O/D Options to pair with a Stingray Special 4H

[Zbysek]

As a follow up, I just got a TC Spark to try. So far it seems ok. Definitely transparent and adds a bit of grit but seems a little cheaply made. Anyone have any experience with this one? I know it’s inexpensive, but it seems like the button is poorly made. Might be just the one I got. ?

I own Spark and I like it quite a bit...

 

[PhinDog]

I own Spark and I like it quite a bit...

I’ve only played around with it a bit. Seems like a ton of tones in there. Any problems with reliability?

 

[Zbysek]

I’ve only played around with it a bit. Seems like a ton of tones in there. Any problems with reliability?

No issues whatsoever

 

[PhinDog]

No issues whatsoever

Thanks!

 

[arepa_funk]

Low gain dirt that can also do mid-high gain and keep low end: Xotic BB preamp.

 

[PhinDog]

Low gain dirt that can also do mid-high gain and keep low end: Xotic BB preamp.

Thanks! I am on the look out for one of these. Figured I’d start out with the more affordable option, and keep an eye out for a used BB 1.5.

 

[Metropolis_488]

My personal favorite is the wampler belle. Great low-gain drive based on the nobles OD. I don’t like the fizzy character a lot of ODs add to the top end, and the Belle does not have this issue. Much smoother to my ear (as an aside, I bought and sold a bunch of the darkglass pedals - liked the feature sets, not so much the Metal tone). Used it with Stingray special H as well.

one little trick I would recommend with a Stingray if you think you will be in a situation where you are using a touch of grit as an always on tone enhancer: switch it to Single coil with the neck-side coil as the active.

The pickup has three wires connected to the pcb under the control plate: black (common/ground), white (bridge coil hot), blue (neck coil hot). Move the white wire to the same tab as the black wire, then move the blue wire to the tab where the white wire was. You shouldn’t get any single coil hum. Personally, I thought this significantly improved the tone of the Stringray… but just one guy’s opinion.

 

[PhinDog]

My personal favorite is the wampler belle. Great low-gain drive based on the nobles OD. I don’t like the fizzy character a lot of ODs add to the top end, and the Belle does not have this issue. Much smoother to my ear (as an aside, I bought and sold a bunch of the darkglass pedals - liked the feature sets, not so much the Metal tone). Used it with Stingray special H as well.

one little trick I would recommend with a Stingray if you think you will be in a situation where you are using a touch of grit as an always on tone enhancer: switch it to Single coil with the neck-side coil as the active.

The pickup has three wires connected to the pcb under the control plate: black (common/ground), white (bridge coil hot), blue (neck coil hot). Move the white wire to the same tab as the black wire, then move the blue wire to the tab where the white wire was. You shouldn’t get any single coil hum. Personally, I thought this significantly improved the tone of the Stringray… but just one guy’s opinion.

Thank you! I’ll check out the Wampler.

 

[PhinDog]

So many different kinds of od/saturation sound. It really is a personal preference type of thing. Plenty of good suggestions so far. I myself like the od sounds I get from a v4b or gk400rb. If i didn't have them i'd probably own the Origin Effects Bass Rig Super Vintage for the Ampeg overdrive sound or the Master Effects Super 800 for the GK drive sound.

Drive pedals that I do have and enjoy are the Damnation Audio GMP for light drive, Dunwich volt thrower for a ratt type distortion and the COG Effects Grand Tarkin for light to heavy fuzz. I usually run the pedals through a Genz Benz Shuttle 9.0 (my clean amp). So five different types of saturation sounds for me between the amps and pedals. I don't really ever stack drives because I prefer a very light saturation/edge of break up sound most of the time.

Favorite out of all this bunch for me though is actually my Stingray Classic through the GK400rb. There's just something about the pairing of a Stingray and older GK rb series amps. I find the combination of the double mid knobs on the amp and the bass and treble knobs on the bass give me a lot of control over the sound.

I play a Mesa D800+. I have been experimenting with raising the gain and I like what I’ve been hearing. Thanks

 

[PhinDog]

As an update. I now have the Spark, Pork and Pickle, and the Aftershock. The aftershock has for now bumped the spark off the board. I have the aftershock set with a clean boost as a preset, running into the P&P for OD, then into the Alpha Omicron set for fuzz, and then into a Spectrum for octave or filter. So far it's pretty nice. The P&P set to OD is very musical, I'm not sure it's exactly transparent but does add something nice to my Ray. I'm still dialing in the Aftershock but I like what I'm getting.
It's funny how things change. 2 years ago I tried both the P&P and the Aftershock and moved them along.