Favorite overdrive for a DR[RI]?

[bluesholyman]

I saw this asked back in 2017 and not specifically since, so I figured I ask on a new thread. Just acquired a '65 DRRI. I have been running a PRRI with a Bassbreaker 15 (Celestion G12M speaker) chained together - great sound. The DRRI seems to be in a whole new class and I just want to see what people currently use with this amp for their overdrive. My DRRI has a Celestion Gold in it, but I will probably switch over to the GA-SC64 to bring it back home to DR land.

So far I have tried (with DRRI volume on 3-4 at home, barely waking up):

Nobels ODR-1 - sounds good, did not wow me like I expected it to, which surprised me
Menatone Red Snapper - great sound here, but tight in the low end, sometimes I like more, but this is a winner for me.
Klone - great always on pedal for this amp from what I can tell - mine is an Aluminum Falcon Final Edition.
Way Huge Pork Loin - I like it better than the ODR-1 on this amp - this and the Snapper are two favorites to go between.
Xotic Soul Driven - historically my favorite go to for just about any amp - in its dialed in setting, it is not doing it for me. Need to play with more.

So to summarize for me, it seems Klon (always on), Menatone Red Snapper, Way Huge Pork Loin.

Thanks,
BHM

 

[bendercaster]

I like the MXR Timmy for overdrive. Super jangly and shimmery on my DR.

 

[Maguchi]

I saw this asked back in 2017 and not specifically since, so I figured I ask on a new thread. Just acquired a '65 DRRI. I have been running a PRRI with a Bassbreaker 15 (Celestion G12M speaker) chained together - great sound. The DRRI seems to be in a whole new class and I just want to see what people currently use with this amp for their overdrive. My DRRI has a Celestion Gold in it, but I will probably switch over to the GA-SC64 to bring it back home to DR land.

So far I have tried (with DRRI volume on 3-4 at home, barely waking up):

Nobels ODR-1 - sounds good, did not wow me like I expected it to, which surprised me
Menatone Red Snapper - great sound here, but tight in the low end, sometimes I like more, but this is a winner for me.
Klone - great always on pedal for this amp from what I can tell - mine is an Aluminum Falcon Final Edition.
Way Huge Pork Loin - I like it better than the ODR-1 on this amp - this and the Snapper are two favorites to go between.
Xotic Soul Driven - historically my favorite go to for just about any amp - in its dialed in setting, it is not doing it for me. Need to play with more.

So to summarize for me, it seems Klon (always on), Menatone Red Snapper, Way Huge Pork Loin.

Thanks,
BHM

With Fender Blackface and Silverface combos I use a coupla different drive pedals, one at a time, not daisy chained in series. A TC Electronic VPD-1 Vintage Pre-Drive, a TC Electronic Spark Booster (regular, not mini), and a Boss BD-1 Blues Driver. Gives me some sweet sounds.

 

[Killing Floor]

 

[bluesholyman]

A TC Electronic VPD-1 Vintage Pre-Drive,

I haven't seen one of these in almost 15 years - had one way back when they first came out. Mostly a boost? I remember it being capable of mid hump but just not a lot of dirt in it, IRRC...

 

[JohnnyThul]

I found every Barber pedal to work superb with a DR.

LTD perfect for low gain, Direct Drive for medium gain (they stack pretty awesome, too!), Small Fry for smooth leads, if needed. Burn Unit is also cool, if you are more into a smoother type of overdrive.

Also nice, but pretty huge and limited in adjustability is a Hughes & Kettner Tube Factor (only the green "channel").


All the above I found to let the amp still sound through and not sound too processed (well, okay, the Small Fry /Burn Unit can sound pretty Dumblesque).
Other pedals I used always sounded more like the pedal, than the amp to my ears (Fulltone Plimsoul, Secret Freq, Okko Dibalo).

I think, Barber pedals are hard to beat with a DR and can be had for a good price used or new (Gain Changer would be the pedal I'd go for then, it combines LTD and DD flavours in a smaller box).

As for the Gold, I found it a little hard to work with on the treble side of things, so, I switched to an ordinary V30 which works better with pedals, to my ears. And the current setup is through a 4x12 with Greenbacks, that is really cool, unfortunately big and heavy. But with the Greenbacks everything seems to fit a little better, especially with the Overdrives, I use.

