Stacking Overdrives - Do you do it?

Its all in the fingers, or is it?

Moderators: Slowy, Capt. Black

User avatar
robthemac
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 8518
meble-kuchenne.warszawa.pl
Joined: Sun Apr 28, 2019 3:47 pm
Has liked: 1102 times
Been liked: 1419 times

Re: Stacking Overdrives - Do you do it?

Post by robthemac »

Voxshall wrote:I stack a lot of different drive pedals but lately I prefer the sound of my amps lead channel and stacking various clean boosts into it, all with different mid profiles for variation. There is just something about incorporating the amp lead channel that feels more alive to me than pedals especially at lower volumes. I also prefer single channel amps over the sound of two or more channels so settled on a well designed cascading gain amp to get the best of both worlds.
Can confirm that Jamie's set-up sounds fantastic. I think he was running a Two Rock combo, which probably helped!
Jops wrote: Sun Sep 18, 2022 7:46 am Spring is the comic sans of reverbs anyway.

User avatar
dayl
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 5253
Joined: Tue Sep 02, 2008 6:40 pm
Has liked: 446 times
Been liked: 384 times

Re: Stacking Overdrives - Do you do it?

Post by dayl »

I've had fun usinga a Bogner Uberschall preamp/Distortion with a Protone Variable attack Overdrive connected for tone shaping (no additional drive). Sounds ok to me.

User avatar
robthemac
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 8518
Joined: Sun Apr 28, 2019 3:47 pm
Has liked: 1102 times
Been liked: 1419 times

Re: Stacking Overdrives - Do you do it?

Post by robthemac »

I have a Hotcake and an OCD clone. I've tried stacking with gain on both, and haven't got a result that I've liked. At the moment I use one as a clean boost running into the other set at low-medium gain levels. Turning on the first pedal pushes the second pedal that little bit harder, and can also provide a bit of tone shaping.

The problem is, my LP sounds better with Hocake-->OCD, but my Strat sounds better with OCD--->Hotcake. I just can't win.
Jops wrote: Sun Sep 18, 2022 7:46 am Spring is the comic sans of reverbs anyway.

User avatar
rickenbackerkid
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 6700
Joined: Thu Apr 28, 2005 1:52 pm
Has liked: 206 times
Been liked: 651 times

Re: Stacking Overdrives - Do you do it?

Post by rickenbackerkid »

I guess i kind of do. I try to run my amp slightly dirty with all FX in front, including delay and I don't use reverb. OD is stacked on top of a dirty amp and it does sound pretty good.

User avatar
jeremyb
Chorus of Organs
Posts: 40878
Joined: Sat Dec 06, 2008 9:03 am
Has liked: 7685 times
Been liked: 4157 times

Re: Stacking Overdrives - Do you do it?

Post by jeremyb »

robthemac wrote:I have a Hotcake and an OCD clone. I've tried stacking with gain on both, and haven't got a result that I've liked. At the moment I use one as a clean boost running into the other set at low-medium gain levels. Turning on the first pedal pushes the second pedal that little bit harder, and can also provide a bit of tone shaping.

The problem is, my LP sounds better with Hocake-->OCD, but my Strat sounds better with OCD--->Hotcake. I just can't win.
You could make a looper pedal to change the order around as required?
Slowy wrote: That's the problem; everything rewarding is just such hard work. Regret takes much less effort.

User avatar
robthemac
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 8518
Joined: Sun Apr 28, 2019 3:47 pm
Has liked: 1102 times
Been liked: 1419 times

Re: Stacking Overdrives - Do you do it?

Post by robthemac »

Yeah but I'd need different settings on each pedal if I'm wanting them as boost or overdrive.

I should just play louder.
Jops wrote: Sun Sep 18, 2022 7:46 am Spring is the comic sans of reverbs anyway.

User avatar
Conway
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 9837
Joined: Mon Aug 29, 2011 1:33 pm
Location: Auckland
Has liked: 242 times
Been liked: 966 times

Re: Stacking Overdrives - Do you do it?

Post by Conway »

robthemac wrote:I should just play louder.
Always the correct answer. :thumbup:
GUITARS ROCK - www.guitarsrock.co.nz
TONE LOUNGE - www.tonelounge.co.nz

Voxshall
Gibson
Posts: 731
Joined: Sat Nov 27, 2004 1:01 pm
Location: Auckland
Has liked: 144 times
Been liked: 273 times

Re: Stacking Overdrives - Do you do it?

