# Best OD Pedal to boost 5150III Blue Channel?



## sevenstringgod (Dec 20, 2018)

Hey there, I've seen a few youtube vids of guys boosting their evh's blue channel and I'm really liking the tones they get. Any suggestions as to which boost would go nicely with the amp? Thanks.


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## budda (Dec 20, 2018)

Maxon od808 or ibanez ts808.


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## Miek (Dec 20, 2018)

nobels odr-1


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## Bentaycanada (Dec 21, 2018)

Fortin Grind


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## JD27 (Dec 21, 2018)

I’ve had both the 6L6 and EL34 version and I almost always played with the blue channel boosted (I use the model in my AX8 a lot as well). It just sounds awesome. I used either a Duncan SD-805 or Horizon Precision Drive (Nano Attack with AX8). Any TS style drive will work well really, I just prefer having a way to adjust the EQ more than a typical TS or clone offers.


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## Werecow (Dec 21, 2018)

sevenstringgod said:


> Hey there, I've seen a few youtube vids of guys boosting their evh's blue channel and I'm really liking the tones they get. Any suggestions as to which boost would go nicely with the amp? Thanks.



Most tube screamer types will sound great.

In case you're not familiar with boosting, on the pedal turn the volume/level all the way up, the gain all the way down, and put the tone at 12 o'clock and go from there.


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## sevenstringgod (Dec 21, 2018)

Werecow said:


> Most tube screamer types will sound great.
> 
> In case you're not familiar with boosting, on the pedal turn the volume/level all the way up, the gain all the way down, and put the tone at 12 o'clock and go from there.


Thanks for the tip!


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## TheWarAgainstTime (Dec 21, 2018)

budda said:


> Maxon od808 or ibanez ts808.



Beat me to it


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## HeHasTheJazzHands (Dec 21, 2018)

I'll second a Tubescreamer variant. The EVH line is pretty scooped and bright, so I think a midrangey pedal woulld work best.


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## migstopheles (Dec 21, 2018)

I get some absolutely ungodly sounds by boosting the blue channel with a suhr Koko boost reloaded. Great pairing, so much tighter than the TC spark


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## Smoked Porter (Dec 21, 2018)

Get two used ones and experiment! A Boss SD-1 and a cheaper TS-style OD like a Digitech Bad Monkey can easily be had for under $100 total and will give you a couple different flavors. Then you can see what you like or want to improve on, sell without much or any loss if needed, and go from there.


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## sevenstringgod (Dec 21, 2018)

Any experience with the savage drive? I don't know if it qualifies as a ts variant but I'm pretty curious.


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## crankyrayhanky (Dec 21, 2018)

For that amp I liked the MXR cbaod > 808x & Grind


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## rexbinary (Dec 21, 2018)

Personally I use a SD 805 on my LBX and my 50w EL34, but you couldn't go wrong starting off with a od808.


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## mnemonic (Dec 22, 2018)

sevenstringgod said:


> Any experience with the savage drive? I don't know if it qualifies as a ts variant but I'm pretty curious.



I built a clone of one the other day, it’s basically a tubescreamer with the clipping diodes removed and the high pass filter put on a pot (‘tight’ control). Since there are no clipping diodes, the drive control (‘dirt’) operates kind of like another volume control (but a bit different). You can get some light opamp clipping if you crank up the ‘dirt’ but it’s pretty light. Run it on higher voltage and it’s cleaner. 

Overall a lot cleaner than a tubescramer even if you put a tubescreamer’s ‘drive’ on 0 (theres still some light diode clipping). Also more flexible as you can control the low cut with the ‘tight’ control. I dig it, cool pedal.


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## KailM (Dec 22, 2018)

Personally I find the blue channel so close to not needing a boost that it usually sounds worse when I boost it. I am hitting it with Black Winters though, so it doesn't really need the push and they're pretty tight pickups already. My OD is an MXR CBMOD, and to get it sounding good (to me) I have to add a little 100hz rather than take more away. Sometimes I hit the "bump" switch to shift the mids downwards as well. The best sound I've gotten out of the blue channel though, is with it unboosted, gain at noon, and volume cranked to "neighbors call the cops" levels. 

Not always practical though, hence my continued tweaking with the OD pedal. Maybe I just need to try another OD. Thankfully, the red channel absolutely doesn't need a boost and sounds better than the blue channel at all volumes.


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## lewis (Dec 22, 2018)

Budget option: an EQ pedal like the Boss GE7

cheap option: Something like a bad monkey

solid option : Maxon OD808x or TS808

High end option : Grind / Precision Drive


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## Andromalia (Dec 22, 2018)

I'd advise you to go with a Tubescreamer type as well, if only for the reason that you'll use one of those forever even if you switch amp down the line. Skip the "cheap" options as you WILL buy a TS/808 pedal later on in your life.


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## Smoked Porter (Dec 22, 2018)

Just saying, the Bad Monkey is only cheap in price, not sound and quality. Plus having a low and high control rather than a single tone knob can be nice, depending on the situation. I also own a "real" TS and it's not any better to my ears, just a little different. Taste is subjective and everything but it's not some toy to be dismissed.


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## sevenstringgod (Dec 23, 2018)

Andromalia said:


> I'd advise you to go with a Tubescreamer type as well, if only for the reason that you'll use one of those forever even if you switch amp down the line. Skip the "cheap" options as you WILL buy a TS/808 pedal later on in your life.



