Boss OD-3 Surprise !!!

[fakeocaster]

While Boss do lot of things well, I never thought that distortion was one of them.However the OD3 has made me change my mind

[E5RSY]

Originally Posted by JoeNeri

According to The Boss Book, the waveforms for the BD-2 and OD-3 are almost identical, with the BD-2 having slightly quicker clipping.

No, no, no!!! That's not it, at all. All you have to do is look at the knobs: the BD-2 has "GAIN" and the OD-3 has "DRIVE". There it is in a nutshell.

Scott

p.s. Does The BOSS Book provide a definition of "Functionality"??? I'm curious to know exactly what they mean by that and how it's measured.

[JoeNeri]

Originally Posted by E5RSY

No, no, no!!! That's not it, at all. All you have to do is look at the knobs: the BD-2 has "GAIN" and the OD-3 has "DRIVE". There it is in a nutshell.

I now understand how ALL dirt pedals work

p.s. Does The BOSS Book provide a definition of "Functionality"??? I'm curious to know exactly what they mean by that and how it's measured.[/QUOTE]

I have the book. I read the book. I have no idea!!!

[Sharp5]

I think they can be fizzy but for me, rolling back the tone (on the guitar) just a little smooths them right on out. YMMV

[MGD342]

LOVE the OD-3! What a great pedal, can hang with any of the boutiques!

[11 Gauge]

Originally Posted by chrisgblues

Only down side for me is that the gain is a bit 'splatty' but I always have to find something wrong with a pedal no matter how insignificant so I can justify buying more...

That's always the rub, isn't it? But Boss (and most/all mass producers) have the same dilemma: the pedal(s) must have a decent range of flexibility. Some folks like a bit of fizz and hair mixed in.

Originally Posted by chrisgblues

...it also beats a bunch of other more expensive pedals IMHO.

Hopefully some of the "better" more expensive ones try to optimize around specific EQ and gain ranges. Lots of times, OD/dirt pedals are probably best "flavored" certain ways, just like amps that are most popular. No one expects a 5E3 to have the characteristics of a Dumble, Vox, or Marshall, and the same for the other amps.

The biggest trick for any pedal maker is to expand the sweet spot as much as possible, within reason. Boss did a great job of that with the OD-3, IMO.

I know that mods come up time and time again, but IMO the OD-3 and Rat are two examples of pedals that should be basically left alone. If you need either one to really do something really different, you need a different pedal. Or - you need something that has been so heavily tweaked from the original foundation that it's no longer a Rat or OD-3!

[Chrismo]

11 - got a question for you. A lot of times Boss overdrives/distortions sound really muffled and boxed in to my ears. Is the OD-3 very "open" and natural sounding? I see it gets a ton of raves and I'm very interested in trying it out at some point.

[chrisgblues]

Originally Posted by Chrismo

11 - got a question for you. A lot of times Boss overdrives/distortions sound really muffled and boxed in to my ears. Is the OD-3 very "open" and natural sounding? I see it gets a ton of raves and I'm very interested in trying it out at some point.

Hey Chrismo...

11Gauge can definately answer a lot better than me. But IMO the OD-3 definately has a 'flavour', it's not supposed to be 'open and natural sounding'. Having said that...the flavour is kind of like a TS (which we are all familiar with) but with way more available Bass, and the mids are more desirable when using single coils...like what you would get from a good tweed amp. The harmonic content is what I like, I describe it as a 'juicy' pedal if that means anything?!?!

If you're looking for more 'open' and you want to stick with Boss...I would argue that perhaps the BD-2 is a bit more open, if not a bit too tinny.

[bluesky636]

I have both a Monte Allums Supra Plus modded Boss OD-3 and a Monte Allums H2O Plus modded Boss BD-2 (as well as an Allums Ultra Plus modded CS-3). I use the OD-3 with my Fender SCN equipped Strat and the BD-2 with my GFS Fat Pat humbucker equipped parts guitar. Each has a very different sound that compliments the SCNs and the humbuckers. I do not use one to drive the other or switch which guitars I use them with.

[Chrismo]

Originally Posted by chrisgblues

Hey Chrismo...

11Gauge can definately answer a lot better than me. But IMO the OD-3 definately has a 'flavour', it's not supposed to be 'open and natural sounding'. Having said that...the flavour is kind of like a TS (which we are all familiar with) but with way more available Bass, and the mids are more desirable when using single coils...like what you would get from a good tweed amp. The harmonic content is what I like, I describe it as a 'juicy' pedal if that means anything?!?!

If you're looking for more 'open' and you want to stick with Boss...I would argue that perhaps the BD-2 is a bit more open, if not a bit too tinny.

I figured it probably added coloring, but there's just a certain muffled boxiness I hear in a lot of Boss dirt pedals. Maybe it's just my ears but I have seen a lot of raves on the OD-3 so I'm hoping this one's different.

