Why The Boss OD-3 Is My Benchmark Overdrive Pedal
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- Опубліковано 12 чер 2024
- Is the Boss OD-3 Overdrive pedal right for you? These are some of the reasons why I like the OD-3, as well as some of the scenarios where I think it can be enhanced by other pedals or where different pedals may be better suited.
- Boss OD-3 Overdrive
USA: amzn.to/41rqNc3
UK: amzn.to/3KMTRnj
Timecodes:
00:00 - Intro
00:22 - Understanding Flat vs Mid Focused Overdrive Tones
01:50 - Using the OD-3 to Enhance Fuzz and Dist Pedals
03:42 - Vol and Tone Controls & 'airy' high end
04:58 - Wide Range of the Drive Control
07:20 - Matching the OD-3 with Your Pickups & Alternative ODR-1
09:32 - Enhancing the OD-3 for Modern Hi Gain Overdrive
10:39 - Simplicity vs Versatility
11:18 - Best Version of The OD-3
If the OD-3 was in a different enclosure, made by another company, it would be $250, and it would be on everyone's board.
Nah!! Behringer has it for $30 called behringer od400
There's also Blackstar LT Drive. It would be nice comparing it to OD-3. I have LT Dual and it's a monster. Classic overdrive and metal sounds all the way!
Which is basically what happens with SD-1 and tube screamers.
@@adakhochalai I need to check that out
@@adakhochalaiwhoosh!
I'm always so pleased when I search UA-cam for demos of a particular pedal, and one of your videos comes up. Calm, pleasant, practical, free of hype, and - most importantly - really, really useful in making decisions about which pedals to buy. Thank you for what you do. Please keep up the good work!
If Boss release a Waza version of the OD-3, they need to feature you.
#bosspedals
Both the OD3 and you are equally underrated
EXACTLY
He said that wrong information on purpose so people can comment. It’s a clickbait thing
This guy is so underrated
He's a proper musician. As well as a natural communicator.
I took a chance on the OD3 after watching your videos. So glad I did.
Yup, the OD-3 is the best 3 knob OD a person can get. If you know, you know. I love running a klone into my OD-3, stacking something more mid focused into the OD-3 turns it into this great medium to higher gain sound that reminds me of late 70’s UK punk in the best possible way.
OD-3 has been the only pedal consistently on any gig board for 20 years. Great video man!!!
Mr Banfield. My Brothers and I absolutely Love Your videos. As young musicians, You are truly and inspiration to Us. We're looking forward for more Awesome Content. Keep Rocking
I was so used to Boss pedal ODs.When I tried a tubescreamer it confused me.I still prefer the OD3 and Japan OD2 and Blues Driver .The SD1 (tubescreamer based ) is the closest to a TS I'd go.I use a Strat through Marshalls.
Boss pedals just ARE great.
Your channel is a breath of fresh air.
The Boss SD1 AND the Tubescreamer is based on the Boss OD-1, wich already was in produktion before Ibanez gave Maxon the order to produce the tubescreamer.
I really like this demo. You have clearly highlighted the differences in the sounds among the pedals. It's very useful sonic info for someone curious about these devices.
The Boss OD3 is a super solid pedal. It holds its own against the Strymon Riverside and Benson Preamp and likely many many others. As another commenter said--if this pedal was in a fancy enclosure and marketed as boutique, it would be $250.
I picked up an OD-3 a while ago, probably partly because of your videos. You are absolute right about it, it is fantastic whichever way you use it. It can boost an amp, it can be a standalone drive sound, if you run a fuzz face into it it rounds off the sound in a really nice way. You can even hit it with a treble booster and have a screaming lead sound at a quiet volume. The OD-3 has lots of harmonic content, works with every pickup position, it's just a fantastic pedal in every way. The search is over for me, this is the one.
The OD-3 has been my main OD for a while now.
Your videos as always top of the game.
Thank you
100% agree. I keep trying more expensive overdrives to try to knock it off my board, and the more expensive pedals keep getting returned.
Just purchased an OD-3 after hearing it in some of your videos. Absolutely loving it...thank you for introducing me to it. Very underrated overdrive. Cheers!
Glad to hear it's working for you!
I was looking for an overdrive and I was pretty close to get a Plumes from earthquaker. But I saw this video and some other and decided to give the OD3 a shot. And I’m so happy with it, now it is my “clean” channel (both drive and tone around 10 o clock) and it gives a lot of body to my strat without being muddy. Also I was placing it before my OCD but I follow your advice and put it after the ocd, and there is a huuuge difference. It sound so full and clear in a mix!Michael, thank you!
