Overdrive for lap steel

Mark Ardito · Post by **Mark Ardito** » 1 Nov 2000 8:44 am

Hello, I have been using my Nashville 400 for my amp for pedal steel, but now I am starting to play lap steel in my band also. I would like to only bring one amp to the gig. So my only question is what overdrive pedals are people using for their lap steels??? I have one of those Mesa Boogie
V-Twin pedals, but it is too over the top. Too much crunch not enough break up. Any suggestions?

Mark

Greg Simmons · Post by **Greg Simmons** » 1 Nov 2000 9:49 am

Check out a Fulltone Fulldrive II or a Crowther Audio Hot Cake

here's a link for a place that sells the Hot Cake.

I've got both and if I had to choose one - I couldn't...love 'em both

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Greg Simmons
Custodian of the Official Sho~Bud Pedal Steel Guitar Website
shobud.cjb.net

<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Greg Simmons on 01 November 2000 at 09:52 AM.]</p></FONT>

Olli Haavisto · Post by **Olli Haavisto** » 1 Nov 2000 10:54 am

Try experimenting with different tubes on the V-twin.Lower gain tubes such as the 12 AT7 instead of the stock 12 AX7 could make it more responsive to your playing attack.I replaced the first tube of the lead channel of my Mesa Studio preamp with an AT7 and it`s not as "over the top" now.

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Olli Haavisto
Polar steeler
Finland

Chris Walke · Post by **Chris Walke** » 1 Nov 2000 11:45 am

Hey Mark, how ya doin'? Who are you playing with these days? I'd like to hear you play again.

I have a cheap DOD SupraDistortion. I think I got it for $39 a while back, and I've seen it on sale for as low as $25 from time to time. It seems to sound differently with different amps. I play it through my solid state Silvertone 2x12 and it sounds great. Sounds pretty good through my tube amps (blues jr, crate vc3112), and horrible through a SWR California Blonde (but I think that's a pick-up issue more than a pedal issue). Might be worth checking out, for that small of a price tag.

Best distortion pedal I ever had was a Peavey HotFoot 2. They don't make them anymore. Had the coolest tone I've heard out of a pedal. Mine is in sad shape these days. On/off switch doesn't work so well, level is kind of up and down, but I can't seem to get rid of it despite its unreliablity.

Mark Ardito · Post by **Mark Ardito** » 4 Nov 2000 11:50 am

Thanks for the info. guys. I think I might check out one of those FullTone pedals. I have heard a lot of people rave about them. Only problem not a lot of stores carry them because they are kind of pricey.

Also....is it ok to change the tube on my MesaBoogie V-Twin pedal. That won't screw up the pedal? I know NOTHING about tubes...please help me clear this up.

Thanks,
Mark

Greg Simmons · Post by **Greg Simmons** » 4 Nov 2000 12:16 pm

Mark;

the retail on a Fulldrive II is $199, but they seem to be going for around $160 on eBay these days.

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Greg Simmons
Custodian of the Official Sho~Bud Pedal Steel Guitar Website
shobud.cjb.net

Dan Tyack · Post by **Dan Tyack** » 7 Nov 2000 11:40 am

I just got the FullTone pedal, and it is amazing! I don't know how it would sound with a transistor amp like a Session, but it really makes a tube amp sing. It doesn't have that midrange honk that the Tube Screamer gives.

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www.tyacktunes.com

Greg Simmons · Post by **Greg Simmons** » 7 Nov 2000 1:36 pm

Dan;

you're gonna luv this pedal - espeially all the nuances you can get with the comp-cut(compressed/uncompressed)and the interplay between volume, tone (kinda a nice presency type w/upper harmonics) and overdrive, plus you can kick on the afterburners so to speak with the boost mode - a very versatile pedal - and apparently the word is that they are "better" with tube than solid-state amps.

Enjoy

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Greg Simmons
Custodian of the Official Sho~Bud Pedal Steel Guitar Website
shobud.cjb.net

Gaylon Mathews · Post by **Gaylon Mathews** » 9 Nov 2000 7:58 pm

I use a boss tone plugged into my Gibson lap steel. Sounds pretty darn good.

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Gaylon's Homepage
www.geocities.com/nashville/1064
The Tyler Wails Band
www.geocities.com/tylerwails

Mark Ardito · Post by **Mark Ardito** » 10 Nov 2000 1:48 pm

Thank you everybody for your suggestions. I am going this weekend to test drive one of those fulltone pedals. I am probably gonna pick it up. Thanks for the guidance.

Happy Pickin'

Mark

Chris Walke · Post by **Chris Walke** » 14 Nov 2000 10:26 am

Hey Mark, did you get a chance to try the fulldrive pedal yet? Interested to hear a report.

By the way, Guitar Player mag has had a couple blurbs about Greg Leisz in the past couple issues. The lastest(?) issue, with Jeff Beck on the cover, talks about Leisz's rack and pedalboard setups. He was using a fulldrive pedal on his tour with kd Lang.

Adam · Post by **Adam** » 14 Nov 2000 8:33 pm

Hey Dan,
Whereabouts in our neck of the woods did you find your Fulldrive?I've been thinking about getting one for awhile.

HOWaiian · Post by **HOWaiian** » 15 Nov 2000 10:21 pm

hey, sorry I'm so late, but I just saw the post:

after selling gtr stuff @ Sam Ash for about 5yrs, I found my favorite dist.pedal for all-around apps to be the "Vintage" Rat by ProCo. it's the rectangular one w/o the LED; sounds just awesome w/all my axes ('76 Firebird, '90 LP Classic reissue, '85 Esquire reissue, '52 Stringmaster

: thick & throaty, and nicely responsive to your attack, depending on how much gain you're adding. I think it sells for somewhere around $60.

another fantastic pedal is the Hughes&Kettner Tubeman, which might be discontinued but is easily available on the net. by far the most versatile dist. around (barring the line6 Pod), I found it practically impossible to get a bad sound out of the thing, no matter the axe. it is VERY responsive to your attack. this comes in a rackmount version as well, which is MIDI expandable & has a total of 3 preset voicings. either one is a winner in my book, and I'm kicking myself for not having bought one while I worked @ the store.

hope this helps; rock on!

-how