How To Stack Overdrive Pedals (You Need To Be Doing This)

[@RhettShull]

My first video course, The Tone Course, is available now! Check it out here. flatfiv.co/collections/rhett-shull/products/the-tone-course

[@18wtfomg18]

Hey iv got a question! i am assuming you own at least a fair few guitars! is it a struggle to keep them all set up ? and also do you replace the strings on all of them often? or is it pick the ones that are at high usage and keep them running until you need something else?

[@jasoncheshire6153]

I run my Green Frog Stage 2 Mother Trucker into my KnifeInTheBackScreaming Boost pedal. Of course I have my volume on 10 with my pair of 200 watt Dumbles. It sounds like fuzz when I kick on my InsaneInTheMembrane Quadriplegic Fire Drive. I’m running 26 gauge strings on my 59.5 Wes Raul Custom. I keep my setup in my bathroom because I get the best reverberating acoustics. When I strike a Power Chord in the right pose, my toilet flushes!!

[@springbloom5940]

BOSS HM2 ---> BOSS HM2 ---> amp OD channel

[@relevantinformation6655]

Hmm, have you considered miking a toaster with a Senn 421 inside a dryer on tumble. Keep the heat on low and run the mic into an Avalon preamp into pro-tools through your Neve flying fader vintage board. Take you’re remaining Dumble amps that have been taking up space in the garage and use those as pre-amps for miking an ancillary contra-bassoon as needed.

[@tailnotale]

I definitely want to hear that rig !!

[@FireballsOdoom]

Damn Blues Lawyers...

[@jasongallman2032]

Hey......me too.

[@frangescozappia]

This video is so helpful! I have a Plumes EQD - do you recommend to put a JHS Morning Glory before of after the Plumes to get more clarity? Thanks!

[@robertsimpson5801]

I have GOT to stack my drives. That's the only way I can fit them all in my closet.

[@ribbonsofeuphoria5744]

Robert Simpson great post, love your work

[@robertsimpson5801]

@@ribbonsofeuphoria5744 Get out off my closet, kind sir.

[@squirelova1815]

I stack them to fit onto my pedal train too.

[@gastonjaureguix]

This was reslly helpful! Thanks!

[@robertsimpson5801]

@@gastonjaureguix I gotchu

[@ericcarpenter3263]

Rhett, found your channel through Rick’s channel and I’m so glad I did. You break things down so well and make it easy to understand without making it super drawn out or confusing. Love your playing, and even though I love traditional shaped guitars.... that Rivolta is so damn cool and sounds huge. Keep the videos coming man, learning a lot from them.

[@RhettShull]

Thanks Eric! I’m glad you dig the channel!

[@RealMNeutral31]

Rhett you are doing a great job with your videos. This is the best channel on guitars that I have ever subscribed to ever. Thank you.

[@NickKizirnis]

Great video! I’m still finding ways to blend my Nobels OD1, Soul Food and LPB1. I’ve been trying to get make them work with my Mascis big muff but after seeing this video I may take another approach. Thanks!

[@joshuadoliveiro]

Man, I’ve watched this so many times and still keep learning from it. Would be great if you can elaborate on the types/styles of overdrives and how to/not to pair them? Great job, Rhett!

[@TheMichaelseymour]

love your sound ...its got a "grainy gain " - really like that sound -its as if there is seperation between the strings -it does not blur and mush into each other ....you can hear the space and the mid range nicely

[@prosperity-gospel]

I know this video is about OD pedals, but also that clean tone @1:43 sounds unbelievably good!

[@Art-zs6sl]

It's what makes these gain boxes sound so good!

[@ekozz]

This video opend my eyes. Over the years i have bought a lot of pedals. Always got close to the sound I wanted but never close enough. After watching this I removed all my drive pedals and starterd over. I had the Emmersom Paramount and Drive pedal (bought cheap second hand but never put the effect in giving them a fair chance, Shame on me) put them on the board stacked them love it ( still do ). Clean Boosting them also gives a nice fuzz tone. Thanks for the advice. This gave me a beter tone.

[@timmalmros2692]

"So, who says you need to buy a fuzz pedal?"... You did in your video about 5 pedals every guitarplayer should have... It was even the first pedal in the video.

