Radial Tube Overdrive / Distortion

[ch willie]

I just ordered the Radial British od/dist. Got $30 off list from a major internet dealer. I can't wait until it comes in.

Any of you ever use one of these?

[thegeezer]

I own the classic tonebone, these pedals are great, although I just use the gain on my Fucks Amp now.

[ch willie]

I got the Tonebone Hot British. It was just too hot for me, so I've returned it for the Tonebone Trimode. We'll see how this one does.

[chuckocaster]

I can see that, I don't ever use more than about 50% of the gain most pedals have. I think it's just due to the way I play, I have my amps set on the "edge".

Hope the new one works better for you.

[ch willie]

Well, I've had the Tonebone Trimode going for two days now, and I still haven't exhausted all the possibilities. This thing is a monster of more than 1 tone. I'm going to be learning this thing for a while, but I'm totally happy with it. It's like converting your amp into three lead channels. It's got 4 levels of mid-boost. Really, this is the best od/dist pedal I've ever used. Can't wait to use it live on the 15th of December (found some guys to have an open mic night at the college).

[thegeezer]

Radical is the pedal, I had heard the Red pedal was a little too hot the Blue Classic is more to a Blues player liking.

[ch willie]

Yeah, there was no crunch with the Brit, just over the top distortion. The Trimode goes from crunch to pretty wild, very versatile. I'm really happy with it. Good for blues and rock.

[ch willie]

Update: It started sounding off, more farting than tonal, maybe something to do with the tube. Anyway, I'm sending it back, and I'm going back to my Digitech Bad Monkey and Hot Rod pedals. I may try something else later.

[chuckocaster]

Didn't want to say anything negative, but I have yet to hear a tube pedal that sounds decent. Take a look at www.barberelectronics.com, or Machine Head Pedals. Both "booteek" but at reasonable prices.

[Don]

I paid $40 for a Hughes & Kettner Tube Factor tube powered overdrive. It was okay but there are better solid state od pedals available.

[ch willie]

Yeah, Don and Chuck, you're right about the tube thing. But seriously, the Digitech pedals sound better. I don't know why I wanted to get rid of them in the first place. If I do by another OD, it'll probably be the Fulltone OCD that Phantomman uses. I hear the Fulltone is the tits.

[chuckocaster]

Check out the Plimsoul also, I liked the sound of that better than the OCD.

[Don]

I had mixed feelings about the OCD. I mostly liked the sound of it but needed to set the gain way low, just a smidgen off of the minimum stop, or it distorted too much for me.

[thegeezer]

It's all in the tweeking!!

[ch willie]

I know my Digitech pedals are cheap, but I like them so much better than the Radial. After swapping my pups on the Les Paul to 57 Classics, the Bad Monkey and Hot Rod pedals sound great to my old ears.

[chuckocaster]

Bad Monkey is hard to beat! I like the BBE Green Screamer too. I've liked most of the TS clones, except for the Reverend Drive Train, it was too bright even with the tone knob turned all the way off! YYMV

[ch willie]

Yeah. I could some great tones out of the Trimode until it started acting up. But I soured on it real fast once it started sounding like crap. It was great for a few days. I guess I was looking for greener grass, only to come back to my cheap, wonderful Digitech pedals.

[chuckocaster]

We've all been there! You know what's my "go to" bass? The cheap Frankenstein P I built using a Squier body. Agathis is a "crappy" tone wood? I'll put that bass up against others costing 4X as much. As it sits, I have under $500 into it. Go figure...

[ch willie]

I once felt very superior when I went to see a band and saw the bass player pull out a Squier. Two seconds after he started playing, I realized what a dumbass I was.

[chuckocaster]

Yep! Can't judge a book by it's cover, especially when I've gotten my grubby mitts on it...