most certainly work ... except I would give up the tone I currently have and love. I really like the way the FDII only "bites off" the very peaks of my dynamics. I get a warm, worn speaker type of OD this way.

Comp first would smooth the peaks prior to dirt, and give me a smoother OD tone. In that spirit, whatever Dist/OD/Fuzz I end up with will likely go after the Dyna Comp because the new box will be on duty for thick, saturated, long lasting Buckethead tones.

Hmmm ... maybe I need another compressor prior to the FDII that I can to toggle ON for the long sustain. :?: