JCM800 head + which pedal(s) for 80's Thrash?

[Newc]

It's been 20+ years since I've owned pedals, but never with a "real" amp.

Let us discuss what's out there for running in front of a JCM800 (100w) head for early Thrash (Ride the Lightning, Peace Sells, etc).

Not looking for SRV or Hendrix or Blues Rock Chatter or Hair Metal/Rock Ballad tones. If it makes suburban yuppie bitches cry or cum, I don't want it. I want tones that make cops and soldiers and mechanics and Wendy O. Williams-type chicks go "FUCK YEAH!"

Not looking for $$ booteek $$ one-of-a-kind pedals. Want something I could pop into a Shitar Center in Buttfuck Nebraska if I needed to replace it on the road.

I know names like BOSS OD-1, OD-2, SD-1, MXR Dist+, Rat, Ibenhad TS, Chandler/Butler TubeDriver. That's mostly what I recall from 20 years ago. I've heard some of those pedals in real life backinnaday, but wasn't as aware of tonal variety as I am these days.

What's available these days, and what are their pros and cons over "ye olde traditionals"?

What's the "real story" behind the old gag of "the newer ___ pedal doesn't sound as good/like the original $$ 80's version"? Fact or Bullshit? Cite examples.

[bucketbrian45]

I dunno much about OD pedals but I would OD my old 5150 with a Metal Muff and that was pretty fucking epic.

[dimobag]

According Scott Ian buy Big Muff or RAT like Hetfield had back in the days.

[Hellbat]

Best bang for the buck is Boss SD-1. But that's not going to deliver thrash tones, it's more suited to hair metal kind of tones. I think the rat will get you more in the ballpark of the tones you are looking for. The Boss DS-1 might be good for Thrash tones too, but I always associated it's sound to Satriani.

TC Sparkboost is my favorite recent boost/OD. It doesn't add much hair but lots of gain and great tone shaping, with active boost/cut high and low controls and a three way switch for selecting fat, flat, or mid boost.

[axe dude]

I dunno much about OD pedals but I would OD my old 5150 with a Metal Muff and that was pretty fucking epic.

Really Dude you liked the Muff? LOL! I tried one awhile ago & just found it way to "Tinny" sounding. Like it didn't have enough "BALLS" in it! \m/

[data187]

agreed with above...pro co rat pedal is pretty awesome

[Cygnus X1]

Muff to me has always been too much of a 60's vibe fuzz pedal.
No dynamics, just square wave bland.
SD-1, MXR Distortion+ or ProCo Rat.
Rat (on the right setting, it IS finicky) is convincing enough that I used it through
a Fender Deluxe Reverb during the early thrash years.

Is see where overdrives are out.
Sticking an OD in front of a high gain amp can actually tame it a bit.

[bucketbrian45]

Really Dude you liked the Muff? LOL! I tried one awhile ago & just found it way to "Tinny" sounding. Like it didn't have enough "BALLS" in it! \m/

Dude the Metal Muff is an awesome pedal, I used it on the rhythm channel on the 5150. I'd use the top boost for over the top leads lol.

[toejam]

Try a Boss Metal Zone. I don't care for it as a normal distortion pedal, but it's great for a boost in front of a distorted amp. Keep the distortion all the way down, boost the level, keep the bass/treble and mid/mid freq at about 10:00 or so.

[Cygnus X1]

Yep, Metal Zone is good also.
Next thing you know we are going to get back into racks again.

I've picked up a 115 band EQ, BBE Sonic Maximizer, a rack compressor, and Digitek DSP128+ recently...all cheap because they are "out of style".
Fuggem.
Another reason is I want to stretch out in my designs for the Cygnus amps.
A rack preamp would be first in the cards.
Stereo, with effects loop.

[axe dude]

Dude the Metal Muff is an awesome pedal, I used it on the rhythm channel on the 5150. I'd use the top boost for over the top leads lol.

LOL!! Really Dude? Man I remember hitting the "Top-Boost" & BAM! That Bitch went to "FUZZ-SIZZLE-TIN-CAN-BEER-CAN-BEE-BUZZING-CITY" BUDDY! LOL!!! It's been awhile that I used that Pedal but TRUST ME DUDE...I REMEMBER! LOL!

[ralph]

Try a Maxon OD-9 or OD-808, Maxon built the original tube screamers for Ibanez, and the maxon versions are alot cheaper than the ibanez versions nowadays

[Newc]

Hmm. Lots of options to mull over...

Thanks all

I've been running my MP-1 into the front, playing with various settings, but realized the other day I was still going into the Low Sensitivity input (using the MP-1 for all the gain).

I switched to the High Sensitivity input today and used the MP-1 as a clean boost - Clean Tube voicing with OD1 set pretty low (since it acts as a compressor in the SS and Clean Tube voicings) and OD2 (the crunch) on about 5, with the Master volume on about 1, and had the head set up for max gain and MV on 2. Still loud as fuck, but the MP1 was actually reeling in the head's Gain. Running OD2 at 10 brought it back up to where the head alone sounds. From there I can dial in OD1 to push a tad harder.

Still, I'd rather use pedals live just for portability and tonal consistency and to sit in a mix without a mixer.

[DonP]

I'd say two choices.

Metal Zone as already mentioned.

EQ in a smiley face or V in the loop (can't remember if this amp had one).

Thrash was a switch from Marshall to Mesa (although Mustaine still goes Marshall - like to see what he uses). Mesa with the EQ helped cut the mids and boost the bass. This is why I like my DSL so much - the bass boost and mid cut buttons get you into thrash territory quickly.

[bucketbrian45]

LOL!! Really Dude? Man I remember hitting the "Top-Boost" & BAM! That Bitch went to "FUZZ-SIZZLE-TIN-CAN-BEER-CAN-BEE-BUZZING-CITY" BUDDY! LOL!!! It's been awhile that I used that Pedal but TRUST ME DUDE...I REMEMBER! LOL!

Exactly! I loved that sizzling fizz! But I wouldn't use that for rhythm work.