Best sounding overdrive.

[Milkit]

Hi guys,

In your opinion, which is the best sounding overdrive available on this site, best sounding, but with the lowest parts count & easy build!

Thanks,

Matt

[Vince]

At first I was going to say the Catalinbread RAH. I can't big that up enough, it really is a f**king king of a pedal. Fat as hell with some nice, clean headroom for boost. But then you said low parts count and my choice would be a Clark gainster. Very tubescreamery but better (IMO)

That's my 2 pence worth anyway, mate.

[Rolf Poti]

I love the mad professor sweet honey overdrive pretty small circuit

[GoranP]

Right now, parts count not withstanding, for me it's a tossup between sweet honey and zendrive, with timmy coming in a veeeery close second.

Neither is a hard build by any means, although I'm never trying to cram them in a 1590b, it's always a combo in either 1590bb or 1790ns.

Mind you, I haven't built nearly enough ods yet...

[alex.s]

I haven't built them all but I really really like the Eternity. Pretty simple build and great sound. Quite a few versions/mods and swaps to play with too (burst, non burst, classic TS values, Clay Jones etc).

I also own an original Maxon OD820 and it's an amazing overdrive. Not going to win a low parts count award at any point, but definitely worthy of consideration if you are looking for a great OD.

[Milkit]

Sound thanks boys!  I only need it to be low parts count to make it a quicker build. I have tomorrow to do it & that's it for builds for me until July!  My garage is starting to be demolished on Monday & I need to make a pressie for a mate!  Thanks again dudes!  Y'all are cool cats!  

[Ross]

The Zendrive absolutely slays, as does the Gainster. The Punk Panther is astonishingly good for such a simple circuit.

[GoranP]

Milkit wrote

My garage is starting to be demolished on Monday & I need to make a pressie for a mate!

Do what I do, build on the kitchen table!  I usually get  a  treatment from the missus, ymmv...

More often than not, its me going  followed by

[Milkit]

Haha, I haven't got room to bend over & fart in my house at the moment dude. All the shit from my garage is being stashed in pockets of space around my house!  And the mrs would KILL me if I set up on the dining table! can't be arsed with the earache haha!  

[Jon Rep]

Ross, Thanks for telling us about "Punk Panther"  I just built it and it is as you say and I like it very much. It has a unique Tone unlike other pedals.

Next Builds:- The Gainster is next.  Love Pedal Eternity.  I have  LovePedal Woodrow which also is simple and very good.  Followed by Maxon 0D820  & Mad Professor Sweet Honey.   I already have built the other pedals mentioned on this Thread and also agree they are good pedals.  Thanks for sharing your opinions.

[IvIark]

I think there are a lot of great sounding overdrive layouts on here, but my favourite two at this time is still the Zendrive into a Timmy.  If I had to choose my favourite out of the two it would be the Zendrive.  

Having said that, there are about 150 overdrive layouts on here that I haven't built yet so that may all change!

[Ross]

Have you tried the Zendrive at 18V? It completely changes the dynamic of the beast.

[Madferret]

Lovepedal Woodrow is a really good sounding ultra low parts count circuit and I really liked the Crowther Hot Cake.

[alex.s]

What did you go for in the end? We want to know! :)

[Milkit]

Haha, well, being a bit of the knob head that I am, I decided at this late stage that I would push myself & see what I could get out, to tide me over, kinda like how I used to cram as many last minute ciggies in before I boarded a plane for a 12 hour flight etc (though I no longer smoke) & I made up (all with rustic housing) a punk panther, a Timmy & a Dod 250!  Timmy wins!  

Thank you for your help guys!  

[Geiri]

Definitely not the best one BUT I like Fromel Death Is Gain. The Tubescreamer is always a classic and this one just sounds much better. I enjoy it!

I love the Zen and Timmy. Those are the only two that have stayed on by board since day one.

[mirosol]

I haven't built a Timmy, and while i want to, i'm still hoping to score the original instead. One shop here used to have those in stock, but not anymore..

Anyway. Gainster. There are a lot good circuits around. I really like the Briggs' Son of Clay Jones, but still my answer is Gainster.
+m

[alltrax74]

The Vemuram Jan Ray is the best od I built
Will try the Zendrive though

[Jon the Art Guy]

This Zenith Drive from GuitarPCB is really nice. It's essentially a modded Zendrive, I guess. There's a lot of tone and dynamics options and can go anywhere from a warm-up to a pretty hard-driven pseudo-british sound.
So, I'd say a Zendrive.

[otalgiafx]

Personal fave is the original Crowther Hot Cake followed closely by the Zendrive.