Overdrive Styles

manchild · #1 09-04-2009, 07:51 AM

How would you compare the Turbo Rat to the Digitech Hardwire Overdrive?

I know the Rat can be classified as a distortion due to its gain. Anyone had any experience with both?

How does the tone (mids and low end) compare, and the texture of drive gain?

Any tips would be appreciated.

Many thanks

manchild · #2 09-04-2009, 09:10 AM

Godbody · #3 09-04-2009, 09:35 AM

Dude, try to wait more than 80 minutes before you bump. The forum isn't THAT busy.

The Tourbe Rat is definitely within the distortion realm, and I've played with that one a little more. I get a good Death From Above sound out of it. I really wouldn't use it as an overdrive; there's just too much gain.

The Digitech overdrive is an interesting piece of hardware; I've played it once at the local music store. Overall I'm impressed with the Hardwire line, and it seems like a solid pedal, but it didn't wow me. I got the feeling that there must be something better at a similar price point.

I'm sure someone will come along with more useful info eventually.

Jared Lash · #4 09-04-2009, 09:37 AM

The only person I remember talking about the Hardwire overdrive is now banned (excane) but I know plenty of people (including me) have used/owned a Turbo Rat.

The Turbo Rat to me holds the low end better than the other versions but isn't as "crunchy" as the original rat. But as you mentioned, both are distortions and not overdrives.

daalper · #5 09-04-2009, 09:40 AM

i dont know anything about those two pedals, so you may want to ignore my response, but i use an ibanez phat head pedal and love it. it has settings for clean boost, overdrive, and distortion so that you can several different types of boosts depending on what you want to do. i use mine for a boost and a little bit of overdrive crunch, or just a clean boost depending on what the song calls for. i love my phat head.

Din Of Win · #6 09-04-2009, 09:41 AM

Yeah, Turbo Rat is pretty nice. At least, it's better than the RAT2. The Hardwire OD isn't terrible either, actually. Two sort of different sounds though.

I do actually dig the Digitech Bass Driver. It has a bunch of 'modes' on it that try to re-create other pedal dirt models. How accuratly it does this is left to interpretation. It does have a "Proco RAT" mode, and while it didn't sound exactly like an old vintage RAT to me, i still dug the sound. The pedal is also made for bass so it keeps the lows decently enough.

In any case, it's a pretty rad pedal that you can get on the relative cheap and includes lots of options... maybe worth a try?

manchild · #7 09-04-2009, 09:56 AM

Yeah sounds good - thanks guys

Gashaponcito · #8 09-04-2009, 12:26 PM

if people are interested I can borrow the Hardwire Tube OD from my guitarist and maybe do some clips

Nikoubis · #9 09-04-2009, 12:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gashaponcito

if people are interested I can borrow the Hardwire Tube OD from my guitarist and maybe do some clips

Yes, please. I really want to know how it compares to the Bad Monkey but haven't been able to hear one on bass.

Voss451 · #10 09-04-2009, 01:41 PM

I know it's pricey but I soooooooooo want to pick up the TC Nova Drive.

The overdrive on that one is great, as well as the distortion side. I used to have the Pro Co Deucetone but it was only so-so. I used it in conjunction with a Tech 21 Bass Driver and Ibanez Phat Hed. Granted, I had a Behringer BX4500 at the time but now I have a MarkBass LMII and overdrive pedals are becoming hard to find that work well with it.