How Many Overdrive Pedals Do You Actually Need? 7 Setups Explored

Is there such a thing as too many overdrive pedals? Or do you prefer more minimalist approaches? Hopefully this video will help you decide how many overdrive pedals are right for you.

Pedals used:

- Boss OD-3

- Ibanez TS-9 Tube Screamer

- Fulltone OCD

- Boss BD-2 Blues Driver

- Catalinbread Dirty Little Secret

- Catalinbread Formula 5F6

- Catalinbread Formula 55

Timecodes:
00:00 - Intro
00:30 - The Beauty of Natural Amp Overdrive
01:13 - Problems with Using Amp Overdrive
02:40 - What is a 'Foundation' Overdrive Pedal?
03:31 - Flat or Mid Focused Pedals BEFORE the Foundation Overdrive?
04:43 - Boosting AFTER The Foundation Overdrive
06:18 - Padding the Volume of Heavy Overdrive Sounds
07:41 - Using Multiple Foundation Overdrive Pedals

[tubularbill]

My fav of the bunch is the BD-2 Blues Driver. Just a terrific blues rock versatile pedal.

[jmerrill]

Your knowledge of using multiple pedals together is always so helpful. Really enjoy these types of videos. Thank you.

[LucianoLMS]

This channel is becoming my favorite, really fantastic work Michael Banfield. A lot of usefull information. Thank you for those videos.

[richardnixon]

Another excellent pedal stack tutorial. I have three at the start of my board and use them in different ways to get all I need. You and Josh Scott are both great at showing settings and sound.

[binface]

Great tutorial. "Foundation overdrive" is a term you tend to hear a lot, but without much explanation. I feel inspired to see what I can cook up using overdrive pedals from my own collection.

[jezmez]

2 channel amp. 1st channel clean, 2nd channel, set up for low-medium overdrive. Plumes -> Ages. Use Ages as light overdrive on clean channel, also works to add more gain to the 2nd channel. Plumes is set up for a clean boost but does a nice job adding more dirt to 2nd channel and just boosting the first channel.

[zvuksvetla]

I can nicely hear difference between many overdrive pedals here. I think I have to watch a dozen of other videos to get the same insight. Thank you very much, your videos are really refreshing and inspiring.

[hoopuf]

Nice to see very well produced videos about pedals that aren't 2 hours long! Well done!

[CC-fipp]

You need 2 for basic stacking to make the clip of the waveform more complex, just pick 2 that stack well together.

[roblambert]

Thank you for your fantastic videos about using pedals, especially the BOSS pedals! I am watching your videos for more than 2 years now, and they are so informative! I have an all BOSS pedal board, and your information/suggestions are very helpful...

[jakeworkman]

I loved this video. Made me feel better about my life choices. Great channel, man.

[DavidGouldchch]

That was brilliantly and methodically explained. Thank you, i am in a similar quandry with wanting different tones for different sets and venues. This helped!

[dogslobbergardens-hvwf]

I somehow managed to squeak by with just one good amp and one OD pedal for about 30 years. No one ever told me I couldn't get a killer tone unless I had a whole closet full of pedals :p

[thedoyleharcavy]

I found your channel a few weeks ago and have really been enjoying your videos! Awesome stuff

[bushleague]

I use a Plumes, which is pretty close to the OD3 the way I run it, a MXR Super Badass Distortion, and a Spark Booster. These will take me from reggae cleans to a light blues crunch, right up to metal. I often consider trading the MXR for another Spark, IMO with the right setting it can push the Pumes into to better high gain tones than I can get out of the MXR... nice to have the option to go straight from clean to a higher gain tone without tap dancing though.

[bobroberts]

Thanks so much, man. Perfect video. Really clear, great comparisons and demonstrations, and not an hour long! I’ve kind of deduced my way here but it’s bloody great to have someone say “You’re right, welcome to the club, and, have you thought about this?” Thanks so much.

[hellonblades]

Thanks for sharing this with us all!!!

[juancontreras]

So usefull and focused on the music!! Thank you so much!!

[shanerose]

Great, great video. From about 8:05 on is just gold. I play worship and thankfully have gotten out of the digital trap. Have been running a plumes od into ehx soul food, where the soul food adds a little boost to plumes for leads or on its own for dirtier rythm. Been feeling like it (my rig) needs a kick of some type, after watching this have equal amounts clarity and inspiration lol. Love the practical application aspect of your content.

[naguibabuhadba]

Awesome video! My drive chain is Compadre, SL, tumnus deluxe, súper phat mod and the last is a morning glory