[@mchenryjeremy]

Sometimes I just enjoy rolling my guitar volume back a tad to clean up the sound while still digging into the guitar. That way I'm not trying to turn my OD off and on again just to get that effect. My clean tone is mostly set at around 80% guitar volume with my JHS MG on. Then I stack a KTR and Lighstpeed for some gain and break up, then if I solo, I'll turn my guitar volume up to get that extra volume boost to stand out of the mix if needed. But 70% of the time I'm at 80% volume, MG and KTR on for a nice very low gain sound, which breaks up when I dig in. Roll back volume to 60-70% to clean up the sound if I need to. A lot of guitar players totally forget the power of a volume knob on the guitar.

[@TheBoomtown4]

Makes for a good chimney, barely broken up clean like Stevie etc

[@dannyblau3850]

That "fuzz" idea was amazing. Immediately did it and am in love. I have always struggled with fuzz especially in a band context and this is kind of best of both worlds. you still have the fullness and mid of your overdrive, but with the extra character of the fuzz. Love the channel, love that trick...and side note. That Rivolta is amazing. Adding that to the need to get list.

[@RhettShull]

Lots of great things in this comment, thank you!

[@dannyblau3850]

Thank you! After the comment, i tried it out and got some good results in the kemper, too. Brought up a customized FTR37 profile i use a lot (set just on the edge of breakup), put on the plus DS set with the drive at 0, mix 100 and the volume at about 2 1/2, then put a pure boost in front of that in the chain and cranked it. worth giving a go.

[@acousticbiz3294]

I know this is an old video but watching it recently was a revelation. Set me on a path to much more rewarding sounds from less gear. Cheers Rhett.

[@harrysachs2274]

Check out five watt world. Meanwhile, I'm running a TS9 into a Big Muff. I dig it.

[@SlowPursuit]

"Who needs to buy a Fuzz pedal" says the dude that just bought one with a ticket price of £900 in London! ;-)

[@jitterbug__]

Long time listener... just stumbling upon this video while researching my latest GAS (lightspeed) and couldnt help noticing how much youve developed and matured as youtube/rhettshull. Good job, keep it growing!

[@BitMatt1]

So, I took your suggestion and bought two suggested pedals. The first to arrive was the Steel String. This alone was the kind of overdrive I have been looking for. Light to medium... awesome. Next the Lightspeed arrived. I think I understand transparent. Almost like the clean sound of the amp with an added overdrive sound on top of the clean. I would say a kind of two tones in one. I then put the SS in front of the LS. Adds another texture. I wont say too much about this because I need to hear and play with the sounds to better describe them. These type of well thought out and well described videos really help. What you add is the next level of complexity but do not go too far ahead.

[@RhettShull]

Great choice on both pedals! Enjoy them.

[@alexgarr8386]

I love it how your honest about the kick backs who wouldn’t want to make money for what they do. I watched this video about KZbinr’s complaining about guys taking free gear and kickbacks. Your a fool of you don’t in my opinion. Good for you bro

[@Claymor621]

He has a point. I never found an overdrive that really worked at its best without a clean boost added into the signal chain.

[@allancrow134]

I just combine my PTSD with my ADD and I don't really need pedals.

[@leeasbury7273]

The body vibrations and eye spasms really come together to form amazing sounds only heard inside my head. Those natural sounds and frequencies can be boosted and stacked with other associated medications and dosages, such as Adderall, to really make your body vibrate and itch properly.

[@dangreving1094]

Lee Asbury you guys are hilarious!!

[@phantasmagora6542]

Which one comes first in your chain?

[@nickf9392]

As soon as I saw this guys board that is exactly what I thought, I mean you nailed it. What the Hell, that many knobs would fry my brain!

[@TheBoomtown4]

Lee Asbury smash foquest with just a snippet of lexapro for seasoning. Great setup.

[@aten55]

Anyone else want to hear more of that clean tone?

[@jordandangelo180]

aten55 not me 🙂 I love OD and Fuzz

[@killianbrown7221]

When he was playing it, yes. After he conjured that Fuzz? FFFUUUUUUUUUUZZZZZ

[@adamrafferty]

All the sounds are absolutely great!

[@peteg9069]

My current rig is, PRS Vela, Shure GLX16D radio, into danelectro 'Pride of Texas' with the gain and volume fairly low and always on, then a 'Billion Dollar Boost' for solos, finally into a HotRod Deluxe 3 crunch channel with the gain on 4. This gives me a light crunchy tone that is great and doesn't overpower the other instruments in a band situation. I was using a VooDoo Labs power supply but switched to a Falken battery pack and everything sounds better, but in that way you can't really describe. The other guitarist in the band is an amp service engineer, he reckons it's because there's no residual AC sitting on top of the DC output. Battery life is: 4 pedals for two gigs and two rehearsals before needing to be recharged. For obvious reasons the Falken isn't for people who have tons of effects, but it's worth checking out.

