Best Overdrive for a Hot Rod Deluxe Version 4

[Butch Snyder]

I love my HRD4 and I only use the clean channel. The drive channel is decent but doesn’t work well with my teleport. I have a Route 66 for comp and grit. I use the OD side for a little grit. I’d like to get a good OD pedal for strong overdrive.

I have a BOSS DS-1. Don’t really like it at all. It’s too fuzzy of a distortion even with the tone rolled down. I’m looking for something good and warm maybe like a tube screamer on steroids. I’ve used a DOD overdrive preamp 250 before and it sounded great with a Deluxe Reverb. The Paisley Drive interests me but I’ve never really heard one. What are y’all‘s thoughts?

 

[KC]

I dragged the Princeton Reverb out of the closet the other day & went through a bunch of drive pedals to see what worked best with it (as opposed to the Marshall / Vox amps I mostly play). The winner, for a classic tele Spanky sound, was a Fulldrive 2 mosfet. Nice and bright and open-sounding. Some of the others (I'm looking at you, Klon) made the amp sound like it had a blanket over it. Distortron also sounded great but less Fendery and more Marshally.

 

[Nicko_Lps]

maybe like a tube screamer on steroids.

A few days ago i saw someone describing marshall guv'nor exactly as tube screamer on steroids, myself is very interested on this pedal after learning that Gary Moore was using it to push his amps.
The blues driver should be a nice one as well

 

[Big Twang Theory]

Hi Butch, if a tubescreamer on steroids is what you're looking for, then I think Paisley drive might be perfect. It's a fantastic TS type pedal. I don't use mine much anymore, just because I want less gain than a normal TS, not more. It also has the 3 way toggle for the mids that make it really versatile. You can add less or more of the classic mid hump. Plus you can find them for decent prices used on Reverb.

 

[Butch Snyder]

Hi Butch, if a tubescreamer on steroids is what you're looking for, then I think Paisley drive might be perfect. It's a fantastic TS type pedal. I don't use mine much anymore, just because I want less gain than a normal TS, not more. It also has the 3 way toggle for the mids that make it really versatile. You can add less or more of the classic mid hump. Plus you can find them for decent prices used on Reverb.

Is yours the regular or Plus model?

 

[Big Twang Theory]

Is yours the regular or Plus model?

The regular one. I had the deluxe version and sold it and got the regular. The second overdrive on the deluxe is good, just waaay more gain than I need. I use pretty much all low gain overdrives, but it was great if that's your thing. The other side is Brian's take on the Nobels ODR-S, which I had confused with the ODR-1. Similar circuit but with more gain.

 

[wildschwein]

 

[RetroTeleRod]

The Ibanez Jet Driver is a higher gain alternative to their Tube Screamer. As an added bonus, it features true bypass, a Mid knob and the “good” TS chip.

 

[AndrewG]

 

[cousinpaul]

The "D" style pedals can sound very good into a clean 6L6 powered Fender. Zen Drive, Barber Burn Unit, Small Fry, etc, are all good choices.

 

[TeleTex82]

Some nice low to medium gain pedals that would work well are the Greer Lightspeed, the Boss Blues Driver, The ODR-1, the Tubescreamer, a Klone, Fulldrive, Timmy, a Dumble style pedal, a Tweed flavored pedal like the Greer Tomahawk or the Falcon, lots of options.

 

[burntfrijoles]

I would think something like Timmy, Tumnus or maybe the Keeley Phat Mod would do the trick.

 

[Butch Snyder]

I had pretty given up in my search as I didn't find anything that really appealed to me, that wasn't over $150. Then I found the Boss SD-1. I kind of glossed over it and didn't really pay much attention to it. So, I watched a bunch of YouTube videos and picked ones that were most applicable to me (Les Paul through a Marshall isn't a good example for me). I was very impressed by the warmth, expressiveness, and openness of it. I found a new 40th Anniversary pedal for $65. I'm pretty happy with it. I keep my Soul Food on the pedalboard just in case though.

 

[Les H]

I had pretty given up in my search as I didn't find anything that really appealed to me, that wasn't over $150. Then I found the Boss SD-1. I kind of glossed over it and didn't really pay much attention to it. So, I watched a bunch of YouTube videos and picked ones that were most applicable to me (Les Paul through a Marshall isn't a good example for me). I was very impressed by the warmth, expressiveness, and openness of it. I found a new 40th Anniversary pedal for $65. I'm pretty happy with it. I keep my Soul Food on the pedalboard just in case though.

Although it's been years but when I had my HRDlx first edition my Boss SD1 was what seemed to work best with that amp for me too.

I've been using that pedal for 30 years now and while I have a closet shelf filled with some much more expensive overdrives that old SD1 still beats them out. Never really found an amp it sounds bad with.

 

[SPUDCASTER]

OD-3 or a Whiteface Rat.

Best is subjective. Really depends on what sound you have in mind.

 

[Turtleneck]

Strymon Sunset?

 

[GearGeek01]

For $59 brand new, try out a TC Electronic MojoMojo overdirve. Very usefull tone controls, lot's of use-ability in the Drive and Level controls, too. IMHO one of the best bang for your bucl ODs out there... Works the same great way in every amp

TC Electronic MojoMojo Overdrive Pedal

Overdrive Pedal for Electric Guitar with Drive, Level, Bass, and Treble Controls and a Voice Toggle

www.sweetwater.com

I'm with ya on the HRD's distortied/overdrive sound... sounds like a horse fart... great cleans, though...

 

[GuitarsBuicks]

I love my HRD4 and I only use the clean channel. The drive channel is decent but doesn’t work well with my teleport. I have a Route 66 for comp and grit. I use the OD side for a little grit. I’d like to get a good OD pedal for strong overdrive.

I have a BOSS DS-1. Don’t really like it at all. It’s too fuzzy of a distortion even with the tone rolled down. I’m looking for something good and warm maybe like a tube screamer on steroids. I’ve used a DOD overdrive preamp 250 before and it sounded great with a Deluxe Reverb. The Paisley Drive interests me but I’ve never really heard one. What are y’all‘s thoughts?

Gotta be honest here. I have a Hot Rod Deville...It was made in '05. I think its a V3. The reason I originally went overdrive shopping was to get a better overdrive tone because lets face it...the overdrive channel in those amps is not the best. My favorite overdrive pedals to put with a Telecaster and that amp are an EHX Hot Tubes, and the Danelectro Breakdown. Separately they really make those amps come alive. Not sure I would combine them for a live rig, although you can definitely do it.

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/HotTubesOD--electro-harmonix-hot-tubes-nano-overdrive-pedal

Hard to beat the tone and price of this one, and it has recently made a triumphant return to my live rigs for smaller gigs because it actually sounds like a very very happy tube amp going directly into the mixer...which is kinda cool and a little weird to do. I cannot recommend this one enough. Its a darn good pedal, especially for the price.

and now...: THE BREAKDOWN

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/Breakdown--danelectro-the-breakdown-overdrive-pedal

This one also acts like an amp-in-a-box. See above, add more treble and you have the Breakdown in a nutshell.

I can definitely recommend either one to pair with any Fender Hot Rod amp.

P.S. Just set the Hot Tubes as it shows in the picture and then season to taste. It should not disappoint. Especially if you use your guitar's volume controls.

Also I put it between the compressor and the overdrive side of my Route 66. Makes a pretty sweet combo in my opinion.

YMMV

 

[jay4321]

The Boss Angry Driver and TS9 cover everything for me, that's as far as I go on this amp. The Angry Driver is two ODs in one really and they can combine