Comments on: Review: Fulltone OCD

By: punkavenger

punkavenger — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 17:26:26 +0000

I play a 97 MIA Roadhouse Strat through a modded blues jr with larger than stock size hardwood cabinet and cannabis rex speaker, Bill M mod too of course. Dang this rig sounds good for blues but I’m having a hard time getting Hendrix / Trower tones out of it. I’m thinking along the lines of “Little Wing” and “Daydream” . Will the OCD help (Trower uses one) or should I try some other pedal? Would be nice to get close with just one pedal although I probably will need a good wah and/or uni vibe eventually. Thanks guys!

By: rafa

rafa — Sat, 11 Jun 2011 15:04:26 +0000

The OCD can make a fender amp sound like a plaxi marshall amazing! i own a custom vibrolux fender amp and whit this pedal sounds great add a tubescreamer for boost the ocd(before the ocd) and thats it ,sustain!!!!

By: Darkhorse

Darkhorse — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 08:35:24 +0000

I meant Ibanez Tube Kings, sorry no spell check on these windows.

By: Darkhorse

Darkhorse — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 08:32:06 +0000

I am on my 2nd OCD, had the v3 traded it off, missed it, and got a new v4. Now that I have used it on my board for some time, I have mixed feelings about it.

I have come to use the pedal more as clean boost than dist drive as I have several other gains. I also use the ICE 9 OD and I do not love that pedal either but it works as good OD. Does not clean up like the OCD. The OCD does a decent Trower drive on roll off, I found the secret is using the Fat Boost w it, now that is a bit of Strat heaven there.

As a clean boost the OCD does a decent job, my main complaint with most Fulltone and so many other OD pedals is the lack of a real tone control. These are all simply treble rolloff filters not really “tone” controls. One I realized that I sort of feel out of love w the pedal. And I am sick of TS green boxes. Visual Sound makes a super great TS type box for $100 that has bass enhancement AND they have what might be the best buffer circuit made, in all their pedals.

So if you really do not want your high rolled off or like me you have a StellarTone control which is a high pass tone control. There is no option here for any added bass or treb, or treb cut adding some bass. The HP switch will go from a flat response to a slight peak about 1K and the bass might be a little enhanced but it is not as clean as when on LP.

Bottom line there are hundreds of drive pedals out there, this one wears a little thin after a while. If you want the best drive and most versitile of models check out BARBER. The Cool Drive, LTD or the Direct drive will have you playing for days with the best tones ever! Internal pots for tweaking and some have a push pull on the tone knob for more options!

Even the Hardwire OD is cool as it actually has tone controls and is only $100. It runs on an internal stepped up voltage, really a great series. So many clean boosts out there are well, Visual Sound makes a cool True Tone and super cool is the new EP booster by Xiotic for only like $100, I know guys who use 2 of them set differently before and after gains or ODs. Two major cool boxes for $150 are the two new Ibanez King King models (red-gain&whiteOD) high voltage real tube drive and dist, major killer tone!

I am a Trower fan from long ago. I got the idea of using the OCD w the Fat Boost from him. He uses the DejaVibe by Fulltone, a great pedal, about $250. MicroVibe & BBE, make good photo cell circuit boxes but the Deja is better quality and more adjustable. It is a real super clone Univibe underated by some players probably their amp or guitar.

The T-Rex Viper Vibe and the Lovepedal Pickle Vibe are not photo cell vibes they are tuned phasers, OK but not the real deal. Move up to $300 and you can get the VersaVibe, or the Ubervibe, and the Electrode tube vibe is around there. Roger Mayer’s Vibe is the super king running around $4-500. Satriani perfers this one. The VoodooLab Micro Vibe is cool for the bucks or the BBE Soul Vibe for like $130.

Paul

By: GoofyDawg

GoofyDawg — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 21:03:06 +0000

You should check out the Voodoo Labs Micro Vibe. I chose it over the Mini Deja Vibe. Does all the Trower and Pink Floyd you want!

By: Trevor Welch

Trevor Welch — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 20:12:36 +0000

Today I bought the OCD by Fulltone I plugged it into my Marshall half stack JMD:1 and my 60th Annniversary Strat with 1957 pick ups….very cool….I sound like Trower….Now I have to buy one darn good uni-vibe , or Deja Vibe. But my wife wants a central vacuum. Oh Dear.!

By: Brian Morrow

Brian Morrow — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 23:58:20 +0000

The Fulltone OCD is indeed an amazing pedal. When I purchased the OCD I purchased a Fulltone Fat Boost-3 to compare – with the intentions of only keeping the one I found most useful. Both are great pedals in there own way. Both pedals can also be used together as a great combination. But I stuck to my guns & returned one of them. The pedal I ended up keeping was the OCD. I’ve purchased many different overdrive & boost pedals over the years to sadly come to the conclusion that most pedals just aren’t up to par. I’ve found that most pedals fall into the category of being more of a novelty then a useful tool. The obvious reason is that most pedals just rob, rob, rob your guitar/amp of tone. Very few pedals actually stand the test of time & tone. The OCD is one of those few very special pedals. It’s worthy in front of any & every RockN’Rollers amp. Nothing about the pedals features would I consider a waste of space. I use the OCD as a boost in front of my amp. I like to dial down the drive just to where it’s opened up while dial up the volume 2/3 to 3/4 & sometimes all the way. I will usually leave it in the HP (High-Peak) setting with the tone somewhere between 3 o’clock or all the way for a sparkling boost with allot of sustain. If I want a warmer tone – I’ll switch it to the LP (Low-Peak) setting with the tone knob somewhere near the middle. You can set & forget or you can be like me, constantly fiddling for new available tone. Just incredible! What a wonderful pedal! & you can get into it for $135! If your searching for “THE” overdrive or boost pedal, don’t waste all your money trying a bunch of cheapos. This pedal can solve almost any tonal issue & make any amplifier sound twice as tasty.

