Austin gold

Anyone else like this thing? I think it is a pretty darn killer stomper for the same price as the monkey. It is a different beast, being a light overdrive/boost but in the right setting it really shines. I picked one up out of curiosity a few months back and didn't really have a chance to play it. Today i was playing a '72 champ with my green tele and i really wanted to get a smidgen more grit in there and i didn't want to break the windows. I had my old pro co .rat sitting there but not the right adapter, so i put in the Austin Gold in and i was getting a really pretty nice sound with just the champ, the tele and the AG. At very low settings the AG gave me some fizz, but crank the amp up past four and it gives you the same drive you might get with the champ on about 8. I was pretty impressed. This is dang nice pedal for $39 bucks. It's clearly not gonna do it in a death metal situation, but for a solo boost or for getting a bit more overdrive at a moderate setting it was nice and cleaned up okay if you back off on the vol knob some. It's not a Barber LTD/lovetone/menatone/klon whatever but it is a wicked good boost for the getus and just begs to be put in single coil - tube amp setting.

Or am i just easy to please? ..... (i know it was the tele and the champ... hard to go wrong if that's your starting point)

-kp8--

I tried one for a few days and it was less than great. I was hoping for a pedal with a good natural drive sound that didn't suck out any low end and figured the pre-boost control (or whatever they called it...) would take care of that. It turns out that it didn't really add/maintain the low end, but basically rolled it off if the knob wasn't dimed! The overdrive sound wasn't all that great to my ears and reminded me of a Boss DS-1 with a low drive setting when maxed. I could see where it may not sound too bad with a Champ with a small speaker, but through a gig-volumed RI Bassman or an old FLot-A-Tone with a 15 inch speaker it sounded kinda thin and unnatural. Y'alls MMV as usual.

Try the Boss OD-3. No bass cutoff. Good tube-ish overdrive.

I've been using these for about three years. I really wanted the Xotic AC/RC (whichever is the lower gain of those two pedals) but could not justify the $175 for the Xotic. I've found the AG to be great with a Super Reverb and a Princeton. I don't like it as much with a 5E3 clone...it seems to make that amp fart out too quickly.

I've got one on a board along with a Barber LTD and then I picked up a second AG used that stays with my Princeton to goose the front end of that relatively clean amp.

The AG is not a high-end, boutique pedal. But when you can find them used for around $40, I think they're a nice inexpensive low gain OD.

IMO, the Austin Gold ranks right up there with the Bad Monkey - both are good pedals, for cheap.

But neither are as smooth or "transparent" as the LTD or Gainster - therefore these triple-the-cost pedals are more effective and provide a better boost, for me.

There are lotsa other smooth OD's out there, including the ten-times-cost Klon Centaur - um, nope, no thanks, that's a bit much to pay for exactly what I can get for lots less with an LTD. YMMV.

"There are lotsa other smooth OD's out there, including the ten-times-cost Klon Centaur - um, nope, no thanks, that's a bit much to pay for exactly what I can get for lots less with an LTD. YMMV."

Thanks for that input. I've been on the fence about the Klon.

IMO, the Austin Gold ranks right up there with the Bad Monkey - both are good pedals, for cheap.

But neither are as smooth or "transparent" as the LTD or Gainster - therefore these triple-the-cost pedals are more effective and provide a better boost, for me.

I am saving for the menatone or LTD. The AG is just a stop gap measure for now cause i got it dirt cheap. I am just saying that, for what it is, and what i paid for it, really not bad at all and my half cranked champ only needs a little push anyhoo. Still the menatone snappa or LTD is likely my next purchase.

I need a 'verb and trem pedal at some point too... hee hee.... but the AG allowed me to purchase a nice champ so i have to satisfy myself with it for a couple pay cycles.

-kp8--

... I need a 'verb and trem pedal at some point too... hee hee.... but the AG allowed me to purchase a nice champ so i have to satisfy myself with it for a couple pay cycles.

-kp8--

For the very few times I need some 'verb or delay, and after a ton of buying and selling and wasting dollars, I use a Rocktron Short Timer - quiet, tasty, efficient, good build, cheap, gets the job done. And for trem it's gotta be that delicious little lip smackin' Dano Tuna Melt!

For the very few times I need some 'verb or delay, and after a ton of buying and selling and wasting dollars, I use a Rocktron Short Timer - quiet, tasty, efficient, good build, cheap, gets the job done.

i might try it. It got good reviews, but i haven't heard one yet myself.


And for trem it's gotta be that delicious little lip smackin' Dano Tuna Melt!

i keep hearing that, but gosh, i got a chicken salad dano pedal and frankly, it sucked, but if i see a used Tuna maybe i'll give it a whirl. The chicken salad was noisy and didn't really seem to do a good vibrato. I would kill for a good vibrato (not trem but actual vibrato) pedal. I've tried a few and all have been yucky.

As always i am keen on your advice, I was actually taking your advice going back to the champ and not getting a new pcb based amp. The champ is as lovely as i remember it being all those years ago and is working out nicely. I really wanted that b1uesboy you sold, but i didn't get to it in time.

Thanks,

-kp8--