I bet the OD3 + phaser sound like heaven 😍
Great channel Mike. Always was good content.👍
Had it for like 15 years, still on my pedal board. You are right though, it's a great drive pedal, especially at lower drive settings (for me). I run it into the clean channel of my tube amp.
I came for this information, thanks!
You sold me. As of a couple of days ago, OD3 is my new baseline sound. Love it so far
Hell yeah dude you got the one with the yellow box. I want one. Been waiting for the right one
Thank you for this great and thorough review! I think I really preferred the ODR-1 with its top end roll-off. Great comparison.
Another great lesson, thank you!
I had one a few years ago, I liked it, but I sold it. After watching your channel, I bought another one about a year ago to give it another go. I'm glad I did 🎸
This channel is built on this pedal
It’s built on that, as well as him not fussing about with our time and IMMEDIATELY diving in.
@@severebash9153 yeah such a legend
Appreciate the effort. I run my SSS strat through OD-3 into a Vox AC10. True that OD-3 tends to get a bit harsh with the highs, so I have ended up rolling down the treble on the amp all the way down and keeping the tone knob on OD-3 at around 1 o'clock. I use it as a clean boost right into my Paul Cochrane Timmy, which has a fairly even eq response. This way, the lack of punchiness in Timmy is sorted out with the help of OD-3, without making the overall tone too harsh or brittle. I also like how it's treble response helps you cut the mix a lot better.
Very very very good videos please keep them coming
Pairs really nicely with an MXR Timmy in front of it btw - those two together can very cheaply cover a lot of ground.
Cool thanks mate, I enjoyed this. Cheers!
Great as always! I use a BD-2 as my edge of breakup with a TS808 going into it for more gain. I've thought about trying the OD3 as well.
If you struggle with the hard clipping aspect as the BD2, as well as need a bit more low end, then give the OD3 a go. If you just want more low end, then the BD2W is better. Although if the BD2 works for you, this probably won’t and vice verse.
No harm in having both though and good to have both on your board if you need versatility to switch guitars and amps.
After weeks of indecisiveness, I just bought one today. I've always had always on, high gain preamp for rhythm and lead, surprisingly boosting with the OD-3 works really well. A lot thicker, a punch in the face thick. For the price, i'd choose this anytime over "boutique" overdrives.
Awesome video, thanks!
I will try the OD-3... one day!
I run my distortions, fuzzes, and other ODs into the TC Mojomojo set to low gain. It's not quite as amp-like on it's own, but it's voicing is perfect for me as it enhances the mids in a very full way and smooths the top end out for anything running into it.
The active 2 band EQ is perfect for taking my sound and dialing in to different amps for gigs. A must have for myself!
Thank you that's a great description. Exectly what I am looking for, a natural amp-like breakup.
Fuzz Face into OD3, I am sold.
Great stuff thank you 👍🏼
low gain OD-3 into a clean princeton reverb is the most perfect sound, ironic that I've gone through all this boutique stuff to end up finding my tone in essentially a 1979 boss pedal.
It’s been over two years now since I discovered the Od-3 and it’s my number one low-middle gain dirt pedal (but I tend to use the Analog Man modded version a bit more). It pairs with my Gibson Es-339 and a Marshall DSL like heaven. When I want something more pronounced and slightly higher gain, I use my secon beloved pedal - the Rat (made in USA Rat 2 or a great clone - JHS 3S Distortion).
Great video! Could you compare a Tele vs Les Paul and see if you can match them with an EQ pedal or with different amp settings?
I always preffered the OD3
I kept waiting for you to do a Spoonerism and discuss the "natural hairy eye end"! 04:16
Nice video, as usual !
With my amp, a Princeton with Jensen C12N, I find the OD3 too much bassy, I still stick to my SD1 coupled with a Timmy, maybe with other speakers it could be better suited
I'm well onboard with the OD3 as the best overdrive out there. I have a monte allums modded one I bought ages ago and nothing has managed to replace it. I'd like a standard one for another option.
If I'd known about this pedal 10 years or so ago it might have very much changed my path. But your demo of it raises some clear questions for me:
What does it sound like with a speaker IR straight after it? I mean, this seems to be a full amp replacement pedal. Maybe you'd be forced to run an EQ pedal after it and before the amp. But I don't really see much value in lugging a tube amp if you're not going to use its overdrive - it's just a 20kg+ EQ device. It'd be great to hear what this sounds like straight into an audio interface and through a good speaker IR - with and without EQ.
Secondly, is there an affordable version of this circuit with simply... a 3 band EQ built in? The JHS Bad Monkey furore basically reveals that the single tone control makes huge numbers of OD pedals just flavours of EQ. Want a different sound? Buy another pedal with a slightly tweaked EQ. This pedal with a simple and cheap 3 band EQ would be crazy versatile.