Finally a clean statement that is backed up with CLEAN! THANK YOU!!! Sorry for yelling at you, but I'm so happy!!!!

[@ScottAnders62]

Thanks, Rhett! Being a country player, I've always struggled to get great distorted tone when I wanted it, especially through clean amps. This is a big help. Maybe I'll send a clip or two when I get it worked out.

[@ClassicK1rk]

Scott Anders I just started getting great distorted tones. It took me a while to figure out exactly what I needed. (I played straight into the amp for as long as I could remember)

[@adriengahery9471]

This video is so good that I'm coming back to it again and again. I don't want to miss a single drip of it while I'm building my own pedalboard. Great content, helping loads !

[@darwinsaye]

Awesome tutorial. In my experience, I've found that how you should stack drives is very dependent on what pedals you have and what types of drive tones you personally like. Personally, I like a very mild overdrive pedal as a foundation drive, but it has to match the natural tone setting of my amp as perfectly as possible without adding different tonal colour. I'm not a fan at all of mid hump pedals like tube screamers or Boss ODs because I hate the mid boost and bass cut they cause to my tone. I currently run a Way Huge Green Rhino Mk II as a foundation drive because the bass boost on it enables me to get a sound that is exactly like my amp's tone settings but with that edge of breakup overdrive. And here I'm different from most people in that I place it last in the line of drives. This is because when I'm stacking for a fuzz sound, the mild drive at the end tames the highs and brittle aspects of the fuzz tone -- like I said, so much of it is what sounds you personally like, and I like a fuzz that's heavily compressed and squashed like Neil Young's heavily driven Tweed Deluxe sound. So second to last in the chain I'm currently running an old ProCo Rat, set at medium drive. With Just these two pedals I have a range of sounds from mild OD to solid crunch. Then, before the Rat I have two pedals that I will say are both crappy on their own, an old DOD Grunge and a Boss OD2 (I'm trying to work with whatever I've got lying around nowadays rather than buying more pieces of gear). The Grunge I set with the gain all the way down (which is the only way it's at all useable) and with a bit of bass boost and treble cut (again, just to try to somewhat match the baseline EQ tone). The OD2 I hardly ever use because of that horrible tendency to boost the mids and cut the bass, but sometimes I'll add it instead of the Grunge for a different tone of fuzz with it's voltage sagged at about 4.5 volts to get a nastier sputtery fuzz instead of the sagged Tweed tone I get with the Grunge. So anyway, this way I have the option of mild drive (Rhino alone), mild crunch (Rat alone), more crunch (Rhino + Rat), and various fuzzes Rhino + Rat + Grunge or OD2). And yeah, I agree about stacking no more than three -- running all four of these would only be good for experimental noise rock.

[@twilliams478]

Great and informative video Rhett. Aside from the wonderful options that you've mentioned here, stacking a fuzz with a nice OD pedal will really tame some of the more out of control fuzz pedals and help then sonically fit in the band mix better.

[@FinalBaton]

Wow the combo of the Steel string and the Light Speed sounded INSANE, Thick and crunchy. I might steal that sound from you :P You are far better than I am at crafting a killer tone (your recordings sound badass too)

[@rickc2102]

3:50 is exactly what I was going to mention that I've found with my own stacking. I run a minifooger drive into a superbolt, the former rich in lower frequencies, the latter rich in the top end; the two of them together is more 3D than either manages alone.

[@rickc2102]

As far as a good clean boost goes, I've got my normal high-gain levels set for my guitar at 7 on its volume knob (compensated for with the master level on my GE-7), so when I turn my volume knob up all the way on my guitar, the notes start to fuzz and bloom like that. You've got some beautiful tones from those mini hbs!

[@SwordAgainstChaos]

Man, that was some righteous tone in the last configuration! That guitar is gorgeous and your playing is stellar!

[@kevinmcguinness1113]

Love the tone on Zeppelin / Babe I'm Gonna Leave You. Virtually perfect 👌

[@57ebartley]

I've been stacking overdrive's for awhile now. I used to put the lighter over drive like like tube screamer or Bluesdriver after my OCD. I was always loosing so much clarity. Especially using a 15 watt Blues Jr. NOS Tweed with no headroom. Now I run the lighter with gain turned back and volume up into. My OCD and I get a boost and dont loose clarity.

