Paul you’ve just provided me with a video that answers quite a lot of questions for a learning player who’s no experience of drive pedals. Fantastic!! You’ve also proved that you don’t necessarily have to bust the bank to get a good one. As a relative novice your superb technique and even better feel inspires me to improve. Many many thanks Phil
Well thank you Philip, your comment has put a big smile on my face, cheers mate 👍. And yes, you’re right about affordable pedals..... my Tone City Sweet Cream has never left my board, and it’s possibly my most affordable pedal! Cheers for watching my wee vid.
@@paulstaffordcook8799 I have the sweet cream, but it doesn't sound like that to me hahaha how do you configure it? It's a delight to hear it in your hands
@@TecnicontaDelighted you like the sound of it on this vid. To be honest, I can’t remember how I configured it for this vid, but to my memory, the Gain knob would be at least half way up. And the small Eq knobs generally 12 o’clock. Happy noodling 😊
Thanks for the honest and not snobbish review, even with all those incredible amps and guitar you still spoke so well about the 40 quid pedal. Love your dynamic playing that brings out the responsiveness of the pedals.
one of the reasons i love the lightspeed is how great it feels to dig into it and generally just the great sort of bouncy amp like character. would you say the sweet cream also has a nice comprable pick feel/attack? i've got a lightspeed that i've been using for a long time with another greer pedal "southland harmonic overdrive". i want to replace the southland as it has too much mids, and i'm trying to find other options than just buying a second lightspeed
Hi Gus. Yes, I had it on setting D which is the most attenuated. Yeah, on that setting (volume nearly half way), it’s just delicious. And pretty much bedroom volume 😊👍
Cheers David. I now realise (from the comments section) that my comparison would have been more meaningful if I’d used a completely clean amp tone as my starting point. Oh well, hopefully it’ll still add value to those interested in these pedals.
Hi Kennygame. Good question - the answer is no, but let me expand. Having lived with both the sweet cream and the Lightspeed for some time, I grew to love the Sweet Cream even more (it’s always on my board), and I grew to dislike the Lightspeed, to the point that I sold it. It’s not a bad pedal - in fact it seems to show up on lots of pro player’s boards. But it was just too transparent. Has zero personality. Just “your amp but louder / more driven”. For me, I found it boring and so I stopped using it. Whereas the Sweet Cream has a very lovely personality - I really adds something more than just drive and volume. Hope this info helps.
@@paulstaffordcook8799 Thanks for the reply! I too have the same dilemma. I find myself gravitating towards the Sweet Cream more as well. However, I am a bedroom player so the Lightspeed has become my always-on pedal to give me some grit at lower volumes.
With the Hudson Broadcast Dual I quickly backed the High Gain down, tweaking pots inside. My idea was to have one setting for single coils and the other for humbuckers/P90s It stayed like that for a while but now I've put it back to factory cos I like the Fuzz. My current goto low-gain stack is Lightspeed into an ODR-1. I managed to stop my Overdrive G.A.S. at 40 (including Fuzzes) Wasn't easy stopping though ... Going broke helped. 😉
Thank you Ross! That video took ages to do.... All that connecting and disconnecting pedals, and editing iMovie, and adding flash messages, and then making mistakes and then doing re-takes.... aarrgghh. So I’m delighted you enjoyed it. Cheers mate 👍
Like you said, Too many choices out there. Easy to get lost. Great comparison. Your playing masks them a bit. I like the seet cream too. But a couple others sound nice. SO where do you draw the line?..lol. This is a great format Paul, not a thirty minute video with lots of talk I don't understand. I like it. You may have said on another video, but what pickups are in that strat? You sure make them sound awesome. I love that guitar's sound. But I am sure I couldn't make it sound better than any strat I have. I really like your playing. Thanks for the video.
Thanks Crow, it’s always heartwarming to read such nice comments! The Strat is actually completely stock..... it’s a Custom Shop 1960, lightly relic’d by them. Mi bought it new in 2017. Not sure what they call their pickups, but they’re definitely of the vintage variety. Not high output.... in fact when I jump from the Gibsons to the Strat I have to turn the amp up to compensate. It’s funny, I fall in and out of love with that Strat..... for example, I’m ALWAYS in love with my Gibsons - but this last week, it’s the Strat I can’t put down. Must be going through another honeymoon with it.... 🤣
@@paulstaffordcook8799 Thanks for the reply. I guess fender CS pickups are just pickups, low output in that guitar. I don't know much about what years sound like what, but I gather from reading and watching that low output is better. I have found that to be the case with my telecasters I put together. I am sure most of what I hear is your hands, and a bit of amp. I have an American Standard with Fat 50's in it, but I can't make it bond with me.. It just isn't right somehow. I end up playing my MIM strats. Even though they are cheap ceramic and high output, they feel wonderful and sound great to me. I like that the pole pieces are contoured to fit the neck radius. Blah Blah..lol.. I have always wanted a 335, but can't justify buying one. I might love one if I had it. I don't care for les pauls much, not in my hands. But I have never owned one. Play on Paul..
Ah, now I’ve not yet tried the Nobles ODR pedals..... although I know they’re a bit of a classic and that they’re synonymous with Tom Bukovac.... They are definitely on my “must try” list 😀
Found myself back here after searching for something completely different, and rewatched. Curious your feelings now. Have your taste changed in pedals or remain the same? Great stuff man. You are a fantastic player
Thank you John, I’m chuffed you came back for a fresh look. And the answer is yes, my tastes have evolved. Or should I say my playing has become much cleaner and is rarely driven. Hence, I’m down to just 1 board with only 2 overdrives - my Kingsley Page and my Tone City Kafir Lime. It’s been that way for over a year now…..
have a sweet cream pedal downstairs literally just spent hours surfing the internet looking at whether i should buy a lightspeed or another supposedly 'transparent' overdrive. Think you just saved me £200, cheers mate.
Hi Joe, glad you’re gonna resurrect your Sweet Cream pedal. It’s been a few months since I made that vid, and so I’m now much more familiar with these pedals, and what I like and don’t like. So at today’s date, I still rate the Sweet Cream as fantastic! And would you believe the Greer Amps Lightspeed is now OFF my board.! SHOCK!! I’ll not sell it just yet, but I’ve come to realise that I don’t like TRANSPARENT overdrives as much as I thought I would. I like an Overdrive to have a personality. Hence, I LOVE the focused raspy sound of the Sweet Cream, I LOVE the dry fuzz of the Broadcast, and I LOVE the huge bassy warmth of the MojoMojo. All these pedals bring something special to the party. Whereas the Lightspeed lacks personality. Just my opinion 😀
Owned a Hudson Dual Broadcast for a month now and it’s my favorite for sonic enhancement and touch/feel. Low gain setting feeding an overdriven channel, just too gratifying to think about removing
Funny you should say that.... after owning mine for a couple of years now, I have to say it’s got to be the FIRST pedal I’d grab if I had to flee in a hurry. It really is lovely. That slightly lo-fi, gritty, almost fuzz like quality..... it’s quite unique, I love it.
Really cool jazzy playing through all this, and that goldtop is gorgeous. That kafir lime is pretty nasally isn't it? Might work better with the strat than the les paul. The strat will be a bit more scooped, might complement it more.
Thanks Cody, delighted you checked out this vid! After all, your Lightspeed video played a part in my decision 👍. I took your advice and tried the Kafir Lime with the Strat..... you’re right! I can now see why Strats and mid-boosty overdrives work well together. Cheers
Your guitar playing is super musical! Was already planning on buying the lightspeed, but may have to throw the sweet cream in there too. Love the extra mid push and and saturation that it provides without sounding screamer-ish
Hi Paul Is there any pedal that can give you a Leslie West sound from the early days of his career? Back in the day when I heard Mississippi Queen for the first time an till this day. It's the most powerful guitar sound I ever heard.
