# Bought my first pedal today!



## pattste (Dec 30, 2007)

I hope it's not a slippery slope ... :smile:

I play clean the vast majority of the time. Ever since I bought my Fender amp, I've been very pleased with my clean sound but more and more I find myself wanting to play music that would benefit from a good low-gain overdrive sound. Unfortunately, the Hot Rod Deluxe's dirty channel is widely known as one of the worst in the tube amp world. With very low-gain it was usable but certainly not satisfying.

So I was in Ottawa today and went to my favorite store, Lauzon. I did a mini shootout with the Robert Keeley-modded Boss BD-2 Blues Driver, Fulltone OCD and Xotic AC. As could be expected, all three pedals were quite nice, just different. The Fulltone OCD sounded great but it was too much gain for me. The Xotic AC was very flexible but I thought it always colored the sound too much for my taste. The Keeley Blues Driver was the best choice for me. It was the most transparent and was the sound that I was looking for. Unfortunately, I didn't have a stock BD-2 to compare with but considering all the great reviews that Keeley pedals get I decided to buy it.

Hopefully I won't end up with a dozen pedals and a monster board by Christmas.


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## Guest (Jun 24, 2008)

The slope is not only slippery but very, very steep. Thankfully most pedal urges can be satisfied and non-bankruptcy inducing levels of financial burn.


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## Wheeman (Dec 4, 2007)

pattste said:


> I hope it's not a slippery slope ... :smile:
> 
> I play clean the vast majority of the time. Ever since I bought my Fender amp, I've been very pleased with my clean sound but more and more I find myself wanting to play music that would benefit from a good low-gain overdrive sound. Unfortunately, the Hot Rod Deluxe's dirty channel is widely known as one of the worst in the tube amp world. With very low-gain it was usable but certainly not satisfying.
> 
> Hopefully I won't end up with a dozen pedals and a monster board by Christmas.


Welp, prepare to slid down it!

I have to agree with you on the Hot Rod Deluxe's overdrive as rather sterile and bad. In fact, I've only used it today for the first time in months. 

I've got at least 6 overdrives available, or in the works, to use with a booster in front of it all. Each with their own sound and use. 

Most likely you'll have that dozen pedals and a monster board closer to Thanksgiving.


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## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

pttste...please paint the new pedal *red*...otherwise it will look out of place with your gear just kidding

Congrats....enjoy !!

Dave


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## Stratin2traynor (Sep 27, 2006)

The slope is indeed very slippery, especially when it comes to overdrives. Most of the time I feel like I'm sliding out of control reaching for vines or tree roots that are just out of reach....instead of there being a root, its another pedal...


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## Greenbacker (Mar 29, 2007)

Well I think it's great that you actually had the chance to sit with those three and hear them side-by-side. Of all the ODs I've tried, those are a great starting point. Maybe you won't get in so deep. I love the Keeley BD-2!


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## Mr Yerp (Feb 24, 2006)

Welcome to the dark side! Muahahahahaha!
P.S. The Keeley BD2 is one great pedal. The stock one is quite fizzy, the Keeley is a huge improvement.
Enjoy!


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## bagpipe (Sep 19, 2006)

Congrats on the new pedal. The only use I ever found for the 2nd channel on my Hot Rod Deluxe was as a volume boost for solos ie set it clean, but a bit louder than the first channel. However, I always found the amp was a great platform for pedals, as long as you just leave it on a clean setting and let the pedal do the dirty stuff.


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## sproul07 (Jun 23, 2007)

Ya in a year or 2 you'll be right into fuzzes and high-gain distortions lol


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## Tin Type (May 10, 2008)

congrats on the new purchase!.... you will soon find yourself in the world of multiple od's.... light...medium..heavy.. etc etc. aswell as other types of pedals.

have fun:smile:


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## ne1roc (Mar 4, 2006)

Its a great pedal! Enjoy!


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## Guest (Jul 3, 2008)

"New Pedal Day" is always the best! Congrats on the purchase, I have that pedal also (although its off the board right now) and its killer. Pretty soon we will be seeing NPD posts from you each week! Welcome to the wacky world of GAS.


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## rhh7 (Mar 14, 2008)

I have never owned a pedal. Guess I have one more thing to learn.


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## Guest (Jul 4, 2008)

rhh7 said:


> I have never owned a pedal. Guess I have one more thing to learn.


No pedals? Where is the fun in that??


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## leblanc74 (Sep 14, 2008)

iaresee said:


> The slope is not only slippery but very, very steep. Thankfully most pedal urges can be satisfied and non-bankruptcy inducing levels of financial burn.



+1....I got myself around 20 pedals since March of this year...


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## allthumbs56 (Jul 24, 2006)

Congrats! I really need to give one of those Keeleys a try - the BD-2 gets a lot of love but I've tried stock and the Allums mod and never bonded.

BTW one pedal is all you need .... well maybe a delay ...... and a second O/D or a compressor for a boost ..... and a wah ....... tuner .......chorus ...... 3rd O/D ....... 2nd delay .......

Best thing to do is spend some time on our emporiums - it's a whole lot cheaper and you can just keep "rotating" pedals for cheap.

Slippery - very slippery. You never should have come here :smile:


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## puckhead (Sep 8, 2008)

leblanc74 said:


> +1....I got myself around 20 pedals since March of this year...


yeah, I'm on about 10 or 12 in the last couple of months. It would have been more, but I share a paypal account with the wife. can't have too many of these charges show up or I get funny looks. :sport-smiley-002:

so after 4 or 5 from e-bay I had to switch over to CL and here (shipping to the office, of course). fortunately, she avoids my studio like the plague.


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## JamesW (Sep 27, 2008)

Grats! Enjoy it!


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## pattste (Dec 30, 2007)

allthumbs56 said:


> Congrats! I really need to give one of those Keeleys a try - the BD-2 gets a lot of love but I've tried stock and the Allums mod and never bonded.:


I remain extremely happy with my choice. As a low-gain OD, providing just a little grind, it is spectacular. It is not the best choice for a lead tone, however.



> Slippery - very slippery. You never should have come here :smile:


Pffff. I've been a member of The Gear Page for a while so I can handle GAS as well as the next guy :wink:


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## noobcake (Mar 8, 2006)

Pedal buying is indeed quite a slippery slope. After the purchase of my first pedal, I got in to the whole "pedal scene" and now own 3 over drives (2 boutiques), a wah, a chorus, an octave/distortion and a delay. Ironically, my pedalboard now consists of 2 pedals only -_-, an overdrive and a delay. I personally don't like having too many pedals, I feel that it distracts me too much from playing when I have to factor in the juggling of pedals. I have a 2 channel amp, but I opt for using only the clean channel and using the od pedal for all my dirt, it keeps things simple and functional and I'm pretty damn happy with my tone:smile:


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## stever67 (Jun 30, 2008)

Keely Mod BD is a great pickup - go for a Diamond J-drive next up! If you're into clean tones the boost function really does a trick!


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## artr (Jun 9, 2008)

Thinking of adding a Fulltone OCD... Hear alot of good stuff about that one!


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