[@SteveRockstein2]

I'm getting all those tones (including the fuzz) with one pedal - a Fulldrive 3 by Fulltone. Running the original Godin Summit (coil split Duncan pups, string-through-body) into a Frenzel 5E3 head with a Frenzel tube-driven, real spring, reverb tank in the FX loop into a 1x12 Boogie cab. Simple, easy. For 30 years I had complex pedal boards. Done with that now.

[@jahnbon]

Timmy after other ODs works for me, because the EQ cuts allow me to shape the tone of my other boosts. But manohman, that clean tone is gorgeous!

[@matthewshanley1549]

This is one of the best sounding lessons I've found so far. The fuzz tip is brilliant as well. I use a clean amp, so these ideas are very helpful. Thanks.

[@jimkostan9932]

Good video, I use TS-808 w/TS9, before my Octavia.,Then my wah.I Love a crunchier tone, little on a cleaner side. Too many pedals, in my opinion is kinda "Cheating"u can cover up your "Mistakes. Better".Depending on style u have.

[@jayclark725]

Rhett awesome. I've been doing this for a while and I have 2 choices as my first light gain. A tube screamer type with gain at zero to help brighten a humbucker and an echoplex which thickens and darkens a single coil. Currently my last boost is a Greer pork and beans germanium based treble boost which gets me to fuzz. Also I found a high watt amp 50 supro titan in my case will allow the gain to stack but I can also continue to impact volume because of the high head room. Thanks again now I know I'm not crazy. My band members can't believe I have so many over drives!

[@Soldano999]

I use a Klon clone with minimal gain as a boost (and not a clean boost it's purpose is to shape the sound nicely and add these nice highs and slight sizzle), then a tube screamer to ad that vintage warmth, some fat and tightness, and into my Overdrive channel with the gain at noon. My amp OD channel without these is not that good, but now it's a totally different beast.

[@BitMatt1]

Great information on this channel. Not knowing anything about pedals this channel has got me started in the right direction.

[@Johnny-oy9fh]

On my main board my signal path is - Dunlop 535Q wah - fulltone fat boost - ibanez TS9DX - fulltone OCD - TC electronic spark boost - Voodoo labs amp selector. Sometimes I turn them all on, or or use them in different pairs...or just one...depending on what tone or boost I'm after...

[@nathanpatrickturner8720]

I had this cool freakout moment where I realized that I am using most of these techniques! I guess I'm finally growing up as a guitarist haha.

[@richardhorky3717]

Hey, Rhett. Just today I ran a Behringer “Tube Screamer” into an AC Tone, and was pleasantly surprised. I was running twin Bugera V5s @ 1 watt set to a clean, “just about to break-up setting”. The AC Tone was set at about unity, which gave the V5s a little bit of an overdriven sound, a “little hair” that was very nice. I love my V5s. They can be set at 0.1, 1 or 5 watts and have tubes in them, so I can push them to “break-up” at very low volumes, unlike most of my other (solid state) minis (I have a small collection). I have two Vox’, one being a Brian May ‘Deacy’, facsimile that John Deacon made for him. Anyway, thanks for the info. I need to try that booster idea!

[@joselcruz81]

Thank you for this insightful video. I rearranged my board so that my Centura was first in chain and boosting my OD pedals. This gives me the lead tone I’ve been missing! You’re awesome!

[@cmick09ish]

Yeah dude there is no question you knocked that tone deep into Fuzz territory. I feel like with all of our nonsensical "guitarist" terms to describe sound, there's a lot of room for confusion on the differences of Overdrive vs Distortion vs Fuzz. I honestly expected it to just be heavy distortion which if heavy enough to reshape the sound wave is technically Fuzz...but you managed to get that kinda beehive like drone that I have only ever got from a Fuzz pedal. That's not some parlor trick you showed us that kinda works I guess, that is full blown no doubt about it Fuzz. Sure not the spitting and heavy emphasis on the "equipment breaking down" sub category of Fuzz haha but solid Fuzz tone for sure. Thanks again man

[@bellsclubsbarsandbows76]

Love this video!!! Because of this I was able to skip out on all of the super heavy distortion boxes and get all the sounds I need by stacking a Maxon OD808, Vertex Ultra Phonix MKII, and Rockett Audio Archer Ikon. Thanks Rhett for saving me money and helping me to understand the concept of stacking responsive or “amp-like” overdrives. The info has been invaluable, keep it up brother!!! 🤙

[@ehonorio]

I’ve been stacking in this order: Pete Cornish P-2 (like a Fuzz) -> Pete Cornish SS-3 (like a Overdrive with Gain/dirty) -> Boss Blues Driver (almost clean/crunch). I just stack P-2 with Blues Driver or SS-3 with Blues driver.

