[Almost Enough]

ALL OF THEM.

[steveguitar12xx]

Originally Posted by Ax

I'd also add to that, that a lot of times pedals are simply used to push amps into overdrive rather than be the primary source. That's the way it is with my Night Train and my Soviet Power Booster.

I'll agree to that at an extent as that may have been the primary goal for manufactuars originally in past time...however, now manufactuars (today) are usually more bent on being able to create more usable overdrive sounds for players straight from pedals while running the tube amp at more acceptable volumes...

Now some will say "Why not just get a smaller tube amp with less watt power?"
But really, where is the fun in that?

(& Don't get me wrong i'm not saying you need a huge amp as mine are fairly small and easy to tote around...that isn't the point of my post at all, just clarifying as many people can assume or twist the point of a post on here just as on youtube)

[Almost Enough]

Originally Posted by steveguitar12xx

Now some will say "Why not just get a smaller tube amp with less watt power?"
But really, where is the fun in that?

Power tube distortion.

[steveguitar12xx]

Originally Posted by Almost Enough

Power tube distortion.

Power tube distortion???

My point is that if you think you have to go to a smaller amp to get your tone and volume then you've probly bought the wrong amp.

If you like power tube distortion, could you not run a Distortion pedal in front of a tube amp and keep the artifacts and characteristics of the power tubes in the outcome?

As far as the myth of the bigger the amp, the better the sound goes...totally false IMHO

I do have a Fender Champ 600 and it has unbelievable tone for being only 5 watts of tube power but it doe have a speaker & cab output which can come in hand but who cares about those outputs when it's better to mic the amp it'self anyhow

Forgot to mention this way earlier...
When i posted my comments earlier i meant that strictly for light to medium type of overdrives. I would NEVER use something like a Boss Metal Zone or Mega Distortion to replace a good high gain Marshall-esque amp.

[thesteve]

Originally Posted by steveguitar12xx

Power tube distortion???

My point is that if you think you have to go to a smaller amp to get your tone and volume then you've probly bought the wrong amp.

If you like power tube distortion, could you not run a Distortion pedal in front of a tube amp and keep the artifacts and characteristics of the power tubes in the outcome?.

Running a distortion pedal in front of a tube amp means you're primarily getting your distortion from the pedal, not from the power section.

[tenwatt]

Originally Posted by Rainer.

Dude, someone build me a pedal with a Rat2 and a Lil' Eagle in one box. PLZ.

Talk to SBN and see if you can convience him (aka give him enough money ) to send me a lil Eagle circuit and I'll put a lil Eagle and a RAT in one box for you.

[steveguitar12xx]

Originally Posted by thesteve

Running a distortion pedal in front of a tube amp means you're primarily getting your distortion from the pedal, not from the power section.

Exactly, so just get a "Power Tube Distortion" pedal then

[ibanez_dude]

Originally Posted by Rainer.

It's really mostly knowledge, technique, and familiarity with the style.

This = truth. I would add it's also about knowing how you interact with your gear, how it reacts to your playing, and what you have to change to switch up your sound tonally. I learned this by only having a Les Paul for years. I know intimately how it reacts to me and how to use it, so I've been able to make it sound like pretty much anything I want.

Originally Posted by tdk8709

The problem is, that is a Keeley modded Blues Driver, so it's a boutique overdrive as well. I think the only non-boutique drives that sound decent stock right now are the visual sound stuff.

Hahaha, so this post made me realize that although I have 5 gain stages on my board, only my J&H is mass-produced and non handbuilt/boutique. funny

Originally Posted by thesteve

I think more important than "modded" vs. "not modded" is the manufacturing process behind the pedals. I've always thought of VS as offering boutique style, mass produced pedals. We tend to think of Keeley/Analogman/whatever modded pedals as "boutique" because the modifications are done by hand. The same goes for the companies that build boutique pedals. I think what sets "boutique" apart is build style. Generally I would say that most people consider hand-built, small batch pedals as "boutique". VS doesn't qualify because as far as I know they aren't hand-built and they're produced in massive quantities. This isn't to say they aren't as good as many of the "boutique" pedals out there, just that they aren't small-batch, hand built pedals.

I am gonna agree with this, I think it describes most people's sentiments about the topic.

[BillSPrestonEsq]

Originally Posted by steveguitar12xx

Exactly, so just get a "Power Tube Distortion" pedal then

Doesn't really exist.

[Rainer.]

Though if someone could invent a solid state clipping circuit that emulated real power tube distortion perfectly, that person would be a rich man...

[thesteve]

Originally Posted by Rainer.

Though if someone could invent a solid state clipping circuit that emulated real power tube distortion perfectly, that person would be a rich man...

I've heard that Pritchard amps come dang close, but not too many people are interested in dropping $2K on a SS amp that they don't believe can exist.