Overdrive or Distortion pedal in the front of a Mark V?

[jbow]

Yeah, I know... I really don't need one but there are a couple I'd like to use. I got a Catalinbread Dirty Little Secret pedal. It emulates both an SLP and a Super Bass (internal switch to chose which). I tried it over the weekend mostly in channel one, mostly in mode 1 and 2. I tried with and without the graphic EQ, I tried turning the bass and mids way down on both the amp and the pedal. I could NOT get a good musical sound from it. I tried another pedal that always sounds great in other amps and it also sounded really bad. The distortion was just BAD... it sounded worse than what I imagine a ton speaker would sound like. Really muddy, totally unmusical. I also had a Catalinbread Callisto running in the loop and it sounded great but running the distortion pedals into the input was just awful.
I tried a Boost pedal into the front end and it did a good job.
I got out my manual and scanned through it but found nothing to help.
Do you have any tips that might make this pedal work? I was going for a Kossoff sound. I opened it up today and switched back to SLP mode, maybe that will help, IDK.
Thanks for any help... the Mark on it's own just sound's incredible, I get new and exciting sounds all the time, it's a wonderland but I'd like to be able to use this pedal. I can run it through a Fender or Valvetech but why am I having such a problem using it with the Mark? The other pedal I tried is a vintage Jordan J-700 that normally just kills through any amp but it was the same, sounded like arse.
I'm thinking of trying a swap of the PI valve to a 5751, do you think that could help?

Julein

 

[Monstercastle]

I'm currently using a Friedman BE-OD into channel one on the clean mode. Sounds fantastic. Wampler Velvet Fuzz, Plexi Drive Deluxe, and Sovereign all sound good too. I'm running gain around 11 and channel volume around noon. Presence, treble, bass at around 11, and mids around 2. I use the preset EQ around noon, but use sliders on all other channels.

 

[jbow]

I'm currently using a Friedman BE-OD into channel one on the clean mode. Sounds fantastic. Wampler Velvet Fuzz, Plexi Drive Deluxe, and Sovereign all sound good too. I'm running gain around 11 and channel volume around noon. Presence, treble, bass at around 11, and mids around 2. I use the preset EQ around noon, but use sliders on all other channels.

Thanks. I tried the Dirty Little Secret yesterday evening through a SF Fender and it sounded OK, I think it just goes to too much distortion quicker than I want. What I'm looking for is more of a tonal character then distortion. I'm got more distortion pedals than GC... I'll keep trying. Their boost pedal does really nicely, I'll try some more pedals and check all my amp settings. One of the modes in channel two suggests more bass, maybe I'll give that one a try. It's early and I forget which one...
Thanks for the help
J

 

[TonyDee]

If you're using the EQ, you may want to bring that down or turn it off
to let the character of the pedal come through.
Also, you may not need as much gain on the pedal as you've used with other amps.
FWIW, I've had success with the Xotic BB Preamp when I felt the need to nudge Channel 1 Fat and/or channel 2 Crunch.
I don't use it on channel 3 but no reason I couldn't.
Maybe less is more in this instance ........
Good luck
Anthony

 

[pjdude]

I've used a TC Mini Spark in channel 2 with great results.

 

[Newysurfer]

Well the only reason why I'd wanna use an OD or distortion pedal with a Mark V is to get flavours/tones the Mark V is incapable of producing.
And the major ones it can't do well imo are:
- 70-90s Marshall JCM & Plexi tones.
- classic SRV style tubescreamer.
- fuzz.

So on my board I've got
- MI Audio Super Crunchbox
- Maxon OD9 Tubescreamer with Analogman silver mod
- Analogman Astrotone Fuzz.

Add those onto Mark distortion flavours and you've got most everything covered great imo :mrgreen:

 

[pwoz]

I am yet to find a distortion pedal that works well with the Mark V on Ch 1, but specifically for the British flavor. I love ch2 and ch3 obviously, but I loved the idea of putting a British-flavored pedal on Ch 1 of my Mark V. The Mark V has a beautiful clean channel on ch 1, so like with EVERY OTHER AMP I HAVE EVER USED WITH A NICE CLEAN CHANNEL, you would think it would take pedals like a champ... but that's not the case. I have tried on every Ch 1 mode with or without EQ. Obviously with a distortion pedal, you want to go normal ch1 without EQ and keep things fairly neutral since most distortion pedals have powerful EQs.

For example, I was extremely disappointed with how bad the Orange Catapulp sounds on Ch 1. This pedal sounds amazing on my 5w Blackheart Little Giant. In fact, all of my distortion pedals sound amazing on the Blackheart because the clean is just amazing. I also have a 5w Blackstar HT-5, but since the HT-5 has really crappy clean channel, it doesn't take pedals well at all... but the Blackheart? Amazing.

I wasn't crazy about my various fuzz pedals either (fuzz factory clone, swollen pickle, etc) or a marshall jackhammer clone. I also tried the TC Dark Matter (I have a ton of TC pedals but just one distortion from them) and it sounds dull on the Mark V.

I hear good things about the Friedman OD-100 or whatever it's called but I honestly just want to get a close Marshall sound on my Ch 1 with a pedal like my Blackheart. It's just for convenience.

