I cannot put into words how much I appreciate how thorough and precise this breakdown is with its respect to tone distinctions. If I needed surgery or a lawyer, this is the guy I would hire. Much love, mad respect. Thank you Mason
I don't think I can pick favourites here. They all got ridiculously close, it's quite incredible. No way a listener at a gig would be able to tell them apart. Excellent playing too!
@@VertexEffectsInc Argh! Okay, I'll try... TS: 3 for Strat, 1 for LP BB: 3 for Strat, 1 for LP Klon: 3 for Strat, 1 for LP Pedal 2 was really toppy and I never really liked how it sounded. The others were much trickier to choose between but I seem to have landed on the same results for each comparison. And again I really have to commend your playing.
@@VertexEffectsInc 1 and 2 always sounded virtually exactly the same to me, and it maybe suited the Klon a little better? So maybe option 3 for the Tube Screamer and Blues Breaker, and lets go with Option 1 for the Klon. Thanks!
TS9 Strat - pedal 1 (w/ 3 a close 2nd) TS9 LP - pedal 2 BB Strat - pedal 2 BB LP - pedal 3 by far Klon Strat - pedal 2 (they all did well here) Klon LP - pedal 2 (again, all did well) Volume might be an aspect. Also you might come with - "Ha! They were all the same! 😛"
Volumes were all the same, some of the distortion at certain frequencies might give the illusion of more volume in some cases, however they're all coming in around -9 on the metering. Thanks for the vote!
Tubescreamer: Pedal 3 sounded incredible for the strat- the Les Paul part sounded REMARKABLY like Wrong Side Of The Blues 🤣, but I'd also say Pedal 3. Blues Breaker: Pedal 1 for the Strat to me sounded identical (but Pedal 3 was my favorite)- for the Les Paul Pedal 3 sounded closest and best to my ears Klon: Strat Pedal 3-- Les Paul Pedal 2 Also more video of Mason playing guitar because DAMN that was good
Super interesting! TS / Strat - Pedal 3 TS / LP - Pedal 3 by a long shot. LP really highlights the differences! BB / Strat - Pedal 3 BB / LP - Pedal 3 by a LONG shot. Pedal 1 and 2 don't come close. K / Strat - Pedal 1 is closest to my ear, but I don't think any of them capture it. K / LP - Pedal 1 Pedal 2 generally feels over-hyped to me. High noise floor, and just a bit too 'forward.'
Great video Mr Marangella. Very well thought out and produced. Very easy to follow snd understand. Watched the whole thing. One thing that stood out to me is that pedals 1 and 2 sounded like the drive sounds were different when you went from TS-BB-klon. Which makes me think that they are pedals with different preset sounds actually modeling the relevant pedals whereas pedal three sounded like the same pedal every time with changes in drive and tone. It also had the most mids consistently so I reckon 3 is the Nova Drive. Could be wrong though. I was struck by how minor the differences were. €100 -€700 in the price difference. Didn’t really sound it.
Strat TS - 2 LP TS - 2 Strat BB - 2 LP BB - 2 - though I didn’t think any sounded good really. Strat Klon - 1 LP Klon - 1 Crazy how they all made the delay respond slightly differently really interesting Oh and shut up! Your playing is great! Really tasty blues player. Good feel.
cool, very interested in this video and the results, I have the TC Nova drive, wondering how it stacks up. Thanks TS-9 - Strat 1, LP3 Blues Breaker - Strat 3, LP 3 Klon - Strat 1, LP 2
Screamer- I kind of like 3 for the strat best 2 on the Strat’s blues breaker 2 on the Strat’s Klon as well Great video brother. I’ve always loved sampling ODs on my Line 6 stuff. They’ve really stepped up with the Helix products. The drives surprised me for sure. I still run my Golden Boy and Morning Glory in its loop though…
Truthfully, none of them sounded bad. I have a nova drive and find it to be useful and hits a good TS9 tone. I like the MIDI control as well - can use it to control volume and gain levels for some cool effects
TS9 - Strat-3 LP-3 • BB - Strat-3 BB-3 • Klon - Strat-3 BB-2 ••• Comments I liked #3 over all, though #2 is really close. Pedal #1 seemed to have a lower volume...? Also wondering why you used the Klon with such a clean setting, a I've heard it doesn't really activate until at 1-3 o'clock ...?
Klon was made for low gain. When you'd see it demonstrated back in the day in the 1990's they'd tell you to set the gain around the LED and tone and volume to taste. I think it's less useable at more gain than 12:00 and not as much of a stand out pedal.
@@VertexEffectsInc pedal 1 seemed not thinner but less full without it being a deficiency, more high mids inherent in the circuit? Dunno. Better w buckers. 3 was fuller but fuller, no 'glitter' with singles. Good but darker. Better for a bright amp perhaps.better w singles. I'd play all 3 don't get me wrong. 2 more clarity. 1 less bloom. 3 lacked top zing. My 2 cents
Generally speaking, I liked 1 the best. Number 3 sounded like someone singing into a tin can, to my ears at least. Just doing overall favorite because I feel like the whole point of having one of these is to have a do it all overdrive.
Pedal 2 sounded better on both guitars and better than the actual tube screamer. , Blues breaker = Pedals 1& 2 as good as the blues breaker . , Klon = I liked pedal 1&2 better on all sounds and bother guitars . So with me , it is a tie between pedal "1" and "2" but leaning a bit more to pedal "2' for over all sounds .
Great way to compare! Loved the video. TS Strat 123 LP 231 BB Strat 321 LP 312 Klon Strat 321 LP 312 Looking forward to the results (I currently use a TC Nova Drive with my G System)
On the bluesbreaker LP segment was the only place i could tell a difference between them. Pedal 2 was brighter and airy while pedal 3 was darker , pedal 1 seemed to be spot on.
