Randolf Arriola (embryo) Guitar Gear 101
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- Start date
bruisedwee
New member
Hey Randolf! Sean here! Anyway, the guitars I plan to use the Boss Blues Driver with are such: Ibanez AS73 w/ Duncan JB/Jazz, Fender Am Strat w/ Tex Specials and an Epi Elitist LP w/ PAF-spec pups. I plan to play just your usual well, Blues stuff and occasionally maybe some Blues-Rock.
embryo
New member
Hey Sean,
All your guitars except for the higher output JB pup seem to be fitted with medium op humbuckers and single coils. All are spot on for Blues to Blues Rock tone styles. However, I 'll need to know what amp/s u are using and also just as important is the settings that you usually use with the amp and drive pedals. This way I'll get a better picture of what's your current tonal structure like...for the moment. Do let me know what you are hoping to improve on so we'll quickly zone in on where to mod or tweak to ur desired tones.
Btw wat gauge of strings are u currently using? Pick or fingers or both?
Regards
All your guitars except for the higher output JB pup seem to be fitted with medium op humbuckers and single coils. All are spot on for Blues to Blues Rock tone styles. However, I 'll need to know what amp/s u are using and also just as important is the settings that you usually use with the amp and drive pedals. This way I'll get a better picture of what's your current tonal structure like...for the moment. Do let me know what you are hoping to improve on so we'll quickly zone in on where to mod or tweak to ur desired tones.
Btw wat gauge of strings are u currently using? Pick or fingers or both?
Regards
embryo
New member
Pedal Mods... (2b continued)
For those enquiring, yes I'll be updating soon with further discussions about other drive pedals and related mods for;
1. Ibanez TS808 Tubescreamer
2. Ibanez TS9 Tubescreamer
3. Ibanez TS7 Tubescremer
4. Boss SD1 Super Overdrive
5. Boss SD2 Dual Overdrive
6. Boss OS2 Overdrive/Distortion
7. Boss BD2 Bluesdriver
9. Boss DS1 Distortion
In the mean time, instead of sending pm's pls send enquiries to me via email @ randolf@embryosongs.com
Cheers everyone!
Regards
For those enquiring, yes I'll be updating soon with further discussions about other drive pedals and related mods for;
1. Ibanez TS808 Tubescreamer
2. Ibanez TS9 Tubescreamer
3. Ibanez TS7 Tubescremer
4. Boss SD1 Super Overdrive
5. Boss SD2 Dual Overdrive
6. Boss OS2 Overdrive/Distortion
7. Boss BD2 Bluesdriver
9. Boss DS1 Distortion
In the mean time, instead of sending pm's pls send enquiries to me via email @ randolf@embryosongs.com
Cheers everyone!
Regards
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bruisedwee
New member
Awesome. I use a Fender Pro Jr with the tone knob at 10 o clock, volume varies, but normally 8-9 o clock.
The main issue with the BD2 i'm concerned about is when the gain passes a certain point, it becomes a fuzz pedal. Also, I'm not exactly sure what you did with my friend's BD2 but it sure has got more mojo.
I play with .011-.049 strings and use both picks and fingers.
The main issue with the BD2 i'm concerned about is when the gain passes a certain point, it becomes a fuzz pedal. Also, I'm not exactly sure what you did with my friend's BD2 but it sure has got more mojo.
I play with .011-.049 strings and use both picks and fingers.
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embryo
New member
Hey Bruisedwee,
1stly, the Fender Pro Junior is an excellent choice for what you'r intending to do with your choice of music style. It also makes a great sounding amp if you can get speaker out to connect to either a 2 x 12 open or closed back cab fitted with Greenbacks. Be prepared to raise some eyebows when u connect it to a 4x12 cab even!
The stock Pro Junior sounds great up to a certain master volume after which going beyond only accentuates the "boxy" sound which is inherent because of the minute speaker cab design that limits the balance of low end against the mids and highs.