[@mindwarp666]

I wasn't sure if I should stack overdrives or have just one with a boost. Finally decided to run a mini-tube screamer into the OCD but with tone down so it didn't get too hairy. It's like a boost with balls, sounds great and if the fuzz (Big Muff Op Amp "Pumpkin") is engaged at the same time it sounds like the gates of Hades opening. Nice.

[@ryanbmd7988]

Loved this video! Please continue this series of tutorials, perhaps on using EQ’s, dialing in amp, use of Fx return with distortion pedals, anything on phasers? Thanks Rhett, this video brings clarity. I use an OD3 out front to a 6505+ without gain but your tips help explain this concept on function

[@RhettShull]

Will do!

[@ricardorodriguez5549]

Ryan L yes, please. In regards to stacking, I’d be curious to hear your take on a graphic EQ, like the classic Boss GE-7, acting as the boost into an OD as well as how to use one on the end of the chain to help “tune” the room” or act as a simple solo boost.

[@ryanbmd7988]

Ricardo Rodriguez Great insights! As for achieving a quality solo boost I can’t speak to however I think the GE-7 band pedal would bring more control to either end of your signal path. In my home studio I use a 31 band rack at the front and end, it complicates everything I must admit but I’m gaining no pun intended more control. Can’t say they’re quality 31 band but Peavey 31’s are cheap. Recently I built a plexiglas box that sits in front of my amp that captures all the sound into 2-3 mics then out to a small Xenyx (cheap) mixer. This method has dramatically helped, each mic in a diff spot, mixer to control vol/eq and out to monitors. 6505 is brutal loud so I can crank it up easier as the plexiglas contains the sound. Trusty E3000 epoxy to seal all corners. As well I can mix in any outboard gear that the signal is going though from a dry signal. The ISP decimator helps contain things. Would love to hear about your setup/experiments/projects!

[@ricardorodriguez5549]

I'm a fan of brain-dead set-ups:) If I had just two desert island pedals, they'd probably be my Keeley Baked Mod TS-9 and my trusty GE-7. I've tried the EQ both in front and at the end and, for my bag (jazzish blues/rock/funk in my original band, DRAM which is a power trio) at this stage of my playing, I'm all about cleanish solo tones to low-medium gain. Currently, the chain is a Fender MIA 50th Anniversary or G&L ASAT > TC Electronics Polytune > TC Electronics Mini-Spark > TS9> Ibanez FL9 > Keeley Memphis Sun (how I lived for so long without using a pre-delay/double-tracker I'll never know. It's my "always on" pedal) > Boss GE7 (I love it here to restore some of the bass and top end that the TS9 shelves, essentially turning the TS into an entirely different beast) > TC Wiretap (nifty little riff recorder for capturing those moments of inspiration) > Fender Concert Reverb 4x10 with spring reverb > my happy ears:)

[@ryanbmd7988]

Ricardo Rodriguez Wow! That’s very detailed, I’ve never used a pre-delay but it sounds fascinating. Keeley does incredible work. That’s an awesome name for your band!!! What guitars do you play? String size? Pick Pref?

[@claytoncampbell7541]

I've scoured the internet for every demo/tutorial on pedal stacking I could find, yet somehow am only seeing this today. Cheers, Brother -- this one's gold 🍻

[@mutantboy8888]

Ge Tumnus into Stomp Nobels ODR-01 into Tonex Perfect Marshall into Delays and Modulation, then Hot Springs Reverb...YAAAY!

[@TheAlancordeiro]

besides the trick stacking overdrivers... man this guitar looks amazing! 3 mini humbk and a terrifc body and fingerboard... that s beauty

[@metalmastermind]

Very nice tones. What are your thoughts on something like the Fulltone Full Drive with 2 overdrives rather than having 2 separate pedals?