I'm going to switch from pedals to the MOD Devices Dwarf sometime soon. And part of that is that your vids on EQ actually reveal the desirability of having like 7 EQ pedals on your board that can be activated or deactivated with a single push depending on what you're doing. Like, virtually every effect can be improved by having a GE-7 built into it. And virtually... you can. But on a pedal board it'd be ridiculous. I actually use my amp for drive (it has built in power scaling and I don't mind the volume changes from controlling drive from my volume knobs too much). But apart from many other features, the ability to be able to have numerous EQs between effects depending on the chain that can be preset to different situations seems like a breakthrough.
I really love The tubescreamer. I would love to use a TS as a boost for an OD-3. I love both pedals. The OD-3 is almost a jfet preamp you'd find on a nice solid state amp.
Tubescreamer into an OD-3 works a treat!
I sold my OD-3 because it had too much compression, so while it was great at going from clean to driven just by pick attack, its output lacked character. I now favour a BD-2, which cleans up with pick attack and the guitar's volume control, but has much less compression than the OD-3.
Great review Mike.
I'm starting to think my OD3 is faulty, I can't take the gain past 9 o clock, the hiss is ridiculous. Any thoughts?
I have an isolated psu and the pedal is the only thing between the guitar and the amp.
Great informative video mate. What would you prefer in a setup OD-1 or (OD-3/BD-2) or any overdrive into a Marshall DSL1CR Combo with an 8" speaker. I can't play that lound in my appartment but even a 1W tube amp will distort later and make the neighbors call the police. Cheers mate.
I've never played an original OD-1 but I gather it's very similar in tone to a TS9 or SD-1 which is an overdrive with a strong mid focus. If I was using the overdrive on the amp, I'd probably use a mid focused OD like the OD-1, TS9, SD-1 to boost it further and saturate the mids. If I was just using the amp as a kind of clean pedal platform, I'd likely choose the OD-3 instead. Hope that helps.
Nice video! I've been flitering with the idea of buying the EHX Glove or the OD-3..... Or the OCD? What do you think about comparing this 2?
I sold my OCD for double what I brought it for and brought an OC-3 for 1/4 my psy out from the OCD. I much much prefer the OC-3.
Personally, never played through the OD-3 that much, but it felt like what the BD-2 is rumoured to be..... smoother low drive IMHO and at high gain the BD-2 becomes a fuzz... some like that . Not me. Only the colour of the latter is a quality missing on the OD-3. :D
But the link between the two pedals is clear: both are not the best with strats / single coil as you explain.
ODR-1 suggestion makes this video complete. Well done!. I do like the Bluesbreaker on a strat as well. I built my own since it is a steal compared to a Marshall one. [nerd alert ] Yet I added an extra soft clipping diode in the first stage which makes it a tad more compressed at highest gain settings which makes the BB a slightly more versatile circuit. [/nerd alert]
It's the best. Most like a preamp of any I have played, and I have played most.
What does it mean to be like a preamp? Just to be clear, I'm not trying to argue. I've been playing for 20+ years but my experience with pedals was pretty surface level until recently and I know there's a lot more for me to learn.
@@alexwgoody I'm talking about the frequency repsonse, and the sound of the pedal. I have put it in front of amps, and it sounds pretty much identical to the preamp gain on the amp. This is great for adding more gain, or for getting the sound of the amp when it is louder at a lower volume, especially with more traditional amps without a lot of preamp gain. I guess it gives it more of the sound of the output section being turned up as well. There isn't a big mid hump, nor a bass roll-off like most overdrive or distortion pedals. This is the one!
@@onewiththings That makes sense, thank you.
Had an OD-3 many years ago, couldn’t really make it work for me. I prefer the SD-1/OD-1/Tubescreamer axis, less transparent, but more organic and tube-like. Disclaimer: I only use OD pedals for lead boost.
Funny, I use my OD-3 mainly as a colored boost. I have the FDR-1 at the end of my signal chain with just a hinch of gain, so it's right at the edge of break up when my volume poti is fully opened and I strum quite strongly. The OD-3 brings on the dirt. I also boost my Rat-clone or DS-1 with it for that little more in the chorus of the songs. I do play a strat with fairly low output single coils, the high end doesn't bother me when I dial back the volume to ~7, or use the middle PU or, for one song, I use the neck PU for a more acoustic-type sound and just give it a little push with the OD-3 for the chorus as well. The OD-3 is the most versatile low to mid gain drive pedal I have tried so far, for more gain I use the Rat-clone or DS-1 mentioned above. Great vid.
i just roll off the treble a little on the amp if its too bright.
I had 3 Tube Screamers at one time. I sold them all because of that weird Mid Bump. Could never really Like or Love it
Personally, I've never come across a better overdrive pedal than the Lovetone Brown Source,
- but yeah, the OD-3 is a very good pedal.
Well, now it’s time to put this back on my board. Mine’s from Oct 1977, 3 yrs before I was born.
Do you mean the original OD-1? I'd love to get hold of one of those! I'm told it's a little different sounding to the OD-3 though.
@@MichaelBanfieldGuitar nope, an old OD-3. It’s surprisingly in better shape than my other one from 1978
@@backlom OD-3 was released in 97 you plum. At least google before you BS.
@@backlom the Boss OD3 was not released until 1997. In fact the only Boss overdrive that existed in 1977 was the OD1.
Hi, does the OD-3 sound good with bass? And what about the DS-2 on bass? Thanks, any fb is welcome!
Bump
This review is excellent, very practical and to the point. Great playing also.
I've had the OD3 for years, it's been on and off my board many times. For me it shines as a 2nd gain stage, with gain around 11:00, with a TS-style pedal running into it. It's a very nice lead and crunch sound. It can also work as a good volume boost with gain set low, after other drives. But I don't like it as a standalone OD, maybe because I play a strat.
Also, the bass gets too boomy for me sometimes, unless I pair it with a TS style pedal.
Your remark on the high end "airiness" is spot on - there is this "chirp" that is hard to dial out, so that can be an issue.
I run 2 OD-3 pedals.
Drive 1 at 9oclock - drive 2 at 2oclock.
Drive 1 is my clean/breakup sound
Drive 2 is the rock/blues
Drive 1+2 is lead sound.
Try it.
1:10 what song did u play ? tysm
Hi can you do ds2 and some wah like john frusciante is doing. peace from bosnia
Sd-2 is really underrated
MICHAEL BANFIELD, how to use the OD-3, klon, Tube screamer, Nobel ODR-1 and other pedals to make your amplifier sound very Tight? A lot of metal guys will use these types of pedals to make their amplifiers sound very tight. I know Josh Holmes used the OD-3 as an EQ pedal which you can also make a video lesson about on using overdrive pedals and distortion pedals as an EQ pedal by turning the DRIVE to zero. The Boss Heavy Metal HM pedal has a chainsaw EQ you can turn the DRIVE to zero and use the chainsaw EQ of the pedal which guitarist use for Surf music to drive into a reverb tank to spank it really hard which you can make a video lesson about also.
Thanks for the suggestions, I'll definitely look into those. I thought Josh Homme used the SD-1 though rather than the OD-3. But yes, some good ideas there thanks!
@@MichaelBanfieldGuitar yes i think the SD-1 and OD-3 has the same EQ tone stack you would have to A/B them with the DRIVE turned down to zero. I use a fender amplifier that has 2 channels so some of my Overdrive pedals go to the NORMAL channel to revoice the EQ of the amplifier to match it with the overdrive pedals EQ stack, while the TREM Channel I use for my clean tones and other ovedrive pedals that have different EQ tone stacks which i use the TREM channel amplifier EQ to a different curve. All overdrive pedals use different EQ tone stacks so the amplifiers EQ curve will have to be altered to match it to work correctly. If you have a MIDI amplifier every OD pedal you would have to revoice the amplifiers EQ curve differently for each OD pedal, distortion pedal because of their EQ tone stacks. You can make a video lesson about using a 2 channel fender amplifier for using certain OD pedals to set the channel for different amplifier EQ curves so they work better with OD tone stacks.
The OD-3 won't make your amp tight. It has too much bass for that.
@@endezeichengrimm which pedals will make your amplifier sound tight?
@@waynegram8907 Something that tightens and cut bass. That's why people go for a screamer type pedal.
But..... if your amp is really sounding loose and flubby, I would find a better amp first.
If you're absolutely NOT buying a new amp, then something with a bass cut will be needed. Look for something with a bass control on it. Even a Metal Zone would do the job.
Tube screamer 🎉
I just have the OD-3 on all the time( drive 0, tone 0): makes my strats a bit Jazzy...
Yeah the OD-3 is good with most Fenders and the AC15
any similar options to this overdrive but true bypass?
Use a looper.
True bypass is overrated
It can fooken sound like a fuzz mate!!
Odr noble
or as the subtitles call it: The Bosso D3
pikachu overdrive
They have too much gain, I modded mine
If you want to offer people A/B comparisons you need to play short examples as DO NOT talk between examples.
I’ve never seen anyone so obsessed with a single pedal. Kinda weird, honestly.
very nice pedal. I never use it with the tone knob higher than half, it immediately annoys my ears with those highs. It works amazingly with the sd-1, with the gain knob lower than 9 o’clock (for both), it’s a pleasure to play with fingers on those settings
DS-2 into OD-3 was a real nice surprise. Very cool.