Source Audio OFD Low overdrive clips

[johnk_10]

Obviously this (IMO) great and very versatile distortion/fuzz pedal from Source Audio is capable of a TON of excellent OD/distortion and Fuzz tones, but some might think that that's all that it does. I made thread to show that it's also more than capable of very light to medium overdrive sounds as well.

here's a short clip of my '59 p bass (using fingers with old stainless rounds), thru my Genz Benz STM900 into a 2x15 (Eminence 3015's) cab recorded on a Zoom H4n about 6" from the top driver)

 

[Matt Dean]

Thanks John for the great low gain demo... I think the OFD sounds very good. I may have to get one to play around with.

 

[zwkoch]

With the Tube Drive and TS9000 patches, I can get sounds that are identical to what I was getting from the VMT.

 

[johnk_10]

With the Tube Drive and TS9000 patches, I can get sounds that are identical to what I was getting from the VMT.

the 'tube drive' setting was the only one that I used to make that clip (just varied the gain). now obviously this pedal can do a lot more, but IMO, the low-mid tube drive setting using the tube drive mode is worth the price of admission alone. and that's coming from a die-hard analog guy.

 

[johnk_10]

BTW, so far my favorite two modes are the tube drive and TS9000 modes, but i'm just starting to explore more of its capabilities (I've been super busy). I had a brand new B3K for a few days and ended up trading it away since I like this pedal a lot more.

 

[rickenbaker]

Thanks for recording the clips! (I'm the guy in the source audio thread that asked for them) Definitely made want to get this pedal. If it can get the tones you got in your demo and VMT sounds (the other overdrive pedal I was considering) then I know I'll be getting what I want

 

[johnk_10]

Thanks for recording the clips! (I'm the guy in the source audio thread that asked for them) Definitely made want to get this pedal. If it can get the tones you got in your demo and VMT sounds (the other overdrive pedal I was considering) then I know I'll be getting what I want

I really don't think that it'll disappoint you. I have more than 200 overdrive/distortion pedals and the OFD stands with the best of them.

 

[lebaron]

Thanks for the clips! low/med OD is way to often missing from tests of drive pedals. Might get this one formyself this Christmas

 

[ryansalmond]

Thanks for posting these John!

 

[johnk_10]

after adjusting the OFD for the low drive settings, I also came up with a few more ways to do it that might be a little better(the pedal is very versatile).

I also used the same method on my SB2 multiwave bass distortion with excellent results.

 

[rickenbaker]

With the Tube Drive and TS9000 patches, I can get sounds that are identical to what I was getting from the VMT.

Would you mind maybe posting some clips of those settings? I don't want to seem like I'm asking too much but the VMT was the overdrive I was considering along with the OFD so it would be really neat to directly compare the two

 

[gastric]

...I had a brand new B3K for a few days and ended up trading it away since I like this pedal a lot more...

That's a pretty strong endorsement.

 

[johnk_10]

That's a pretty strong endorsement.

maybe so, but after running the B3K with every possible setting that I could with a few different amps and basses, I just don't get what all the rage is about.

 

[gillento]

maybe so, but after running the B3K with every possible setting that I could with a few different amps and basses, I just don't get what all the rage is about.

+1… neither does the B7K for me !

 

[zwkoch]

That is why it is so hard to recommend a dirt pedal (or any pedal besides a tuner for that matter). If I had any clout, I would happily put it behind the OFD due to its versatility. Full EQ, 12 different distortion/OD/ fuzz voicings, and two different clean blend options make this a real gem. Not to mention the fact that when you pair it with the dual expression pedal, you can take any distortion voicing and sweep the gain to your taste with the expression pedal. No need to stack this with anything else, the expression pedal dials in any amount of drive you may want.

 

[aledeville]

With those overdrives it always seems to me, that especially the low strings lose some power. The high strings in your soundfile sound very nice, the grit is very super sounding. But after 0:20 in the file, the open E string loses definition. It may get more audible because of the overtones, but it gets less punchy.
And this is exactly what the B3K does so well. Put the dip switch into the "thin" position, blend fairly low (10 o clock), Gain and Level around 2 o clock. That way you can add a distorted signal on top of the sound that blends in nicely with the cleansignal.

 

[johnk_10]

With those overdrives it always seems to me, that especially the low strings lose some power. The high strings in your soundfile sound very nice, the grit is very super sounding. But after 0:20 in the file, the open E string loses definition. It may get more audible because of the overtones, but it gets less punchy.
And this is exactly what the B3K does so well. Put the dip switch into the "thin" position, blend fairly low (10 o clock), Gain and Level around 2 o clock. That way you can add a distorted signal on top of the sound that blends in nicely with the cleansignal.

well, the B3K didn't do it for me. no matter how I set it. I found it too colored (scooped in a weird way) and fizzy on the top end. I have no power loss in the low end with the OFD, and that setting in clip took me about 10 seconds to adjust.

 

[aledeville]

You find the B3K too colored? Wow, this is just the opposite of what I experienced.
Yesterday I compared the Mooer Green Mile with the B3K, and with the Darkglass the sound was always the normal bass sound plus extension, the tone with the Mooer was completely different. Not much different, but every aspect of the tone affected.

I'm not saying your tone is bad or something - the contrary is the case. But this is just what I experienced. Overdrives tend to not sharpen the edges, but to round them off. That always ends up in being less audible. In some cases this is what you want - if I'm using an SFT to get some oldschool vibe, I'm not looking to cut through the mix like a knife.
But it is the first time the case in my using of pedals, that the audibility with the pedal on remains as good as with the pedal off. However, this might highly differ from your experience. In my songwriting band I'm able to hear the slightest overdrive in my signal when playing with the whole band together. In my loud rock setting, overdrive makes no difference at all when played together. Maybe except that I don't hear it that well.
It all depends on the context.

 

[SirMjac28]

I love that demo but I have never been a fan of anything source audio now if I could borrow that 59' P ? I have bought and sold the B3K three times and been through a ton of OD pedals but the B3K is the sound I love that paired with my Schumann Lion or my Swell and I'm set.

 

[johnk_10]

You find the B3K too colored? Wow, this is just the opposite of what I experienced.

yep, for me it does a weird thing to the upper mids and top end. to me, it just doesn't really have any real balls to it's sound. many others love it and I think that's great. it just didn't do anything for me.