The answer is: It depends… 🙂
More likely than not, when I want dirt, I just crank my amp or at the very least get it to the edge of breakup, then use input volume and attack to get it. For some people, a cranked amp is all they need. Absolutely nothing wrong with that. And for a few years, I didn’t use any dirt pedals for overdrive; just my amp. But overdrive slut that I am, I eventually returned to using them. But unlike many players who use overdrive and distortion through a clean headroom amp, relying entirely on their dirt pedal(s) to give them their distorted tone, I use my overdrives, distortion and booster to enhance the overdrive tone of my amp. Here’s how I set my drive pedals up…
In front of my amp
I’ll usually have three drive pedals that I place in front of my amp. First in the chain is always a transparent overdrive. I use a Timmy for that. Next in line is an overdrive that adds color and that I can stack on top of my transparent overdrive. The longest in that position has been my Tone Freak Abunai 2, which has a great compressed tone in its asymmetrical mode, plus a nice bottom-mid. But I will also switch it out with either a GeekMacDaddy Geek Driver (based on the original ColorSound Overdriver circuit – originals sell for about $1200), a Doodad Check-A-Board Red (kind of a brighter TS-808), or when I’m feeling nostalgic, I’ll put my TS-808 re-issue in that position. Last in that chain would be a distortion pedal. I only have one and that is the incredible EWS Little Brute Drive.
At the end of my effects loop
I place my booster (Creation Audio Labs Mk.4.23 Transparent Boost) at the end of my effects loop, which means it’s the last pedal before my power tubes. This gives a modest volume boost, but if my power tubes are already overdriving, it’ll knock them into full saturation, and I can get some nice power tube compression. This is great when I want to add some drama to a lead.
Some people prefer the “amp in a box” type of overdrives, letting overdrive pedals produce their distortion. I rarely use the overdrive pedals with a clean amp as I love the interplay between the natural distortion of an amp and the distortion of the pedals. What this also means is that because I use these pedals with an already breaking up amp, I rarely crank up the gain on these devices. I think that this where the true power of the overdrive pedal resides, as it is half booster, half soft-clipping device. The boost part can push an amp into breakup, then the clipping section will add another dimension to the distortion. Using an overdrive like this, it can be difficult dialing in a good balance between amp and pedal overdrive, but once I’ve found the sweet spot, it’s total ear candy.
I’ve talked previously about how I use my booster in my effects loop, so I won’t go into detail here, but with a booster, it gives me a secondary area to push my amp: after the preamp and before the power section. I like having two independent ways to introduce more gain into my amp. It’s a little finer control.
This is what works for me right now. A few years ago, that arrangement changed practically weekly as I was experimenting with different things. But I’ve pretty much established how I like to use my pedals, and haven’t changed much other than swapping out in specific positions.
Guitar Gear 
[…] Hmm… Cranked Amp? Booster? Overdrive? Distortion? […]
So far, your take on saturation, overdrive and distortion/fuzz have been straight on! I love complex clipping! I CRAVE it! so many tones, so little money… It took 37+ years for me to go from this–> (Kay guitar – MXR Distortion+ – Beltone (???) Solid state amp) to this –> (Les Paul Black Beauty, ’83 Kramer Pacer Special, Les Paul 7-string or Basswood 7-string RG – modded Crybaby wah – Boss SD-1 – Input of Zoom GT9.2TT- fx send of GT9.2TT – self made booster – Damage Control Demonizer – Input (preamp) of 1 of 2 Jet City Amps JCA20H – fx send of same JCA20H – fx return of GT9.2TT – out left and right of GT9.2TT – fx return of both (2) JCA20H – 2 peavey 5150 4×12. In addition, I split the output of the GT9.2TT (using the headphone jack as an additional output source) and run that to my 20 watt 2.1 system from a old computer system (Altec-Lansing) or the P.A. we are using that night, if playing live. That adds the frequencies that my guitar amps cannot reproduce, like sub bass, which adds one more layer of tones to play with…and helps the 7-strings sound by adding back cleaner lows). Wow, that’s quite a list, but the key to it all is the BALANCE between these components that took weeks, no, months to perfect…well, others tell me it sounds sweet, and ask how I do it at such a low volume (I’m old…I like my hearing…bad enough I have to be louder than the drums). THE MORAL: never eschew trying combinations/fx placement, and tweak until it SOUNDS GOOD! the same goes for simulation. try those weird combo’s of stuff. You never know!
btw, my next box will probably be EH’s HOG2. Can’t wait to see where that will fall in the chain. I see more splitters in my future. U RAWK!
Bobq
…how I do it at such a low volume (I’m old…I like my hearing…bad enough I have to be louder than the drums).
Bob, you bring up an excellent point! Even if you’re not old (I fall into the old category myself), there’s no reason to be louder than the drums; especially with today’s sound projection equipment, my philosophy is that as long as I can hear myself, I’ll rely on the PA to get my sound out to the audience.
Vinni Smith of V-Picks has a dirtly little secret when he gigs: He uses a Roland Cube 30 on stage and gets his sound out with a PA. Another friend of mine uses a POD XT and some little Crate monitor boxes to monitor his stuff. Both these guys gig quite a bit.
With respect to your gear evolution, you’ve done exactly what I’ve suggested to players for years. You have to play with your gear to find the right combinations. There are no shortcuts.
[…] Hmm… Cranked Amp? Booster? Overdrive? Distortion? […]