[@darwinsaye]

I'm currently running a Boss OD-2 -> DOD Grunge -> ProCo Rat 2 -> Way Huge Green Rhino. the Boss is set to medium gain but switchable to high in Turbo mode, grunge is set to medium (which is high compared to normal pedals), Rat is set high, to verging on fuzz, and the Rhino is set to medium gain, with unity EQ to my amp's tone as a completely transparent overdrive. The Rhino is always on (unless I need a crystal clean tone). The Boss gives me the mid hump TS style drive or DS-1 style distortion in turbo mode. The Grunge alone gives me a scooped distortion verging on fuzz. The Rat gives me a full range distortion verging on fuzz. And the Boss plus either the Grunge or Rat gives me three different flavour options of fuzz (with or without the turbo mode. Stacking drive pedals is the best, cheapest way to have a large tonal pallet to work with. :)

[@mikefromusa6902]

I like my Klone going into a ts9dx. Awesomely versatile overdrives and distortion tones

[@grega1207]

The Strymon Sunset is tailor made for this type of stuff. It has two separate overdrives/boost pedals in one. And since it can send A into B; or B into A; or A and B parallel it has an insane number of combinations all in one small footprint! And it can do the fuzz thing as well as you were demo'ing with your pedals. The Sunset also has a TRS out for an expression pedal or you can use that TRS as a MIDI out so you can program a whole bunch of presets and you're off and running :-)

[@caleshtcincredibles]

You nailed it! Great results. I set the dirt channel on my amp with a very light just at the point of breaking up OD then fatten it up with my OD pedal. Similar result. Fat , creamy drive tone then for solo just the EQ pedal with mids goosed up a tad as a clean boost which cuts through the band mix pretty well. For distortion I run it full gain through my clean channel is what works for me. Fun fun tone stuff.. Thanks for the very good video!

[@ericbergmueller2981]

I’ve done this for years but I like the way you explained it. My go to was a Tube Screamer and a Very Metal back in the day. The TS died but the Very Metal soldiers on. Neither is rally earthshakingly great on their own but together they are so flexible!

[@DIFowner]

I’m currently running an XTS Imperial, into a Nobles ODR mini, into either a Danelectro Breakdown or Behringer Vintage tube of. Mix and match as inspired.

[@Bobby_Digital37]

That lightspeed after the vertex is amazing!!! I gotta try that out!!!

[@Silverfoxunbox]

I’m stacking the Boss Bd2 into an OCD v2 with just enough gain to thicken up the ocd for leads. The ocd is more mid rangy and the bd2 gives a more trebly response so they work perfectly together. I’ve also added an mxr 6band eq after the ocd to boost volume but I rarely need it

[@christianurrutia2212]

Great video. This is something most inexperienced guitarists don't know about. I pair a TS9 with TC Dark Matter. Clean Overdrive + Distortion = Hi Gain ala EVH bliss. Rock On!

[@iuchilton]

Fantastic video! As I was watching this, I thought "I've seen this guy before". You were the guitarist for Muddy Magnolias when I saw them this past winter in Charlotte. You're playing is great. Really great tone and style. Keep the vids rolling

[@RhettShull]

thanks Chris! was that on the Revivalists tour?

[@bluenetmarketing]

There is no way on Earth my ear can tell these sounds apart to any meaningful degree, which is why you play great guitar and I am merely a listener.

[@twogaugegaming]

I’ll say as far as my own experience goes, a Klon-style pedal can fit just about anywhere in a stack and make it sound good. Had a Rockett Archer on my board for a long time and just took it off but it’s… probably going back on. It sounds good with every amp and is so responsive to playing dynamics

[@acidcrab4215]

I've started using my OCD in Low Peak mode before a Soul Food set really low just to boost highs and add a tiny bit of gain. It's great I like the mid/high gain into a low gain drive sound

[@gabrielazzopardi6037]

Your cleans sounds FANTASTIC! The distorted sounds of the low gain pedals are a bit too bright for my taste, but I get why you have them set that way so you do not get lost in the mix. I like the dynamic though and the lightly played cleans are really impressive! Great video.

[@Xyrium]

Love how reviewers always say "here's my amp, totally clean"....then they barely touch the strings to evidence this, instead of striking them as they do once they kick in the OD pedals. Hit them strings boys when showing us your "clean" tone!

[@frankiecummins2277]

Rad video! I don't really like Fuzz pedals for the most part but I alternate my tone by stacking a boost into a saturated overdrive EQ'd for doom tones and then the boost into another boost or clean overdrive pedal for tighter more modern djenty style distortion. Cool to see the similarities of use in pedals with different types of musical end point.

[@sjfamilomusic]

Loving this channel. I always thought I was going outside the lines stacking gain pedals (love a TS9 in J. Rockett Archer, or in reverse. Considering how awesome your tone is, it feels like a validated concept to me!

[@filipedoria9561]

I am stacking a Angry Charlie with a ZenDrive clone and I can say: the Fuzz trick with the clean boost is a BEAST, tks so much man

[@paully08]

The first combo was my favorite. They are all great though, good job!