Hi Chris. Funny you should talk about Leslie West and his powerful guitar sound.... Yesterday I was blown away by it! What I mean is that my RUclips feed popped up a vid called “Leslie West 36+ minute solo / Live in Witchita ‘71”. Oh my lord, within 2 minutes I was saving it to my favourites! His tone was like a volcano eruption! Then suddenly he’s back to tiny volume, doing volume swells making it sound like a small orchestral violin. Wow! As for your question? My gut reaction is no. When we hear early Leslie West we’re hearing a few things that are essential in getting that tone - (1) huge volume, (2) a Les Paul Junior - I definitely recognise that crude unrefined “mid-heavy” punch that Junior’s provide (3) a very aggressive attack, particularly from the picking hand. That’s my thoughts. The most important of these 3 is probably the Junior.... They do provide that character immediately. Hope that helps. Cheers for watching 👍
Niiiiice! What about the Greer "Soma 63" or the Lovepedal "Cot50/Eternity', are they contenders? Like the playing at end 11mins🔜end , i wonder what song that is?Jeff Beck, Rory Gallager?
Hi Star Cloud. Yes, I’ve heard of the Soma 63 but not heard of the Cot50. So I will do some research, as Greer and Lovepedal have lots of fans 😀. That song at the end of my vid..... it’s just me playing along to a blues backing track, so the lead playing is all mine. You can see my full version here ruclips.net/video/8wQyaSAdqOc/видео.html. Thanks for watching 👍
Thanks Cody! Yeah, that Gold Top is part of a special run at the Custom Shop, all done in 2009. This was the year of Les Paul’s death. This is one of only 564 made worldwide, with 6 made for each year he lived (1915 to 2009). I’m a lucky boy to have it.
The very first piece of music you played was very John Mayer, very nicely done !! I think the cream and broadcaster sound great with the valve amp . But Paul what happens when you discover the pitch shifters and modulation pedals!!!? Steady the ship !! You're on the slippery slope to pedal boards, multi effects !! And God forbid "the kemper" .😂😂😂 Fantastic playing and have a great new year .😃
I’m smiling as I read your comment! You’re so right.... and I really don’t want to go too far down this rabbit hole. So here’s where I think it will lead..... I bet that by the end of 2020, I will have a proper pedalboard, i.e. with slots to feed the wires out the way to keep things tidy. And I see myself with a Voodoo labs pedal power supply (or similar). And I fancy one of these “switcher” things on the board like the pros have. But I will try to limit myself to 6 pedals.... But if I buy a Kemper you have my permission to shoot me in the face 🤣
@@paulstaffordcook8799 haha death by kemper!!! 😂😂 poor lad just tried to model to many amps!! When they found him the amp was set to 11 and he was running four boost pedals. .. He didn't stand a chance. ..They had to peal him off the walls. ..😂😂😂 cheers Paul And soon I'm sure you will find out that the cheap multi effects pedals are now rather better than they used to be ...Oh steady the ship !!! Ah the stuff of dreams!!! Have a good week 😃
Another TPS victim mwahahaha! Good choices, mate. No laughter from me. I really like the Mojo Mojo! My namesake likes that one and my other fave, the Xotic AC Booster. Bang for buck. Sweet Cream is also good, reminds me of my Bearfoot Sweet Honey. . I must be the only person in the world who doesn't care for the Lightspeed. I love their Little Samson, but for "transparent" (ugh, we NEED a new term) OD I prefer the DOD Looking Glass or Vick Audio Tree of Life & Mt. Pleasant pedals. .And, ofc, the good old BD-2!
Actually, it’s funny you mention you’re not that keen on the Lightspeed..... after a number of months I came to the same conclusion and have since sold it. Cheers for watching Matt
Which amp do you use here? Because overdrive pedals reacts different to different amps, lightspeed fir example will sound much better with amp with more mids like a vox or Marshall than with a fender. Its very rig dependent, so its hard to judge which one is better without knowing the amp
Hi Gili. The amp was a Cornell Romany 12 (late 50s tweed style valve amp), and it was set to a slight crunch tone. Yes, I’m not an experienced pedal guy, and yet I know what I want. Since this video, I have settled on the fact that I LOVE the Hudson Broadcast, with all amps. And I sold the Greer Lightspeed, because, to me, it’s too transparent and therefore devoid of any personality. Regardless of amp. Hope that helps.
I’ve gotta agree that the Broadcast is a keeper. I just love its “lo-fi” slightly broken / spitty character.... almost like it’s the love child of an Overdrive and a Fuzz.
Love your playing lots of feeling in those notes! Been look at the hudson for a while.. think I’m gonna pull the trigger and grab one Edited: said benson instead of Hudson!
Good vid Paul, I agree with the comment about playing into a totally clean amp, the difference between the pedals would be more discernable. Also try cascading two pedals one into the other to get a clean, crunch 1,crunch 2, lead, setup. The trick is getting a balance on the individual levels, but is is worth persevering with. By the way Shane from 'In the Blues' has just demoed a pedal fron a French company called 'Jacques' with a picture of a sheep on it! Anyway, it is very touch sensitive, might be just the thing your looking for. On the other hand I don't think you would like a Klon style pedal, they have a mid push similar to a tube screamer pedal, but at a different frequency. . One thing you'll find out with pedals is that they are 'amp specific', so a pedal that sounds good with one amp, might not sound good with another. Luckily your just the guy to put this theory to the test with your impressive amp collection. Ian.
Thanks Ian, yes I’m starting to agree that a completely clean amp Tone would be a better comparison..... Now that you mention it, I’m sure I’ve read that players like Eric Gayles, Josh Smith, Philip Sayce etc., use loud 100w clean amps with tons of headroom, and they let the pedal provide the Overdrive tones... Looks like I’m going to have lots of experimenting to do 🤣. Thanks for the info Ian, appreciated. 👍
Hi Paul, great great playing indeed. I have a broadcast dual and am considering a lightspeed. Have you experiment with stacking those two? If so, do they stack well? Broadcast into lightspeed ot lightspeed into broadcast? Keep up the amazing playing. :-) Thanks
Hi Ernie, sorry for late reply. just catching up. No, I tend not to stack Overdrives..... I know many players love doing this. But I usually like to stay pretty close to the original guitar / amp sound. But just for the hell of it, I stomped on the lightspeed yesterday (and then onto the Broadcast)..... Good sound. I didn’t try it the other way round as that would involve mucking about with the cables on my Pedalboard. Personally, I’d still rather hear them one at a time, but that’s just me. m old fashioned 🤣. Cheers for watching
you put a fair bit of work into that video Paul. fancy getting one of those sweet creams, although i think the kafir sounded much better with the strat just shows that the more expensive ones don't really show a big difference in relation to the cost, i imagine the justification in cost comes at volume and in band mix situations not something i need to worry about any more :) Again many thanks for taking the time to make the video, playing sublime as usual loving seeing those subscriptions going up and up, aye a mind when he wiz just a boy wi double figures heheheh great stuff mate
Laughed out loud there Charlie, brilliant! When I’m rich and famous, and trashing hotel rooms in Vegas, I promise I’ll remember you. And I’ll give you a special mention when Guitarist magazine do the 4 page interview.... “So Paul, where did it all start?”, and I’ll be like “well I remember I had a couple of Katana vids and one subscriber.... Charlie I think his name was...”.