 

[igor5]

Pairing with a tele? I´d go to either Barber Gain Changer or PC Timmy.

 

[Bill]

I use a Blackstone Appliances MOSFET Overdrive on my original ‘66 Deluxe Reverb. The pedal is very organic sounding and cleans up well from the volume control on my guitar.

 

[cousinpaul]

The DRRI can be fussy with pedals. If you can get somebody to lift the vibrato channel's bright cap, it might open up some more possibilities. A lot of players like this mod and, if done right, it can easily be reversed.

 

[mad dog]

Same as all my other amps. Mild Tim clean boost, mild OD (low on the gain knob) with a bit of bass rolled off, then into a Greer Lightspeed, again, low on the gain knob.

 

[telekaster1999]

Wampler Euphoria is my new favorite.

 

[nic'o'caster]

KOT was my favourite, now it's the Snouse BlackBox OD2 for BluesBreaker circuit and I've just acquired a Cornerstone Antique V2 which sounds fantastic too (it's marketed as the John Mayer sound). Both are based on famous circuits but they go way further in terms of sounds (and tweaking !)

 

[bluesholyman]

If you can get somebody to lift the vibrato channel's bright cap, it might open up some more possibilities. A lot of players like this mod and, if done right, it can easily be reversed.

I don't think it was done on this amp, but clearly whoever had it before me modded it to taste - the Celestion Gold is not just something you throw in there for kicks. I find the normal channel just a bit darker than the vibrato channel - I actually like how vibrato channel sounds so not inclined to make it different.

I've considered the mod that puts reverb/trem on normal channel - that is probably worth doing at some point.

So far, the Red Snapper is the pedal I have consistently liked with this amp, regardless of the speaker.

 

[Cosmic Cowboy]

I have been using the Tumnus Deluxe by Wampler for about 4 months.. I am really diggin it. The Tumnus has kicked a myriad of overdrives off the board. Seems to really have some mojo that most of the Klones lack. Still gives that low mid bump in a smooth way that works for Fender BF amps.

 

[hotcoffeenochill]

Your DRRI is just waking up at 4?! My Deluxe Reverb is well awake at 3.5!

I’m gonna second the Snouse BlackBox 2 or any other “transparent” OD if the DR is already starting to break up. I think it fills in the mids in a really nice way by itself once it’s starts driving, so I favor a drive that doesn’t shift the EQ too much.

If you’re running it on the cleaner side I could see a Klon-type OD being ideal. Adds a nice midrange without the TS suppression of the highs.

All my opinion though. The greats have used a TS with flying results. I just don’t get along with them.

 

[cowboyfan1969]

I have been using the Tumnus Deluxe by Wampler for about 4 months.. I am really diggin it. The Tumnus has kicked a myriad of overdrives off the board. Seems to really have some mojo that most of the Klones lack. Still gives that low mid bump in a smooth way that works for Fender BF amps.

Same here. Bought the Tumnus Deluxe shortly after my TMDR Blonde Deluxe. It was on for probably 3/4 of the gig. That and my Paisley Drive covered almost all the bases......

 

[StratmanSteve]

AM Prince of Tone

 

[Sax-son]

I have tried a lot of different pedals with a DRRI. The speaker you are running is also a consideration. Unfortunately, there is not a one pedal fits all scenario. All the different quality pedals are good, but the guitar, amp, pickups. playing style all affect the tone. Here are some of my favs for the DRRI.
MXR Timmy for normal OD
I am using a Caline Orange Burst for more gain
and a Caline English Man for the Marshall type OD.
The last 2 of these pedals are extremely inexpensive, built well, and sound great with my rig. I have pulled off my Fulltones, Lovepedals, and my Nobels ODR1 and replaced those with these. For the DRRI, they sound really good in my opinion. Unfortunately, tone is subjective and we all hear something different.

 

[Hoodster]

Second vote for this, on the mid setting:

 

[Synchro]

I’d recommend more tweaking on the ODR-1. I’ve found that mine behaves differently with different amps, and that the settings can make a huge difference. Into my Winfield Typhoon it drives it into breakup easily. (Think Vox AC-15 front end {with an EF 86 in V-1A} into a single ended, 5 watt EL 84 power section.) For my Winfield Tremor, which is more like a Brownface Princeton, the same settings stay clean, but with a very rich timbre. Tweak the Spectrum control and it seems to accommodate almost any amp.