Is the Nobels Overdrive the best ever?

santellavision

santellavision

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As most of us are, we're always chasing the best tone. And, especially Overdrives. I have an original Klon, which is become infamous and unobtainable (I have a $30 Chinese Klone and honestly, it sounds exactly the same) The original Nobels Overdrive is considered by many to be one the very best also. The originals go for $600+. I've never owned one, but keep an eye out for used ones. Haven't found an affordable one. 

So, I LOVE videos by Tom Bukovac. The guy is a monster and his videos are always fun and informative. Grab a beer first - haha. I came across this one with him doing an Overdrive 'blind' shootout. They compared many of the best-of-the-best vintage and new... Klon, Tube Screamer, Nobels, Timmy, Analog Man, Voodoo Drive etc.  Really, great to see him and his peeps go thought them in fine detail and pick what is the best. It's a long video, but I watched every minute of it. And, the winner was a real surprise.
 



 
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Uncle Larry loves his No Balls!

I love his sense of humor! He cracks me up with some of his stuff. Awesome player! The best, effortlessly! Like he said play 16 hours a day for 30 years he's got the guitar dialed in. 

As for as the No Balls, I think there is a time and place for many different overdrives. I have one and I like it. I don't like it's buffer. As I've stated before I like Barber Overdrives. You step on the pedal and the noise floor does not increase like many others. Hand wired and top quality components. Try a Gain Changer or Direct Drive. They're different but in a good way. They're very amp like just like the No Balls. All are top flight and person preferences vary. So own many!!! 

 
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I trust Ernie about tone implicitly.  I have his CD.  I know the gear he's run through.  So, I bought one of the "bass cut" models from somebody on Reverb.  I didn't have much time to check out reviews on YouTube or ask around on the forums I frequent.  But the list of players that have used it since the early nineties is right in my wheelhouse.  And I too have the Klon clone from China that's as good as all the four Klons I've owned.  

When tax season is over, I'm going to delve into the ODR-1 BC and the Ethos TWE that I've purchased.  The search for great overdrive is never over.  Yet.

Now, if Chris Matthes would just fill me in on the strings he's using now, instead of DR's, I'll be good.  

 
Am I mistaken in thinking that these Nobels OD pedals came in a blister pack and went for $25 or less at your favorite pawn shop back in the mid 90s?

 
A couple of weeks ago i did a shootout of a bunch of drive pedals with my tele mutt trying to find something that I liked. The amp was a PRS Dallas II (kinda like a single channet DRRI with 6L6's that i use clean as a pedal platform) into a Mather cab with an Eminence Hempdog in it. The Wampler Belle is based on a modified ODR-1 circuit, and it came out on top followed closely by the Wampler Germanium Tumnus. There's an ODR mini in the other pedal cabinet, and didn't think to dig it out to try it. I remember running the Belle against the mini when I first got them, and best I can remember both sounded good and pretty close to each other. I'll have to try that again with a couple different guitars.

Edited to add: the ODR mini at $80 new is a steal imho.

 
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I love TB, but he did two shoot outs on his channel and always picked the original and it was no contest. But when he did the blind test it was not as cut and dry. I would bet because he didn’t know which was which, and more importantly he couldn’t see where the knobs were set and only relying on his ears. 
 

At the end of the day, it’s between you and your ears. YouTube will never get across how the pedal is going to feel and react to you and your setup. 

 
I have the mini ODR he favored on that video. Honestly, it sounds "meh" to me. I guess I just don't get the whole Nobels mystique.

 
Just a little follow-up. I grabbed a used ODR Mini for $60 and yeah, I dig it. In the video Tom talks about the 'clean coming through'. I now understand that and what to listen for. I tried a few of my other fav ODs and there is something to that. 

 
santellavision said:
Just a little follow-up. I grabbed a used ODR Mini for $60 and yeah, I dig it. In the video Tom talks about the 'clean coming through'. I now understand that and what to listen for. I tried a few of my other fav ODs and there is something to that. 
Click to expand...
I bought one with the bass cut.  I'll try it after the 15th of April....

 
Found a mini awhile back for $50 on craigslist. Liked it. Ordered the big one a month or so ago. Nice.

And now they have new versions of both.

https://www.guitarworld.com/news/nobles-odr-1x-odr-mini-2-overdrive-pedals


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