Is the Suhr Riot as good as they say?? Better alternatives??

Dingwall

I use a Cornford Hurrican 20w combo and have stuggled to get a good high gain sound.

Recently I have tried Analogman DS1 & Fulltone GT-500 but neither is doing it for me. I have the GT500 on my pedalboard but don't use it, I tend to stack my overdrives to get more gain/saturation and this is fine but is not quite giving me the higher gain sound I want.

So I now am considering the Suhr Riot but would appreciate any info or help you can provide

Ta

Mr-M

Q: Is the Suhr Riot as good as they say??
A: Yes! ?

Me on the Riot - http://www.guitarforum.co.za/your-gear/your-pedalboard!!!/msg143904/#msg143904

The Suhr Riot is pretty much everything Suhr and the internet hype machine say it is. As a rule, I tend to stay away from distortion pedals as they usually lack the touch sensitivity (too compressed) of a good overdrive pedal or overdriven amp and are usually too fizzy sounding. The Riot is very touch sensitive and dynamic and has none of the fizz of other distortion pedals. Just great sounding, amp-like drive with just the right amount of compression (not enough to mess with the dynamics of your playing, but just enough to help thicken lead lines), plenty of cut and no mud. The mid switch is very helpful in getting it to sit right in the mix. A fantastic pedal that so far is the best distortion I've played - and I've played and owned plenty.

It's only the second pedal I've ever had after the Strymon Brigadier that actually lives up to the TGP internet hype (Hall of Fame was the third).

That is all... 8)

Tokai-SA

I imported a Riot for Mark Beling.
Let's put it this way, it didn't make it onto his gigging pedalboard.

My favourite OD/distortion pedal is the Fulltone OCD.

Dingwall

Thanks for feedback guys. I guess it depends on the guitarist, the guitar and amp that is being used with any such pedal.

Mr T - can I ask what guitar / amp you use? I assume you have a clean amp setting?

Tokai - do you know what set up Mark B has ?

afflicted

Check out this comparison of the Danelectro Cool Cat Drive and the Fulltone OCD:

=

What do you think? Over $100 price difference.

Mr-M

Dingwall wrote: Mr T - can I ask what guitar / amp you use? I assume you have a clean amp setting?

Tokai - do you know what set up Mark B has ?

I use a VOX AC15C1 or a Tech 21 Liverpool DI'd, both set clean. I've also used it in studio quite a bit with a Silverface Fender Deluxe Reverb, Marshall JVM, VOX AC30CC2, Night Train NT15 and a '65 AC30TB. I did an A/B test with 6 different drive pedals in my mate's studio and the Riot was king - although this was only through the SF DR. One of the few pedals I have felt worked well with every amp I've tried it on (it's all in the mids switch). It works for me, but as with anything, you might need to try it with your rig if you can.

Last Mark told me, he was using a Fender Twin Reverb. He got a ZVEX Distortron from me earlier in the year which he said he preferred to the Riot. I would rank it as a close 2nd to the Riot in my order of preference, but he liked it more with his rig. He also got an MXR '78 Custom Badass at the same time which he said he liked as well. I on the other hand feel that while the MXR is a very good classic rock pedal with the right amp, it doesn't always work very well with bright sounding amps. Then again what's brighter than a Twin?... ??? Not sure what he is using now. I know he also is a big fan of his '80s LM308 chipped RAT. He changes gear almost daily. Mark is possibly the biggest gear whore in SA. ?

Tokai-SA

Mr T wrote:
Dingwall wrote: Mr T - can I ask what guitar / amp you use? I assume you have a clean amp setting?

Tokai - do you know what set up Mark B has ?
I use a VOX AC15C1 or a Tech 21 Liverpool DI'd, both set clean. I've also used it in studio quite a bit with a Silverface Fender Deluxe Reverb, Marshall JVM, VOX AC30CC2, Night Train NT15 and a '65 AC30TB. I did an A/B test with 6 different drive pedals in my mate's studio and the Riot was king - although this was only through the SF DR. One of the few pedals I have felt worked well with every amp I've tried it on (it's all in the mids switch). It works for me, but as with anything, you might need to try it with your rig if you can.

Last Mark told me, he was using a Fender Twin Reverb. He got a ZVEX Distortron from me earlier in the year which he said he preferred to the Riot. I would rank it as a close 2nd to the Riot in my order of preference, but he liked it more with his rig. He also got an MXR '78 Custom Badass at the same time which he said he liked as well. I on the other hand feel that while the MXR is a very good classic rock pedal with the right amp, it doesn't always work very well with bright sounding amps. Then again what's brighter than a Twin?... ??? Not sure what he is using now. I know he also is a big fan of his '80s LM308 chipped RAT. He changes gear almost daily. Mark is possibly the biggest gear whore in SA. ?

I got Mark an 80s RAT, a few weeks ago it was still on his pedalboard...think it still is.
He uses a Fender Twin.
Keeley Compressor up front.
Keeley modded Blues Driver...I think.
The 88 RAT.
TC Electronics G-System for delay and chorus.
Guitars - lots of nice ones. ?

Dingwall

edgy wrote: Check out this comparison of the Danelectro Cool Cat Drive and the Fulltone OCD:

What do you think? Over $100 price difference.

Thanks for the post. Funnily enough I am a huge fan of the Danelectro Cool Cat pedals and am collecting them BUT the one I don't have is the Drive! I have the Transparent Overdrive v1, Distortion, Fuzz and Vibe. They are just very cheap and quite easy to get hold of in UK.

I highly recommend the Trans. Overdrive as this pedal has probably blown me away more than any other pedal I have obtained in the last few years (Keeley, Analogman, Fulltone, Xotic, Line 6, Nick Greer etc). I paid £35!

OCD is still on my wants list though or possibly the Crowther Hotcake! Arrgh!

But still searching for big high gain sound!

Tokai-SA

Dingwall wrote:
edgy wrote: Check out this comparison of the Danelectro Cool Cat Drive and the Fulltone OCD:

What do you think? Over $100 price difference.

But still searching for big high gain sound!

Blackstar HT- Dual...great high gain pedal...IMO

ZarK

Wampler Triple Wreck gets my vote for high gain over a clean channel.