Anyone Use the Boss Blues Driver or Boss Superoverdrive?

[jrich]

Does anyone have any experience using either the Boss Blues Driver pedal or Boss Super Overdrive pedal? If so, what is your opinion? Also- what is the main difference between the two?

Thanks,

JRich

[Colin Johnston]

I'm using a Super Overdrive in front of a SF Champ and lovin' it! I tried the Blues Driver too, but found the Super Overdrive to be warmer and more like the sound I had in my head. Try both for yourself and be sure to try them with the amp you'll be using.


Colin

[Raymond]

I can't live without my Boss SD1.

I use it with any amp by just changing some of the settings. It's great.

Check out "eBait" or Harmony ads. I got mine for 30 bucks shipped.

[chickenscratch]

Blues Driver. I Bought it for 30 bucks in a pawnshop 2 years ago... it has been used at least 2 nights a week for bar gigs (sometimes more), and still delivers a great punch. If you like the Tube Screamer, this soft kind of overdrive is for you. You can dial in a lot of things, as well, and they always sound great with Telecasters.

[Brad]

I use the blues driver as a clean / semi clean boost as I have a Vox Valve Tone, Barber Direct Drive and Fulltone Fulldrive for overdrive tones. The higher gain settings on the stock BD can be a bit harsh & fizzy, but I've been turning the gain control up more and more lately and I like what I hear. It lives up to it's name that's for sure. Very different animal ( IMO ) than a tube screamer. Responds well the picking dynamics and your guitars volume control. Believe it or not, this is the first Boss overdrive I've used in 30 + years of playing. I want to try a modded BD to see if it really makes that much of a difference over the stock model. It really depends on the tone you are after and the gear you have as to what pedal ( or pedals ) will float your boat. Many here love rat's. Other's Tube Screamers, Valve Tones, Tone Bones....etc. I like having a few at my disposal for the different flavors they bring to the table. While most of mine are very similar in nature, they all have a few things they do better than the other's. Take time to check out and experiment with as many pedlas as you can. That's where the fun begins!

[ashtray]

I actually used to use (and still have) a mij Boss Turbo Overdrive. The thing sounds really warm. I wanted to get the blues driver, but I didn't like how it sounded at all. I really wanted to like it too, but I just didn't. When I played the turbo overdrive I was very surprised at how warm it sounded. I was in the market for a TS-9 at the time, but the TS-9 didn't clean up as well as I liked when you backed down the guitar's volume. Also, don't let them name fool you. There is a turbo switch on it to get more gain, but you can use it with the turbo off, and gain at 12 o'clock and get a great blues overdrive from it. Oh, and it's in the $30 used range, when I got it at least. This goes back almost 10 years though.

[Matt Plescher]

I like the SD1 a lot just playing alone in front of an amp, but for me it doesn't work as well live with the band as my Keeley Rat to cut through the mix. For small gigs with a small amp I think it's a sweet pedal. Keep in mind I haven't tried all the boutique pedals.

Cheers
Matt

[Matt Plescher]

deleted double post

[rcrecelius]

When using a Twin reverb, I use the Blues Driver on all the time to give the clean sound a little "grit".

Since i got my Dr Z, I have the gritty sound without the BD so now I use it to boost my Baritone guitar so its the same level as my tele.

[detuned]

Tried one in a store, great.

Ordered one modded by Robert Keelely (to complement my Keeley-modded DS-1), & initially, I wasn't that impressed.

However, after having a chance to play with it; this thing sounds *incredible* with my Teles!

[J_Gordon]

I had a Blues Driver a couple of years ago but traded it in...probably traded it with a guitar in order to get another Tele!

However, I have kept my TS-9 Tube Screamer. I haven't totally played with it in order for me to swap it for a Blues Driver yet. Just because I see how expensive the TS-9s are these days...I would hate to get rid of the Tube Screamer and end up wanting it back down the road.

But I am curious on comparisons between the TS-9 and the Blues Driver. Which pedal gives the most warmth, cleans up the best at lower volumes, allows for tonal flexibility?

[David Rolling]

...and am currently using the BluesDriver. More string to string definition, transparency and most importantly, the BD is much more responsive to picking dynamics. I had an MIJ SD-1 - nice pedal (some say it's the BOSS equivalent to the Ibanez TubeScreamer). After comparing it to the BD, I ditched the SD-1. Altho' it did sound pretty good thru' my old single channel tube amps, it just wasn't as versatile as the BD-2.

[Rob DiStefano]

Using a Keeley modded Blues Driver - smooth, articulate, all notes are defined yet "hairy", great tone, easy to fit in with most single coil g'tars and amps.

[DavidP]

I got the phat switch mod as well--$$ well spent for this!!

[The Snowman]

I use 2 of them...one for a slight boost and the other for crunch blues...and some times if I'm doing the Strat and Tele thing at a gig..I set one up fer each guitar....and after these I go thru the Keeley Comp and I never turn that thing off.....don