I am playing it through the 1x12 widebody with a C90 on all amps. Otherwise I have another cheap 1x12 with a Deltalite II (neo clone of EML12?) that sounds great with all my amps... so there's just something about the Mark V that doesn't like distortion in channel 1. My Peavey Classic 50 takes distortion pedals better than the Mark V and it boggles my mind.

I still can't produce any tone on my other amps with pedals that comes close to the Mark V ch 2 or 3, but I would just love ch 1 to take pedals as good as my other amps. First world problems. LOL

 

[bandit2013]

I have both the grid slammer and the flux drive. They sound awesome in front of the Mark V. Even better on the front end of the JP-2C. (not so pleasing up front of the Roadster thought). The grid slammer adds a little midrange in the area the Mark V is lacking. Sounds way better than without.

 

[APEMAN]

-

 

[Newysurfer]

I am yet to find a distortion pedal that works well with the Mark V on Ch 1, but specifically for the British flavor. I love ch2 and ch3 obviously, but I loved the idea of putting a British-flavored pedal on Ch 1 of my Mark V. The Mark V has a beautiful clean channel on ch 1, so like with EVERY OTHER AMP I HAVE EVER USED WITH A NICE CLEAN CHANNEL, you would think it would take pedals like a champ... but that's not the case. I have tried on every Ch 1 mode with or without EQ. Obviously with a distortion pedal, you want to go normal ch1 without EQ and keep things fairly neutral since most distortion pedals have powerful EQs.

For example, I was extremely disappointed with how bad the Orange Catapulp sounds on Ch 1. This pedal sounds amazing on my 5w Blackheart Little Giant. In fact, all of my distortion pedals sound amazing on the Blackheart because the clean is just amazing. I also have a 5w Blackstar HT-5, but since the HT-5 has really crappy clean channel, it doesn't take pedals well at all... but the Blackheart? Amazing.

I wasn't crazy about my various fuzz pedals either (fuzz factory clone, swollen pickle, etc) or a marshall jackhammer clone. I also tried the TC Dark Matter (I have a ton of TC pedals but just one distortion from them) and it sounds dull on the Mark V.

I hear good things about the Friedman OD-100 or whatever it's called but I honestly just want to get a close Marshall sound on my Ch 1 with a pedal like my Blackheart. It's just for convenience.

I am playing it through the 1x12 widebody with a C90 on all amps. Otherwise I have another cheap 1x12 with a Deltalite II (neo clone of EML12?) that sounds great with all my amps... so there's just something about the Mark V that doesn't like distortion in channel 1. My Peavey Classic 50 takes distortion pedals better than the Mark V and it boggles my mind.

I still can't produce any tone on my other amps with pedals that comes close to the Mark V ch 2 or 3, but I would just love ch 1 to take pedals as good as my other amps. First world problems. LOL

No problem for me.
Every fuzz, OD & distortion pedal I've tried thru Mk V clean and fat clean voices sound fantastic - have tried 12 so far but none of the one's you listed :mrgreen:

 

[pwoz]

I am yet to find a distortion pedal that works well with the Mark V on Ch 1, but specifically for the British flavor. I love ch2 and ch3 obviously, but I loved the idea of putting a British-flavored pedal on Ch 1 of my Mark V. The Mark V has a beautiful clean channel on ch 1, so like with EVERY OTHER AMP I HAVE EVER USED WITH A NICE CLEAN CHANNEL, you would think it would take pedals like a champ... but that's not the case. I have tried on every Ch 1 mode with or without EQ. Obviously with a distortion pedal, you want to go normal ch1 without EQ and keep things fairly neutral since most distortion pedals have powerful EQs.

For example, I was extremely disappointed with how bad the Orange Catapulp sounds on Ch 1. This pedal sounds amazing on my 5w Blackheart Little Giant. In fact, all of my distortion pedals sound amazing on the Blackheart because the clean is just amazing. I also have a 5w Blackstar HT-5, but since the HT-5 has really crappy clean channel, it doesn't take pedals well at all... but the Blackheart? Amazing.

I wasn't crazy about my various fuzz pedals either (fuzz factory clone, swollen pickle, etc) or a marshall jackhammer clone. I also tried the TC Dark Matter (I have a ton of TC pedals but just one distortion from them) and it sounds dull on the Mark V.

I hear good things about the Friedman OD-100 or whatever it's called but I honestly just want to get a close Marshall sound on my Ch 1 with a pedal like my Blackheart. It's just for convenience.

I am playing it through the 1x12 widebody with a C90 on all amps. Otherwise I have another cheap 1x12 with a Deltalite II (neo clone of EML12?) that sounds great with all my amps... so there's just something about the Mark V that doesn't like distortion in channel 1. My Peavey Classic 50 takes distortion pedals better than the Mark V and it boggles my mind.

I still can't produce any tone on my other amps with pedals that comes close to the Mark V ch 2 or 3, but I would just love ch 1 to take pedals as good as my other amps. First world problems. LOL

No problem for me.
Every fuzz, OD & distortion pedal I've tried thru Mk V clean and fat clean voices sound fantastic - have tried 12 so far but none of the one's you listed :mrgreen:

Now I'm intrigued...

Which pedals really stood out for you?