1.1: 3 1.2: 3 (2) 2.1: 1 (3) 2.2: 3 3. 1: 2 (3) 3.2: 1 the brackets indicate that I felt the pedal came very close to the one I preferred... generally, I found that I preferred the sound of all the pedals (original and emulations) with the strat. thanks for the test, you really had a good idea and put it in action in the best possible way 👍 I am anxious to see the results 😁
@@VertexEffectsInc sorry, English is not my mother tongue... 😁 in my comment I mistakenly said "brackets" when I ment colons. I put between colons the pedal I felt came very close to the one I liked best. when there are no colons it means I felt the best one was clearly above the two others. I hope that my comment is clear now 😁
You’re welcome! Thank you for the awesome content! By the way, I forgot to mention my overall favorite: 2 wins overall. I was torn between 2 and 3. 3 sounded nice and fat on the Strat, but I play humbuckers pretty often.
@@VertexEffectsInc For Stratocaster, I might say pedal 2 is my choice for three pedals. Les Paul with pedal 1 or pedal 2 is difficult choice for me. But I could say I like pedal 2 for all three pedals with LesPaul, as well.
I own an Overture for a few months now and like it so far. As far as I know, none of the available modes were based on a Klon, neither a Bluesbreaker...so what's up?
None of these have explicit "Klon" "TS" or "Blues Breaker" sounds in them, however they are programmable and have the ability to shape tones similar to these classical overdrives - so they're all on equal footing in hat regard. We'd love to hear your picks as to what you thought got closest to the classics.
I seemed to like Pedal 1 mostly... Here I am secretely wishing #1 is the one I've been wondering about (you're not telling, so neither am I, hahaha!!) BUT in any case the three seem to me to be real close ...
Excellent test! I definitely enjoyed the video. However, I have a few questions for you: 1. Why would you go through all the trouble of putting together a controlled and accurate test, and then muddy the waters by adding reverb and delay?? That makes it harder to hear the pure sound of each pedal! 2. Where in the signal chain are the reverb and delay coming from? Axe FX? Pedals after the amp? Logic? 3. How are you recording from your amp? Direct out? Cab sim? Mic on a cab?
1) The delay and the reverb were added to fit the part, there is processing on some clips, and others that have hardly any ambient effects on. Since it’s a constant across all of the clips for each example, this shouldn’t be a factor. Furthermore, in the context of how we might all use these devices is generally not going to be bone dry. 2) In post - Echo Boy and Valhalla plug ins, but set up on the representative clip as not to impact the constant variable of the guitar playing looped through the pedals. 3) Speaker cabinet in my iso box under the house. It’s a SM57 on a Celestion Classic Lead 80 on all examples.
@@VertexEffectsInc Thank you for the clarification!! Ha, I forgot about the vote! I thought #1 was definitively better than 2 and 3 in all examples across the board. It sounded the most natural and the most like the pedal it was trying to emulate. To my ears, 2 and 3 both had some very slight digital distortion when you played a bit harder.
Ok, I was being lazy. I will put in the work, since you guys have obviously put in a lot of time on this. I will check back in after my kids are in bed.
@@VertexEffectsInc I’d have to say as far as dirt goes, I like the Greer Lightspeed. 2 of those stacked is even better. I also use pedals of my own ( Bombastortion, Plexian Herb, Kleer Drive) I like the Strymon Dig delay, Boss Digital Dimension Chorus. ( the version with knobs, not the preset one) I like your Boost.
Ill listen again on better headphones but Guitar really shouldnt matter much if you control input levels well. It comes down to how hard is hitting front of pedal.
Ok making notes as i listen again. On tube screamer I actually like number 2 better than the real tube screamer but 3 sounds closer to the real screamer maybe.
les paul and second pedal all three , but i do like the klon cause ...just cause , thanks brother and love how informative and the devil is in the details approach to EVERYTHING GEAR RELATED. And sorry for getting back late i was jamming, later.
I commend you on pulling this vid together. Great idea. I do question the omission of the Strymon Sunset but you can't do every pedal. Having one drive pedal to do a convincing version of about every sound I want is a key part of my rig. I do wish the Strymon did a good Fuzz, but then I suppose I get to pick and choose a pedal just to do that and can swap from Fuzz to Muff as the mood strikes me. My favs from the demo: TS: Strat #1, LP #2 BB: Strat #2, LP #2 Klon: Strat #1, LP #1
@@jspartacus None of these pedals are "pure analog". Each has a digital brain allowing them to be programmed and switched via midi. I for one am most interested in what sound pleases my ear, more so than how it was created.
It'd be hilarious if like in a month Mason comes out with a video showing that the chips inside the TS were just some run of the mill opamp chips that no one cares about. Lol. Just to fuck with the cork sniffers.
I have the Boss OD-200. It's been a great education for me and fun, but it isn't really my go to for anything. Some very usable sounds, don't get me wrong.
They should all be pretty balanced - I match them up on my metering before we recorded them so they were all hitting about -9 or so in Logic. With that said we'd love to hear your picks - feel free to cast your votes so you can be included in the tally.
I know there are a lit of options in this space, but it would be cool to include the Source Audio distortions in this type of shootout. In my opinion, those are the best programmable digital distortions available. Excellent concept for a video, great job.
Tube screamer strat=tie Tube screamer Les Paul=pedal 1 Blues breaker strat=pedal 1 Blues breaker Les Paul=pedal 2 Klon. Strat=pedal 1 Klon. Les Paul=pedal 1
@@VertexEffectsInc sorry about that I didn't have time to listen to the rest it was really late I'll listen to the rest when I get home from work today and give you my opinion 👍👍👍👍👍
The tube screamer just sounded so much better than the 3 I can’t pick one. There’s a compression to each of the 3 and they didn’t seem to have the high-pass as the classic TS. For the Blues Breaker, I guess I liked one for both guitars. For the Klon, 3 seemed to keep most of the dynamics which having a similar tone.
@@VertexEffectsInc Yes, I really thought it captured the character of the original pedals best across the board. Pedal 2 was least convincing. Not unpleasant, though. Pedal 1 was a pretty close most of the time. Just not as close as 1.
If you want test overdrive with the Klon, it generally helps to play actual notes and not just trust your exhaled breath to pick the strings. Klon data will be useless because you did not play hard enough for the effect to kick-in.