The thing is, overdrives are meant to push an amp that’s already working, i.e. not clean. So this demo is great in my opinion. ODs sound comparatively lifeless (usually) unless they’re pushing something so while a clean amp might be more “true” it definitely wouldn’t show the pedals in their best light. Caveat: tone is subject 😄
Harder than finding a good guitar or amp-at least it’s was for me and about just as expensive at the end of the day. Probably mostly due to my first real amp-a 65’ Ampeg Reverberocket. It didn’t like what it saw on the input-any overdrive. The exception was a cheap joyo tube screamer clone but it wasn’t the sound I was looking for.That Pedal Show clued me in. I just bought a 90’s Analog Man modded Fuzz Face. It has buffer switch and sun dial. Finally, fuzz as it exist in my minds ear. This option may go a long way I helping those who have had a difficult time finding a compatible fuzz. The buffer switch really helped tighten up the sludges day spike of sound that a fuzz can be. Who knew? My 2 cents. Tough call between the Hudson and Greer. Both wonderful. I keep finding myself wanting a gold top with P-90’s. Just don’t get along with humbuckers as well as single coils. P-90’s seem like the best of both worlds.
Hi 😀. Yes, as the years go by, I think I’m falling in love with P90s..... Sounds obvious to say, but they really do occupy that middle ground - fat, but with the perfect amount of “sting”. As regards the Greer versus Hudson.... I’ve had a good number of months now to get used to them all. And I’ve realized that I like my Overdrives to have their own personality. I don’t seem to appreciate “transparency”.... So my Greer is now off my board . SHOCK 😲. For me, it’s just not adding anything very spicy. Whereas the Hudson has stacks of personality, as does the MojoMojo, as does the Sweet Cream.... But that’s just my personal feeling. Hope that helps. 👍
Great video Paul, this is easily my favourite guitar channel on RUclips. 🙌 I got the Boss Katana thanks to your review and I wasn't disappointed. Would you also recommend getting the Sweet Cream - is it substantially better than the overdrive/booster you get on the Katana Mk2? I have a very small pedalboard so I don't want to get too many pedals, but I'm really tempted to give this little guy a try.
Delighted you like my channel! Thank you 👍. I do love the Sweet Cream, and still enjoy using it, despite having accumulated more and more pedals. My honest answer to your query...... Hmm, no, I’d say if space on your board is an issue then the booster on your Katana will keep you happy and entertained on its own. Afterall, I think Boss based the circuit on a Boss Blues Driver Pedal which is a wonderful full frequency boost. So save your money and space. However, whilst the Sweet Cream isn’t “SIGNIFICANTLY” better, I do think it’s “slightly” better. And maybe more versatile (via the pedal’s 3 knobs). Add that to the very reasonable price..... then it really is just down to space. Hope this helps your dilemma.
I have the Sweet Cream among other pedals and it's definitely one of my favorites. We have very similar taste :) I have a standard LP and junior LP DC with P90s. I advise you to try the Tube Pilot by TC Electronics, it's a great affordable pedal, and stacks very well with the Sweet Cream.
Great overview, Paul. Well done. I have a Sweet Cream and it is really special. Unfortunately it stops working every now and then and and now i have dilemma: Do I get this cheap pedal repaired? Will the fix cost more than the actual pedal? LOL, first world problems. Nice channel, keep up the great work.
the lightspeed is pretty bass heavy. the circuit is interactive so you can cut some of that out, but in some regards you're either on the slope with that one or not. I've got one and it's not my favorite. there are a fair number of "your amp... but more" pedals and largely they aren't for me but I prefer really very clean amplifiers. I do think the Paul Cochrane Timmy is an excellent pedal in this range (as the Veruram Jan Ray which is the same circuit minus one value for many, many more dollars) and it's active bass and treble cuts are quite powerful. there's also the Clark Gainster, which is as close to truly neutral sounding as you can get. that being said, I find these pedals kind of frustrating. overdriving amps do not sound like the same amp clean, but with more gain/compression. they almost always start changing as it takes so much more power to clip bass frequencies than treble frequencies, and so I prefer something with a bit of eq myself. Some of my favorites are the Menatone Red Snapper and Rockett Blue Note. both very nice pedals that I think work well into both big amps and smaller ones with their very light mid forwardness and bass cuts.
You make good points TCM. And it sounds like you know your stuff. I just kinda go with what sounds good. Interestingly, since recording this video, I seem to have changed verdicts a bit. I have now removed the Greer Amps Lightspeed from my board - too transparent. I’ve discovered I don’t like transparency in an overdrive. For me, transparent means “no personality”. So I’m much preferring OD pedals that bring a little something spicy to the party. You mention the Timmy..... not tried it but I hear good things 😀. Cheers for watching my vid 👍
Paul.... hope not a rude question but do you make your living playng the guitar? Where do you perform? Also... would be really interesting if you did some videos on the kind of music you listen to ... you’ve don’t talk much about that stuff but you’ve got such a great eclectic style so would be great to get a feel for where you pick up some of you style... you tend to talk more about gear then your playing and I know I’m n9t the only one who loves your playing and is curious..
Hi Paul, thanks for your interest! Actually, I’m a full time Driving Instructor working 9 to 5:30, Monday to Friday. All my guitar playing and YouTubing is done in the evenings or weekends. I’m not in a band and don’t make any money from guitar. I did a video a wee while ago at the 1000 subs mark, called “1000 subs! - a bit about me” ruclips.net/video/pQmwAc8RR8s/видео.html. At the 4 minutes mark I go into a bit of detail about my past. I would LOVE to be in a band but at 50 years old, I’m a bit put off by the difficulty in finding the right people..... So I’m enjoying building my channel. “Success” to me would be getting an invite from Lee Anderton to go on to his channel for one of his “The Captain meets.....”. 🤣. Cheers Paul, it’s great to think people are taking an interest. 🙏
I’m 55 so I know what you mean but once you find a bunch of like minded folk being in a band is great, there’s four of us and when we started the ages ranged from 32 to 52.... you are too good not to be performing, even if it is ocassionally... I’m trying to start a second band and giving this website a try: www.joinmyband.co.uk/.
Sweet!!! Search here for (Sucker For a Pretty Face) by RockCandy, it's a great under rated 80s album!!! Also search here for some very rare Rock Candy demo songs like. (Alone At Last), (Wild Ones), (No Tell Motel), (Rockcandy 1988), (Daddy's Little Girl), (Live Without Your Love). Enjoy
Watched all of your videos now and enjoyed them all. I put half a dozen magic blues tracks beneath this comment, hope you enjoy them, and maybe find some inspiration for more great videos. Cheers Sean Costello - Double Trouble Matt Schofield - Anything But Time Damon Fowler - After The Rain Jeff McErlain - Marta Eric Tessmer - Good So Bad Dan Patlansky - Only An Ocean
Thank you Graeme! That was kind of you. I’m now catching up with things after a really busy week, so I’ll have a listen to these tracks today. Thanks again man, appreciated 👍
Yeah, it certainly is different (and way more transparent) than my other drives. I play 5 guitars through 4 amps. So when quickly changing guitar, I can suddenly find myself in tonal dead spot.... so the Greer can immediately brighten up a dark sound. Cheers Tony
Broadcast (though not strictly an overdrive) sounds great (as I knew it would). Lightspeed has everything but lucks character. The other ones are ho-ham. The Kafir has more guts and character then the others in that lot.