Using a stock BD2 tends to make it sound smaller and tuning down the tone knob tends to make the pedal lose it's charming dynamics character. For the custom mod fine tuning of the low mids and bass is where you'd see marked improvement. You may also want to consider fine tuning the clipping diodes to a config that breaksup in a more natural way at higher "dist" settings to complement the drive from your amp's tubes. Anyway, when we do get together soon bring along both your guitar and amp and we'll run through some toneful custom BD2 mod options that best suit you.
Till then, enjoy.
1stly, the Fender Pro Junior is an excellent choice for what you'r intending to do with your choice of music style. It also makes a great sounding amp if you can get speaker out to connect to either a 2 x 12 open or closed back cab fitted with Greenbacks. Be prepared to raise some eyebows when u connect it to a 4x12 cab even!
The stock Pro Junior sounds great up to a certain master volume after which going beyond only accentuates the "boxy" sound which is inherent because of the minute speaker cab design that limits the balance of low end against the mids and highs. Using a stock BD2 tends to make it sound smaller and tuning down the tone knob tends to make the pedal lose it's charming dynamics character. For the custom mod fine tuning of the low mids and bass is where you'd see marked improvement. You may also want to consider fine tuning the clipping diodes to a config that breaksup in a more natural way at higher "dist" settings to complement the drive from your amp's tubes. Anyway, when we do get together soon bring along both your guitar and amp and we'll run through some toneful custom BD2 mod options that best suit you.
Till then, enjoy.
embryo
New member
Pedal Mods (Part 3)
Overdrive Pedals
Ibanez TS9 Tubescreamer
Boss SD1 Super Overdrive
One of the most revered highly utilized must have and just as often misunderstood of stomp boxes for the guitarists is the Overdrive pedal. I do recall a long time ago when I was just starting out banging out my first chords on a mail order acoustic guitar that there were 2 guys around my neighbourhood who played pretty decent lead "Electric" guitar!. One had an Ibanez Artist with a Ibanez TS808 a Flanger and a solid state Ibanez amp. The other guy had a bootleg cream coloured Strat with "Gibbon" decal on the Fenderish headstock, a Boss SD1 and no amp. He was the Ritchie Blackmore of the neighbourheed and so was godlyke to me and my campfire strummin' buds. I went to Swee Lee (Plaza Singapura then) with uncle George behind the counter and asked for the TS808 and he said they have a newer model called the TS9 but it was yet to arrive. I was offered the Boss SD1 instead which cost just slightly more than the Ibanez TS and so the SD1 became my very first drive pedal. The BossDS1 and Roland JC120 amp came shortly after and The TS9 only came in several years after. With an Aria Pro II gtr and a Roland Spirit 30 solid state amp and my well worn vinyls on a Sansui turntable I practiced along late into nights and set out to recreate the licks and sounds of my initial heroes then; Eddie Van Halen, Randy Rhoads, Alex Lifeson, Blackmore, Page, Uli Jon Roth ...etc
Like most players starting out I would set the small solid state clean amp kinda dark to get a decent forgivable clean sound and crank the drive pedal's dist and tone knob full. Sounded pretty good to me and my buds in the bedroom for quite awhile until I played my first few gigs. I quickly realized that other than playing in time and banging out the chords, riffs and leads pretty decently that my guitar sound was nowhere near that of my heroes!... Long story that probably sounds familiar with most folks I think.
I loved the SD1 and experimented coupling it with many other pedals patched before and after including adding a compressor and another drive pedal and tweaked and tweaked all the pedals knobs and then discovered that my amp's settings were also a major part of the entire tone scheme of things! Wala! And then I realized that everything that sounded oh so awesome sounded otherwise when I patched in my first real big amp...the Roland JC120! LOL! I also discovered despite the splitting similarities that I could get a smoother sound from the TS9 which was great for certain things.
With encouragement from one of my lecturers my first electronics projects in school was recreating the TS9 in a lunch box sized chassis (painted black of cos!) with way huge 3 knobs and a huge honkin' power Toggle Switch for switching the unit on or off. I named it the ScreamBox and got A for grades man! Maybe would've gotten a plus had I used a proper stomp switch of some sort instead. Hahaha ok watever. In the initial process of tracing the innards of my 2 overdrive pedals it was pointed out to me then that the SD1 and TS9 were pretty much the same circuit and that both were relatively simple if not avearge complex circuits for starting out initial build. I was initially recommended a simpler fuzz gadget. I was shown/loaned a project built fuzz pedal and just couldn't relate to the sound coz Fuzz tones were just not within my "good tones" radar...yet. That happened when I discovered Adrian Belew and "Discipline Album" King Crimson Hah!
Fast Forward....Today, years and decades on and many gigs later I've seen music eras come and gone and continue to morph into whatever hybrids one can imagine today or tomoro and yet it's always fascinating with a sense of nostalgia to realize that I still have with me my Boss SD1 and TS9 with me all along and that they're still just as toneful and functional and somehow more relavant than ever before. Their proven success n longevity easily exemplified by the many many replicas, variations, hybrids and even modeled technology of these very overdrive pedals.
Back in the early early 80's... when I was just slightly taller than the glass counter at Swee Lee Plaza Singapura with Uncle George leaning over looking down at me...Hahahahahah! I paid 40 bucks for the Boss SD1 which would've been 5 bucks less had they gotten the TS9 in stock dammit! Today the TS9 is an icon in modern drive pedal consumerism and yet the SD1 can be still be gotten for within an amazing 80 bucks! Damn, even Mee Pok has inflated way past 300%!!! Serious!
These days many of the variations of the TS9 in custom and boutique packages include circuit modifications wait fer it..... make the TS9 sound like a SD1! More on that later in the next installment of pedal mods ya!
Overdrive Pedals
Ibanez TS9 Tubescreamer
Boss SD1 Super Overdrive
One of the most revered highly utilized must have and just as often misunderstood of stomp boxes for the guitarists is the Overdrive pedal. I do recall a long time ago when I was just starting out banging out my first chords on a mail order acoustic guitar that there were 2 guys around my neighbourhood who played pretty decent lead "Electric" guitar!. One had an Ibanez Artist with a Ibanez TS808 a Flanger and a solid state Ibanez amp. The other guy had a bootleg cream coloured Strat with "Gibbon" decal on the Fenderish headstock, a Boss SD1 and no amp. He was the Ritchie Blackmore of the neighbourheed and so was godlyke to me and my campfire strummin' buds. I went to Swee Lee (Plaza Singapura then) with uncle George behind the counter and asked for the TS808 and he said they have a newer model called the TS9 but it was yet to arrive. I was offered the Boss SD1 instead which cost just slightly more than the Ibanez TS and so the SD1 became my very first drive pedal. The BossDS1 and Roland JC120 amp came shortly after and The TS9 only came in several years after. With an Aria Pro II gtr and a Roland Spirit 30 solid state amp and my well worn vinyls on a Sansui turntable I practiced along late into nights and set out to recreate the licks and sounds of my initial heroes then; Eddie Van Halen, Randy Rhoads, Alex Lifeson, Blackmore, Page, Uli Jon Roth ...etc
Like most players starting out I would set the small solid state clean amp kinda dark to get a decent forgivable clean sound and crank the drive pedal's dist and tone knob full. Sounded pretty good to me and my buds in the bedroom for quite awhile until I played my first few gigs. I quickly realized that other than playing in time and banging out the chords, riffs and leads pretty decently that my guitar sound was nowhere near that of my heroes!... Long story that probably sounds familiar with most folks I think.
I loved the SD1 and experimented coupling it with many other pedals patched before and after including adding a compressor and another drive pedal and tweaked and tweaked all the pedals knobs and then discovered that my amp's settings were also a major part of the entire tone scheme of things! Wala! And then I realized that everything that sounded oh so awesome sounded otherwise when I patched in my first real big amp...the Roland JC120! LOL! I also discovered despite the splitting similarities that I could get a smoother sound from the TS9 which was great for certain things.