[@djc5897]

I always see timmy on pedal boards in forums first time hearing it. That tone is right up my alley for classic rock inspired licks

[@kikooooooooooooooooo]

If anyone by chance is seeing this only now I've got to add my 2 cents as a stacking recommendation; Alpha Omicron Bass Drive/Distortion into a Fulltone OCD on HP. Sounds absolutely massive. This stacking combo works surprisingly well when you also add a Boss Super Octave without sounding muddy. If you happen to have these pedals laying about try it!

[@suncoaster8578]

Even though just one of those pedals cost more than my amp and guitar. I really enjoy this stuff. And ur vlog vids. Wishing u even more success. 👍🏻😎

[@tomholman4991]

My day usually starts with whatever you, Mr. Beato an Tim Pierce have to say. thanx

[@guitarguy11695]

Awesome video!! Preciate the tips! A band I like called Knuckle Puck dropped a pedal called the 20/20 overdrive; it’s modeled after the Timmy pedal and it has a boost button built in; this video helped me a lot with how to stack it with my JHS Morning glory!

[@hearpalhere]

Nice tips Rhett! I remember this being a real game changer piece of advice that I got years back from a friend in college. I was amazed at how great it could sound and have been doing something similar for quite a while. For what it's worth, I think your stacked fuzz sound was better than the actual fuzz pedal sound.

[@icenic_wolf]

The Keeley D&M Drive is great for stacking (with itself, or into/from another pedal as well), and responds well to cleaning up by altering your pick attack. Might save some folks a little pedalboard real estate, too (it's similar to having an OCD and Klon clone in one).

[@icenic_wolf]

I use mine with either a rat clone or a cranked-marshall-in-a-box (usually in front of a clean Mesa Mark V) for a ton of versatility.

[@MrEhf111]

Rhett, great information ... I really love your Rivolta ... in that same model and color. So I went to some retail websites and was pleasantly surprised to find out that they are also fairly affordable. Not Fender Squire cheap. More like Fender American price range ... very cool indeed.

[@davidcunetta4081]

7:00 hmm I usually put my boost before the pedal I want to push. But I will try to put it after tonight. I have the same philosophy. And these pedals are my faves. Building a Lightspeed now. I use a Wampler Euphoria as a boost(in open setting). A Boss Blues Driver. As my light gain. And my secret weapon. A Danelectro CD-1 Distortion. What a secret. It can co from clean all the way to medium high gain. With serious touch sensitivity. I set it really low on drive. And use the BD-2 to push it and fill out the harmonic range. Fat tone. Use guitar volume knob and pick/finger attack to control gain. Usually both on. Then use Wampler(Dumble clone) before the others to push them, to create singing lead. But now I’m gonna try that after

[@tomfoolery2082]

Glad u stepped on the timmy a sec, iv been on the fence for a while ,not anymore, very nice ,pushed me right on over. Thx

[@RhettShull]

you wont regret picking up a Timmy. Its one of my favorite pedals Ive ever owned.

[@tomfoolery2082]

I did get a timmy pedal a few days ago and c just what u mean . It sounds like my older fender bassman breakin up n thats tuff to do, it has to b so frkin loud . Something about this timmy , dont seem to b able to turn it off. LOL , Thx for the push.

[@guitareMTL]

Who said you need to buy a fuzz pedal? Just buy two overdrives, a boost and a bigger pedalboard and your good to go😉

[@guitareMTL]

Great video though!

[@danielmcewen6429]

I think it’s more about the space taken up by having the fuzz there, when it’s not essential it’s nice to use already existing pedals to make more.

[@icenic_wolf]

The thing that won't do for you is the thing that you can do with your germanium fuzz first in the chain, set to low boost, with a neck singlecoil pickup. Glassy awesomeness that I spent forever trying to figure out how to get. Guess you'll just need a bigger pedalboard +1. ;)

[@jstroketillyayoke]

I really like stacking my tubescreamer in front of my green Russian muff. Really adds some mids to the mix. Also the tube screamer with my morning glory sounds pretty great too :)

[@warmothgmc]

I’ve often thought of getting a clean boost like an OCD, or similar. But, when I think again, I have an MXR 10 band EQ that can be easily setup as a clean boost. I have 2 overdrives on my board. I run a Crowther Audio Hotcake set for low gain into a JHS AT (Andy Timmons signature overdrive) for medium gain. My EQ is later in the chain; so, I can use that as a clean boost and add any color I need. Run 3 heads with a cab for each and a Radial Tonebone ABY switcher. 2 of the amps are jumpered one side. Ceriatone JTM45 Super Tremelo is jumper to a GDS 18 watt TMB. The other side of the switcher is a Marshall JCM 800 4010.

