F-30 OD/DIST pedal recommendation

looking for recommendations to satisfy my sonic basement cravings...

I've got my brutal high gain needs covered with the F-30.

but i'm looking for a smooth bluesy sound...
i'm really into the lonestar special type gain lately... not as dark as the F-30 gain channel - but thick, chewy, warm, but raw... like running your amp full open and your guitar strings dripping hot honey...

note that i do not OWN a lonestar special... nor am i planning on getting one.
(however - with any luck - I will be ordering an electra dyne any day now 8) )

can anyone recommend a smooth OD/Dist pedal to monkey around with?

i've been looking at the BB preamp, BB preamp MB, Suhr Riot, and a few of the Barber pedals (DD, LTD)...

anyone using any of these with their clean channel?

I somtimes use OD to the clean channel crancked! Have you tried it that way in moderate volumes?

I would also consider a fullton fulldrive 2 or what petrucci used...

work with the gain level and your hand technique - the f-30 has one of the best drive ranges of all of the low watt boogies IMO. I get killer warm OD on the clean with a gain at 12 o'clock, and of course the crunch channel (2) at around 8 or 9 o'clock. of course your pickups will vary this, but I use about 12 different pickup combinations with my f-30 and get great results. Bottom line: No pedal is needed!

BB is cool, as well as the AC Booster, I also like the the Fulltone Fulldrive 2, and the best bang for the buck I found is the MI Audio Blues Boy and Blues Pro.. My main rig used to be a F30 through a 2X12 open back with the BB on the clean channel and my fugly *** red strat.

BB Pre by Xotic is about the best dirt box I have ever heard for low/medium gain tube-screamer-esque tones. There is an INCREDIBLE Youtube video of Andy Timmons demo-ing the pedal with his Mesa rig. I watched it and ordered one right after I saw it. It really does sound that good. I never ever liked the tube-screamer type sounds, and didn't care for my other guitarist's tube-screamer either, but after getting the pedal I really can't do a gig with out it. It covers so much more then my rig can do by just trying to back off of the volume on my guitar at higher gain settings. I use it way more then I thought I would. I encourage you to look into it, it's a fantastic box and very well built.

Here's the link for Andy Timmons demo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SiW22O914Cg&p=9269EA3B55C14EED&playnext=1&index=32

Seriously, it's not hype or studio tricks in the video, it REALLY sounds like this...articulate and transparent; just enough gain for a little dirt and VERY warm.

These take pedals so well. I have three boutique pedals - FullDrive 2 MOSFET, Fulltone Plimsoul, and Wampler Ecstasy. Alll three sound so good with my F-30, it's hard to choose just one. But if you can swing the Ecstasy (about $200US new), I think you'd love it dearly for what you're after - using it with the clean channel is how I do it.

An update - I returned the Plimsoul and FullDrive (I had 30 days), deciding I was after something a little different. I ended up with a Lovepedal Amp 11 and Xotic BB+. Both of these are astounding!

The Amp 11 is just magical, a truly great low-gain pedal, but capable of covering more without giving up the quality. The BB+ covers some of the same ground in a different way, also excellent. And it obviously has more tricks than most anything else out there (being dual sided with los of control).

Hard to go wrong, as the F30s seem to warm up to any pedal you can try.

The BB Pre AT is a great pedal, as is the Maxon OD808.

But first try rolling back the gain on your guitar.

Im using a boss BD-2 on the clean channel of my F30 and it works pretty fine with my stratocaster Plus with Lace Sensor pickups.