Accidental Pairing

[Dan German]

A while ago, I purchased a Danelectro Fab Tone Overdrive from @northernguitar. If you are familiar with the pedal, it’s… well… it is its own thing, I guess. I mostly wanted it because I enjoyed one back in the day, and had space on my board to indulge my nostalgia. There are a few things it works for, but not a lot. Until today. I was noodling away, and realized I hadn’t tried it with my baritone. Who knew? It is awesome! I shouldn’t be surprised, since taming the Fab Tone’s shrillness was always an issue, but I am impressed with how well it pairs with the baritone. Fuzzy distortion goodness.

Anyone else have a pedal/guitar pairing that unexpectedly worked?

 

[gitold]

Had a really old MXR distortion + that was just hideous but never sold it. Bought a late 60’s Vibro Champ and they sounded great together. I stoped getting rid of pedals for that reason.

 

[JustABluesGuy]

I’ve not had the same experience with guitars and pedals, but do have pedals that work better with certain amps than they do others.

I have pedals I’m not using now, but might have a use for at some point, so I also tend to keep pedals that I’m not currently using.

 

[Ben Harmless]

Baritone really changes the game for whatever reason - I mean, I kind of know some of the reasons, but it seems really extreme. When I got my apparently-valuable-now Squier Jazzmaster Bari I discovered that it sounded phenomenal plugged into an old Tech 21 Bass DI. I got instant super-twang in the lowest notes, and it sounded absolutely amazing with several fuzzes - my favorites being an EQD Park Fuzz (Tonebender style) and an EHX Green Russian - both of which have unique ways of handling low end. Add generous reverb, and it was instant spaghetti western. Then I tried my Tele into the same rig and it sounded just gawd awful. Just unlistenable. I had to burn that guitar and get a new one.

I don't know if the Fab Tone in question is the older, dark red version with the metal case or the newer plastic enclosure. I had the original metal one, and it was... yes... it's own thing. I always thought of it as a failed Metal Zone. One day someone pointed out that when you set it in certain ways it sounds like a very controlled version of a tweed amp cranked to 13. Once I tried thinking about it that way, I heard it all the time. Part of me wishes I hadn't gotten rid of it, but there are still a lot of them floating around.

 

[northernguitar]

I love mixing heavy distortion and flanger. Great for groovy drop D playing. My favourite is the Deluxe Electric Mistress and my Superfuzz clone.

 

[Killing Floor]

Octave into fuzz into a light chorus moves mountains. Especially if, like me, you play mostly clean and drop a hammer just when it’s needed.