Klon "Sweet Spot" is not a heavily overdriven sound - when it was first being demonstrated a guitar shows back in the 1990's - Klon Siberia demonstrators would show the gain around the LED light and volume and tone to taste to give you an idea of it's intended use as more of a gainy boost or low gain drive.
I'll only say this: whichever one the Chase Bliss is, it doesn't sound $600 better than the 10 year old Nova Drive, whichever it is. Jeez, what a ripoff.
@@VertexEffectsInc Frankly, they're all so similar that you couldn't tell the difference after playing 10 minutes into a gig, with drums, keys, bass, a singer, and a crowd trying to out shout your gear so they can talk to each other. So, there isn't one of them that stands out as being $600 better than either of the others.
@@VertexEffectsInc You played it well, making people wait a week to confirm their picks. There's no clear consensus so far, it's all over the map. The frustration that people are feeling is palpable, because they are looking for confirmation of their own purchases. You ought to do this same demo with Klon clones, that'll really stir people up! Bravo.
The problem with these units is they only have one individual tone at a time when often stacked tones are better. So Id need to buy and have space on the pedalboard for like 3 rjm units and one chase bliss. Id want a programmable cali76 stacked as well.
Yeah the problem is I often find the magic in stacking up to 3 pedals and on occasion up to four. Also, which of these was the one I liked the most? For me it was down to number 3 or 2 depending on situation.
Also the RJM Overture needs a mids dial, especially for tube screamer tones similar to wampler clarksdale and a price point closer to $300 to make itviable to buy multiple units... or they could make a stacked unit allowing up to 3 stacked tones and sell for like $999.
The Nova Drive not only supports stackng, but you also can choose which to run first (distortion or overdrive). And you can also run them in parallel, so it goes beyond stacking.
Well...I can't overly get my head around this, as in it doesn't really make complete sense. 3 programmable pedals yes 3 overdrives yes You want us to compare your settings against each od with a strat and LP yes. But, we really aren't comparing much other than your settings & the programmable pedals themselves haven't been modeled per se on any of the 3 specifically. Notwithstanding, your settings did provide some close similarities. However, there's nothing to say that if each of the programmables were tweaked differently, then they'd perhaps sound closer to the ones you were trying to emulate or more pleasing to those that voted. So, I'm kinda lost as to the purpose here? Other than I'm lost here 😂..I did enjoy the video, especially your Tom Petty. Kinda got me thinking...that's such an iconic & tasteful riff, why have I never even thought of playing it. 💭 Thanks for the heads up here. 😎
We're not comparing "settings" we're comparing can we match the sound of the "Gold Standard" overdrives with the programmable "analog multi-effect" overdrives using a Strat and Les Paul. Each programmable pedal is set as close as I can audibly get them to the gold standard exemplar. There are setting ranges for each of the gold standard pedals that the manufacturers recommend along with how they've been used historically - the pedals are all set to their "sweet spot" for each instrument based on my interpretation. It doesn't make much sense in my mind to go for any extreme settings that wouldn't be the norm of how these pedals might be used. I think the viewer can infer the proximity of how other settings might sound in relationship to the reference vs. programmable pedal given the baseline we provide.
@@VertexEffectsInc Hey Mason - thanks for your reply here. :) Yes, you're comparing settings - the settings you've adjusted on the 'programables' to the range chosen on your so-called representative 'iconic' od's. In terms of the title of the video, it seems all three units are 'comparable' to the exemplars. I would therefore assume in a live setting much of a muchness & in a recording perhaps a bit different, but then again every player & every recording sounds different anyway, so that's really neither here nor there. Of course, the inherent weakness of CZcams sound quality does not allow anybody, regardless of the end equipment used, to pick up on various details that have been lost. So we cannot know what it sounds like in your space. Unfortunately, this is the case for any demo & as viewers, we try to make do & infer sounds that we do not hear. We can't overcome this fact. By contrast 95+% of audiophile channels (maybe more at a guess), do not include any sound bites at all as it is well understood that CZcams cannot go close to replicating the sound. However, in the guitar world, the platform is used differently, because it's the best means available that reaches a wide audience, it's good advertising and for companies and some CZcamsr's it's profitable. I don't have a problem with any of this & do enjoy watching many of these videos (such as this 😀). When it comes to hearing 'best', I think the framework of the question needs greater thought for it to have much meaning, to both the participants and the content creator. I appreciate the time and effort you put in here. I found it quite enjoyable, yet still, I can't get my head around it as per my original comments. Perhaps, as I don't know the intended purpose here of you gathering some sort of results. Regardless, I look forward to your findings & I may add further details to the next video once known. Cheers mate. 😎
@@VertexEffectsInc yeah, there was something that sounded “dead” to my ears. Or dull. Idk why. I literally couldn’t tell a difference between the originals and 1&2
@@VertexEffectsInc I went back and listened, The first two sounded so different by the time I got to 3 it just sounded completely different but going back and forth between the original then to the pedals, 3 does sound the closest to the original. So I will amend my comment and say 3. Although I liked 1.
ok soo this is what i think.... with the analogue gear there is a element of depthless, rich ness and feel that the simulations just can not capture in my experience.... yes the digital has new and unusual sounds that can only be done digitally and that the beauty of it, but it so has failed to comply replicate the analogue sound..............
I appreciate that feedback, but I still think that this is the best way to move forward by anonymizing all of the devices and then naming them later so we’re collecting as unbiased data as possible.
Watch the RESULTS video here: czcams.com/video/__7zCEWTTZU/video.html
I cannot put into words how much I appreciate how thorough and precise this breakdown is with its respect to tone distinctions. If I needed surgery or a lawyer, this is the guy I would hire.
Much love, mad respect. Thank you Mason
Thanks Josh! Be sure to put in your answers! We'd love to count you in the final tally!
I don't think I can pick favourites here. They all got ridiculously close, it's quite incredible. No way a listener at a gig would be able to tell them apart.
Excellent playing too!
But if you had to choose???
@@VertexEffectsInc Argh! Okay, I'll try...
TS: 3 for Strat, 1 for LP
BB: 3 for Strat, 1 for LP
Klon: 3 for Strat, 1 for LP
Pedal 2 was really toppy and I never really liked how it sounded. The others were much trickier to choose between but I seem to have landed on the same results for each comparison. And again I really have to commend your playing.
