Distortion Pedal Help

Gary Meixner · From: New York, USA

I need a little advice with setting up my effects signal chain.

I am playing a Clinesmith lapsteel through a Milkman "The Amp". I almost always play with a fairly clean sound and use limited effects with the exception of reverb and occasionally tremolo which are on the amp. If I am looking for some dirt I boost the channel volume and back off the master on my amp. This gives me a nice slushy distortion.

I am in a situation now where I need to create more sonic intrigue and am putting together a pedal board with reverb/delay, wah pedal, phase shifter and some other devices. I would like to add a distortion pedal so I can leave my amp setting on clean but don't like any of the pedals I have tried. They either sound annoyingly fizzy or way too aggressive.

I do have a Rockett Blue Note that sounds close what I am looking for but it sounds best when placed after the volume pedal. That placement seems counter intuitive and I anticipate it causing trouble with the other effects.

Does anyone have any thoughts on this - your help is greatly appreciated.

Gary

GaryL · From: Medina, OH USA

Strymon Sunset. Worth every penny.
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Fred · From: Amesbury, MA

I always come back to the SansAmp Classic. It's very versatile but not very intuitive.

I've always put distortion after my volume pedal. It seems more natural to me. More dynamic. If it's before the volume pedal I think it sounds like a synthesizer with a distorted guitar preset. But to each his own.

Dave Grafe · From: Hudson River Valley NY

I ordered this little guy after hearing some really nice sounds out of it with Stratocaster and Telecaster guitars. I'll post a report here once I have a chance to wring it out with a pedal steel.

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/TwinTwelveJA--jackson-audio-1484-twin-twelve-pedal

https://youtu.be/YT5L5cuFRvk?si=QZ2H2NQ7OYZRa5ve

Jacob Yergert · From: Centennial, Colorado, USA

Larry Ball · From: Airdrie, Alberta, Canada

A lot of six guitar pedals don’t work well on Steel guitars because of the pickup differences. ( winding, impedance etc).

Try “Steeltronic’s, Scott has designed a great distortion pedal especially for the “Steel” called the STO Overdrive
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ajm · From: Los Angeles

I tried searching Youtube for

pedal steel guitar distortion overdrive

and not a lot came up.

I know what you mean about a lot of the demos.
I've recently been looking at product demo videos for OD/Dist pedals for 6 string.
Almost NONE of them spend any time with the slightly overdriven to clean range.
WTH????!!!!!

Here's a thought: Maybe some enterprising PSG'er with access to several OD/Dist pedals could do a video comparing them.
Hopefully a short video.
With little talking.
And time stamps.
(Whew, that was close. Almost went on a rant about YT videos there.)

K Maul · From: Hadley, NY/Hobe Sound, FL

I like Xotic BB Preamp or RC Booster. Very organic sounding, not buzzy. They have tone controls too.
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Gary Meixner · From: New York, USA

Hey, thanks for the replies. Today I listened to a video of the Nocturne Jr Barnyard pedal and thought it sounded great with standard guitar - wondering how it will sound with steel? I have tried several OD devices but always put them ahead of the volume pedal; the Blue Note is the only one I tried after the volume pedal and maybe that is what I need to do. I think I will try reverb, delay and phase shifter ahead of the volume pedal; overdrive and wah after the volume pedal. Thanks again.

G. Meixner

K Maul · From: Hadley, NY/Hobe Sound, FL

Have you tried OD both before AND after the VP? I frequently do that. I have a Fender steel with built in effects that go before the VP but I have a little amp Reverb too. It’s more natural sounding for volume swells. Some phase shifters like MXR can’t handle pedal steel pickup output so I put them after the VP to avoid unwanted crunch.
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ajm · From: Los Angeles

To add to K Maul's post:

There are a few videos that compare/demo the three Xotic pedals side by side.
RC,
AC
and BB.

Greg Forsyth · From: Colorado, USA

I'd like to throw the Xotic EP Booster into the mix. Also very organic tone. I use it after the VP but should probably see what it sounds like before the VP.

Dave Grafe · From: Hudson River Valley NY

Following up, I received this little jewel today and it is all I had hoped for and more. I wanted a good 6-string front end device for my recording rig but I can see it will def be riding with in the pack-a-seat to my pedal steel shows going forward. Besides sounding great as expected with my 6-string guitars, it is the first overdrive/distortion pedal I have ever used with a pedal steel that delivers the subtle edge I have long enjoyed with my vintage Fender Vibroverb amps, but through my JBL-loaded Webb without sounding the least bit ragged or nasty. Placed between the VP and Webb input I easily dialed up a smooth continuum from warm clean tone to Lindley-esque Dumble growl to wide-open Marshall howl a la Duane Allman. I can't wait to take it to work with me this weekend and throw down some serious wail when the boys call for the usual blues and rockabilly tunes, Stones, Bighead Todd, or Pink Floyd. Plus it has a true bypass function so I can put it between my VP and amp input without affecting the normal signal performance when not engaged.

I'll be taking this sweet toy up to visit local stompbox maven Jon Light really soon for a second opinion, but for the moment I have found my own personal slice of fuzzy-wuzzy heaven. Total cost new under $280 with shipping, and I know I'm done looking.

Paddy Long · From: Christchurch, New Zealand

Check out the Sarno Earth Drive, it's one of the best I have used... I prefer it between the guitar and the VP.
I also use the Nutradrive on my Benado PF board ... wired the same way as the ED.
Both of these sound pretty similar and offer a more creamy Drive, without breaking up too much so they are much more "Steel friendly" :-}
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Stephen Cowell · From: Round Rock, Texas, USA

Well, if you want something to place before the VP then the Exotic EP and other clean boosters won't get what you're looking for... overdriving your VP is probably not going to sound great, if active... if passive, you won't overdrive the amp until you go fast.

Since you don't mention armpit use then the Sarno is the standard around here... takes close intervals nicer than the more square-wavey stuff like the Rat or SansAmp. Very adjustable.
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Gary Meixner · From: New York, USA

This discussion has been so helpful. Putting the OD after the VP has made all the difference. I can get an acceptable tone with my Blue Note in this configuration and will give your other pedal suggestions a try. I am confident now I can find what I am looking for. I have been playing music a long time but never spent much time experimenting with effects - having fun. Thanks.

G. Meixner

Jack Hanson · From: San Luis Valley, USA

Earth Drive when I use one. Which is seldom.

Fred Treece · From: California, USA

Tom Wolverton · From: Carpinteria, CA

After trying many different pedals, I always come back to my Earth Drive. My all-time favorite.
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Gary Meixner · From: New York, USA

Fred, Thanks you. I have had limited experience stringing multiple effects together in the signal path. Up to this point I have been guessing at what would work best. Your advice is very much appreciated. I will check out the Strymon website.

G. Meixner

Fred Treece · From: California, USA

Gary
A mistake of sorts in post, reverb would be the last effect in the chain. A delay after it would repeat the reverb, and that could get a bit muddy..

Dan Kelly · From: Boston, MA

Piling on the Sarno Earth Drive... Just love it for PSG... My favorite, for sure.

I am also impressed with Scott Swartz' STO Steel Tuned Overdrive because it is designed and voiced specifically for the steel guitar’s bright acoustic tone, and the clean amplifiers and the low distortion/wide bandwidth speakers used by steel players.
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