I bought the Sweet Cream on your recommendation and so far I am not a fan. I already have the broadcaster, which I find to be far superior to the Sweet Cream. At least it was only 50 bucks. Nice playing BTW. Cheers
Hi Chad. Yip, all down to personal preference I guess. As time has gone on (since first acquiring the Sweet Cream), I’ve fallen more and more in love with my Hudson Broadcast, which is down to its slightly fuzzy, lo-fi “frayed at the edges” kinda sound. And yet another favourite is still my cheap little Sweet Cream 🤣. Anyway, all down to what works with your own set up. Delighted you liked my playing 👍
A very nice demo and presentation, sir. I really liked the Sweet Cream with humbuckers, but surprisingly, the MojoMojo with the Strat-at least for those 'lead' lines. You've been *playing* for more than 2.5 years, though, right? RIGHT?! Your playing puts me to shame.
Thanks, I’m glad you liked my vid. Cheers 👍. And yes, I’ve been playing for ages, but never got into the pedal thing until fairly recently. Prior to that I was just a guitar and amp guy. It’s funny looking back at this vid…. Things evolve so quickly and now I have two pedal boards 🤣 (see latest pedalboard demo ruclips.net/video/of2w3ButwGg/видео.html)
Others: Bogner Ecstacy Blue, Keeley D&M, Red Dirt; Provedence: Stampede, Flame Drive, Red Brick. Mythos; Herculean, Mjolinar, plus I like J Rockett Hot Rubber Monkey.
Actually, you’re right, I’d LOVE to try a Kingsley pedal! Quite difficult to source one here in the UK. But I’m really intrigued to try one. Cheers for watching my wee vid 👍
@@paulstaffordcook8799 Thanks so much for replying. Your tone and touch on the guitar is just amazing. Keep on keeping on! I mentioned it because I played a 50W JMP head and 4x12 cab for nearly 20 years in bands and tried every pedal under the sun until I could coax the exact sounds I need thru stacking etc. During this Covid I decided to get a new combo amp 40W 6L6's and a vintage 12". Well it is amazing how nearly every pedal on my board has changed. It's not that any are bad but they speak differently thru different rigs for sure. I appreciate your videos.
Interesting..... because the Lightspeed is the 1 pedal I decided to sell in the end. For me it was just too transparent..... but each to their own 😁. Cheers for watching
Excellent as usual... but, in my opinion, drive pedals should be tested with the amp totally clean. Good tube amps like yours can mask the sound when they are on the verge of breaking up. It is not a deal breaker, but would be a better exam of the pedals. Would it be even better in a high headroom amp. And never record using mic on the speakers. The way you do is the best to have a better idea of the sound in the room, with you.PS - your playing is amazingly awesome.
Hi Ivan. Yes, you make a very relevant point, about using a clean high headroom amp. In fact, I think that’s what players like Eric Gales, Josh Smith, and Philip Sayce do. I see a lot of players using 100w Two Rock amps (very clean) and letting the Drive pedals do the work. I’ll give that a shot. Cheers Ivan 👍
I'm sure you know the Sweet Cream is generally agreed to be a clone of the Mad Professor Sweet Honey....it would be interesting if you could get your hands on one to compare..
@@paulstaffordcook8799 ...Of course you do know that now you've started on this slippery slope to find the ultimate overdrive pedal....the one that is just out of reach over the horizon, that there is no end to this and that it will take over your life. You'll likely end up living in a car drinking meths with nothing but hundreds of pedals surfing the web on your phone for the next one...( er...like me).... ;)
hi paul i just watched your video of your dad colection that blew me away .do you have a email address ..i would love your opinion on a guitar i have .ive not had much luck from gibson .thanks
Hi oddsodd6110, delighted you liked my Dad’s collection. It’s great to see so many comments coming in. My email is paul_ursusarctos@hotmail.co.uk. I’d be glad to give you my opinion on your guitar. Cheers for watching 👍
"So, here's my pedal collection so far, don't laugh ..." HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA, OH OH OH OH OH .... HA HA HA HA HA HA .... HEE HEE, OH OH OH .... HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA .... whew .... hmmm .... HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA .....
Hi Sergey. Yes, I think you’re right.... I’m kinda new to the world of Overdrive pedals, and I realise now that I should probably have used a clean amp. This might have shown up the differences more. As regards the different styles of music.... this channel is less about “impartial product reviews” and more about me playing the blues..... 😀
Great playing as always! The Lightspeed is one of my personal favorites and has held its own for quite some time now. Great pedal!
Thanks Michael. Appreciate you watching my wee vid. 👍
Paul you’ve just provided me with a video that answers quite a lot of questions for a learning player who’s no experience of drive pedals. Fantastic!!
You’ve also proved that you don’t necessarily have to bust the bank to get a good one.
As a relative novice your superb technique and even better feel inspires me to improve. Many many thanks
Phil
Well thank you Philip, your comment has put a big smile on my face, cheers mate 👍. And yes, you’re right about affordable pedals..... my Tone City Sweet Cream has never left my board, and it’s possibly my most affordable pedal! Cheers for watching my wee vid.
@@paulstaffordcook8799 I have the sweet cream, but it doesn't sound like that to me hahaha how do you configure it? It's a delight to hear it in your hands
@@TecnicontaDelighted you like the sound of it on this vid. To be honest, I can’t remember how I configured it for this vid, but to my memory, the Gain knob would be at least half way up. And the small Eq knobs generally 12 o’clock. Happy noodling 😊
Thanks for the honest and not snobbish review, even with all those incredible amps and guitar you still spoke so well about the 40 quid pedal. Love your dynamic playing that brings out the responsiveness of the pedals.
Thank you Vivek 👍. Delighted you liked my wee vid, cheers.
Man. This is the video I wanted to see! Thanks, Paul.
I could listen to you play all day, lovely tones!
Thank you Ian! Delighted you like my playing 🙏
Very helpful demo. Great playing. Cheers.
Thank you sassulusmagnus 👍
Lovely playing Paul! Very soulful! Great tones!
Mojomojo and Lightspeed are my picks.
Thanks Jon 👍
Just found this. The Sweet Cream would make me very happy. The name is perfect. Thanks.
Glad you like it! I still have it on my board, it’s just great!
one of the reasons i love the lightspeed is how great it feels to dig into it and generally just the great sort of bouncy amp like character. would you say the sweet cream also has a nice comprable pick feel/attack? i've got a lightspeed that i've been using for a long time with another greer pedal "southland harmonic overdrive". i want to replace the southland as it has too much mids, and i'm trying to find other options than just buying a second lightspeed
Not the same price range, but I really dig the Blues Power along with a JHS bonsai as well as the Clean Drive from Honey Bee.
What a player you are, sir! Lots of feeling in those fingers and very inspiring. Good, honest demo!
Thank you Zoltar, kind words. Appreciated
hi paul did you use the attenuator on the cornell incredible tone
Hi Gus. Yes, I had it on setting D which is the most attenuated. Yeah, on that setting (volume nearly half way), it’s just delicious. And pretty much bedroom volume 😊👍
15secs in and I’m already a subscriber. Great playing!
Thank you Simon! Welcome aboard 👍.
Great demo Paul,I liked how you tried all the pedals with the same backing track at the end.
Cheers David. I now realise (from the comments section) that my comparison would have been more meaningful if I’d used a completely clean amp tone as my starting point. Oh well, hopefully it’ll still add value to those interested in these pedals.
Just curious. Have you stacked the Sweet Cream and Light speed? Are they too similar? Does one essentially just boost the other? Thanks for the video!
Hi Kennygame. Good question - the answer is no, but let me expand. Having lived with both the sweet cream and the Lightspeed for some time, I grew to love the Sweet Cream even more (it’s always on my board), and I grew to dislike the Lightspeed, to the point that I sold it. It’s not a bad pedal - in fact it seems to show up on lots of pro player’s boards. But it was just too transparent. Has zero personality. Just “your amp but louder / more driven”. For me, I found it boring and so I stopped using it. Whereas the Sweet Cream has a very lovely personality - I really adds something more than just drive and volume. Hope this info helps.
