Tag: jimmy page

Best Overdrive Pedal

With so many overdrive pedals on the market, it is difficult to pinpoint which ones are the best as it’s highly a matter of personal taste. However, there are a few overdrives out there that are loved and highly respected by many (us included) that really are set apart from the rest. So lets take a look at some of the best overdrive pedals out there.

Klon Centaur

The Klon has been around since the mid-’90s and earned its reputation by being used by many famous acts including Jeff Beck, Metallica, and Pearl Jam to name a few. Many find the Klon to be one of the most transparent overdrives out there, so it tends to stack well with other pedals. Many also describe the it to be like its own little amp in a way, so it is great when faced against any amp. With the ability to get a beautiful clean boost, to a nice beefy sweet-sounding overdrive, there are many possibilities even with only its 3 controls (output, treble, drive). Some will use it as a treble booster and others to fatten up their tone. All and all, the Klon is the overdrive people that many put on the top of their list and if could only own one pedal, that would be it.

Ibanez TS-808 Tubescreamer

Next in line for best OD pedal is the TS-808, famously used by the late master blues guitarist, Stevie Ray Vaughan. Much like the name, the TS-808 makes your amp scream so-to-speak, that is it helps a tube amp get pushed. The result is a smooth overdrive, with the perfect amount of bite. I really like that it sounds organic and keeps your guitar tone well in tact, while adding all the right colors. If you are looking for an overdrive that can deliver a sizzling blues tone, than the TS-808 is it! View it on Amazon.

Marshall Bluesbreaker 1

While being a low gain pedal, the Marshall Bluesbreaker 1 (not to be confused with the 2nd reissue) has been used extensively by John Mayer. Word on the street is that he was even snatching many of them up on Ebay. Some describe the BB-1 as a one trick pony, but it does that trick very well. It delivers the definitive vintage Marshall tone reminiscent of players like Jimi Hendrix and Jimmy Page. The Bluesbreaker of course really suits the blues, creating a smooth, fat, warm, on-the-edge-of-breakup tone that really has those nice subtle dynamics in the pick attack. Just a stellar pedal.

Well there you have it. These are what we feel are the best overdrive pedals out there. What do you think is the best overdrive? Feel free to post in the comments section.

’60s Guitar Tone

Today’s article will teach you how to achieve vintage guitar tone of the 1960s. In this era, some of the best guitar players ever came into the spotlight such as Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, George Harrison, Jimmy Page, and many more. Not only are they incredibly talented players, they also had guitar tone that many today still desire. So lets look at elements of why their tone is the way it is, so you will know how you can get closer to that ’60s style tone yourself.

Guitars
If you are using Schecters or Ibanez guitars (with the exception of copies), most likely you won’t get that vintage tone. The guitars used in the ’60s include Fender, Gibson, Rickenbacker, and Gretsch. Of course there are many others, but these were very notable at the time, especially the Stratocaster and Les Paul. Also in this era, the electronics were different then they are today. So if you want to make your modern day guitar more vintage-sounding, try installing low-output pickups.

Amps
During the ’60s, digital didn’t exist. The amps used during this period were tube amps. In Britain, Marshall and Vox amps were very popular, specifically the Marshall Bluesbreaker and Plexi amps, and the Vox AC amps. You can find Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton using the Marshall Plexi amplifiers, while the Beatles were partial to the Vox amp (in the early ’60s). In the west, Fender Amps definitely were the most popular. These days, vintage amps can run you thousands of dollars. Check out old Traynor amps which replicated sounds of both Fender and Marshall at the time, but at a fraction of the cost. If you have a newer amp, you can change out the stock tubes with NOS tubes (new old stock) to get that vintage tone. While NOS tubes are expensive, you can with one pre-amp tube in V1 of your amp will have the most dramatic effect on tone. Mullard and RCA are among the best in the NOS tube world.

Pedals
Again, no digital pedals in this era. You want to look for analog pedals. Around the late ’60s, Fuzz pedals made their way onto the scene. If you want a 1967 style fuzz, which can be defined as warm, fat and creamy, look for a fuzz with Germanium transistors. If you want that more aggressive, in-your-face fuzz tone, go with the silicon transistors. Other pedals that became popular in the ’60s are Wahs, Octave, and of course the legendary Univibe.

So there you have it. Mix tube amps, with legendary guitars (with low output pickups), and pedals from this era, and you’ll get much closer to that ’60s guitar tone.