boss od-2 vs od-3

[maroon3d]

Hi guys!

I have ts9 for low gain overdrives and I want to buy another one for more gain.
I know that edge used od-2 during 90s, but... turbo mode is little bit strange for me

please tell me some comparisons about these pedals.

I read many reviews, and for me it is very difficult to make a final decision

 

[Muad'zin]

Turbo mode in the Boss OD-2, and DS-2 for that matter is usually switching to a different pair of clipping diodes, in this case a pair of red LED's. Besides giving a more tube like tone they also give a volume boost. Henceforth why the ear perceives it as a turbo.

I have both of them but I rarely use either of them. I do like the OD-3 though, it has more gain on tap then the TS-9. And it does sound different from a tubescreamer. Which is good as 95% of all overdrives on the market are tubescreamer copies with mods. On the other hand I found it more hard to cut through a band mix with the OD-3, which is probably why I stopped using it. Maybe it will sound awesome though with an equalizer adding more mids. Or doing the Tvon mod. But after I built my Catalinbread Dirty Little Secret clone I sort of stopped looking for the next best thing in overdrive pedals.

In the end though the only judge of which pedal sounds best is you though. Your ears listening to your guitar playing the pedal over your amp. All the rest is just other people expressing their preferences, which may not always run parallel to yours. Luckily both pedals shouldn't be that expensive on the 2nd hand market. I paid €50 for an old OD-2 and slightly more for a 2nd hand OD-3.

 

[Edge_Orchestra]

OD-2 or OD-2r are both great. I've not used a OD-3.

SD-1 is more Tubescreamer-like the the OD-2 or OD-2r.

I actually prefer the OD-2r to the OD-2.

 

[Muad'zin]

OD-2 or OD-2r are both great. I've not used a OD-3.

SD-1 is more Tubescreamer-like the the OD-2 or OD-2r.

I actually prefer the OD-2r to the OD-2.

The OD-2r has another jack so you can add a switch to switch between regular and turbo mode, right? Makes it a very versatile pedal.

 

[Edge_Orchestra]

The OD-2r has another jack so you can add a switch to switch between regular and turbo mode, right? Makes it a very versatile pedal.

It does. But I have never used the external pedal.

As for Edge's use, I've heard some say he used the OD-2 non-turbo mode. Other claim turbo.

The OD-2r seems a slight bit 'hotter' than the OD-2. As I mentioned, I prefer the OD-2r.

 

[Muad'zin]

Turbo usually does have a different sound from non-turbo, cause of the different diodes. At the same volume it should have a difference. Speaking of the OD-2r, I just noticed my local vintage gear shop now has one for €50.

I wonder though, how does the OD-2 compare to the OD-1? Did Edge get one because of the sound, or because it was just available at the time and the OD-1 wasn't?