@@paulstaffordcook8799 Thanks for the reply! I too have the same dilemma. I find myself gravitating towards the Sweet Cream more as well. However, I am a bedroom player so the Lightspeed has become my always-on pedal to give me some grit at lower volumes.
All of them sound really nice on your hands haha!
Thanks Otávio, you’re too kind 😊
Some goods sounds there Paul!
With the Hudson Broadcast Dual I quickly backed the High Gain down, tweaking pots inside.
My idea was to have one setting for single coils and the other for humbuckers/P90s
It stayed like that for a while but now I've put it back to factory cos I like the Fuzz.
My current goto low-gain stack is Lightspeed into an ODR-1.
I managed to stop my Overdrive G.A.S. at 40 (including Fuzzes)
Wasn't easy stopping though ...
Going broke helped. 😉
I like what you’re saying Kozmykj. Yes, the whole GAS thing can certainly lead you to the poor house!
9:25 Witchy Woman live version? Great playing!
Well spotted man, you are correct! I’m a huge Don Felder fan.
Love you videos. Love your playing. Nice demo.
I think I would get the Lightspeed, since I would want something with more full bottom end for use with bass guitar. Great video, sir!
Thank you Matt! 👍
Hey cuz!
Excellent video and playing sir! For me its the lightspeed then mojo then cream
Thank you John! Delighted you liked my playing 😊
@@paulstaffordcook8799 When it's good it is good! great job man!
Always enjoy your playing
Thank you Ross! That video took ages to do.... All that connecting and disconnecting pedals, and editing iMovie, and adding flash messages, and then making mistakes and then doing re-takes.... aarrgghh. So I’m delighted you enjoyed it. Cheers mate 👍
Very useful roundup. If you get the chance try the Lovepedal OD11 or Amp11.
Thanks Chief Brody! Glad you liked the roundup. I’ve not yet tried the two pedals you mention.... so I will be sure to let keep an eye out 👍
Great playing, great sound. Great channel
Thank you so topografer! Appreciated 🙏
Your phrases are just butter my friend! what a great demonstration. I know the audio quality isn't the best but you can def get the vibe of each.
Dude you have some serious chops!
Thank you cwyld 😊
Like you said, Too many choices out there. Easy to get lost. Great comparison. Your playing masks them a bit. I like the seet cream too. But a couple others sound nice. SO where do you draw the line?..lol. This is a great format Paul, not a thirty minute video with lots of talk I don't understand. I like it. You may have said on another video, but what pickups are in that strat? You sure make them sound awesome. I love that guitar's sound. But I am sure I couldn't make it sound better than any strat I have. I really like your playing. Thanks for the video.
Thanks Crow, it’s always heartwarming to read such nice comments! The Strat is actually completely stock..... it’s a Custom Shop 1960, lightly relic’d by them. Mi bought it new in 2017. Not sure what they call their pickups, but they’re definitely of the vintage variety. Not high output.... in fact when I jump from the Gibsons to the Strat I have to turn the amp up to compensate. It’s funny, I fall in and out of love with that Strat..... for example, I’m ALWAYS in love with my Gibsons - but this last week, it’s the Strat I can’t put down. Must be going through another honeymoon with it.... 🤣
@@paulstaffordcook8799 Thanks for the reply. I guess fender CS pickups are just pickups, low output in that guitar. I don't know much about what years sound like what, but I gather from reading and watching that low output is better. I have found that to be the case with my telecasters I put together. I am sure most of what I hear is your hands, and a bit of amp. I have an American Standard with Fat 50's in it, but I can't make it bond with me.. It just isn't right somehow. I end up playing my MIM strats. Even though they are cheap ceramic and high output, they feel wonderful and sound great to me. I like that the pole pieces are contoured to fit the neck radius. Blah Blah..lol..
I have always wanted a 335, but can't justify buying one. I might love one if I had it. I don't care for les pauls much, not in my hands. But I have never owned one. Play on Paul..
I went for the Sweet Cream as a Booster ( always on ) and the Nobels ODR for the Overdrive. Thanks Paul and Tom ( Bukovac )
Ah, now I’ve not yet tried the Nobles ODR pedals..... although I know they’re a bit of a classic and that they’re synonymous with Tom Bukovac.... They are definitely on my “must try” list 😀
Found myself back here after searching for something completely different, and rewatched. Curious your feelings now. Have your taste changed in pedals or remain the same? Great stuff man. You are a fantastic player
Thank you John, I’m chuffed you came back for a fresh look. And the answer is yes, my tastes have evolved. Or should I say my playing has become much cleaner and is rarely driven. Hence, I’m down to just 1 board with only 2 overdrives - my Kingsley Page and my Tone City Kafir Lime. It’s been that way for over a year now…..
have a sweet cream pedal downstairs literally just spent hours surfing the internet looking at whether i should buy a lightspeed or another supposedly 'transparent' overdrive. Think you just saved me £200, cheers mate.
Hi Joe, glad you’re gonna resurrect your Sweet Cream pedal. It’s been a few months since I made that vid, and so I’m now much more familiar with these pedals, and what I like and don’t like. So at today’s date, I still rate the Sweet Cream as fantastic! And would you believe the Greer Amps Lightspeed is now OFF my board.! SHOCK!! I’ll not sell it just yet, but I’ve come to realise that I don’t like TRANSPARENT overdrives as much as I thought I would. I like an Overdrive to have a personality. Hence, I LOVE the focused raspy sound of the Sweet Cream, I LOVE the dry fuzz of the Broadcast, and I LOVE the huge bassy warmth of the MojoMojo. All these pedals bring something special to the party. Whereas the Lightspeed lacks personality. Just my opinion 😀
@@paulstaffordcook8799 thanks for sharing your views I dig your sound so I trust you keep up the good work!
Owned a Hudson Dual Broadcast for a month now and it’s my favorite for sonic enhancement and touch/feel. Low gain setting feeding an overdriven channel, just too gratifying to think about removing
Funny you should say that.... after owning mine for a couple of years now, I have to say it’s got to be the FIRST pedal I’d grab if I had to flee in a hurry. It really is lovely. That slightly lo-fi, gritty, almost fuzz like quality..... it’s quite unique, I love it.
Really cool jazzy playing through all this, and that goldtop is gorgeous. That kafir lime is pretty nasally isn't it? Might work better with the strat than the les paul. The strat will be a bit more scooped, might complement it more.
Thanks Cody, delighted you checked out this vid! After all, your Lightspeed video played a part in my decision 👍. I took your advice and tried the Kafir Lime with the Strat..... you’re right! I can now see why Strats and mid-boosty overdrives work well together. Cheers
Your guitar playing is super musical! Was already planning on buying the lightspeed, but may have to throw the sweet cream in there too. Love the extra mid push and and saturation that it provides without sounding screamer-ish
Thanks Shane, appreciate your compliment 👍
Greer is life.
I’m fully convinced that if the sweet cream was 4x the price and in a regular size box it’d be lauded as one of the greatest pedals of all time.
I have to agree actually. It’s fab.
A jeezus another guitarist disappears down the rabbit hole. 😂😂 Respect and stay healthy all.
You’re SO right. But I think I can still see daylight 🤣
I think for this one the iPhone doesn't quite capture the sound of each overdrive pedal. lovely playing Paul as always :p
Hi Paul
Is there any pedal that can give you a Leslie West sound from the early days of his career?
Back in the day when I heard Mississippi Queen for the first time an till this day.
It's the most powerful guitar sound I ever heard.
