Hi Roy

I own/use

For HBs: MI Effects Tube Zone (Drive at about 7 - 8 o'clock + Vol at about 1 o'clock)

Uber-tweakable pedal that allows me to dial in high mid & high better.
Also has a pre-gain stage character control that allows me to dial in the amount of low end that hits the drive.
As it is so tweakable, you can achieve some terrible sounds very easily
Upping the gain gives the sound a very unpleasing raspy growl

For SCs: Craig Amps Dual Drive (Vintage G side) (Drive at about 9 - 10 o'clock + Vol at about 1 o'clock)

This is a WYSIWYG TS sort of pedal. Works a treat for me.
Quite smooth sounding and has quite a bit of dirt on tap.
A tad bit of openness wouldn't go amiss.


A few pedals i've had the privilege of playing that could float your boat are the Barber LTD & Lovepedal Amp 11. Both seemed to work very well with HBs & SCs.

What was your experience with your Custom Tones Ethos?

Thx Arjun

The Ethos is great and has a unique OD tone and wonderful clean.it takes up a fair amount of room on the board though and in my opinion it's real forte is direct to PA or as a PreAmp.

RoyC wrote: Thx Arjun

The Ethos is great and has a unique OD tone and wonderful clean.it takes up a fair amount of room on the board though and in my opinion it's real forte is direct to PA or as a PreAmp.

Thx for clearing that up for me Roy. I'd read something along those lines as well, but having no experience, didn't buy that.

Another pedal that could be interesting for SCs is the Lovepedal Eternity Burst.
If i had the dough though i'd be considering the Barber 1/2 Gainer.

What dirt pedals are you using besides the Cookies & Cream?

Well, it seems you and I will be the only ones contributing here so let's carry on ?

I am using a Wampler Paisley drive as well.... that's it for now.

I don't have a guitar with humbuckers, so I can only say that my VOX Big Ben overdrive is the bee's knees with my strat copy!

Pedals have to work with both to make me happy. Preferably without tweaking... So usually it's the "transparent" drives for me - currently the Lovepedal OD11.

Arjun Menon wrote:

Another pedal that could be interesting for SCs is the Lovepedal Eternity Burst.

I've heard that that one is basically a bufferless Tubescreamer. Suppose it should go well with singles then, as you say.

RoyC wrote: Well, it seems you and I will be the only ones contributing here so let's carry on ?

I am using a Wampler Paisley drive as well.... that's it for now.

Clips i've heard of the Paisley show it to be an epic pedal.
Have you considered the Wampler Hot Wired Brent Mason pedal?

Alan Ratcliffe wrote: Pedals have to work with both to make me happy. Preferably without tweaking... So usually it's the "transparent" drives for me - currently the Lovepedal OD11.

Same here Alan, but this stuff is so subjective...aaargh

DDR4LYF wrote: I don't have a guitar with humbuckers, so I can only say that my VOX Big Ben overdrive is the bee's knees with my strat copy!

I've heard good things about the Big Ben as well...it's just a ginormous pedal though

Yea, it's quite tough to pick something out that's NOT a tube screamer derivative.

However my favourite flavoured picks would be the Barber LTD. Based on the TS, but with a really good eq and presence control. Really lovely, low gain drive and set up right, sounds much thicker, without being bassy. I have the modboard version, which lets you fiddle with some clipping options, mids, input bass, noise reduction etc.. The way I have it set up, sounds really wonderful with single coils. Keeps the detail in the highs while slightly softening the attack and bumping up the low mids.




Also a major, major fan of the Lovepedal Kalamazoo. Also a TS derivative, but with an interesting treble boost and brightness controls. I've been tempted to get my hands on one, but a local pedal builder is making me something similar. Sounds great with both single coils and buckers, but this would be my choice for an ultimate humbucker pedal.

MikeM wrote:
Also a major, major fan of the Lovepedal Kalamazoo. Also a TS derivative, but with an interesting treble boost and brightness controls. I've been tempted to get my hands on one, but a local pedal builder is making me something similar. Sounds great with both single coils and buckers, but this would be my choice for an ultimate humbucker pedal.

Sounds cool. More info coming any time soon?