Overdrive for blackface Twin Reverb. Tchula? Barbershop?

[pacemaker]

Looking for an OD to pair with a blackface Twin Reverb to get medium grit. I'll be using a Tele and a Les Paul. I'd like to retain the character of the amp as much as possible. I've been considering the Lovepedal Tchula and the Fairfield Barbershop; interested in thoughts on how those pedals would pair with the TR. I usually play rootsy, garagey, sometimes punky music – think Neil w/Crazy Horse, Wilco's first album, Whiskeytown, RL Burnside, Son Volt.

[shoule79]

I use a Princeton Reverb, but the EQD Special Cranker does the Neil Young thing in spades with a Fender guitar.

[pacemaker]

Nice! I'll check out the Special Cranker. It hasn't escaped me that the Twin Reverb isn't exactly the right amp for this application, but I do love it.

[fuzzjunkie]

Nice! I'll check out the Special Cranker. It hasn't escaped me that the Twin Reverb isn't exactly the right amp for this application, but I do love it.

I would think Tweed Fender would work better for most of those tones. NY is well known for his tweed amp. That and P90 or humbucker pickups.

For Phil Wandscher tones; his 2 main guitars have been a black Guild with DeArmond pickups - a brighter P90, and a Les Paul with P90s and a Bigsby. He just recently got a Jazzmaster, so he’s got offset ambitions now too.

His main amp has been a Vox AC-30, so not a tweed, but his overdrive pedals have always been from the boosted Tubescreamer family. He used an Ibanez SD-9 for a while, then a Fulldrive. He’s had a Bluesdriver and I think the Durham overdrive too, but all variants of the same theme. He has a NYC Big Muff that he doesn’t use as often.

I know I’ve mentioned the Barbershop to him before as a way to get broken up tweed tones from an AC-30. The Durham pedal definitely shoots for that tone.

The Blackstone MOSFET Overdrive used to be a go to for that as well, but I think you’d be looking for a used one now and they aren’t cheap.

Basic Audio makes a few fuzzy overdrive pedals, or as David Torn likes to say “Underfuzz.” The Futureman is a solid choice, or the Overtdrive for more gain. The Lucky Number and Orange Kay are both low gain and fuzzy for that broken amp sound rather than the big smooth guitar solo sound.

Edit: I forgot to mention the Electra fuzz, a single transistor low gain “fuzz” that’s more an underfuzz. It gets called a tweed amp in a box quite often. You can find this circuit in the Lovepedal COT, the EQD Speaker Cranker, and Joe Gore’s Gross pedal.

[sal paradise]

Catalinbread do a great pushed tweed pedal https://catalinbread.com/products/formula-no-55

[Gavanti]

Either the EAE Halberd or Benson preamp would likely work well.

[MechaBulletBill]

would love to try a barbershop, used to see them going under £100 secondhand but no longer!

[pacemaker]

Thanks y'all!

[Pacafeliz]

Been using my old 1968 Twin for almost 20 years, with my old Boss (MIJ fwiw) SD-1. Never changed it, no need. Love it.

[Zorro]

"I'd like to retain the character of the amp as much as possible" I think you should try a Boss Blues driver! It will do the trick perfectly, and it cleans up almost like a fuzz face. I got one my self for my Twin, and have settled down with it for at least a year. Surprisingly good (and cheap), and I have tried a lot of the usual suspects for Fenders (tube screamers, rats etc). A Blues driver and Hoof fuzz is all I need (for now).

[morgancolgrave]

I’ve been getting some great sounds using my Wampler Pantheon (blue breaker style OD)

[BarnyardCoral]

I know it's a bit late, but your style of music is exactly Iike mine. I've used the Barbershop, SSBS Mini, and a few other JFET based pedals but the pedal that gets me "that sound" is the SD Forza. It's worked on every amp I've ever used, Fenders, Supro, even my Ceriatone Lightning. Pairs great with all my guitars, Tele, Jazzmaster, LP, you name it. It's been on my board the longest of all my ODs.

[panoramic]

I bet the lovepedal amp 11 could get you there, maybe the les luis too

[del]

I bet the lovepedal amp 11 could get you there, maybe the les luis too

I have a Les Lius that gets to those sounds right away.
I think something like the Basic Audio Spooky Tooth could work as well.