# boss od-20 drive zone



## guitaristgibson (Dec 23, 2008)

i am wondering if anyone here has played with an OD-20 drive zone and has some pros and cons? i am tihnking bout buying one but want to here some opinions or if you dont like it an alternative?

http://www.rolandmusik.de/produkte/OD-20/images/OD-20_1-big.jpg (PIC)

thanks


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## Guest (Jan 4, 2009)

I am not a fan of Boss' overdrive modeling -- they just never quite get it right. What in particular attracts you to this pedal? How will you use it? If you give us a little more background on where you'll use it maybe we can recommend an analog alternative (or two or three) that'll do you better than digital modeling.


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

The samples at the Boss site are not particularly inspiring, but then that's the "magic" of on-line samples through cheap computer speakers.

I have a Boss ROD-10, which is kind of the 80's analog precursor to the OD-20. It has 5 different distortion circuits on board, ranging from polite overdrive to octavey fuzz, plus a 3-band tunable midrange EQ section. It isn't really intended to emulate any particular pedal, just cover a variety of sonic bases. The OD-20 obviously aims for specific emulations/models, and certainly offers more of them at a fairly decent price (Musician's Friend currently lists it for $160USD). The OD-20 also has it over the ROD-10 in terms of control features.

My mind was kind of made up about digital distortion-pedal emulation until a couple years ago when I was given the Line 6 Tone Core pedals as an "honorarium" for beta-testing several of them. I have to say I was fairly impressed with the sound quality of pedals. On the other hand, my earlier opinions had been formed in an era when digital distortion modelling was being handled by less powerful DSP chips trying to do everything at once, and these pedals were using more powerful chips doing _one thing only_.

OTOH, while digital emulations can often handle max-drive sounds, I'm a little more reserved in my praise when it comes to medium or mild drive sounds. Depending on what it is you want the device to do for you, it could be terrific, or a bit of a disappointment.

Finally, as someone who builds distortion after distortion after distortion after....well, you get the idea, there is a certain point where the differences between them become minimal; a bit like the differences between any two Hounddog Taylor songs...or Santana songs. So, is having 22 distortions at one's fingertips pure luxury? Maybe yes, or maybe....meh.


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## guitaristgibson (Dec 23, 2008)

i just want to get the drive zone because im to cheap to buy every overdrive pedal


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## Guest (Jan 5, 2009)

guitaristgibson said:


> i just want to get the drive zone because im to cheap to buy every overdrive pedal


But do you need every drive pedal? Is a poor facsimile of all those drive pedals better than one well implemented clone (or even the real thing)? I don't think so, but you may hold a different opinion.


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

Often, the only difference between one distortion and another is that one has a bit more gain or sets the clipping threshold differently. In the case of a lot of those 2 and 3-knobbers, often it is just the EQ preset. Heck, DOD has developed almost an entire catalog of distortion pedals whose only real difference is a bit of selective boost here and there.

I loaned Ian a pedal of my own over the holidays that aimed for "instant Slash", and is pretty much able to do it. All it is inside is a Distortion+ with a little more gain, a little more bass, and a little resonant boosting at the right spots. No great innovative design whatsoever; a bit like folding a pizza over and calling it Calzone.

This is all the long way of saying that a couple of distortions and an EQ pedal can often nail a huge chunk of the distortion spectrum.

Where the OD-20 would have advantage is in managing all that stuff as presets. Admitedly, something that might be cumbersome and involve a lot of bending over with a trio of distortions and a graphic EQ.


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