Yeah, I never really go with the cheap options tbh, I want to make it sound the best I can


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## USMarine75 (Dec 23, 2018)

I use a VFE Standout Midbooster with mine. Also have a TS8 clone by VFE, but the Midbooster is the better of the two.


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## gnoll (Dec 23, 2018)

I've kind of given up on tubescreamer type pedals in favor of eq. It makes much more sense to me to get a dedicated eq pedal where you can change the eq curve to your own preferences rather than being stuck with the tubescreamer curve, even if that one might sound pretty good. Plus eq is a very powerful and useful effect generally and you can use it for many different things.


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## Smoked Porter (Dec 23, 2018)

sevenstringgod said:


> Yeah, I never really go with the cheap options tbh, I want to make it sound the best I can


Again, more $ doesn't always equal more tonez. My original point stands though, if you're not really sure what you want besides sounding good, you should try the staples- any solidly-built (so not Protone) TS type drive, an SD-1 or one of its variants like the MXR Custom Badass OD, and maybe even some type of clean boost, then compare for yourself. As you can see you've got a ton of different answers from us here, and our preferences might not be yours.


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## HeHasTheJazzHands (Dec 23, 2018)

gnoll said:


> I've kind of given up on tubescreamer type pedals in favor of eq. It makes much more sense to me to get a dedicated eq pedal where you can change the eq curve to your own preferences rather than being stuck with the tubescreamer curve, even if that one might sound pretty good. Plus eq is a very powerful and useful effect generally and you can use it for many different things.



I tried this route, but I still prefer ODs or boosts. They give you a crunch and compression EQ pedals don't.


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## Shask (Dec 23, 2018)

gnoll said:


> I've kind of given up on tubescreamer type pedals in favor of eq. It makes much more sense to me to get a dedicated eq pedal where you can change the eq curve to your own preferences rather than being stuck with the tubescreamer curve, even if that one might sound pretty good. Plus eq is a very powerful and useful effect generally and you can use it for many different things.


Generally what is missing when using an EQ over a TS type pedal is the compression, and saturation. A TS style pedal will add some compression and saturation that can help an amp sound and feel more gained up.

I find the best combination is to use a TS style pedal, with a Graphic EQ pedal after it. If you treat both pedals as one unit, you can dial in just about any feel and sound you want.


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## Shask (Dec 23, 2018)

HeHasTheJazzHands said:


> I tried this route, but I still prefer ODs or boosts. They give you a crunch and compression EQ pedals don't.


You typed it faster than me.


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## gnoll (Dec 23, 2018)

Yeah, just goes to show these things are subjective! I guess one of the things I like about using an eq is that it does the eq shaping I want without the other ts-ness that I'd kinda rather be without. But the best part for me is I can cut a lot more bass. For that reason if I were to get an od I'd look at something with a bass knob, like SD 805.


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## sevenstringgod (Dec 23, 2018)

Smoked Porter said:


> Again, more $ doesn't always equal more tonez. My original point stands though, if you're not really sure what you want besides sounding good, you should try the staples- any solidly-built (so not Protone) TS type drive, an SD-1 or one of its variants like the MXR Custom Badass OD, and maybe even some type of clean boost, then compare for yourself. As you can see you've got a ton of different answers from us here, and our preferences might not be yours.



You're right, I'm actually thinking of going with the "tried and tested" 808 variants, but I would really like to narrow it down since I live in Mexico, it really is a pain in the ass to get things here, plus they are more expensive.


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## Shask (Dec 23, 2018)

gnoll said:


> Yeah, just goes to show these things are subjective! I guess one of the things I like about using an eq is that it does the eq shaping I want without the other ts-ness that I'd kinda rather be without. But the best part for me is I can cut a lot more bass. For that reason if I were to get an od I'd look at something with a bass knob, like SD 805.


I think it depends on what you use it into. I think you like solid state preamp pedals, right? I can see that since they are already compressed and saturated. I prefer the TS style OD with tube amps, like Rectos and 5150s, but many times I prefer an EQ in a modeler, like my Axe-FX. It is already more compressed, so the EQ works well in that situation. The drive ODs can flatten it out too much.

And yes, control over bass is very helpful. I like the MXR M77, or Way Huge Green Rhino for this reason. The bass knob really helps dial in the tightness.


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## ATRguitar91 (Dec 23, 2018)

I'll put another vote in for the MXR M77 CBOD. It provides a lot of versatility over your typical OD with the 100hz knob and bump switch. If I had to keep just one OD that might be it. They can also be found cheap.

The Maxon 808 does what it does very well, but the M77 can get close to that TS style sound with the bump switch while also providing an SD-1 type boost when you want it.


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## gnoll (Dec 23, 2018)

Shask said:


> I think it depends on what you use it into. I think you like solid state preamp pedals, right? I can see that since they are already compressed and saturated. I prefer the TS style OD with tube amps, like Rectos and 5150s, but many times I prefer an EQ in a modeler, like my Axe-FX. It is already more compressed, so the EQ works well in that situation. The drive ODs can flatten it out too much.
> 
> And yes, control over bass is very helpful. I like the MXR M77, or Way Huge Green Rhino for this reason. The bass knob really helps dial in the tightness.



Hmm, interesting. I don't really use ss preamp pedals, my main rig is Peavey 5150. I think maybe I prefer a bit more open sounding tones in general but not sure... Like I've always liked the sound of Engls in clips and stuff but now that I have my own I'm not really getting along with it, I think maybe it's too compressed for my tastes. But I should say also that it's not like I plug in a tubescreamer and go "ewww, this is too compressed". If a ts cut more bass than my eq I'd probably use the ts.


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