Double Overdrives Part 2

[GuitarsBuicks]

Okay so dumb question...I really really like my Route 66 v3. I also like my Wampler PD, and my EHX Hot Tubes, as well as my Danelectro Breakdown. However I have some questions based on some research I have been conducting in my time away from the forum. So here they are.

1. Analongman KoT: How much gain does it have? and what is its tonality in comparison to say a Paisley Drive or EHX Hot Tubes?
2. For someone who likes relatively low gain stuff, as in, keeps most overdrive pedals around 3 on the Danelectro Breakdown, what say the forum about the Truetone VS-XO?
3. Talk to me about the Paisley Drive Deluxe from Wampler...I'm thinking I like the idea of the Underdog side...But I don't really know if I want the Paisley Drive side.
4. Is there a good low gain double-overdrive type pedal that has an active 3-band eq that is not the Paisley Deluxe? I ask because I have an amp that does not have anything other than a tone knob for an eq, which can make it hard to dial in the tones and shape you want/need depending on what I have to or want to do. Currently none of my pedals have anything more than a tone knob.

 

[uriah1]

Another

 

[blowtorch]

Truetone VS-XO

Sounds too smooth regardless of settings, for my taste.

Probably my fave double drive (not my clip, but mine sounds just like this)-

It's still smooth like that Truetone BUT there's a touch of rust on that chrome bumper.
It is a bit warm for some contexts, but as you can hear, it does oldschool RevBillyG tone to a t

 

['64 Tele]

I was curious also about the KOT, but not wanting to wait years to get to the top of the list, I picked up a clone of one.
Hotbox Dual Drive ($78 from the online retailer that begins with A and ends with zon).
It's the only drive I've ever tried that works well (without changing all the settings) when going from single coils to humbuckers.
It's got way more gain on tap than I'll ever use, but at lower settings, gets a nice "more of your amp" sound.

Prior to this, a Timmy was on my board for years. I love it with single coils, not so much with humbuckers. My go to humbucker drive was an EHX East River Drive.

 

[Hoodster]

If you like Truetone, don’t forget about the Jekyll and Hyde. I think a lot of people overlook it thinking it’s just going to be super high gain or something, but it is actually more versatile than the Route 66 or the VSXO.

 

[Killing Floor]

Sounds too smooth regardless of settings, for my taste.

Probably my fave double drive (not my clip, but mine sounds just like this)-

It's still smooth like that Truetone BUT there's a touch of rust on that chrome bumper.
It is a bit warm for some contexts, but as you can hear, it does oldschool RevBillyG tone to a t

Jetter Gold is great. And low cost.

Browne Protein lives on my board.

DEAD(FX) makes a good KoT clone with selection switches on the outside. It’s nice if you can’t wait.

 

[naveed211]

Mojo Hand makes two really great ones, the Odessa and Rook Royale.

Also like the JHS Double Barrel.

Frankly was a bit underwhelmed by the King of Tone. Good, but not the be all-end all for me.

 

[nickmm]

Way huge Camel Toe

 

[RandomPrecision]

I also like my ... EHX Hot Tubes ...

4. Is there a good low gain double-overdrive type pedal that has an active 3-band eq that is not the Paisley Deluxe? I ask because I have an amp that does not have anything other than a tone knob for an eq, which can make it hard to dial in the tones and shape you want/need depending on what I have to or want to do. Currently none of my pedals have anything more than a tone knob.

If you like the EHX Hot Tubes, you might consider the EHX Hot Wax. It's a double overdrive where one side is the Hot Tubes, and the other side is the EHX Crayon (which is supposedly a clone or near-clone of the Xotic BB Preamp). However, the Hot Wax is a little different than simply putting a Hot Tubes and a Crayon side-by-side: there is a single EQ that applies to both channels; it also adds a clean blend knob. The EQ is only a two band (not three, like you're asking for in your question). But the BB Preamp (and presumably Crayon) is a tubescreamer derivative, with some midrange emphasis - you might be able to treat this as your midrange EQ band.

Question for you: have you used the EHX Hot Tubes in a band? I also have the Hot Tubes, and really like it for the edge-of-breakup thing. I've so far only used it at home. And to my ears, it sounds very full-range (i.e. retaining most or all bass, particularly with the tone defeat engaged), so I'm wondering how it would fare in a band mix.

I briefly had a used Hot Wax, but it had a bad footswitch, so I sent it back. Sounded great for the short time I used it though! I've now got a similar setup, with a Barber Gain Changer first, stacked into the Hot Tubes. Those two together sound fantastic to my ears.

 

[stratohiker]

Another vote for the Jetter Gold V2. On my board for about a year and a half.
Now, it's the only OD unit on it. Using a 4 knob Spark for clean boost.

 

[JohnnyThul]

No 3 Band EQ, but with internal trimmers at least that flexible, I would look into Barber pedals.

I have:

1/2 Gainer (basically 2 LTD pedals in one)
Burn Unit
DD/DC (basically 2 Direct Drives)

The 1/2 Gainer may be the most fitting of the bunch. Can be set very neutral, meaning, it doesn't change the tone of the amp, just adds musical crunch, if wanted.
The Burn Unit can get pretty hi gain, but it is also very addictive in low to medium gain settings. It is more polite and can get very dumble like, if wanted.
DD/DC is considered to be a Marshall flavored pedal, but to me it is far more versatile, excles imho in medium gain tones.

They are only available in the used market, but often can be had for a bargain, considering the quality of tone and build quality.

Also, LTD and Direct Drive pedals imho stack wonderfully in either direction, so, maybe it is also worth looking into the single pedals as well.

 

[Matt Sarad]

I stack my zendrive and Alan Holdsworth pedal.
But the Chandler Tube Overdrive is vicious on its own.

 

[GuitarsBuicks]

Question for you: have you used the EHX Hot Tubes in a band? I also have the Hot Tubes, and really like it for the edge-of-breakup thing. I've so far only used it at home. And to my ears, it sounds very full-range (i.e. retaining most or all bass, particularly with the tone defeat engaged), so I'm wondering how it would fare in a band mix.

I like the Hot Tubes. The thing to best remember about it is the EQ is relatively flat. Meaning that if your amp is scooped, so is the pedal, same for anything with a mid-hump as well. I have found that it cuts really well through a mix, ironically I have found that it pairs rather well with almost any overdrive I own. It really is an amp in a box that runs right along the edge of breakup. I am partial because it was my first overdrive. I don't regret buying it. It cuts through the mix rather well most of the time. Personally I like pairing it with a Truetone/Visual Sound Route 66. It is in all honesty one of the most under-rated and over-looked overdrives I have played with. I think it even pairs well with my Paisley drive on either side of it, but especially going into it with the less humped mids of the Paisley drive V2 filling out the scoop of my SRRI and boosting into the Hot Tubes to give it that vox-ish crunch, while still maintaining the fender cleans that we all love. Very much a "Dr.Z EMS-model" type breakup with the ability to be switched off without loosing volume. Personally I run it with the tone knob on and set it like the picture on the box and all is wonderful. Then if I just want more I put the tone at 1:00 and crank the volume on my guitar. To describe this pedal in a sentence or two I would do it as follows. Its an amp in the box if you can't use your amp, all will be well with your sound. If you have an amp this pedal just gives you more of your amp...period...it takes your amp to the sweet-spot and keeps it there while giving you more of everything your amp is good at.

Does that answer your question?

Also does anyone know what the Hot Tubes actually is circuit wise? I mean there is almost no information on what the circuit is. Its obviously not a definitive tube screamer or a blues breaker that I can tell, but it definitely runs in the vein of those kinds of circuits...At least in my opinion.