[11 Gauge]

Originally Posted by Chrismo

I figured it probably added coloring, but there's just a certain muffled boxiness I hear in a lot of Boss dirt pedals. Maybe it's just my ears but I have seen a lot of raves on the OD-3 so I'm hoping this one's different.

Without getting into pedal techie geek speak (if that's possible for me ), the BD-2 and OD-3 are "conducive" to a "harmonic coloring" that at least has the potential to sound good.

The problem with the "boxy coloration" with a lot of OD pedals is that they aren't properly dynamic in how they transition back and forth between clean notes that are lightly picked versus more harmonics and some hair when you lean on things.

The BD-2 and OD-3 use different circuitry than a lot of OD's do - it's not (exclusively) an op amp chip like in the TS and it's zillion derivatives. They use a combination of individual transistors that have to work together to do something similar. Op amps are notorious for staying linear until they run out of headroom. The "simulation" in those Boss pedals doesn't allow for perfect linearity, and the clipping that results can sound immensely better.

The BD-2 can sound a lot better if it's modded to "exploit" the potential of that circuitry. The OD-3 already has it in place!

The other interesting thing about the OD-3 is that there isn't all this endless talk of the need to replace the "inferior" chip that it does have, but it's all the rage with the BD-2. Both pedals basically use the same chip! But how Boss integrated it within the OD-3's circuit makes all of the difference in the world.

The OD-3 is definitely the exception to the rule for folks that don't dig Boss dirt pedals, IMO. While you still might not like it, it's worth an audition, IMO.

[68 Shovelhead]

You guys piqued my interest, I found one used at a GC out of state for $39.99, Monday it's on it's way to me.
The OD-3 youtube clips sound very nice indeed, I've been looking for another OD, if this works out I'm thrilled to get by on the cheap.

[bluesky636]

Originally Posted by 68 Shovelhead

You guys piqued my interest, I found one used at a GC out of state for $39.99, Monday it's on it's way to me.
The OD-3 youtube clips sound very nice indeed, I've been looking for another OD, if this works out I'm thrilled to get by on the cheap.

I got mine cheap off of E-Bay too. This is the mod I did to it. Sounds great.

http://www.monteallums.com/pedal_mod...ssod3supraPlus

[Chrismo]

I'm gonna check that out - thanks 11!

[68 Shovelhead]

Mine just came in, I tried it (briefly) with my Jimmy Vaughan partcaster (Lawrence PUP's) into a Blues Junior. There is an unpleasant brightness to this pedal, if I dial out the bright it gets muddy. It seems to work best as a vol boost or with the gain low. Just curious what settings you guys are using, and with which guitar/amp combos.
I'll try with some different settings, amps and guitars, but so far I'm underwhelmed.

[E5RSY]

Originally Posted by 68 Shovelhead

Just curious what settings you guys are using, and with which guitar/amp combos.
I'll try with some different settings, amps and guitars, but so far I'm underwhelmed.

A variety of settings sound good on mine.

I'm playing it mainly between a '57 AVRI Strat and silverface Super Reverb.

Personally, I think the Blues Junior my be the weak link in your chain.

[11 Gauge]

Originally Posted by E5RSY

I think the Blues Junior my be the weak link.

It might actually be the speaker more than anything. Low watts and a single 12 are a tricky match with a "full frequency OD" in many settings.

I think I'm about to go to a 2X10 baffle board in my '79 DR. My Colorsound Overdriver based build makes the speaker (old Weber "Ferromax") sound ratty in all the wrong ways.

I'm just loving my '68 Super Reverb with pedals these days, but anybody within 5 feet of that amp is not!

[68 Shovelhead]

Originally Posted by E5RSY

A variety of settings sound good on mine.

I'm playing it mainly between a '57 AVRI Strat and silverface Super Reverb.

Personally, I think the Blues Junior my be the weak link in your chain.

Originally Posted by 11 Gauge

It might actually be the speaker more than anything. Low watts and a single 12 are a tricky match with a "full frequency OD" in many settings.

I think I'm about to go to a 2X10 baffle board in my '79 DR. My Colorsound Overdriver based build makes the speaker (old Weber "Ferromax") sound ratty in all the wrong ways.

I'm just loving my '68 Super Reverb with pedals these days, but anybody within 5 feet of that amp is not!

The little BJ typically takes pedals well IMO, but you guys may be right. I also have a '68 Super Reverb, I'll give it a go with that tomorrow.

[Chrismo]

The OD-3 is awesome! Got to try one out with a Visual Sound Open Road OD and preferred the Boss!

[kp8]

I like the OD 3 for basic dirt. I A/B-it with all the boss offerings a few years ago and it bested them all by a pretty big margin. The BD2 was in the same neighborhood but I thought the OD3 was superior both in EQ profile and OD character. It was very clear that the OD3 had better bass response as well. It does a pretty decent crunch as well and nice low gain tones. I gigged one for a long time I wouldn't hesitate to put it back on my board but I got a Trotsky Drive that I liked as well and my bandmate liked my OD3 enough that it ended up on her board and I didn't have the heart to take it back.

-k