@@LewisDavieMusic Thanks for weighing in!
Option 3 always seemed to have the mids that the originals had. All options sound pretty fantastic, 3 seemed closer to the original. Thanks!
So Pedal 3 across the board?
@@VertexEffectsInc 1 and 2 always sounded virtually exactly the same to me, and it maybe suited the Klon a little better? So maybe option 3 for the Tube Screamer and Blues Breaker, and lets go with Option 1 for the Klon. Thanks!
@@joegearing1745 Thanks for weighing in!
TS9 Strat - pedal 1 (w/ 3 a close 2nd)
TS9 LP - pedal 2
BB Strat - pedal 2
BB LP - pedal 3 by far
Klon Strat - pedal 2 (they all did well here)
Klon LP - pedal 2 (again, all did well)
Volume might be an aspect. Also you might come with - "Ha! They were all the same! 😛"
Fully agree with 100% of this.
Volumes were all the same, some of the distortion at certain frequencies might give the illusion of more volume in some cases, however they're all coming in around -9 on the metering. Thanks for the vote!
Great playing, Mason!
TS Strat: Pedal 2
TS LP: Pedal 2
BB Strat: Pedal 3
BB LP: Pedal 3
Klon Strat: Pedal 2
Klon LP: Pedal 1
Thanks for watching and casting your vote!
It always makes it nicer to watch a comparison or demo video when the playing is good.
Killing it with the videos! Keep it up 👍
What about your pedal picks? We'd love your vote to be counted here!
@@VertexEffectsInc Duelist by KingTone everyday!
@@jerrymartinez2160 Great pedal, but not part of the choices here :)
Great video! Here are my choices.
TS: Strat- 1
LP -3
BB: Strat- 3
LP-2
Klon: Strat 1
LP- 1
Thanks for putting in your vote!
Pedal 2 in all cases. Like the experimental approach. Look forward to the results.
Thanks for watching!
I vote for Pedal 1 on ALL examples. Sounds airy and cool. Thanks for the Video!
Nice thanks for watching!
Tubescreamer: Pedal 3 sounded incredible for the strat- the Les Paul part sounded REMARKABLY like Wrong Side Of The Blues 🤣, but I'd also say Pedal 3.
Blues Breaker: Pedal 1 for the Strat to me sounded identical (but Pedal 3 was my favorite)- for the Les Paul Pedal 3 sounded closest and best to my ears
Klon: Strat Pedal 3-- Les Paul Pedal 2
Also more video of Mason playing guitar because DAMN that was good
Thanks for casting your votes Buddy!
Super interesting!
TS / Strat - Pedal 3
TS / LP - Pedal 3 by a long shot. LP really highlights the differences!
BB / Strat - Pedal 3
BB / LP - Pedal 3 by a LONG shot. Pedal 1 and 2 don't come close.
K / Strat - Pedal 1 is closest to my ear, but I don't think any of them capture it.
K / LP - Pedal 1
Pedal 2 generally feels over-hyped to me. High noise floor, and just a bit too 'forward.'
Thanks for sharing!
Great video Mr Marangella. Very well thought out and produced. Very easy to follow snd understand. Watched the whole thing.
One thing that stood out to me is that pedals 1 and 2 sounded like the drive sounds were different when you went from TS-BB-klon. Which makes me think that they are pedals with different preset sounds actually modeling the relevant pedals whereas pedal three sounded like the same pedal every time with changes in drive and tone. It also had the most mids consistently so I reckon 3 is the Nova Drive. Could be wrong though.
I was struck by how minor the differences were. €100 -€700 in the price difference. Didn’t really sound it.
Interesting....so what are you final picks? We'd love to count you in the tally
@@VertexEffectsInc OK I’ll take another listen.
Strat TS - 2
LP TS - 2
Strat BB - 2
LP BB - 2 - though I didn’t think any sounded good really.
Strat Klon - 1
LP Klon - 1
Crazy how they all made the delay respond slightly differently really interesting
Oh and shut up! Your playing is great! Really tasty blues player. Good feel.
@@TheGuitarEffect Thanks for weighing in!
cool, very interested in this video and the results, I have the TC Nova drive, wondering how it stacks up. Thanks
TS-9 - Strat 1, LP3
Blues Breaker - Strat 3, LP 3
Klon - Strat 1, LP 2
Thanks for voting Mark!
any video with uncle mason jamming with.a frusciante strat and overdrive is a win by me!
Thank you sir! Please be sure to cast your vote! We'd love to include you!
Dang. They all sound so good. Well done, dude.
Screamer- I kind of like 3 for the strat best
2 on the Strat’s blues breaker
2 on the Strat’s Klon as well
Great video brother. I’ve always loved sampling ODs on my Line 6 stuff. They’ve really stepped up with the Helix products. The drives surprised me for sure. I still run my Golden Boy and Morning Glory in its loop though…
Can't wait for the big reveal!
They all sounded the same to me, but it does make me want to put a nova drive on my board, in place of what’s there.
If you have to vote on them...what would it be?
I liked: 2, 1, then 3 across-the-board. 2 at least to my ears sounded less compressed and more dynamic. Look forward to the results
Thanks for weighing in!
Truthfully, none of them sounded bad. I have a nova drive and find it to be useful and hits a good TS9 tone.
I like the MIDI control as well - can use it to control volume and gain levels for some cool effects
Well said!
TS9 - Strat-3 LP-3 • BB - Strat-3 BB-3 • Klon - Strat-3 BB-2 ••• Comments I liked #3 over all, though #2 is really close. Pedal #1 seemed to have a lower volume...? Also wondering why you used the Klon with such a clean setting, a I've heard it doesn't really activate until at 1-3 o'clock ...?
Klon was made for low gain. When you'd see it demonstrated back in the day in the 1990's they'd tell you to set the gain around the LED and tone and volume to taste. I think it's less useable at more gain than 12:00 and not as much of a stand out pedal.
