Searching for Overdrive and Boost advice

Hi:

I have 2 G&L Rampage's, one american, from 1985, and a blackone from overseas. I have an Orange Tiny Terror paired with an Ampeg 1x12 cab with Celestion Vintage 30 speaker.

A have a pedalboard that I like to make changes every once in a while (like everyone). Specially with my overdrive's and or boost pedals. Here's were I need some advice.

Right now, my chain is, guitar, Polytune Mini, Digitech Drop, Crybaby Mini (also have a Jerry Cantrell wah, but I'm making my pedalboard smaller), Jetcity Afterburner Dual Stage Overdrive, DOD Preamp 250, HBE Detox EQ (to cleanup my cranked Tiny Terror), BOSS Super Chorus, BOSS DD·3. Everything powered by a Sanyo Pedal Juice and a Daisy Chain for 8 pedals from a 1 Spot.

To me that's more than I need, but I always want to make it easier for me to play. I'm not a musician, and have kids, so to be able to play for 40 minutes it's an achievement for me.

In order to always try to make it smaller, I have thought to change some of those pedals for smaller versions. For example, I have already changed my tuner and my wah for smaller versions. I'm planning to just keep an overdrive and a booster. My dual stage overdrive is really cool, but the boost only works when the overdrive is on. I'm looking to change it, maybe for a MXR Custom Audio Electronics MC-402. That one the boost and the overdrive are independent.

But then I say that the tube screamer mini costs only 80 dollars, and the spark mini 50.

The question here is: in terms of cost it's pretty much the same, in terms of space, also the same. In terms of sound quality: What do you people prefer or advice me to get? MXR Custom Audio Electronics MC-402 or the Tube Screamer Mini and the Spark Mini? or.... maybe use the DOD preamp 250 as an overdrive, and buy the Spark booster?

I really appreciate your advice.

This is pretty subjective, as tastes and applications differ...

If you're looking at a dual boost/drive, such as the MXR 402, then I'd also take a look at the Full-Drive 3 by Fulltone (version 2 does not have an independent boost). I think it sounds much better (subjective), is more versatile (not subjective), and it's about the same price. Here's a good demo of it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8w-CLxfACU

Probably the best boost or drive pedal I own is the AC Booster by Xotic. It stays on nearly 100% of the time, regardless of the application, and stacks great with other drive pedals. Had the choice to do over, I would have gotten the AC Plus, but at the time the compression options and pedal size was a turn off. The Plus is a dual stage pedal with loads of options, and you can even change the signal path from pedal A to B or B to A. I'll be getting that or their BB Plus in the near future. Xotic pedals are on the pricey side, though, but they are great.

If you're set on the setups you've mentioned, then you'll just have to go to a shop and try out the MXR. A Tube Screamer is a Tube Screamer, so that's that and a clean TC boost is just that and both are true bypass, so you can't go wrong with that setup (though I've heard that the Spark boost colors sound a bit whereas an RC Booster, for example, is completely transparent). Between the MXR and Screamer+boost, I'd personally go the Screamer route.

Of course you could just keep the 250 as drive and add only the Spark, but you'll be limited if you want to push it (overdrive) harder with another pedal. Just depends on your application. All considered, I don't think you can beat the Fulltone for the price, but you should try it in person because YouTube compression colors tone.

Thanks for helping me, man. I have an update. I had a mooer compressor, which I didn't use at all, and O changed it for an MXR Micro Amp. It sounds awesome!! The cranked Orange TT with the MXR Micro Amp (between 2:00 and 3:00) sounds amazing. Still, I do need an overdrive so that I can go even heavier on the sound. I won't use it all the time, but it's nice to have the option, without changing my amp. I think that the ibanez tube screamer mini could do the job.

I missed this thread somehow the first time around. I'm with trem on the Xotic and Fulltone pedals. I currently own an AC Boost, and had an RC in the past. The RC was absolutely transparent, but there just wasn't quite enough boost in it to push my amps as hard as I wanted. I haven't played a Full-Drive 3, but my Bass-Drive (which is based on the same circuit) is amazing on guitar as well as bass.

I've never been a tube screamer fan, and these days I prefer to get any grit I may want by hitting the amp's input hard with a boost pedal. Depending on the G&L I'm using, I might not even need a pedal for light overdrive. The couple of overdrive pedals that are on my keeper list are a Fairfield Circuitry Barbershop (which also works well as a boost), and an Earthquaker Devices Speaker Cranker. The Speaker Cranker is a great little pedal. It has one knob, which just adds in overdrive. It sounds great on its own as a drive pedal, but really shines when it has a clean boost pushing it.

Ken