Homeskoolin’ “A Complete Guide To Overdrive Pedals That Actually Work”

Summary

Key Points

• Larry notes his shredding style has become more bluesy with age, moving away from aggressive harmonic‑minor tones he favored as a youth. 3:50
• He explains the challenges of setting up modern guitars, especially issues with V‑shaped nut cutouts and the need for precise string height adjustments. 5:02
• Larry emphasizes that a great overdrive pedal should sound like an amp, not like a distinct 'pedal' effect, and finds only a few on the market meet this standard. 6:54
• He criticizes tube screamers, heavy‑gain pedals, and certain modern clones, preferring moderate, clean‑dirty tones suitable for commercial and classic rock music. 9:11
• He lists his top overdrive choices, including the original Nobels ODR‑1, the Analog Man King of Tone (left side only), and the Greer Light Speed for light, AC30‑style breakup. 10:08
• Larry recommends stacking multiple light‑gain overdrives and using EQs to achieve magical tonal variations. 11:33
• He mentions classic pedals he respects, such as the Roger Mayer Voodoo One, the original Multivox Big Jam, and the white Exotic RC Booster, praising their amp‑like qualities. 12:12
• Larry highlights the importance of unity gain across pedals to maintain consistent volume levels between clean and dirty sounds. 16:25
• He shares his enthusiasm for a 1963 P‑base bass, describing its rarity, lightweight feel, and versatile tone that works for virtually any song. 19:43