Had to pick 1...pedal 2. Cleaner. Every pedal had its moment. Pedal 2 averaged more moments. Fun video. Thanks brother. I'm hoping 2 is the TC.
What about the other pedals? We'd love your vote to be counted here across the board!
@@VertexEffectsInc pedal 1 seemed not thinner but less full without it being a deficiency, more high mids inherent in the circuit? Dunno. Better w buckers. 3 was fuller but fuller, no 'glitter' with singles. Good but darker. Better for a bright amp perhaps.better w singles. I'd play all 3 don't get me wrong. 2 more clarity. 1 less bloom. 3 lacked top zing. My 2 cents
Yeah pedal 1 sounded less harmonic and dynamic to me. 2 and 3 were better with 2 havingbthe edge.
@@Gearjunkie35 Thanks for the clarification!
The Elektron Analog Drive is another programmable drive that sounds really good.
I've heard good things...this isn't the only list but a good list at a few different price points.
I really liked 1 for all the examples. 3 was pleasant for the BB on the strat, but I enjoyed 1 the most overall.
Great! Thanks for weighing in!
Generally speaking, I liked 1 the best. Number 3 sounded like someone singing into a tin can, to my ears at least. Just doing overall favorite because I feel like the whole point of having one of these is to have a do it all overdrive.
Thanks for weighing in!
TS9 - Pedal 3 Both LP and Strat), Blues Breaker, Strat Pedal 2, LP pedal 3, Klon, Strat Pedal 2, LP Pedal 2
Tubescreamer: STRAT & LP- OPTION3
Thanks for voting!
two for both guitars.#1
So #2 or #1??? For which pedal?
TS - Pedal 3
BB - Pedal 3
Klon - Pedal 1 (close call with pedal 3)
Great job as always! 🔥
Thanks for weighing in Alberto!
Pedal 2 sounded better on both guitars and better than the actual tube screamer. , Blues breaker = Pedals 1& 2 as good as the blues breaker . , Klon = I liked pedal 1&2 better on all sounds and bother guitars . So with me , it is a tie between pedal "1" and "2" but leaning a bit more to pedal "2' for over all sounds .
Thanks for casting your vote Dave!
Bluesbreaker: STRAT &LP - OPTION 3
Thanks for the vote!
of course i like the klon ,but to be fair i still call the second pedal for both again , ok now what pedal do i like so much , i GOT TO KNOW
Make sure you let us know which guitar and which pedal you prefer for each.
Great way to compare! Loved the video.
TS
Strat 123
LP 231
BB
Strat 321
LP 312
Klon
Strat 321
LP 312
Looking forward to the results (I currently use a TC Nova Drive with my G System)
Is this an order of how you like them greatest to least?
@@VertexEffectsInc Yes. Greatest to least.
@@boomtap7554 Thanks for the clarification!
Incredibly hard to tell but:
Tube Screamer Strat - Pedal 1
Tube Screamer LP - Pedal 2
Blues Breaker Strat - Pedal 2
Blues Breaker LP - Pedal 3
Klon Strat - Pedal 2
Klon LP - Pedal 2
Thanks for casting your vote!
On the bluesbreaker LP segment was the only place i could tell a difference between them. Pedal 2 was brighter and airy while pedal 3 was darker , pedal 1 seemed to be spot on.
What about the other pedals? We'd love your vote to be counted here!
On the screamer and the klon all three seemed to emulate the original perfectly on both the Strat and LP
@@paulgrimes9950 So if you could only pick one for each what would it be?
Pedal 1 would be my pick, it seemed the most consistent at replicating the original. At least on my speakers lol.
Thank you Doctor for the video. To my ear pedal 2 was the best option.
Across all guitars?
1.1: 3
1.2: 3 (2)
2.1: 1 (3)
2.2: 3
3. 1: 2 (3)
3.2: 1
the brackets indicate that I felt the pedal came very close to the one I preferred...
generally, I found that I preferred the sound of all the pedals (original and emulations) with the strat.
thanks for the test, you really had a good idea and put it in action in the best possible way 👍
I am anxious to see the results 😁
What is the colon referencing?
@@VertexEffectsInc sorry, English is not my mother tongue... 😁 in my comment I mistakenly said "brackets" when I ment colons.
I put between colons the pedal I felt came very close to the one I liked best. when there are no colons it means I felt the best one was clearly above the two others.
I hope that my comment is clear now 😁
@@doubletriode Understood!
For ts 9:
Fender: pedal 3
Gibson: pedal 1
Blues Braker :
Fender : Pedal 1 ( exact copy to my ears)
Gibson : pedal 3( has most sonic width)
Klon centaur:
Fender : pedal 1
Gibson pedal 3
Thanks for wratching!
Pedal one on all of them for me!
Whoohoo! Let's see who it is???
TS9
Strat Pedal 1
LP Pedal 3
Blues Breaker
Strat Pedal 3
LP Pedal 3
Klon
Strat Pedal 1
LP Pedal 3
Thanks for your vote!
Pedal two
On all examples and all guitars?
Tube Screamer
Start - Pedal 1
Les Paul - Pedal 2
Blues Breaker
Start - Pedal 3
Les Paul - Pedal 1
Centaur
Strat - Pedal 2
Les Paul - Pedal 2
Thanks Brian!
Tube screamer Option 3 strat, option 2 lp
Thanks for voting!
Hey!!! Have you already announced the results? I'm still trying to figure out which one I should buy... ;-)
Not yet! In the next week or two.
TS : 3 - 2
BB : 3
Klon : 2 -3
Its the best for my ear 😁😁
Ordered as Strat then Les Paul?
Ts9
Strat - 3
LP - 2
BB
Strat - 2
LP - 2
Klon
Strat - 3
LP - 3
Thanks for your vote!
You’re welcome! Thank you for the awesome content! By the way, I forgot to mention my overall favorite: 2 wins overall.
I was torn between 2 and 3. 3 sounded nice and fat on the Strat, but I play humbuckers pretty often.
@@jacobpittman1996 Nice! Thanks for weighing in!
TS-9: pedal 2
BB: pedal 2
Klon: pedal 2
Thanks for weighing in Emily!
