GAS issue: how many distortion/overdrive pedals is enough

[stratkiwi]

Ok so far I have a 1980's proco rat and more recently a behringer TO800 tube screamer clone now I have a bid on a boss metal zone MT-2, have I gained an infatuation with distortion pedals the rat I have set up for a punk type sound (real muddy misfits type tone) the behringer I have set up for a hard/classic rock type sound plus I sometimes kick it in behind the rat. And yet I am supposed to be looking into getting chorus and delay pedals to run into the fx loop. I guess having a few OD/distortion pedals saves mucking around with settings once things are dialled in.

[godgrinder]

Zero. If for some reason you're not liking the gain channel on your amp you might've bought the wrong amp...

[sirvill]

I have the least GAS for overdrives too. If I'm buying more dirt, I'm probably selling the one on the way out.

But then some of us have 42 fuzz pedals, which is quite alright too

[Mini Forklift]

I have two. I also don't really like the distortion channels on either of my amps.

Out of all the amps I have owned (probably 20+) there's only been one where I have been completely happy with the gain/distortion/OD. Personally I have always had much better results setting the clean channel up how I like it and then using pedals for the OD. I currently have one amp where I don't use/need any pedals ~ kicking in the 'Mid Boost' button gives it all the additional gain I need. Without the 'Mid Boost' it's a lovely clean with the amp compressing just a touch.

As for addressing the title of the thread, depends on the person and the situation. I like three: The first acts a similar way as you would use a treble booster, the second adds some girth and a nice low-med OD without losing any clarity. The final one is what I would stomp on for a solo or if the other band members are starting to grate my cheese.

[stratkiwi]

Zero. If for some reason you're not liking the gain channel on your amp you might've bought the wrong amp...

I have a laney cub tube head which only has one channel and I prefer to keep that set up as a clean channel, I was lucky to even get that amp head as I watched that listing for a damn long time till I could afford to get it so it is not a case of not liking the gain (in fact it has a really nice sound when running with the gain cranked) I just don't wan't to be having to alter stuff just to get back to a clean sound and right now for me a marshall or any other high end two channel tube amp is on the waiting list along with the JS32 Jackson I want.

[godgrinder]

But then some of us have 42 fuzz pedals, which is quite alright too

Fuzz is a whole different story though. They were not built to emulate amp distortion in the first place.

Your usual "this sounds like X amp" distortion/overdrive pedals can be a rabbit hole. I've seen people with entry level or mid-range amps spending lots of time and money trying/flipping OD pedals, and the money they've spent/lost along the way was actually enough for them to upgrade their amp.

Pedals are cheap/easy way to satisfy GAS attacks though, but the money adds up pretty quickly.

[willow13]

Zero. If for some reason you're not liking the gain channel on your amp you might've bought the wrong amp...

so much this

[JHorner]

Drive pedals: 1 per amp is enough
Distortion pedals: 1 is too many

[jeremyb]

Zero. If for some reason you're not liking the gain channel on your amp you might've bought the wrong amp...

I used to think that too, but having the gain on my previous tube amp at the level I needed was too noisy, whereas having an OD running into it behind a A/B switch gave me that level without the hiss when I was using the other input...

[Slowy]

For me, a minimum of 2; a Gold Archer for clean boost and OD and a Timmy for snarly tweed. Have just added a third, a Zendrive. It doesn't fit seamlessly into the board but what it does to a Strat bridge pup is just wonderful. Not so amazing on the Tele though.
In my drawer there's, er, more.

[KNNZ]

My Fulltone OCD Version 1 and Xotic AC Booster have cured my OD Gas for the last 10 years (at least).

[Bg]

I can appreciate why people like different flavours of overdrive and distortion. However, once you do use them, why even bother having a valve amp. Or at least recognize that maybe the humble op-amp/transistor/diode may not sound out of place in your hand wired point to point $5k amp

Personally, if you need more than an overdrive - as a dirty boost, or a distortion for max dirt then you're doing it wrong.

[godgrinder]

I used to think that too, but having the gain on my previous valve amp at the level I needed was too noisy, whereas having an OD running into it behind a A/B switch gave me that level without the hiss when I was using the other input...

For the vintage type amps you owned that's pretty normal. And that's why noise gates exist...

Most of the pedal VS amp arguments I've heard were either from guys who bought the wrong type of amp in the first place, or guys who wanted to get way too much range out of one amp. But you've already reached the logical conclusion of that - modellers.

[TmcB]

I reckon there's a place for a flat overdrive and a mid-boosted overdrive on every board.

[Bg]

I reckon there's a place for a flat overdrive and a mid-boosted overdrive on every board.

what? even into a dumble/trainwreck/unicorn-spunk amp? You'd pollute its fauxjo.