Hi Chris. Funny you should talk about Leslie West and his powerful guitar sound.... Yesterday I was blown away by it! What I mean is that my RUclips feed popped up a vid called “Leslie West 36+ minute solo / Live in Witchita ‘71”. Oh my lord, within 2 minutes I was saving it to my favourites! His tone was like a volcano eruption! Then suddenly he’s back to tiny volume, doing volume swells making it sound like a small orchestral violin. Wow! As for your question? My gut reaction is no. When we hear early Leslie West we’re hearing a few things that are essential in getting that tone - (1) huge volume, (2) a Les Paul Junior - I definitely recognise that crude unrefined “mid-heavy” punch that Junior’s provide (3) a very aggressive attack, particularly from the picking hand. That’s my thoughts. The most important of these 3 is probably the Junior.... They do provide that character immediately. Hope that helps. Cheers for watching 👍
I think the Kafir Lime sounded the best with your style and touch. IMHO
Niiiiice! What about the Greer "Soma 63" or the Lovepedal "Cot50/Eternity', are they contenders? Like the playing at end 11mins🔜end , i wonder what song that is?Jeff Beck, Rory Gallager?
Hi Star Cloud. Yes, I’ve heard of the Soma 63 but not heard of the Cot50. So I will do some research, as Greer and Lovepedal have lots of fans 😀. That song at the end of my vid..... it’s just me playing along to a blues backing track, so the lead playing is all mine. You can see my full version here ruclips.net/video/8wQyaSAdqOc/видео.html. Thanks for watching 👍
Man they all sounds pretty damn good. What is that gold top ? I may have missed it. Love p90s
Oh and the broadcast all the way !! I have the aerial posen version. Always on haha
Thanks Cody! Yeah, that Gold Top is part of a special run at the Custom Shop, all done in 2009. This was the year of Les Paul’s death. This is one of only 564 made worldwide, with 6 made for each year he lived (1915 to 2009). I’m a lucky boy to have it.
The very first piece of music you played was very John Mayer, very nicely done !! I think the cream and broadcaster sound great with the valve amp . But Paul what happens when you discover the pitch shifters and modulation pedals!!!? Steady the ship !!
You're on the slippery slope to pedal boards, multi effects !! And God forbid "the kemper" .😂😂😂
Fantastic playing and have a great new year .😃
I’m smiling as I read your comment! You’re so right.... and I really don’t want to go too far down this rabbit hole. So here’s where I think it will lead..... I bet that by the end of 2020, I will have a proper pedalboard, i.e. with slots to feed the wires out the way to keep things tidy. And I see myself with a Voodoo labs pedal power supply (or similar). And I fancy one of these “switcher” things on the board like the pros have. But I will try to limit myself to 6 pedals.... But if I buy a Kemper you have my permission to shoot me in the face 🤣
@@paulstaffordcook8799 haha death by kemper!!! 😂😂 poor lad just tried to model to many amps!! When they found him the amp was set to 11 and he was running four boost pedals. .. He didn't stand a chance. ..They had to peal him off the walls. ..😂😂😂 cheers Paul
And soon I'm sure you will find out that the cheap multi effects pedals are now rather better than they used to be ...Oh steady the ship !!!
Ah the stuff of dreams!!!
Have a good week 😃
Thanks man, I burst out laughing when I read your “cause of death” scenario 🤣. So true!
Another TPS victim mwahahaha!
Good choices, mate. No laughter from me. I really like the Mojo Mojo! My namesake likes that one and my other fave, the Xotic AC Booster. Bang for buck. Sweet Cream is also good, reminds me of my Bearfoot Sweet Honey. .
I must be the only person in the world who doesn't care for the Lightspeed. I love their Little Samson, but for "transparent" (ugh, we NEED a new term) OD I prefer the DOD Looking Glass or Vick Audio Tree of Life & Mt. Pleasant pedals. .And, ofc, the good old BD-2!
Actually, it’s funny you mention you’re not that keen on the Lightspeed..... after a number of months I came to the same conclusion and have since sold it. Cheers for watching Matt
I like the guitar playing. Inventive. In the pocket.
Thank you Janetkirk, delighted you liked my playing 🍻
Which amp do you use here? Because overdrive pedals reacts different to different amps, lightspeed fir example will sound much better with amp with more mids like a vox or Marshall than with a fender. Its very rig dependent, so its hard to judge which one is better without knowing the amp
Hi Gili. The amp was a Cornell Romany 12 (late 50s tweed style valve amp), and it was set to a slight crunch tone. Yes, I’m not an experienced pedal guy, and yet I know what I want. Since this video, I have settled on the fact that I LOVE the Hudson Broadcast, with all amps. And I sold the Greer Lightspeed, because, to me, it’s too transparent and therefore devoid of any personality. Regardless of amp. Hope that helps.
@@paulstaffordcook8799 actually it makes sense, lightspeed is perfect for british amps(they have more midrange), so you did the right choice for you
Nice playing sir!....
Thanks M R 😊
Wow! Sweet cream is a great buy for the bucks! I stick with my Hudson and I am really happy :-) great play as always Paul!
Thanks Ondrej. Yes, you can’t go wrong with that Hudson! Cheers for watching Ondrej, glad you liked the vid 🤘
Broadcast is the only dirt pedal on my board. Really covers all the bases for me. And I've bought and sold a fair few.
I’ve gotta agree that the Broadcast is a keeper. I just love its “lo-fi” slightly broken / spitty character.... almost like it’s the love child of an Overdrive and a Fuzz.
@@paulstaffordcook8799 and its because of your review that I bought one. So cheers my man 👍
Great playing mr Paul
Thank you Wade! 🙏
Great playing as always Paul, that sweet cream really has me curious hmmmm
Thanks Karl. Yeah, it’s a real favourite of mine, I just love it!
@@paulstaffordcook8799 Thanks Paul, I have one on order....looking forward to checking it out
Lovely..................
Thank you Barry.
Love your playing lots of feeling in those notes! Been look at the hudson for a while.. think I’m gonna pull the trigger and grab one
Edited: said benson instead of Hudson!
Thanks G Rosebud 👍. Delighted you liked my notes 😊
Good vid Paul, I agree with the comment about playing into a totally clean amp, the difference between the pedals would be more discernable. Also try cascading two pedals one into the other to get a clean, crunch 1,crunch 2, lead, setup. The trick is getting a balance on the individual levels, but is is worth persevering with. By the way Shane from 'In the Blues' has just demoed a pedal fron a French company called 'Jacques' with a picture of a sheep on it! Anyway, it is very touch sensitive, might be just the thing your looking for. On the other hand I don't think you would like a Klon style pedal, they have a mid push similar to a tube screamer pedal, but at a different frequency. . One thing you'll find out with pedals is that they are 'amp specific', so a pedal that sounds good with one amp, might not sound good with another. Luckily your just the guy to put this theory to the test with your impressive amp collection. Ian.
Thanks Ian, yes I’m starting to agree that a completely clean amp Tone would be a better comparison..... Now that you mention it, I’m sure I’ve read that players like Eric Gayles, Josh Smith, Philip Sayce etc., use loud 100w clean amps with tons of headroom, and they let the pedal provide the Overdrive tones... Looks like I’m going to have lots of experimenting to do 🤣. Thanks for the info Ian, appreciated. 👍
Hi Paul, great great playing indeed.
I have a broadcast dual and am considering a lightspeed. Have you experiment with stacking those two? If so, do they stack well? Broadcast into lightspeed ot lightspeed into broadcast?