By: GoofyDawg

GoofyDawg — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 16:52:14 +0000

No, the other way around. I always preferred running the TS into the OCD, then using the OCD to boost the signal and slam the front end of my amp with gain. The combination worked great!

By: Rolando

Rolando — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 16:05:40 +0000

Wait, so you recommend that specific OCD setting (3,12,11-2) and then setting the TS as desired? I am assuming you set the TS so that it doesnt distort much, is that correct? Thanks GoofyDawg

By: GoofyDawg

GoofyDawg — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 05:26:43 +0000

Get the Drive on the OCD up to about 3pm, set Level to about 12, and Tone between 11 and 2 so you filter some of the highs out. Then adjust the OCD where you want it. The TS will give you TONS of sustain, then the OCD will give you that extra “oomph.”

By: Rolando

Rolando — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 02:19:17 +0000

Hi guys, awesome article and comments. My current setup is Gibson Les Paul R8 to OCD to Fender DeVille 4×10. I am very happy with the setup and the OCD. However, somehow I always thought that it coulc sound a little bit BIGGER on rythm. So from what I have read so far I believe getting a TS808 maybe the next step. What type of settings have you guys used with the TS808/OCD combo?

By: GoofyDawg

GoofyDawg — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 16:53:21 +0000

Yeah, the OCD is very cool, though I no longer have it. Haven’t tried the ICE9 yet, but will be checking it out soon. My latest fav OD is the Doodad Guitars Check-A-Board RED pedal. TS-like, but it has a sound and dynamic response that’s completely all its own.

By: darkhorse

darkhorse — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 05:56:14 +0000

Nice thoughtful review!
I dig the OCD, had the v3 missed it after having some very good TS mod circuit ODs. Got the v4 in my latest board config. I use it more for the cleaner boosty thing very little drive. It works on my high gain channels as well. Also a Fat Boost 3 which is major coolness by itself or w the OCD. It is a stay on all the time pedal. As for another OD, I have had the Fulldrive as well, I have my sights on the new ICE NINE Vox JS coming out late June. Promises to be a wet dream OD pedal for those who like TS mods and better darker drives. It has a modern/vintage and the “more” boost fav of Joe, been waiting for the shipments to come out. Only $129 so far.

By: Welcome! « Guitar Gear

Welcome! « Guitar Gear — Mon, 10 May 2010 15:34:04 +0000

[...] Review: Fulltone OCD [...]

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By: Gear Review: Tone Freak Effects Abunai 2 Overdrive « Guitar Gear

Gear Review: Tone Freak Effects Abunai 2 Overdrive « Guitar Gear — Thu, 21 May 2009 23:12:23 +0000

[...] this is the best-sounding overdrive pedal I’ve ever played, and I’ve played a lot. You know how taken I was with the OCD, but even that lost out to the Holy Fire, which is yet another killer overdrive/distortion that [...]

By: goofydawg

goofydawg — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 04:27:01 +0000

Like you, my TS is almost always on. But depending upon the guitar I’m using, I either set up the OCD to complement the TS to simulate adding another gain stage, or if I’m using humbuckers, I use the OCD as a booster in high gain mode. It’s really good in that department.

By: Charles

Charles — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 04:06:56 +0000

Up untill about 2 months ago, the only drive I used was my tube screamer, which believe me holds its own. But, being in a jam band, I like to get varying tones so I figured I would try out the OCD. Now I can’t imagine my pedal board without it. I tend to leave the tube screamer on all the time with the drive nob all the way up and the volume a little past halfway, and then if I want to cut into a lead I switch the TS off and the OCD on which is cranked. If you really want to tear someones face off keep both on. YIKES..haha anyways i love this pedal and anything fulltone. I also have the Coral Flange and the Mini Deja-vibe.

By: Fretbase » Review: Fulltone OCD

Fretbase » Review: Fulltone OCD — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 20:55:59 +0000

[...] recently purchased a Fulltone OCD overdrive pedal. I had been doing some research and had read some positive reviews online and was recommended the pedal from a guy I know at Guitar Showcase in San Jose, [...]

By: alex

alex — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 20:47:41 +0000

Great review! “Chain your TS9 and OCD together”.
That is exactly what I do. Without the TS (I have a STL) I could not really find a good lead tone. The midrange boost is a key to that.
Have you tried the fulltone distortion pro by the way ?
I just put it on my board and experiment with it. Somehow this pedal has never become as popular as the OCD or the Fulldrive.

Ciao Alex