[@tailnotale]

Definitely wouldn't call an OCD a clean boost pedal 🤔

[@SolidSmashies]

I REALLY dig the faux fuzz approach with the Echopark boost hitting the front end of the OD(s).

[@jik5165]

love your review demos, helps when your tweeking shit and nobody to bounce ideas off...much appreciated rhett!!!

[@graysonwilson-cacciapalle7989]

As a joke recently I turned my fuzz and 3 overdrives going into the distorted channel of one of my amps, and the tone was actually amazing lol. Would have been a killer doom tone. Pharaoh fuzz into a Plimsoul into a cheap boss overdrive into a tubescreamer. Boss and tubescreamer might have been switched around, honestly can't remember. Should have taken a photo of all the settings, might take some work to recreate! The settings at the moment were total serendipity that it actually sounded good. Aside from being extremely noisy when I wasn't playing!

[@charlesb7831]

I stack my Ibanez Nu-tube screamer in to the MXR Zakk Wylde overdrive. I now have 6 drive pedals on my pedalboard for different flavors and a Revv G8 noise gate to handle it all . 2 great ones that became my favorites, Ibanez Nu-tube screamer and my Boss SD1 40th anniversary.

[@RobertMurphy-wm3ge]

Really dig your pedal board I spy that parametric EQ... As far as equalizers go, THAT is key.

[@lamsonian]

Exemplary video Rhett! Great job verbally articulating your thoughts & observations. BTW, you have killer tone, right along my likings. Plus, I learned how to create Fuzz with stacked ODs. Loved that! Thank you Rhett! Keep up the Good & Honest Work! 👍👍

[@silvioschmidt5346]

Most informative tutorial on overdrives ewwaah! I like to run the Catalinbread SFT as my always-on overdrive on medium gain and a Way Huge Red Llama before it, volume cranked and a little drive to add "smooth" hair. So it acts as a boost for the SFT. I usually do boosted sound for choruses and SFT only for verses.

[@jimkostan9932]

Good Tone.I have it right on!

[@TheArbiterOfTruth]

My absolute favorite combo has been Timmy>kilt. It’s perfect. You can play anything.

[@chipsterb4946]

Timmy=> Tumnus Deluxe is a flexible combination too.

[@Pinkybum]

I do OD-3 -> Soul Food -> GE-7-> Rat. I keep the OD-3 on virtually all the time then switch in and out the other pedals to boost.

[@MrWishihadagibson]

Pinkybum P Love my OD-3

[@bebop425]

Check out the Rat Deucetone, my fav and since it's two pedals in one you can stack the tones. It also has multiple Rat drive types you can select

[@thenorthwoodsbassist2641]

First of all, this is a great video… Thank you. It would be great if it had chapters so I could quick reference as I was trying these different methods out with my various overdrives.

[@zolazingo]

I stack my TS9 + BB Base breaker (both or singly through an Archer Ikon...fun!..also have a 'mini" set up using a BOSS 65/FDR1 with the Archer IKon ( or simply the FDR1 through an MXR Boost/Line Diver ( @11 dB) ...fun again! love the search for TONE ...oh, and I run it all though a simple lil' Blues Jr III custom ....Thanks Rhett, nice vid, keep up the good work ....looking forward to your next installment of 'Guitar Shop Travels' . . .

[@frankgreen178]

I've got three OD's and a boost: GMD Luther Drive, Barber Elec Gain Changer, GMD Time Bomb Boost, and Earthquaker Bowes. Almost any stacking combo I try gives me a different tone and are their own specific voices. It's a nice option to be able to hit a pedal looking for something different and sometimes be very surprised. Options are good.

[@randygomez9595]

Awesome video! I was wondering what it would sound like if I messed around with stacking overdrive pedals and this gives me some ideas to mess around with. Thanks!

[@Yessentuki4]

When you said if a pedal cleans up its designed well but I thought if its using transistors it'll clean up (vs hard/soft clipping)

[@jonaspereira007]

The best type of videos to watch when I am too lazy to practice guitar are gear videos.

[@MC-mi4ck]

Really great video. You make the best videos on tone. Question. Have you done a video on EQ pedals? Tom Bukovac has got me interested.