Keep up the amazing playing. :-)
Thanks
Hi Ernie, sorry for late reply. just catching up. No, I tend not to stack Overdrives..... I know many players love doing this. But I usually like to stay pretty close to the original guitar / amp sound. But just for the hell of it, I stomped on the lightspeed yesterday (and then onto the Broadcast)..... Good sound. I didn’t try it the other way round as that would involve mucking about with the cables on my Pedalboard. Personally, I’d still rather hear them one at a time, but that’s just me. m old fashioned 🤣. Cheers for watching
you put a fair bit of work into that video Paul. fancy getting one of those sweet creams, although i think the kafir sounded much better with the strat
just shows that the more expensive ones don't really show a big difference in relation to the cost, i imagine the justification in cost comes at volume and in band mix situations not something i need to worry about any more :) Again many thanks for taking the time to make the video, playing sublime as usual loving seeing those subscriptions going up and up, aye a mind when he wiz just a boy wi double figures heheheh great stuff mate
Laughed out loud there Charlie, brilliant! When I’m rich and famous, and trashing hotel rooms in Vegas, I promise I’ll remember you. And I’ll give you a special mention when Guitarist magazine do the 4 page interview.... “So Paul, where did it all start?”, and I’ll be like “well I remember I had a couple of Katana vids and one subscriber.... Charlie I think his name was...”.
hehehe hope so mate 😜😜
Nice playing. You are already playing into a slightly dirty amp yes? That makes it hard to compare
Cheers Eric. Yes, I have to admit I should have set the amp to clean for best comparison.
The thing is, overdrives are meant to push an amp that’s already working, i.e. not clean. So this demo is great in my opinion. ODs sound comparatively lifeless (usually) unless they’re pushing something so while a clean amp might be more “true” it definitely wouldn’t show the pedals in their best light.
Caveat: tone is subject 😄
Harder than finding a good guitar or amp-at least it’s was for me and about just as expensive at the end of the day. Probably mostly due to my first real amp-a 65’ Ampeg Reverberocket. It didn’t like what it saw on the input-any overdrive. The exception was a cheap joyo tube screamer clone but it wasn’t the sound I was looking for.That Pedal Show clued me in. I just bought a 90’s Analog Man modded Fuzz Face. It has buffer switch and sun dial. Finally, fuzz as it exist in my minds ear. This option may go a long way I helping those who have had a difficult time finding a compatible fuzz. The buffer switch really helped tighten up the sludges day spike of sound that a fuzz can be. Who knew? My 2 cents.
Tough call between the Hudson and Greer. Both wonderful. I keep finding myself wanting a gold top with P-90’s. Just don’t get along with humbuckers as well as single coils. P-90’s seem like the best of both worlds.
Hi 😀. Yes, as the years go by, I think I’m falling in love with P90s..... Sounds obvious to say, but they really do occupy that middle ground - fat, but with the perfect amount of “sting”. As regards the Greer versus Hudson.... I’ve had a good number of months now to get used to them all. And I’ve realized that I like my Overdrives to have their own personality. I don’t seem to appreciate “transparency”.... So my Greer is now off my board . SHOCK 😲. For me, it’s just not adding anything very spicy. Whereas the Hudson has stacks of personality, as does the MojoMojo, as does the Sweet Cream.... But that’s just my personal feeling. Hope that helps. 👍
Great video Paul, this is easily my favourite guitar channel on RUclips. 🙌 I got the Boss Katana thanks to your review and I wasn't disappointed. Would you also recommend getting the Sweet Cream - is it substantially better than the overdrive/booster you get on the Katana Mk2? I have a very small pedalboard so I don't want to get too many pedals, but I'm really tempted to give this little guy a try.
Delighted you like my channel! Thank you 👍. I do love the Sweet Cream, and still enjoy using it, despite having accumulated more and more pedals. My honest answer to your query...... Hmm, no, I’d say if space on your board is an issue then the booster on your Katana will keep you happy and entertained on its own. Afterall, I think Boss based the circuit on a Boss Blues Driver Pedal which is a wonderful full frequency boost. So save your money and space. However, whilst the Sweet Cream isn’t “SIGNIFICANTLY” better, I do think it’s “slightly” better. And maybe more versatile (via the pedal’s 3 knobs). Add that to the very reasonable price..... then it really is just down to space. Hope this helps your dilemma.
@@paulstaffordcook8799 Thank you! :)
I have the Sweet Cream among other pedals and it's definitely one of my favorites. We have very similar taste :) I have a standard LP and junior LP DC with P90s. I advise you to try the Tube Pilot by TC Electronics, it's a great affordable pedal, and stacks very well with the Sweet Cream.
Actually, the Tube Pilot was on my radar, then it went out my mind for some reason..... so you’ve now put it back in my sights Khaled, thank you 👍
You need to try a Snouse Blackbox. It’s a fantasitc Bluesbreaker clone. Similar to a King of Tone with less price and no wait.
Thank you Paulitik! I will go do some research on that..... Appreciated 👍
Sweeet playing! Can You do a tutorial how You do the volume swell with the knob on You guitar? 😇
Thank you Koen, appreciated 🙏.
Great overview, Paul. Well done. I have a Sweet Cream and it is really special. Unfortunately it stops working every now and then and and now i have dilemma: Do I get this cheap pedal repaired? Will the fix cost more than the actual pedal? LOL, first world problems.
Nice channel, keep up the great work.
Thanks Phil 👍. Yes, your dilemma..... hmm, get a replacement pedal I say 🤣
the lightspeed is pretty bass heavy. the circuit is interactive so you can cut some of that out, but in some regards you're either on the slope with that one or not. I've got one and it's not my favorite. there are a fair number of "your amp... but more" pedals and largely they aren't for me but I prefer really very clean amplifiers. I do think the Paul Cochrane Timmy is an excellent pedal in this range (as the Veruram Jan Ray which is the same circuit minus one value for many, many more dollars) and it's active bass and treble cuts are quite powerful. there's also the Clark Gainster, which is as close to truly neutral sounding as you can get.
that being said, I find these pedals kind of frustrating. overdriving amps do not sound like the same amp clean, but with more gain/compression. they almost always start changing as it takes so much more power to clip bass frequencies than treble frequencies, and so I prefer something with a bit of eq myself. Some of my favorites are the Menatone Red Snapper and Rockett Blue Note. both very nice pedals that I think work well into both big amps and smaller ones with their very light mid forwardness and bass cuts.
You make good points TCM. And it sounds like you know your stuff. I just kinda go with what sounds good. Interestingly, since recording this video, I seem to have changed verdicts a bit. I have now removed the Greer Amps Lightspeed from my board - too transparent. I’ve discovered I don’t like transparency in an overdrive. For me, transparent means “no personality”. So I’m much preferring OD pedals that bring a little something spicy to the party. You mention the Timmy..... not tried it but I hear good things 😀. Cheers for watching my vid 👍
Paul.... hope not a rude question but do you make your living playng the guitar? Where do you perform? Also... would be really interesting if you did some videos on the kind of music you listen to ... you’ve don’t talk much about that stuff but you’ve got such a great eclectic style so would be great to get a feel for where you pick up some of you style... you tend to talk more about gear then your playing and I know I’m n9t the only one who loves your playing and is curious..
Hi Paul, thanks for your interest! Actually, I’m a full time Driving Instructor working 9 to 5:30, Monday to Friday. All my guitar playing and YouTubing is done in the evenings or weekends. I’m not in a band and don’t make any money from guitar. I did a video a wee while ago at the 1000 subs mark, called “1000 subs! - a bit about me” ruclips.net/video/pQmwAc8RR8s/видео.html. At the 4 minutes mark I go into a bit of detail about my past. I would LOVE to be in a band but at 50 years old, I’m a bit put off by the difficulty in finding the right people..... So I’m enjoying building my channel. “Success” to me would be getting an invite from Lee Anderton to go on to his channel for one of his “The Captain meets.....”. 🤣. Cheers Paul, it’s great to think people are taking an interest. 🙏
I’m 55 so I know what you mean but once you find a bunch of like minded folk being in a band is great, there’s four of us and when we started the ages ranged from 32 to 52.... you are too good not to be performing, even if it is ocassionally... I’m trying to start a second band and giving this website a try: www.joinmyband.co.uk/.
