What is the OSG dirt family of choice?

[JSett]

I'm pretty sure I know the answer to this one but could be a fun exploration regardless. I'm sure the results would be very different on other (lesser) forums.

So, which family of pedals is represented on your board/setup of choice? Muffs (and their many circuits, clones & derivatives) and Rats are popular around here for sure, tubescreamer types not as much from what I can tell.

Pick as many as are applicable...and any brand or model counts as long as it's part of the same family/circuit/based-on the one named. Try not to count them if they're simply in your collection, but actually in active duty or on your board long-term/part of your sound.

If I've missed something obvious, state as such and I'll add it as an option*EDIT, adding options resets results, please check "other" instead

[Shadoweclipse13]

I can usually find something cool to play on most dirt types out there, at least the ones I've actually tried, but most of what I've always had and loved has been in the Tubescreamer-based camp

I had a Keeley-modded Blues Driver years ago that was amazing. The first time I ever played a drive pedal that sounded like what I heard in my head, the sound I wanted, was a treble booster* (Catalinbread Naga Viper) going into a Tubescreamer (EQD The Dunes). I still use it a lot, but currently my favorite drive pedals are my EQD Westwood and EQD Special Cranker. I don't know what it is, but something about gritty drive pedals just does it for me I don't know if either of those could be lumped into your categories though. Westwood = Klone?

*maybe add treble booster? And transparent OD as it's own, non-Klone thing?

[JSett]

I love a standard Blues Driver pedal in fairness, so I should try out one of the famous Keeley versions one day I guess....although I am a fan of using things in my gigging rig that are easily and quickly replaceable if they break.

I'll add the Treble Booster (definitely forgot that one) and I think the transparent OD you're thinking of is the Tim/Timmy style one. I'll add that too

*EDIT: argh, adding options resets the results I'll just put "other" from now on

[Shadoweclipse13]

Funny enough, I've never played a standard Blues Driver, so I'm curious how the original sounds. The one I had did this wonderful thing where, when the gain was maxed out, it would give the most subtle fuzzy character to the notes, but not enough where you'd consider it a fuzz. The line where OD meets fuzz is SO good.

[JSett]

The original does that fuzzy thing too. I use it mainly as a light to medium overdrive (great into an already dirty Fender amp) but it gets woolly and fuzzy up the high end for sure - especially if you dial the tone back into the darker end.

[Shadoweclipse13]

The original does that fuzzy thing too. I use it mainly as a light to medium overdrive (great into an already dirty Fender amp) but it gets woolly and fuzzy up the high end for sure - especially if you dial the tone back into the darker end.

Interesting. I haven't used it in probably over a decade, as I'd meant to rehouse it into a Hammond-style enclosure with a boutique-stylw footswitch, but I've still got mine. I should drag it out and see how it sounds.

[GreenKnee]

I've used pretty much all of the options over the years but my board for the last 4 years or so has been centred around an always on treble booster and an always on klone (now using a Klon KTR). Both are used as boosts and EQ shaping to push my amp really hard.
I do miss the RAT into Big Muff sound I used to go for exclusively but as the sole guitar player in this band I feel like I need the note definition along with the dirty sounds.

[thenewromance]

I like my Wampler Belle best so far. It's a Nobels ODR-1, basically, which sounds closest to what I hear in my head when I think "overdrive".

Russian Muff comes in second for me.

[molul]

Muff, Rat, and amp distortion. Currently in love with Line6 Helix Revv Gen Red amp.

[LVC]

Interesting question.

I like my homemade, customized Rat and Big Muff (triangle with extra shit like tone/wicker modes) and use them on a regular basis.

After years of hating them, I found a TS-inspired OD (Digitech Bad Monkey) that works for me, because it has separate controls for treble and bass, so you can dial out that horrible nasal mid hump. I use it on a semi-regular basis, but my OD of choice is the Joyo Sweet Baby (Mad Professor Sweet Honey clone). Very subtle, but sounds so good. I guess it falls into the transparent OD type?

I've never tried a Fuzz Face or a DS-1 incarnation I liked. I don't have much experience with the other choices listed and don't own any of them, although I've been wanting to build a Rangemaster clone for a while to give it a proper try.

I guess my fav dirtboxes all fall into "other":
- JMB Experience Nitrogen 21: a fantastic boutique germanium fuzz that expands on the Fuzz Factory. It has an incredible range, and can do anything from super smooth OD to huge blistering fuzz to buzzy raspiness to crazy self-oscillating sounds. Yes, I know the Fuzz Factory is based on the Fuzz Face, but the N21 is its own thing in my opinion.
- Ibanez Tube King TK999 (V1/MIJ version). Inspired by the Tube Works/BK Butler Real Tube, but not quite a straight clone. Has a tube (obviously) but doesn't sound like your typical smooth tube distortion. So gritty... Love it.
- Danelectro Fab Tone. A straight clone of the DOD Grunge pedal. Has only one usable sound, but what a sound.
- Left field option: bitcrusher/aliaser (namely the Mooer LoFi Machine) for atypical grainy synthetic dirt. I use that a lot more than you'd think.

It should be noted that I've been exclusively a bedroom player for years. Back when I played out, I was mostly in punk bands and used amp distortion, and later a metal type distortion stompbox (Line 6 Über Metal) for more extreme styles.

[tequila_in_teacups]

I notoriously don’t like dirt pedals, but I recently discovered that a DOD250 is the dirt pedal for me. Specifically a cheap Mosky DOD250 clone.

[fever606]

I’ve been relying on the same V3 Muff to make me sound somewhat competent since the mid 90s, often paired with a 250/D+. I have a couple other Muffs (Tall Font, V6) and some Supa/Jumbo Tone Benders that can impart some tonal variation without straying too far from “my sound.”

I threw a tick at the Superfuzz because, after all these years, I finally picked one up pre-pandemic and it’s been getting played so much (one its own or stacked with the Muff) that it deserved the shout.

Finally, had to show some love to the boost… most often (lately) it’s a Dirty Mac (which replaced a Vulture Touring) but the SD 2-in-1 and EQD Black Eye have been mainstays for MAKE MORE LOUDER duties.

[JVG]

My essential flavours:
Tone bender
Treble booster
Timmy
Rat

Honourable mention:
Tubescreamers
Fuzz faces

Can’t get along with:
Muffs
Klons
DS-1s

[del]

Fuzz face
Rat
DOD250/Distortion+
Red Llama

I have a lot of other fuzz and distortion pedals, but I've consistently returned to these, alone in combination, for decades.

[MrShake]

Rat ->
Superfuzz ->
"Big Fuzz" (scooped, thick EQ like a Muff)

Others come and go. The nasal, nasty '60s type in particular (Shin-Ei, Fuzzrite, DBA SFGun). But I could strip back to just the Rat and Superfuzz. And get by with just a Rat in a pinch, even though I'd lose pedal hopping dynamics.

I don't tend to just stack low- to high-gain, but also, "narrowest to widest EQ", so every one sounds "bigger" than the one before it, even if the volume's not that much louder.

Though, sometimes, a big wooly, fuzzed-out second Rat takes the "Big Fuzz" spot. Occasionally even a Turbo Rat, for the "increased lows that seem like volume" effect.

Suffice to say, this is all in front of a super-clean amp. Otherwise, all bets are off, but I'd still probably pick those 3, whatever the amp.

Fun to read what everybody else is working with.