With encouragement from one of my lecturers my first electronics projects in school was recreating the TS9 in a lunch box sized chassis (painted black of cos!) with way huge 3 knobs and a huge honkin' power Toggle Switch for switching the unit on or off. I named it the ScreamBox and got A for grades man! Maybe would've gotten a plus had I used a proper stomp switch of some sort instead. Hahaha ok watever. In the initial process of tracing the innards of my 2 overdrive pedals it was pointed out to me then that the SD1 and TS9 were pretty much the same circuit and that both were relatively simple if not avearge complex circuits for starting out initial build. I was initially recommended a simpler fuzz gadget. I was shown/loaned a project built fuzz pedal and just couldn't relate to the sound coz Fuzz tones were just not within my "good tones" radar...yet. That happened when I discovered Adrian Belew and "Discipline Album" King Crimson Hah!
Fast Forward....Today, years and decades on and many gigs later I've seen music eras come and gone and continue to morph into whatever hybrids one can imagine today or tomoro and yet it's always fascinating with a sense of nostalgia to realize that I still have with me my Boss SD1 and TS9 with me all along and that they're still just as toneful and functional and somehow more relavant than ever before. Their proven success n longevity easily exemplified by the many many replicas, variations, hybrids and even modeled technology of these very overdrive pedals.
Back in the early early 80's... when I was just slightly taller than the glass counter at Swee Lee Plaza Singapura with Uncle George leaning over looking down at me...Hahahahahah! I paid 40 bucks for the Boss SD1 which would've been 5 bucks less had they gotten the TS9 in stock dammit! Today the TS9 is an icon in modern drive pedal consumerism and yet the SD1 can be still be gotten for within an amazing 80 bucks! Damn, even Mee Pok has inflated way past 300%!!! Serious!
These days many of the variations of the TS9 in custom and boutique packages include circuit modifications wait fer it..... make the TS9 sound like a SD1! More on that later in the next installment of pedal mods ya!
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iwantdigimon
New member
thanks for taking the time! my dilemma has cleared up!
my dilemma has cleared up!
THOA
New member
Hi, Randolf
That's quite a story about your SD-1 and TS9. I'm sure plenty would be able to relate to it.
I read from one of your previous posts ("to mod or not to mod", I think), about a comparison you made between the Taiwan models and the older Japan Boss models. You mentioned in spite of its make, the Taiwan model would still be able to get a good tone coaxed out of it if tweaked to the right setting.
Do you think, if you were to put yourself in the same situation again, you would appreciate the tone as much from the SD if it were made in Taiwan and have the current circuitry and keep it all these years, or do you forsee yourself modding or changing the pedal to a "better" overdrive as you progress as a guitar player?
My question is out of curiosity sake, cos as you know it has become somewhat of a "rule" to mod stock Boss pedals. I wonder if the few who likes the stock tone of current Boss pedals would keep it for another 20 years.
That's quite a story about your SD-1 and TS9. I'm sure plenty would be able to relate to it.
I read from one of your previous posts ("to mod or not to mod", I think), about a comparison you made between the Taiwan models and the older Japan Boss models. You mentioned in spite of its make, the Taiwan model would still be able to get a good tone coaxed out of it if tweaked to the right setting.
Do you think, if you were to put yourself in the same situation again, you would appreciate the tone as much from the SD if it were made in Taiwan and have the current circuitry and keep it all these years, or do you forsee yourself modding or changing the pedal to a "better" overdrive as you progress as a guitar player?
My question is out of curiosity sake, cos as you know it has become somewhat of a "rule" to mod stock Boss pedals. I wonder if the few who likes the stock tone of current Boss pedals would keep it for another 20 years.
embryo
New member
Hi Dude,
Yup the GE7, the popular mods for it are to fine tune the frequency sliders to narrower or wider "Q" to zone in on the intended freqs wich is usually the mids for sculpting solo tones or upper mids for those who want more or less of the Fenderish types highs. Noise reduction is also a popular must have mod. A not so common use but just as effective is to use the GE7 as a Clean boost but with added tone sculpting EQ options. This is great for the all tube amp tone enthusiasts.