Post by Voxshall »

codedog wrote:
Voxshall wrote:I stack a lot of different drive pedals but lately I prefer the sound of my amps lead channel and stacking various clean boosts into it, all with different mid profiles for variation. There is just something about incorporating the amp lead channel that feels more alive to me than pedals especially at lower volumes. I also prefer single channel amps over the sound of two or more channels so settled on a well designed cascading gain amp to get the best of both worlds.
And which amp would this be?
Two Rock Bloomfield Drive

You can check it out here if interested
https://youtu.be/lVpTrfVvQXo

User avatar
jeremyb
Chorus of Organs
Posts: 40878
Joined: Sat Dec 06, 2008 9:03 am
Has liked: 7685 times
Been liked: 4157 times

Re: Stacking Overdrives - Do you do it?

Post by jeremyb »

Discovered this video today...

Slowy wrote: That's the problem; everything rewarding is just such hard work. Regret takes much less effort.

User avatar
chur
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 1268
Joined: Sun Aug 02, 2009 4:05 pm
Location: Christchurch
Has liked: 169 times
Been liked: 210 times

Re: Stacking Overdrives - Do you do it?

Post by chur »

jeremyb wrote: Sun Jul 26, 2020 8:05 pm Discovered this video today...

I was noodling with the poor man's version of this combo today, a homemade Pantheon clone and a EHX Soul Food into a clean Katana.
No one ever died of hard work.. but why take the risk..

User avatar
jeremyb
Chorus of Organs
Posts: 40878
Joined: Sat Dec 06, 2008 9:03 am
Has liked: 7685 times
Been liked: 4157 times

Re: Stacking Overdrives - Do you do it?

Post by jeremyb »

chur wrote: Sun Jul 26, 2020 8:55 pm
jeremyb wrote: Sun Jul 26, 2020 8:05 pm Discovered this video today...

I was noodling with the poor man's version of this combo today, a homemade Pantheon clone and a EHX Soul Food into a clean Katana.
My combo at the mo is a Joyo Tauren (Klone) into a Joyo Sweet Baby (Sweet Honey), got a Joyo Tai-chi (Zendrive) coming shortly too!
Slowy wrote: That's the problem; everything rewarding is just such hard work. Regret takes much less effort.

Pvt. Ryan
Ashton
Ashton
Posts: 260
Joined: Thu Sep 19, 2019 10:56 am
Has liked: 50 times
Been liked: 40 times

Re: Stacking Overdrives - Do you do it?

Post by Pvt. Ryan »

Happy New Year 2022.

Does stacking ODs generally call for a noise gate pedal?

Cheers.

User avatar
jeremyb
Chorus of Organs
Posts: 40878
Joined: Sat Dec 06, 2008 9:03 am
Has liked: 7685 times
Been liked: 4157 times

Re: Stacking Overdrives - Do you do it?

Post by jeremyb »

Pvt. Ryan wrote: Thu Jan 06, 2022 1:05 pm Happy New Year 2022.

Does stacking ODs generally call for a noise gate pedal?

Cheers.
Not unless you’re really going high gain!
Slowy wrote: That's the problem; everything rewarding is just such hard work. Regret takes much less effort.

User avatar
robthemac
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 8518
Joined: Sun Apr 28, 2019 3:47 pm
Has liked: 1102 times
Been liked: 1419 times

Re: Stacking Overdrives - Do you do it?

Post by robthemac »

jeremyb wrote: Thu Jan 06, 2022 1:06 pm
Pvt. Ryan wrote: Thu Jan 06, 2022 1:05 pm Happy New Year 2022.

Does stacking ODs generally call for a noise gate pedal?

Cheers.
Not unless you’re really going high gain!
Or a noisy rig to begin with.
Jops wrote: Sun Sep 18, 2022 7:46 am Spring is the comic sans of reverbs anyway.

User avatar
MogwaiBoy
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 2346
Joined: Fri May 16, 2008 1:35 pm
Has liked: 157 times
Been liked: 242 times

Re: Stacking Overdrives - Do you do it?

Post by MogwaiBoy »

The main problem I've found is diminished headroom, less dynamics and more constrained sound overall. OD pedals are notorious for cutting bass, boosting midrange and blanketing the 'air' from the natural high-end. Stacking them compounds this.

I mean, as a special effect, yes sure - but if every time you sit down to play guitar, you need "this pedal into this pedal" then you are probably compensating for a different amp or guitar.

But... millions of guitarists swear by it, so whaddoiknow!

Post Reply