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Post by prowler on Dec 23, 2005 20:21:16 GMT -7
I've been using my Mini at home for a while now but I can't always turn it up to 3 O'clock where I like to play it. So I am wondering what overdrive pedals you fellow Mini owners are using to give you that overdriven tone at lower volumes? Which overdrive pedals have you tried that sounded good? Which ones sounded bad?
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Post by paulski on Dec 31, 2005 12:50:23 GMT -7
My idea of a pedal is to push an amp to the next level, like to overdrive it when I cannot crank it up. so i use a pedal that is trnsparent to allow the natural voice of my amp and my guitar to come through. so i suggest a mild overdrive like the tubescreamer. i use one that is modified by analogman. it is good when it comes to transparency. you are right the mini z is still loud as it is, since i live in a townhouse i could not crank it up too much so i use a TS.
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Post by tonesleuth on Jan 3, 2006 9:33:14 GMT -7
I have tried many different pedals (mod'd ts9, yard box, SHO, original rat, brown source, hot chilie tubester, analogman bi-compRossor, Klon, time machine boost, fuxx factory, ...) with the mini and find that the Klon is the best for adding overdrive to a clean setting (or what passes for clean with the mini) ~ vol = 9 o'clock. It is also great for adding a ton of clean boost with added treble for incredible tone but not low volume (the Klon's treble control is like adding a treble to the amp). The problem (if it really is a problem?) is that the mini just sounds better the louder it gets, so overdriving the clean amp is not the best sound. I just received the time manchine boost and am finding that it offers more variation and better sounds than the Klon for boosting. Driving the slightly to moderately overdriven Klon with the TMB into the just breaking up mini (vol = 10o'clock) is simply awsome and allows full control the amount of distortion with the guitar volume. Of course the two pedals cost about the same as the mini, but for tone like this what is mere money? Not sure if it gets me to play better, but I do play more!
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Post by detuned on Jan 17, 2006 12:23:25 GMT -7
I use a Keeley-modded Boss BD2 in front of mine. With the amp volume whisper-quiet (like 8:30 or 9) it sounds *almost* as good as the 3 o'clock position.
Definitely good enough for "late-night-don't-wake-the-kids" practice...
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Post by weezeejefferson on Mar 8, 2006 22:53:51 GMT -7
I use a Keeley modded VooDoo Sparkle Drive,if you use the overdrive side and turn the gain to "0" it will give you more control over your tone. I can add more treble when it gets a little bass heavy.
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Post by psycho on Mar 9, 2006 12:44:54 GMT -7
I have an alternate solution you might want to try.
Have you considered an attenuator? That is what I've done to get crunch at low volume. I use a 25W Weber Mini Mass and I have no complaints about it - it gets the job done though I have had no chance to compare it with others in the market.
Tonesleuth is right, the Mini Z sounds great overdriven on its own (no pedals). So I set mine from 12 o' clock and 3 o' clock and let the Mini Mass do its job.
Hey, I just realized I have two Minis, a Z and a Mass.
I don't have boutique pedals. I've tried the Boss SD-1 and DS-1 and it seems that the SD-1 is more transparent but to my ears the attenuator solution is best.
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Post by prowler on Mar 9, 2006 12:50:14 GMT -7
Been thinking of doing the attenuator thing as well. I may have to take a ride to my local Z dealer and test drive a Mini through the Air brake.
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Post by daynwarren on Mar 9, 2006 13:37:30 GMT -7
Does anybody have experience with the Airbrake on a Mini? I am debating about getting this or a boutique distortion pedal. I LOVE the tone of the Mini at 3 o'clock with my volume knob on my guitar on full, but it is too loud in my living room. The Airbrake sound appealing to get that pure Mini Z tone at lower levels but I don't want to perform a $300 experiment. I guess I wonder if I will like the attenuated sound because part of the tone is the volume and the speaker moving air. I have never used an attenuator so I don't really know if it truly retains that same "emotion" in the tone of a cranked Mini Z.
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