BB option 3 strat, option 3 lp
Thanks for voting!
Are you ever going to reveal? I'm curious which one I liked recorded best.
Yes...working on the edit now
Another great Demo.
What about your pedal picks? We'd love to count you in the final tally?
@@VertexEffectsInc Chaseblissaudio Mason. Thank you. I apologize i was not clear earlier. 👍🏿👍🏿👍🏿
@@pensatorseven1898 how can you choose it if you don't know which pedal it is? Be sure to watch and cast your vote
@@VertexEffectsInc TS - Pedal 3
BB - Pedal 3
Klon - Pedal 1
@@pensatorseven1898 wouldn't be ironic if none of these were the Chase Bliss ;)
I like the pedal 2 best.
In all examples with all guitars?
@@VertexEffectsInc For Stratocaster, I might say pedal 2 is my choice for three pedals. Les Paul with pedal 1 or pedal 2 is difficult choice for me. But I could say I like pedal 2 for all three pedals with LesPaul, as well.
@@Zeke6004 Great! Thank you!
Number 2 always sounded better with everything and I can say that it sounded even better than the real thing!!!
Across all guitars?
I own an Overture for a few months now and like it so far. As far as I know, none of the available modes were based on a Klon, neither a Bluesbreaker...so what's up?
None of these have explicit "Klon" "TS" or "Blues Breaker" sounds in them, however they are programmable and have the ability to shape tones similar to these classical overdrives - so they're all on equal footing in hat regard. We'd love to hear your picks as to what you thought got closest to the classics.
Tube screamer: None for both
Blues Breaker: 3 for the strat, 1 for the Les Paul
Klon: strat: 3; Les Paul: 3
Thanks for chiming in!
Low key Mark IIC+ flex ;-)
Hahahaha! We need your vote Richard!
I seemed to like Pedal 1 mostly... Here I am secretely wishing #1 is the one I've been wondering about (you're not telling, so neither am I, hahaha!!) BUT in any case the three seem to me to be real close ...
Thanks for your vote!
Overall number 1 is the one I liked the most and number 2 the least
Thanks for weighing in!
I'm gonna take a risk. Which song is the theme you play during the Klon simulation?
For Les Paul or Strat?
@@VertexEffectsInc Les Paul.
@@VertexEffectsInc Les Paul.
I liked 1,3,2…. 1 to me seemed like the most organic….
Nice! Thanks for weighing in.
Do you know a clean reverby pedal with sliders?
I think Chase Bliss makes that too.
@@VertexEffectsInc cool, thanx
KLON - OPTION1
For both guitars?
1 for all
Thanks for voting!
Klon option 2 strat, option 3 lp
Thanks for voting!
Strat TS: Pedal 1
LP TS: Pedal 2
Strat BB: Pedal 1
LP BB: Pedal 3
Strat Klon: Pedal 3
LP Klon: Pedal 2
Thanks for weighing in Ryan!
Excellent test! I definitely enjoyed the video. However, I have a few questions for you: 1. Why would you go through all the trouble of putting together a controlled and accurate test, and then muddy the waters by adding reverb and delay?? That makes it harder to hear the pure sound of each pedal! 2. Where in the signal chain are the reverb and delay coming from? Axe FX? Pedals after the amp? Logic? 3. How are you recording from your amp? Direct out? Cab sim? Mic on a cab?
1) The delay and the reverb were added to fit the part, there is processing on some clips, and others that have hardly any ambient effects on. Since it’s a constant across all of the clips for each example, this shouldn’t be a factor. Furthermore, in the context of how we might all use these devices is generally not going to be bone dry. 2) In post - Echo Boy and Valhalla plug ins, but set up on the representative clip as not to impact the constant variable of the guitar playing looped through the pedals. 3) Speaker cabinet in my iso box under the house. It’s a SM57 on a Celestion Classic Lead 80 on all examples.
Looking forward to you putting in your vote so you can become part of the tally
@@VertexEffectsInc Thank you for the clarification!! Ha, I forgot about the vote! I thought #1 was definitively better than 2 and 3 in all examples across the board. It sounded the most natural and the most like the pedal it was trying to emulate. To my ears, 2 and 3 both had some very slight digital distortion when you played a bit harder.
@@mikehines14 Thanks for putting in your vote!
On the blues breaker, pedal 2 sounded the most articulate, or clear. Pedal 3 sounded a bit more woolly, maybe even a little muffled, to me.
What about the other pedals? We'd love your vote to be counted here!
Ok, I was being lazy. I will put in the work, since you guys have obviously put in a lot of time on this. I will check back in after my kids are in bed.
@@jacobpittman1996 Looking forward to it!
It doesn’t matter what they sound like as long as it inspires you play.
With that said...what are your picks?
@@VertexEffectsInc I’d have to say as far as dirt goes, I like the Greer Lightspeed. 2 of those stacked is even better. I also use pedals of my own ( Bombastortion, Plexian Herb, Kleer Drive) I like the Strymon Dig delay, Boss Digital Dimension Chorus. ( the version with knobs, not the preset one) I like your Boost.
TS-9 ST: 1/3
TS-9 GB: 3
BB ST: 3
BB GB: 3
K ST: 1/3
K GB: 3
THANK YOU
Thanks for watching!
The TC.
Which one is the TC?
@@VertexEffectsInc I'm digging #3 for the Strat and Paul doing the TS
@@VertexEffectsInc So far 3 for everything. Something about it. Sounds fullest to me.
@@hammertimegt68 Thanks for weighing in!
On second listen I think the edge goes to 3 but also liked 2.
What about based on the guitar?
Ill listen again on better headphones but Guitar really shouldnt matter much if you control input levels well. It comes down to how hard is hitting front of pedal.
Ok making notes as i listen again. On tube screamer I actually like number 2 better than the real tube screamer but 3 sounds closer to the real screamer maybe.
On blues breaker strat i like 3 best and 2 as runner up... same for LP
For Klon strat edge goes to 3 but 2 and 3 sounded really close with 3 sounding just a bit more controlled and touch sensitive
two again, it seems to be smooth and tre...mid.....and bass all rounded out . don't know but i like the second pedal.