Thanks Paul, I’ll take a look at that site. 👍
Sweet!!! Search here for (Sucker For a Pretty Face) by RockCandy, it's a great under rated 80s album!!! Also search here for some very rare Rock Candy demo songs like. (Alone At Last), (Wild Ones), (No Tell Motel), (Rockcandy 1988), (Daddy's Little Girl), (Live Without Your Love). Enjoy
Watched all of your videos now and enjoyed them all. I put half a dozen magic blues tracks beneath this comment, hope you enjoy them, and maybe find some inspiration for more great videos. Cheers
Sean Costello - Double Trouble
Matt Schofield - Anything But Time
Damon Fowler - After The Rain
Jeff McErlain - Marta
Eric Tessmer - Good So Bad
Dan Patlansky - Only An Ocean
Thank you Graeme! That was kind of you. I’m now catching up with things after a really busy week, so I’ll have a listen to these tracks today. Thanks again man, appreciated 👍
Greer Lightspeed really changed my sound in a really really good way
Yeah, it certainly is different (and way more transparent) than my other drives. I play 5 guitars through 4 amps. So when quickly changing guitar, I can suddenly find myself in tonal dead spot.... so the Greer can immediately brighten up a dark sound. Cheers Tony
yep, the Sweet Cream is a fantastic pedal.. with a small Tube Amp and a Les Paul... unbeatable!
Indeed it is! Cheers for watching 🍻
Broadcast (though not strictly an overdrive) sounds great (as I knew it would). Lightspeed has everything but lucks character. The other ones are ho-ham. The Kafir has more guts and character then the others in that lot.
I bought the Sweet Cream on your recommendation and so far I am not a fan. I already have the broadcaster, which I find to be far superior to the Sweet Cream. At least it was only 50 bucks. Nice playing BTW.
Cheers
Hi Chad. Yip, all down to personal preference I guess. As time has gone on (since first acquiring the Sweet Cream), I’ve fallen more and more in love with my Hudson Broadcast, which is down to its slightly fuzzy, lo-fi “frayed at the edges” kinda sound. And yet another favourite is still my cheap little Sweet Cream 🤣. Anyway, all down to what works with your own set up. Delighted you liked my playing 👍
A very nice demo and presentation, sir.
I really liked the Sweet Cream with humbuckers, but surprisingly, the MojoMojo with the Strat-at least for those 'lead' lines.
You've been *playing* for more than 2.5 years, though, right? RIGHT?! Your playing puts me to shame.
Thanks, I’m glad you liked my vid. Cheers 👍. And yes, I’ve been playing for ages, but never got into the pedal thing until fairly recently. Prior to that I was just a guitar and amp guy. It’s funny looking back at this vid…. Things evolve so quickly and now I have two pedal boards 🤣 (see latest pedalboard demo ruclips.net/video/of2w3ButwGg/видео.html)
Others: Bogner Ecstacy Blue, Keeley D&M, Red Dirt; Provedence: Stampede, Flame Drive, Red Brick. Mythos; Herculean, Mjolinar, plus I like J Rockett Hot Rubber Monkey.
Last, all the Kingsley pedals are incredible, if you can afford them; try The Page and The Minsterel.
Actually, you’re right, I’d LOVE to try a Kingsley pedal! Quite difficult to source one here in the UK. But I’m really intrigued to try one. Cheers for watching my wee vid 👍
COOL MAN!!!
Thanks Tony!
Now play the same setup thru each of those lovely amps and see how your #1 pedal choice changes slightly:)
I like that idea! And your right, it’s amazing how each guitar / amp combination is unique. Cheers John
@@paulstaffordcook8799 Thanks so much for replying. Your tone and touch on the guitar is just amazing. Keep on keeping on! I mentioned it because I played a 50W JMP head and 4x12 cab for nearly 20 years in bands and tried every pedal under the sun until I could coax the exact sounds I need thru stacking etc. During this Covid I decided to get a new combo amp 40W 6L6's and a vintage 12". Well it is amazing how nearly every pedal on my board has changed. It's not that any are bad but they speak differently thru different rigs for sure. I appreciate your videos.
I agree with all except for me the Lightspeed has it.
Interesting..... because the Lightspeed is the 1 pedal I decided to sell in the end. For me it was just too transparent..... but each to their own 😁. Cheers for watching
@@paulstaffordcook8799 I can also recommend the Vick Audio Tree of life to go along with whatever you decide to keep as it has been a keeper.
Thanks man, I’m going to do a bit of research on that Tree of Life. If you say it’s been a keeper, well it must be good 😁
Excellent as usual... but, in my opinion, drive pedals should be tested with the amp totally clean. Good tube amps like yours can mask the sound when they are on the verge of breaking up. It is not a deal breaker, but would be a better exam of the pedals. Would it be even better in a high headroom amp.
And never record using mic on the speakers. The way you do is the best to have a better idea of the sound in the room, with you.PS - your playing is amazingly awesome.
Hi Ivan. Yes, you make a very relevant point, about using a clean high headroom amp. In fact, I think that’s what players like Eric Gales, Josh Smith, and Philip Sayce do. I see a lot of players using 100w Two Rock amps (very clean) and letting the Drive pedals do the work. I’ll give that a shot. Cheers Ivan 👍
I'm sure you know the Sweet Cream is generally agreed to be a clone of the Mad Professor Sweet Honey....it would be interesting if you could get your hands on one to compare..
Actually, I didn’t know that.... so thanks for that info. I’ll do a little research as I’m intrigued... Cheers 👍
@@paulstaffordcook8799 ...Of course you do know that now you've started on this slippery slope to find the ultimate overdrive pedal....the one that is just out of reach over the horizon, that there is no end to this and that it will take over your life. You'll likely end up living in a car drinking meths with nothing but hundreds of pedals surfing the web on your phone for the next one...( er...like me).... ;)
Meanwhile....have you tried a "dumble" style pedal...might be your sort of thing..
hi paul i just watched your video of your dad colection that blew me away .do you have a email address ..i would love your opinion on a guitar i have .ive not had much luck from gibson .thanks
Hi oddsodd6110, delighted you liked my Dad’s collection. It’s great to see so many comments coming in. My email is paul_ursusarctos@hotmail.co.uk. I’d be glad to give you my opinion on your guitar. Cheers for watching 👍
@@paulstaffordcook8799 thanks so much paul i will email you later if ok .thanks for your reply. keep up
the good work
Light sped sounds most natural to a real amp
Even if all the licks are generic, it is your showmanship that makes everything seems alright.
Thank you 👍. Cheers for watching my wee vid.
@@paulstaffordcook8799 you are awesome ☺️
"So, here's my pedal collection so far, don't laugh ..."
HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA, OH OH OH OH OH .... HA HA HA HA HA HA .... HEE HEE, OH OH OH .... HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA .... whew .... hmmm .... HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA .....
Hi, They sound the same,
Please try to play different styles of music....
Sorry....
Sergey Pereguda actually I tend to agree... the pedals are ok but Paul’s playing is what sounds great.
Hi Sergey. Yes, I think you’re right.... I’m kinda new to the world of Overdrive pedals, and I realise now that I should probably have used a clean amp. This might have shown up the differences more. As regards the different styles of music.... this channel is less about “impartial product reviews” and more about me playing the blues..... 😀