Godspeed64
Active member
Just to share my experience. I've been using an MIJ SD-1 for about 2008 for my overdrive needs. Over the years, I've purchased or tried TS-style overdrives to replace it; while the SD-1 is an amazing overdrive pedal, there are moments I wish it was slightly more articulate, slightly fatter, slightly more sparkly, etc. Whatever tweaks I wanted were minute difference from the base tone of the SD-1, hence any replacement would have to be 95% in the same ballpark.
Pedals like the Xotic BB Preamp, BB Plus, Menatone Blue Collar, Fulltone FD-2, G2D Creamtone, and the list goes on either couldn't replace the SD-1 as a stand-alone overdrive (in terms of overall feel), or sounded bad when stacked with either a Rat or since early 2011, a Mudhoney II. There are many that I wanna try more, like the MJM Phantom OD and Rodenberg 808, whilst certain pedals like the MXR Custom Modified OD seemed set to replace my SD-1 until I tried the MorningStar 88 Overdrive on the same day as the MXR.
The MorningStar is a TS at heart but without the famed TS clipping section (basically the JRC4558 chip); instead it offers a myriad of tonal possibilities for the tweaker to sculpt. I enjoyed the overdrive so much that I HAD to purchase a custom version (pictured above) as the voicing switch made it TWO ENTIRELY DIFFERENT OVERDRIVES; to me at least.
I've not really used the pedal in Low Gain mode, nor have I used it in LED clipping mode, but the High Gain mode is enough to make me go gaga over it. In LG, the EQ of the pedal is voiced darker while HG is much brighter.
So based on High Gain mode in Silicon diode clipping, you get two really different voicings. For example, the position down setting (on stock units) would give you a really cool overdrive reminiscent of a fuzz pedal with the volume rolled back. You get the glassy tones, where the treble and bass seems more distorted and 'excited' than the mids (which has so much bloom and sag). I can't explain this mode, but it is reminiscent of Mark Cuthbertson's take on the PTD Mini-Bone when his volume knob is down (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTtai4Uwh-M), or a PTD Kush or most commonly a rolled back fuzz face. The tone is very crisp and bright, almost brittle sounding.
On the position up setting for voicing, I get a fat yet dynamic TS sounding overdrive (although according to the builder, closest would be Low Gain, Voicing Down). This is the channel to replace my SD-1; just fatter, more sparkly and more articulate. The compression and feel of the pedal is just nice, I don't know how or why but it makes my Jaguar sound like a Strat when I play blues on it; that fatness and the 'bloop' all being accentuated.
Alongside the added functionality with a footswitchable voicing function, I just got myself an amazing overdrive pedal that functions as two discrete channels for the amp. After FOUR years of searching, I finally found myself a replacement for my SD-1. Highly recommend this pedal; custom versions like mine require a quotation from James himself!
Guitars used:
Fender MIJ Reissue Jaguar
Gibson SG Standard
Amps used:
Randall RG100SC
Vox Night Train 15H w/cab
Fender Blues Jr (at shop)
Vox VT100 (in studio)
Pedalboard:
Close up of swirls:
Pedals like the Xotic BB Preamp, BB Plus, Menatone Blue Collar, Fulltone FD-2, G2D Creamtone, and the list goes on either couldn't replace the SD-1 as a stand-alone overdrive (in terms of overall feel), or sounded bad when stacked with either a Rat or since early 2011, a Mudhoney II. There are many that I wanna try more, like the MJM Phantom OD and Rodenberg 808, whilst certain pedals like the MXR Custom Modified OD seemed set to replace my SD-1 until I tried the MorningStar 88 Overdrive on the same day as the MXR.
The MorningStar is a TS at heart but without the famed TS clipping section (basically the JRC4558 chip); instead it offers a myriad of tonal possibilities for the tweaker to sculpt. I enjoyed the overdrive so much that I HAD to purchase a custom version (pictured above) as the voicing switch made it TWO ENTIRELY DIFFERENT OVERDRIVES; to me at least.
I've not really used the pedal in Low Gain mode, nor have I used it in LED clipping mode, but the High Gain mode is enough to make me go gaga over it. In LG, the EQ of the pedal is voiced darker while HG is much brighter.
So based on High Gain mode in Silicon diode clipping, you get two really different voicings. For example, the position down setting (on stock units) would give you a really cool overdrive reminiscent of a fuzz pedal with the volume rolled back. You get the glassy tones, where the treble and bass seems more distorted and 'excited' than the mids (which has so much bloom and sag). I can't explain this mode, but it is reminiscent of Mark Cuthbertson's take on the PTD Mini-Bone when his volume knob is down (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTtai4Uwh-M), or a PTD Kush or most commonly a rolled back fuzz face. The tone is very crisp and bright, almost brittle sounding.
On the position up setting for voicing, I get a fat yet dynamic TS sounding overdrive (although according to the builder, closest would be Low Gain, Voicing Down). This is the channel to replace my SD-1; just fatter, more sparkly and more articulate. The compression and feel of the pedal is just nice, I don't know how or why but it makes my Jaguar sound like a Strat when I play blues on it; that fatness and the 'bloop' all being accentuated.
Alongside the added functionality with a footswitchable voicing function, I just got myself an amazing overdrive pedal that functions as two discrete channels for the amp. After FOUR years of searching, I finally found myself a replacement for my SD-1. Highly recommend this pedal; custom versions like mine require a quotation from James himself!
Guitars used:
Fender MIJ Reissue Jaguar
Gibson SG Standard
Amps used:
Randall RG100SC
Vox Night Train 15H w/cab
Fender Blues Jr (at shop)
Vox VT100 (in studio)
Pedalboard:
Close up of swirls:
