Favorite "Always On" OD Pedals

[stevejamsecono]

I've always done this except for the rare occasion that I've had an amp that sounded good on its own. For a long while it was my Boss BD-2 that was always on, and lately it's been my OCD. I very rarely play clean and if I ever do, I just turn the volume knob on the guitar down, so it's worked for me.

What about all of you? Curious to hear what people have been using lately.

[popvulture]

Not exactly an OD, but I just picked up a used Land Devices EP-5 that I plan on leaving on all the time. I've always been a fan of the Echoplex pre sound, but this configuration's particularly nice because it gives three boost settings—left is the most straightforward, "generally enhancing" boost, middle is a little warmer/rounder, and right is very loud, maybe a no-diode setting if I had to guess. The left setting is my fave, and does a great job of bringing out a little brightness in the 335 that I've been favoring as of late.

[electric12]

I have a Nobels ODR1+ which if not on all the time, is on most of the time. Just adds that bit of crispness and definition. It gets switched off when I need a pure fuzz tone.

[popvulture]

I have a Nobels ODR1+ which if not on all the time, is on most of the time. Just adds that bit of crispness and definition. It gets switched off when I need a pure fuzz tone.

I've always wanted to try one of those. So you use it to just tighten up your gainy tone?

[Trout]

Boss OC-2 Octaver. Adds just a little bit of extra oumph with settings low, and full on Neil Young when cranked

[MayTheFuzzBeWithYou]

Most recently I discovered that the JPTR FX "JIVE - Reel Saturator" is a pretty nice always on pedal. It somehow puts a little magic to your sound whatever pedal is in front of it or afterward. It is supposed sound like an old AKAI gx210 Tape Machine - and has 3 mini toggles to allow individual diodes to be (de/)activated. Depending which diode you choose the sound gets grettier but also a bit more quiet, but there is plenty of volume-reserves you can add to balance that. And also a Gain know if you need it a bit dirtier.
While all his other pedals (at least those I tried) are pretty crazy and belong more into experimental territory - this one is really a secret holy grail kind of pedal. It's still not always always on... that's solely my reverb pedal. but it's a pretty hot candidate!

[MechaBulletBill]

hudson broadcast
fredric klone
super duper 2-in-1

[Maggieo]

Plane Ticket Plus
Archer IKON

[Futuron]

BD-2! Used it for years, it's always-on for every genre, soft or heavy, both knobs at 10->11 o'clock depending on the guitar used.

[electric12]

I have a Nobels ODR1+ which if not on all the time, is on most of the time. Just adds that bit of crispness and definition. It gets switched off when I need a pure fuzz tone.

I've always wanted to try one of those. So you use it to just tighten up your gainy tone?

I use it to add a bit of 'sparkle' or 'sizzle' in front of my Selmer amp on most clean sounds. I find it just lifts the clean a little (the Selmer is VERY clean).
In conjunction with other ODs and distortions it adds a different colour, smooths them out and yes, it can tighten them. As i say, for 'pure fuzz' I tend to switch it off, but it is useful for adding flutey sustain to fuzz too.

[mynameisjonas]

I've used both BD-2 and OCD in the past, as well as my RAD MoFo (which is RAT that's been modified to sound closer to an OCD). For a while I used a Red Llama clone (in combination with another Red Llama clone used as a boost).

[shoule79]

I started out using a Boss Turbo Overdrive for this, then moved onto a Tubescreamer until the last 5 years or so. If I can’t crank my amp these were always on.

Lately I go between a BD-2, OCD and Xotic BB preamp. The B.B. is on my main board, and the BD-2 is on my grab and go. Lately I’ve been digging my Fulldrive 2 on the flat setting for this when messing around at home.

I got to the Blues Driver party fairly late, but It’s hard to beat a BD-2.

[echobaseone]

I don't know why it even has a switch.

[dugwolf]

Smallsound/Bigsound Mini is my favorite.

[kingmedicine]

I don't know why it even has a switch.

Big +1. The Speaker Cranker is my favorite always on OD that works with most amps ive had.

Through the Vox I'm using now, I like the Hotcake always on with my JMs. Also the EQD Westwood has been pretty nice as well.