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tonmazz « Boss OD-3 is pretty good »
Published on 08/19/12 at 21:39The Boss OD-3 is a pretty simple pedal in that it has three dials and they speak for themselves. It comes with a Level, Tone and Drive dial as most overdrives have. The OD-3 doesn't have any fancy toggle switches, mode switches or stereo out jacks. This is as straight forward as it gets. Comes with the typical Boss construction and battery screw in the front as expected.
UTILIZATION
As said above, this is a very east pedal to use. Just set the tone, Level and drive to your liking and either you like what you hear or you don't. The manual spells it out as well and I have no issues with the utilization.
SOUND QUALITY
The OD-3 has a very open and organic tone, which I like. It is definitely not boutique quality sound like a Suhr Koko boost or even an OCD for that matter. It is the kind of pedal you could and should put in front of a non modded Marshall for pure and simple 80's metal tone. After all an overdrive should complement the original tone of the amp, not color it too much. The OD-3 does just that and does it pretty well. If you have an already hot set up, the OD-3 will give you a bit more without sending the amp into uncontrollable squeals, although with the drive maxed it is possible. The sweet spot for this pedal is in front of an old JCM 800 or JMP with the gains at about noon. This pedal will give you that 80's roar with that little bit extra.
OVERALL OPINION
I think this is a great and simple pedal, no bells and whistles. The price for the OD-3 is about $78 new but you could grab one for $50 or under on EBay. At either price, I don't think you would be disappointed. It does what an overdrive should do; boost a signal that little bit to rise above the mix. If you are looking for something to take you into super-hot territory, this is not the pedal for you. Better alternatives would be the Rocket Fuel pedal by Majik Box or the Koko boost by Suhr. Yes these are boutique and expensive but they serve a different purpose. The OD-3 is simple and works well for what it is. Classic rock players should have one of these in the arsenal for sure. Bottom line is this is a good pedal at a fair price.
UTILIZATION
As said above, this is a very east pedal to use. Just set the tone, Level and drive to your liking and either you like what you hear or you don't. The manual spells it out as well and I have no issues with the utilization.
SOUND QUALITY
The OD-3 has a very open and organic tone, which I like. It is definitely not boutique quality sound like a Suhr Koko boost or even an OCD for that matter. It is the kind of pedal you could and should put in front of a non modded Marshall for pure and simple 80's metal tone. After all an overdrive should complement the original tone of the amp, not color it too much. The OD-3 does just that and does it pretty well. If you have an already hot set up, the OD-3 will give you a bit more without sending the amp into uncontrollable squeals, although with the drive maxed it is possible. The sweet spot for this pedal is in front of an old JCM 800 or JMP with the gains at about noon. This pedal will give you that 80's roar with that little bit extra.
OVERALL OPINION
I think this is a great and simple pedal, no bells and whistles. The price for the OD-3 is about $78 new but you could grab one for $50 or under on EBay. At either price, I don't think you would be disappointed. It does what an overdrive should do; boost a signal that little bit to rise above the mix. If you are looking for something to take you into super-hot territory, this is not the pedal for you. Better alternatives would be the Rocket Fuel pedal by Majik Box or the Koko boost by Suhr. Yes these are boutique and expensive but they serve a different purpose. The OD-3 is simple and works well for what it is. Classic rock players should have one of these in the arsenal for sure. Bottom line is this is a good pedal at a fair price.