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What Are Clipping Diodes?
Jimi Hendrix's Guitar Gear: Woodstock 1969
by Jim Button September 02, 2021 3 min read
Running an overdrive pedal in front of an amp is designed to push its valves into breakup for some sweet, sweet crunch or saturation. It's an ideal technique for those of us who can't - or won't - turn the volume of our amps up to 11.
By combining these gain stages - firstly the pedal circuit, secondly the pre-amp tubes, and finally the power tubes - you are able to push the amp in such a way that you achieve overdrive without it sounding harsh, fizzy, or nothing like your original signal.
A variation on the basic gain-staging technique above is to combine multiple pedals to achieve a more nuanced and richer tone than a single pedal can produce. Rather than cranking the volume knob on a single pedal, you can carefully manage the volume and drive of each pedal in your chain - this is known as pedal stacking.
One key benefit of stacking pedals is that you can extract masses of distortion without anything sounding "woolly", while using pedals with particular EQ profiles (or with very tweakable EQ sections) can help to sculpt your sound to fit what you are aiming for.
Additionally, by switching certain pedals in the chain on or off, you'll also be able to cover far more tonal ground than with a single pedal.
It's in a pedal-stacking scenario that the semi-mythical transparency of the Klon Centaur and Timmy Overdrive shine, adding drive to the sum of parts without overly colouring the sound. (Then of course there's the effect of the Klon's famed buffer...)
When pedal stacking, the key is to keep the gain produced by each pedal much lower than if you were just running a single overdrive or distortion. Don't forget, gain is compounded with each additional pedal, and overdoing it can negatively affect your tone.
You want to set each pedal at the lowest possible setting where it's character is still coming through - don't be tempted to crank those gain dials!
You'll quickly find some pedal stacking combinations work better than others, especially if you have a range of different pedal types. Below are some common combinations and suggested stacking orders:
Originally published 14th Jan 2020. Updated on 29th Dec 2020; 4th Nov 2022
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The Bleak District Tapescape is one of the best delay and ambience style pedals ever invented. The controls are all intuitive but highly flexible, the sounds are rich and detailed, the modulation can go from dreamy to nightmarish very quickly, and all of that inside a small footprint with a low power requirement. It's difficult to get a bad sound out of it, honestly.
Add in that Boost shipped it out quickly and it arrived with a nice note written on the invoice, is there anything else you could ask for? Definitely will be buying more from both Boost and Bleak District in future.
Part came as described. Website was easy use.
very cool pedal
Awesome service and communication all along!
Will gladly order again
I ordered a set of strings from Boost, that did not initially turn up. After contacting Boost via the website they immediately sent out another set (no questions asked). Both sets arrived a few days later (Thanks Royal Mail!). Boost were prompt in dealing with the issue (gave) me a set of strings and got things sorted out. Highly recommend you use these guys.
My favourite strings, at a great price! Very reasonable postage rates and speedy service. My first purchase from Boost, but will definitely not be my last. Hassle free, excellent...
Jazzmaster happy🙏
I didn’t know that particular manufacturer from Italy, but I definitely recommend their "Vintage Vibe”. It’s simple, intuitive, it looks awesome, the build quality seems impeccable, and most importantly, it sounds fantastic.
Pre-ordered the Tapescape through Boost Pedals. Great pedal, great order experience
Thank you. I'm very satisfied !!!
Great quality and love the colour, I've not seen this colour available anywhere else. Thanks!
Really loving the range of organic tape sounds from the tapescape. Great build quality and a world of wobbly good times. Instant atmosphere as soon as you turn it in. Great small company from the UK, worth every penny
Great shirt, very quick delivery
Nice shirt, very fast delivery
Excellent pedal , one of the better vibes out there , obviously all about opinions . The service from Boost was excellent from communication to packaging and delivery .
Great swift service. Too big for Boss pedals but works fine on amps.