For which pedal?
les paul and second pedal all three , but i do like the klon cause ...just cause , thanks brother and love how informative and the devil is in the details approach to EVERYTHING GEAR RELATED. And sorry for getting back late i was jamming, later.
I commend you on pulling this vid together. Great idea. I do question the omission of the Strymon Sunset but you can't do every pedal. Having one drive pedal to do a convincing version of about every sound I want is a key part of my rig. I do wish the Strymon did a good Fuzz, but then I suppose I get to pick and choose a pedal just to do that and can swap from Fuzz to Muff as the mood strikes me.
My favs from the demo:
TS: Strat #1, LP #2
BB: Strat #2, LP #2
Klon: Strat #1, LP #1
The Sunset is not pure analog.
It's not fully analog as @jspartacus said.
Justin, thanks for your vote!
@@jspartacus None of these pedals are "pure analog". Each has a digital brain allowing them to be programmed and switched via midi. I for one am most interested in what sound pleases my ear, more so than how it was created.
@@VertexEffectsInc Like I said, analog, digital, whatever. If it sounds good and makes it easier to get the tone I want then sign me up.
#1
Throughout all pedals?
@@VertexEffectsInc ya
Number 2 is the best in all cases
Thanks for voting!
Number 2 my lord!
Thanks for weighing in
What about the digital Boss OD-200 ?
What do you think about it ?
It’s digital not analog
Digital as Kane said. We'd still love your vote to be included! Feel free to write it in!
It'd be hilarious if like in a month Mason comes out with a video showing that the chips inside the TS were just some run of the mill opamp chips that no one cares about. Lol. Just to fuck with the cork sniffers.
No...there all as you think...but that would be a fun test too :)
Hello! The Boss OD-200 is, in my opinion, one of the best in the market right now
It's not pure analog.
As jpartacus said, we're only going analog pedals with digital control :)
I have the Boss OD-200. It's been a great education for me and fun, but it isn't really my go to for anything. Some very usable sounds, don't get me wrong.
I did also wonder if the actual volume dbs were level on some of these with louder always sounding better/fuller.
They should all be pretty balanced - I match them up on my metering before we recorded them so they were all hitting about -9 or so in Logic. With that said we'd love to hear your picks - feel free to cast your votes so you can be included in the tally.
100% pedal 2
Results will be posted soon!
TS FS 1>2>3
TS LP 2>1>3
BB FS 1>2>3
BB LP 2>1>3
KC FS 2>1>3 all close I thought
KC LP 1>2>3
I went for the sound I like and clarity
Thanks for the voting!
I know there are a lit of options in this space, but it would be cool to include the Source Audio distortions in this type of shootout. In my opinion, those are the best programmable digital distortions available. Excellent concept for a video, great job.
This was restricted to analog overdrives, SA doesn't fit in that category.
These are analog drive pedals, not digital.
Tube screamer strat=tie
Tube screamer Les Paul=pedal 1
Blues breaker strat=pedal 1
Blues breaker Les Paul=pedal 2
Klon. Strat=pedal 1
Klon. Les Paul=pedal 1
What about across all pedals and guitars - that's just for the Tube Screamer. What about the Klon and Blues Breaker?
@@VertexEffectsInc sorry about that I didn't have time to listen to the rest it was really late I'll listen to the rest when I get home from work today and give you my opinion 👍👍👍👍👍
@@kevincognito3575 Great!
@@VertexEffectsInc there you go buddy I fixed it for you 👍👍👍👍👍
Irrespective of sound, the Chase Bliss is my pick solely due to flying faders
Put your faith in it and cast your vote!
Yup the Automatone does so much and more!
@@michaelmakai2610 But how does it actually sound versus the actual references? Put your faith in it and cast your votes
The tube screamer just sounded so much better than the 3 I can’t pick one. There’s a compression to each of the 3 and they didn’t seem to have the high-pass as the classic TS.
For the Blues Breaker, I guess I liked one for both guitars.
For the Klon, 3 seemed to keep most of the dynamics which having a similar tone.
Thanks for voting!
#3
On all examples?
@@VertexEffectsInc yes sir
I would say :
TS-9
Srat: pedal 2
LP: pedal 3
Blues Breaker
Srat: pedal 3
LP: pedal 3
Klon
Srat: pedal 1
LP: ???
Thanks for your comment!
Pedal 3 got closest to the originals each time.
Across all guitars?
@@VertexEffectsInc Yes, I really thought it captured the character of the original pedals best across the board. Pedal 2 was least convincing. Not unpleasant, though. Pedal 1 was a pretty close most of the time. Just not as close as 1.
@@basvredeling Thanks for voting!
@@VertexEffectsInc When or where can we see the results?
@@basvredeling next week or two
If you want test overdrive with the Klon, it generally helps to play actual notes and not just trust your exhaled breath to pick the strings. Klon data will be useless because you did not play hard enough for the effect to kick-in.
Klon "Sweet Spot" is not a heavily overdriven sound - when it was first being demonstrated a guitar shows back in the 1990's - Klon Siberia demonstrators would show the gain around the LED light and volume and tone to taste to give you an idea of it's intended use as more of a gainy boost or low gain drive.
I wish you and xotic would make one of these. That would make my life easier lol
Seems like there going all in on guitars these days
@@VertexEffectsInc I didn’t even know xotic made guitars. As long as they don’t stop making the bb preamp and ep booster I’ll be fine. Lol.
@@wheresallthezombies What's your pick from this video?
@@VertexEffectsInc pedal 3 was my favorite through out. Definitely neck and neck between 2 and 3 but 3 sounds more natural to me maybe.
@@wheresallthezombies Thanks for weighing in!
Pedal 3 across the board.
Thanks for weighing in!
I'll only say this: whichever one the Chase Bliss is, it doesn't sound $600 better than the 10 year old Nova Drive, whichever it is. Jeez, what a ripoff.
Which are you picks if you had to choose for each guitar?
