I had originally thought this should just be an update to the SD-2 1st impressions thread I created when I first picked up the pedal (last year sometime). Now that I've had the pedal for almost a year I had an aha moment that I though momentous enough to have it's own thread. Sorry for the Indecision.
I actually found myself really stoked on my board last night at a rehearsal.
I found my sound and it is all thanks to a breakthrough with the SD-2.
I settled on using the crunch channel on my Boss SD-2 for a clean boost, with the level dimed and the drive all the way off,....OMG
. This was the aha moment, all of a sudden my pedalboard makes sense and all is right with the world.
Here comes the hyperbole train. It made everything seem fuller, my fuzz and octave just had balls. Those are really the only two FX I have, the rest of the stuff is just utility, but with this breakthrough, I'm interested to start working on getting other stuff and seeing how, synth, chorus, flanger etc. works with a boost. The SD-2 as clean boost turned into my always on pedal last night (along with my submarine and compressor). Noise level was very tolerable.
I play through another bassist's rig (two band rehearsal space). He has an SVT-4 with an 8 ohm Ampeg 4x10 and an 8ohm Ampeg 1x18 (classics I think, but I don't know much about Ampeg cabs). I use his so I don't have to schlep my rig around (check profile,...For this band I use the rack setup, not the GK).
I was kicking in the limiter on the SVT-4, but not clipping the preamp at all. It seemed like I was just throwing gain at the amp with the SD-2 and the fuzz and the rig took it. I'm not sure where the gain on the preamp was, but it was under 12'o'clock IIRC. Master,...I'm not sure and I may have had the -15db pad pressed in (or not) I can't remember. I didn't look at the amp because the guy prefers that I not mess with his preamp and EQ settings.
I make all adjustments from my Warwick Thumb BO's preamp. Either way I was plenty loud enough to compete with a dynamic drummer and an actually pretty loud AC30, (played through the stock speakers and a Line6 4x12). My boosted clean tone was fine.
I'm just super stoked on my pedalboard at the moment. I may try to find a better clean boost, but for the moment,...it feels like I finally get what clean boost is all about.
Here is an afterglow picture so that you can see the settings
Okay, end rave. (unce unce..../)