Yup the GE7, the popular mods for it are to fine tune the frequency sliders to narrower or wider "Q" to zone in on the intended freqs wich is usually the mids for sculpting solo tones or upper mids for those who want more or less of the Fenderish types highs. Noise reduction is also a popular must have mod. A not so common use but just as effective is to use the GE7 as a Clean boost but with added tone sculpting EQ options. This is great for the all tube amp tone enthusiasts.
embryo
New member
Hi Thoa,
Yup quite a journey myself.
Interesting tots there u have. Ok I hope the following helps;
Quote:"I read from one of your previous posts ("to mod or not to mod", I think), about a comparison you made between the Taiwan models and the older Japan Boss models. You mentioned in spite of its make, the Taiwan model would still be able to get a good tone coaxed out of it if tweaked to the right setting."
Ans: My personal take on the Taiwan versus older Japan is that there is a difference. Other than using improved and cheaper compatible parts the reasons are many even in pedals where the same parts are still used. Unless one approaches from a purist collector standpoint the issue of which is better or best in tone really depends on the player and intended application. Listening and also comparing the specs of parts used then and now especially the type of opamps used in the older generation JRC parts and the modern compatible replacements the difference is still perceptibly there. Spec wise the same parts manufactured today are supposed to be improved in a more "hifi" way compared to the older JRC parts. One of the reasons why the JRC 4558 part was so popular then in the 70's onwards was because that was one of the most popular and reliable part hence the cheapest opamp used by just about all Japanese electronics manufacturers. Using a modern day compatible opamp like those made by eg. Burrbrown will immediately give you a wider freq bandwidth respose with probably the best signal to noise ratio. This is excellent must haves for high end HiFi and high quality recording console units but not necessarily something that guitarists may want. I do like them in certain applications but not always. We guitarists like distortion u see!
Quote: "Do you think, if you were to put yourself in the same situation again, you would appreciate the tone as much from the SD if it were made in Taiwan and have the current circuitry and keep it all these years, or do you forsee yourself modding or changing the pedal to a "better" overdrive as you progress as a guitar player?"
Ans: Although I do have most of the MIJ old drive pedals I do like the pedals in many forms including the stock ones Japan or Taiwan made. Ya I think stock pedals are and can be just as musical too. Really depends on the player and music application again. There are pedals made in China these days and some even come in smd mounted parts that do sound excellent to my ears. Danelectro's comes to mind. I do find that as players spend more time with their existing gear they naturally improve in their understanding of their equipment and as the player himself progresses often all they need to do is just fine tune their settings eg. exploring the sound of the overdrive pedal from maxing out the dist and tone knobs to decreasing them and jacking up the level knob instead. That's a whole world of tonal possibilities all within one pedal!
Quote: "My question is out of curiosity sake, cos as you know it has become somewhat of a "rule" to mod stock Boss pedals. I wonder if the few who likes the stock tone of current Boss pedals would keep it for another 20 years."
Ans: I don't necessarily think of boutique products or modding Boss pedals as a must or a "rule" rather more of a trend in modern guitar gear consumerism. There's still alot of great tones and music made with stock equipment. I think of Modding as a way to customize cost effective readily available stock equipment for one's own unique needs. Yes I do know of more than several players myself included who've retained the use of their stock pedals 20 years on.
Yup quite a journey myself.
Interesting tots there u have. Ok I hope the following helps;
Quote:"I read from one of your previous posts ("to mod or not to mod", I think), about a comparison you made between the Taiwan models and the older Japan Boss models. You mentioned in spite of its make, the Taiwan model would still be able to get a good tone coaxed out of it if tweaked to the right setting."
Ans: My personal take on the Taiwan versus older Japan is that there is a difference. Other than using improved and cheaper compatible parts the reasons are many even in pedals where the same parts are still used. Unless one approaches from a purist collector standpoint the issue of which is better or best in tone really depends on the player and intended application. Listening and also comparing the specs of parts used then and now especially the type of opamps used in the older generation JRC parts and the modern compatible replacements the difference is still perceptibly there. Spec wise the same parts manufactured today are supposed to be improved in a more "hifi" way compared to the older JRC parts. One of the reasons why the JRC 4558 part was so popular then in the 70's onwards was because that was one of the most popular and reliable part hence the cheapest opamp used by just about all Japanese electronics manufacturers. Using a modern day compatible opamp like those made by eg. Burrbrown will immediately give you a wider freq bandwidth respose with probably the best signal to noise ratio. This is excellent must haves for high end HiFi and high quality recording console units but not necessarily something that guitarists may want. I do like them in certain applications but not always. We guitarists like distortion u see!