@@VertexEffectsInc Frankly, they're all so similar that you couldn't tell the difference after playing 10 minutes into a gig, with drums, keys, bass, a singer, and a crowd trying to out shout your gear so they can talk to each other. So, there isn't one of them that stands out as being $600 better than either of the others.
@@jspartacus it’ll be interesting to see how the answers pan out…
@@VertexEffectsInc You played it well, making people wait a week to confirm their picks. There's no clear consensus so far, it's all over the map. The frustration that people are feeling is palpable, because they are looking for confirmation of their own purchases. You ought to do this same demo with Klon clones, that'll really stir people up! Bravo.
The problem with these units is they only have one individual tone at a time when often stacked tones are better. So Id need to buy and have space on the pedalboard for like 3 rjm units and one chase bliss. Id want a programmable cali76 stacked as well.
The Nova Drive allows you to stack drive into distortion, the other way arround or even side by side (parallel mode).
Except for the Nova.
Yeah the problem is I often find the magic in stacking up to 3 pedals and on occasion up to four. Also, which of these was the one I liked the most? For me it was down to number 3 or 2 depending on situation.
Also the RJM Overture needs a mids dial, especially for tube screamer tones similar to wampler clarksdale and a price point closer to $300 to make itviable to buy multiple units... or they could make a stacked unit allowing up to 3 stacked tones and sell for like $999.
The Nova Drive not only supports stackng, but you also can choose which to run first (distortion or overdrive). And you can also run them in parallel, so it goes beyond stacking.
I wish you had Strymon Sunset in the shootout also
It’s digital
Well...I can't overly get my head around this, as in it doesn't really make complete sense.
3 programmable pedals yes
3 overdrives yes
You want us to compare your settings against each od with a strat and LP yes.
But, we really aren't comparing much other than your settings & the programmable pedals themselves haven't been modeled per se on any of the 3 specifically. Notwithstanding, your settings did provide some close similarities. However, there's nothing to say that if each of the programmables were tweaked differently, then they'd perhaps sound closer to the ones you were trying to emulate or more pleasing to those that voted.
So, I'm kinda lost as to the purpose here?
Other than I'm lost here 😂..I did enjoy the video, especially your Tom Petty. Kinda got me thinking...that's such an iconic & tasteful riff, why have I never even thought of playing it. 💭
Thanks for the heads up here. 😎
We're not comparing "settings" we're comparing can we match the sound of the "Gold Standard" overdrives with the programmable "analog multi-effect" overdrives using a Strat and Les Paul. Each programmable pedal is set as close as I can audibly get them to the gold standard exemplar. There are setting ranges for each of the gold standard pedals that the manufacturers recommend along with how they've been used historically - the pedals are all set to their "sweet spot" for each instrument based on my interpretation. It doesn't make much sense in my mind to go for any extreme settings that wouldn't be the norm of how these pedals might be used. I think the viewer can infer the proximity of how other settings might sound in relationship to the reference vs. programmable pedal given the baseline we provide.
@@VertexEffectsInc Hey Mason - thanks for your reply here. :)
Yes, you're comparing settings - the settings you've adjusted on the 'programables' to the range chosen on your so-called representative 'iconic' od's.
In terms of the title of the video, it seems all three units are 'comparable' to the exemplars. I would therefore assume in a live setting much of a muchness & in a recording perhaps a bit different, but then again every player & every recording sounds different anyway, so that's really neither here nor there.
Of course, the inherent weakness of CZcams sound quality does not allow anybody, regardless of the end equipment used, to pick up on various details that have been lost. So we cannot know what it sounds like in your space.
Unfortunately, this is the case for any demo & as viewers, we try to make do & infer sounds that we do not hear. We can't overcome this fact.
By contrast 95+% of audiophile channels (maybe more at a guess), do not include any sound bites at all as it is well understood that CZcams cannot go close to replicating the sound.
However, in the guitar world, the platform is used differently, because it's the best means available that reaches a wide audience, it's good advertising and for companies and some CZcamsr's it's profitable. I don't have a problem with any of this & do enjoy watching many of these videos (such as this 😀).
When it comes to hearing 'best', I think the framework of the question needs greater thought for it to have much meaning, to both the participants and the content creator.
I appreciate the time and effort you put in here. I found it quite enjoyable, yet still, I can't get my head around it as per my original comments. Perhaps, as I don't know the intended purpose here of you gathering some sort of results. Regardless, I look forward to your findings & I may add further details to the next video once known.
Cheers mate. 😎
@vertexeffects Mason, how dare you.
How dare what? I'll look forward to your answers on your picks in the comments.
@@VertexEffectsInc if 2 is what I think it is, they can have my $750.00.
@@ericovermyer7358 so who’s got your vote? 2?
@@VertexEffectsInc 2 across the board. Sounds present. Like there isn't any artificial compression or reverb built into the signal.
3 sounded the worst to me…. 1 and 2 sounded the most like the original.
With all guitars?
@@VertexEffectsInc yeah, there was something that sounded “dead” to my ears. Or dull. Idk why. I literally couldn’t tell a difference between the originals and 1&2
@@JettyDeke What if you have to pick one?
@@VertexEffectsInc I went back and listened, The first two sounded so different by the time I got to 3 it just sounded completely different but going back and forth between the original then to the pedals, 3 does sound the closest to the original. So I will amend my comment and say 3. Although I liked 1.
@@JettyDeke Great! Thank you for chiming in!
ok soo this is what i think.... with the analogue gear there is a element of depthless, rich ness and feel that the simulations just can not capture in my experience.... yes the digital has new and unusual sounds that can only be done digitally and that the beauty of it, but it so has failed to comply replicate the analogue sound..............
All of them are analog circuits with digital interface
These are all analog as The Rig Show stated!
If you couldn't tell that these are all analog drives, you have failed.
@@jspartacus Not everyone is at the same level of understanding as others. No one has failed.
I feel like you definitely should have given us the answer or warned us at the very beginning that it will take a week to get the answer.
I appreciate that feedback, but I still think that this is the best way to move forward by anonymizing all of the devices and then naming them later so we’re collecting as unbiased data as possible.
Great content. But please drop the Rig Doctor name. Sounds pretentious.
Which part? Rig or Doctor?