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Super Overdrive


Steve Vai

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ugh don't get boss. boss overdrive/distortion pedals are so garbage imo.

why not build your own?

Here's a few links

Do-It-Yourself Projects for Guitarists

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/087...4353658-4603853

Electronic Projects for Musicians

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/082...4353658-4603853

Or get a book on reading shematics and a bit of theory, find a schematic and build one and tweek it to your likeing.

-Jamie

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Do you want a booster, like you asked for, or do you want a distortion/ overdrive/fuzz?

I was planning on using a Super Overdrive as a booster by maxing the level control and setting the drive to just over a boost, but a clean booster might be a better choice, since the main thing I want is a volume increase, and a little more gain to cut through the mix, but with any kind of boost I should get more gain out of the preamp.

I really like the looks of this - http://timemachineboost.com/AboutGL.htm (a different version of this - http://timemachineboost.com/) but it's way out of my price range. Maybe if someone knows the basic design of that booster, or has a schematic, I could find something close and try to make that.

I play 80s rock (Van Halen, Dokken, etc.) and I use a Behringer Vitrualizer for light compression into an ADA MP-1, and I will soon have a Peavey Classi 60/60 power amp. I have a plywood Epiphone Les Paul right now, but I want to get a Charvel. Next week I'm going to wind a custom Seymour Duncan pickup, and it will probably be like an EVH or Screamin Demon.

I really appreciate everyone here sharing their knowledge, and I'm sorry if I ask any stupid questions or anything.

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I got a super OD a while ago, and sold it almost a week after on ebay for more than i paid for it :D

To be honest, IMO, they aren't upto anything much. They just sound very very dry and suck out any kind of tone you have (this was going into a marshall dsl). If you're after a solo boost, (which is what i wanted it for), then go for an MXR micro-amp. Just so much simpler and doesn't weather your sound as much. Better still, make one. the circuit is dead simple and would cost nowhere near as much as buying one!

:D

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Why don't you just set up another patch on your Virtualizer with a little bit more volume, and maybe a slight bass cut or treble boost? That should kick your preamp into nice crunchy distortion, if you can't get it from the straight MP1 . It's kinda silly to have two incredibly versatile pieces of programmable rackmount gear and having to add a stompbox to change the sound. Sounds to me like you don't need more gear, you need to learn how to use the gear you have. :D

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if you can solder and read a schematic (or know someone who can) go here.

you can download the schematic, a circuit board diagram and also a bill of materials.

cheers

darren

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Why don't you just set up another patch on your Virtualizer with a little bit more volume, and maybe a slight bass cut or treble boost? That should kick your preamp into nice crunchy distortion, if you can't get it from the straight MP1 . It's kinda silly to have two incredibly versatile pieces of programmable rackmount gear and having to add a stompbox to change the sound. Sounds to me like you don't need more gear, you need to learn how to use the gear you have.  :D

exactly!!

or even easier LEARN TO USE YOUR VOLUME KNOB AND/OR PICKUP SELECTOR

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I don't have any footswitch or MIDI controller to change channels, and the Behringer seems like it was designed to be used for recording, so there is a couple seconds delay when switching presets.

I guess I could wait until I can afford a MIDI controller, and make another patch on the MP-1.

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Well if anyone has the scematics to that timemachine thingy id really like that and if anyone has the scematics to the robert keeley SD-1 that would be great!!

I like the idea of having the harmonic control on the time machine How does that work?.......Id really crank that up :D

Matt

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I don't have any footswitch or MIDI controller to change channels, and the Behringer seems like it was designed to be used for recording, so there is a couple seconds delay when switching presets.

I guess I could wait until I can afford a MIDI controller, and make another patch on the MP-1.

Wise! To here someone suggest putting a pedal in front of an MP-1 just about made me fall over. It's the best single space box for guitar players ever made...IMHO! :D

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While I'm not defending his underuse of the gear he has, I have 4 different rack preamps, all selectable and blendable, and I still use any one of three different stomp boxes in front. It's an instant gratification, for one thing. But it's also a completely different fabric than just increasing the gain or changing the tone of the preamp. The layering effect is totally different.

One of my favorites is my old Japanese Boss Super Overdrive, and I can't stand the new ones either, so maybe that was part of the problem. The new DS-1's are poop but I've heard some fantastic Japanese ones.

So no matter how much the "best" the MP-1 is, I'd still have my "OD/TS/etc" boosters in front for that sound. I had an MP-1 and sold it, so to each his own, right?

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How can you diss Boss pedals?

I know they're not perfect but once they've had the Keeley treatment I don't reckon you can get close to them for the same money.

Keeley modded Boss pedals RULE.

I can diss them because I've tried them.

I believe on the diystompbox site the guy says most companies, including boss make pedals using math formulas, and not with their ears and that's why he makes mods and stuff for pedals to correct boss and other companies pedals. Who knows if its true or not but the boss pedals i've tried, it's believable with them. I think DOD pedals sound better than BOSS.

Usually I recommend digitech pedals, but their overdrive pedals are garbage in my opinion. The heavy thick metal pedals I recommend are the Pro Co Rat and the Line 6 uber metal. For thrash metal, a digitech death metal would work along with the Line 6 uber metal as well. The boss hm-3 or whatever it's called would work but I find boss pedals to be thin sounding and lack testical fortitude. The grunge pedal sounds good in my opinion, and i'd pay an extra 10 bucks for it instead of the boss DS-1, DS-2 or any other one they offer. I think the best way to get overdrive is with the booster or tube overdrive.

I'm not saying all boss pedals suck because I haven't tried all their pedals. The only pedals I have tried to be honest are distortion/overdrive effects.

If you really want to put money forward why not a mesa boogie v-amp or hughs and kettner tube overdrive pedal? They sounded good to me. Don't believe the person who said the mesa boogie v-amp pedal can be used for metal because it can't lol.

Has anyone tried rocktron pedals? I really want to try a Gainiac 2.

-Jamie

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  • 8 months later...

I dunno but you should contact Brian: the Administrator. I believe he can contact the user, and if he actually did stole your money, Brian could help you to get his IP address.

Gian

Edited by gun
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Oh the wonders of searching...search search search...

he's a link to mister heavener's ebay account....aka Schitzophrenic_clown

aka Heavener Guitar Works

Until recently traded ok...but boy's gone bad...

BAD!!! You guessed it - This guy's really schizo or has turned to the dark side.

Nov-29-05 10:55

never received product,no communication whatsoever...

Nov-26-05 19:21

Payment made immediately, NEVER sent item or responded to emails.

Nov-09-05 21:43

:-( WARNING NO LUCK CONTACTING SELLER :-( BEWARE OF FUTURE SALES WITH HIM :-(

Oct-29-05 06:18

Item not received. No response to e-mails. Refunded by PayPal ( minus $25 fee).

Oct-29-05 06:15

Sent payment immediately and never received anything-not even an e-mail

Oct-27-05 12:40

E-Mailed several times, no response; even tried to call, phone # disconnected

Oct-27-05 12:35

Have received no product. Not even an email for months! No communication.

Oct-24-05 13:42

2 months and nothing...Maybe I've lost my money!!!!!!!!! No mail, no contacts...

Oct-24-05 09:55

2 months and still nothing but excuses or no response

Things happen in life...as I know only to well this year...but this kind of thing, taking money from people when you cant deliver...is wrong. At least with Ebay there is a way to warn others and payment methods to protect a little.

Paul Morossy is a real person BTW, if you are still keen...but that's going to end up one expensive pedal (I recall getting my original for about $40 in an op-shop somewhere...sorry you didn't need to hear that)...psw

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