Quote: "Do you think, if you were to put yourself in the same situation again, you would appreciate the tone as much from the SD if it were made in Taiwan and have the current circuitry and keep it all these years, or do you forsee yourself modding or changing the pedal to a "better" overdrive as you progress as a guitar player?"
Ans: Although I do have most of the MIJ old drive pedals I do like the pedals in many forms including the stock ones Japan or Taiwan made. Ya I think stock pedals are and can be just as musical too. Really depends on the player and music application again. There are pedals made in China these days and some even come in smd mounted parts that do sound excellent to my ears. Danelectro's comes to mind. I do find that as players spend more time with their existing gear they naturally improve in their understanding of their equipment and as the player himself progresses often all they need to do is just fine tune their settings eg. exploring the sound of the overdrive pedal from maxing out the dist and tone knobs to decreasing them and jacking up the level knob instead. That's a whole world of tonal possibilities all within one pedal!
Quote: "My question is out of curiosity sake, cos as you know it has become somewhat of a "rule" to mod stock Boss pedals. I wonder if the few who likes the stock tone of current Boss pedals would keep it for another 20 years."
Ans: I don't necessarily think of boutique products or modding Boss pedals as a must or a "rule" rather more of a trend in modern guitar gear consumerism. There's still alot of great tones and music made with stock equipment. I think of Modding as a way to customize cost effective readily available stock equipment for one's own unique needs. Yes I do know of more than several players myself included who've retained the use of their stock pedals 20 years on.
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echoist
New member
Best!!
Good questions and insightful answers from THOA and embryo..
I'm enjoying the great discussions we have here..
I have a question for embryo too: do you change the input/output jack of stompboxes?
I have a really old Arion Tube Mania ($30 or $40 from City Music ages ago), and i'd love to change the input/output jack coz its intermittent now, and its good if its like the Boss variety with the bolt/nut thing.. Thnks!
Ohh.. i'm still waiting for your reply to my e-mail regarding some stuff.. :mrgreen:
Good questions and insightful answers from THOA and embryo..
I'm enjoying the great discussions we have here..
I have a question for embryo too: do you change the input/output jack of stompboxes?
I have a really old Arion Tube Mania ($30 or $40 from City Music ages ago), and i'd love to change the input/output jack coz its intermittent now, and its good if its like the Boss variety with the bolt/nut thing.. Thnks!
Ohh.. i'm still waiting for your reply to my e-mail regarding some stuff.. :mrgreen:
embryo
New member
Echoist, you'r the DS1 enquirin dude I s'pose rite!? Hehehee I'm preparin my rocket science reply la... flu bug got me past weekend
Ok you know the common sayin that Boss pedals are virtually indestructible? Well almost true except that the input output jacks do self destruct over time. Seems to me these jacks that are housed in a plastic casement tend to get brittle over years and will crack wich compromises the secure hold of the metal parts ....lalalalala Ok so now you know.
Yup, can be done. Just send me email to swing by my new address.
Ok you know the common sayin that Boss pedals are virtually indestructible? Well almost true except that the input output jacks do self destruct over time. Seems to me these jacks that are housed in a plastic casement tend to get brittle over years and will crack wich compromises the secure hold of the metal parts ....lalalalala Ok so now you know.
Yup, can be done. Just send me email to swing by my new address.
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echoist
New member
hehehehhhe.. yup that's me..
i'm awaiting impatiently.. hehehhehe..
no worries actually, good things comes in slow most of the time..
i'll contact you regarding the input/output jacks of my Arion soon..
thanks!! :mrgreen:
