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NPD: BOSS ODB-3
Posted: Mon Jun 08, 2015 5:18 pm
by frigid midget
I usually don't start NPD threads, don't really see the point. But DAMN this was a surprise to me, am I glad I listened to you mahfakkas. Still though, even with the recommendations, I did NOT see this coming. Just tried it out at a borderline dangerous volume level. This thing is SO not an 'overdrive' pedal
Used it on a downtuned guitar btw, through a loud vintage bass (tube) head and a 4x12 cab.
Good thing it's a yellow boss pedal that's far from rare or collectable, so I could get it for a fraction of what a similar sounding booteek pedlol would cost me
If there's even such a thing out there
Anyone not familiar with the ODB-3: As far as trashy apocalyptic awesomness goes, it's right in the same league as its nephew, the FZ-2. It's actually more like a combination of a sovtek muff and an HM-2. It oozes with low end, gain, volume, fuzz/grit/mojo,...
Also has the little eq (parametric?) which has a pretty impressive range, and I love the clean/od blend control.
I'm probably still in the honeymoon fase, but the price:sick ratio of the ODB-3 is simply unbeatable imo.
I'm just gonna sit here and enjoy my ringing ears for a while now
CSB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Re: NPD: BOSS ODB-3
Posted: Mon Jun 08, 2015 5:38 pm
by braaandooon
One of these days I'll get to try one out, if King Buzzo likes it why not?
I just picked up a minty Boss bd-2 blues driver at a yard sale for $10 and have to say I'm impressed, reminds me of a Fulltone OCD w/ more gain on tap. Kinda hard to believe I have somthing that says "bluez" on my board. I think I remember Dylan Carlson using a bluez driver at one point, or maybe still does?
Anyways glad to hear you're digging the odb-3, hope to stumble across a cheap one someday.
Re: NPD: BOSS ODB-3
Posted: Mon Jun 08, 2015 5:45 pm
by waltdogg
ODB-3 was the last bass dirt I ever used before switching to a Fulltone Bass-Drive. Now all I use is amp dirt. But nothing beats being able to blend your clean and distorted signals with that pedal. Keeping that huge low end going but still having more distortion than you know what to do with is the tits.
Re: NPD: BOSS ODB-3
Posted: Mon Jun 08, 2015 6:16 pm
by frigid midget
braaandooon wrote:One of these days I'll get to try one out, if King Buzzo likes it why not?
I just picked up a minty Boss bd-2 blues driver at a yard sale for $10 and have to say I'm impressed, reminds me of a Fulltone OCD w/ more gain on tap. Kinda hard to believe I have somthing that says "bluez" on my board. I think I remember Dylan Carlson using a bluez driver at one point, or maybe still does?
Anyways glad to hear you're digging the odb-3, hope to stumble across a cheap one someday.
Wait wot? I used to have a Mooer Hustler for a while, which is supposedly a pretty close replica of the OCD...And you're sayin the BD-2 has more gain? So I guess that's another boss pedal I'll have to look for
I doubt I'll ever be able to find one for $10 though

Re: NPD: BOSS ODB-3
Posted: Mon Jun 08, 2015 6:53 pm
by braaandooon
We have community yard sales, and there's a cool older fella that's always putting a bunch of his gear out. Usually has a box full of old pedals, and somtimes pedals that are still new in the box. He pretty much sells all these pedals at $20 a pop and breaks deals if you buy more.
They are usually old boss, dod, ehx, arion, etc pedals that aren't really that sought after. This year I got a boss bd-2, ch-1, and oc-2
Last year it was a dod fx-20, fx-20b, and a steal on a brand new boss ps-3. Six pedals in two years from this guy for a grand total of $60. Can't wait to see what he has next year.
EDIT: As far as ocd vs. bd-2, I'd say the ocd is more versatile because of the toggle switch, but feel when both pedals are at max gain the bd-2 has more clarity, whereas the ocd gets a little muddy with my setup, both seem to handle clean boost duties well, and overdrive with a healthy amount of bottom. Was just caught off guard that a blues pedal can do sludge.
Re: NPD: BOSS ODB-3
Posted: Mon Jun 08, 2015 9:53 pm
by Dr. Sherman Sticks M.D.
that sounds like an awesome fella!
i got one of these ODB3 a couple weeks ago to use on the microphone. dirty up some vocals. mostly bought it because its named after one of my favorite rappers, so how could it not be good
Re: NPD: BOSS ODB-3
Posted: Tue Jun 09, 2015 12:55 am
by HeavyXIII
Dylan Carlson had the BD-2 on his board the last time I saw Earth. The singer from Kowloon Walled City seems to like it for his guitar too.
Sometimes I miss my ODB-3. I figure I could easily pick up another for the $30 I sold mine for pretty easily. I'm pretty sure the EQ is just a 2 band with high and low control. Clean blend was a interesting sound as well.
Re: NPD: BOSS ODB-3
Posted: Tue Jun 09, 2015 3:10 am
by WWRRSS
I'm a big fan of Boss ODB-3s, I've used them on everything I've ever done.
I've got two on my board now, but i'm using both on vocals at the minute.
Re: NPD: BOSS ODB-3
Posted: Tue Jun 09, 2015 4:49 am
by Pepe
The ODB-3 was too much "in your face" for me. I don't really miss it.
Re: NPD: BOSS ODB-3
Posted: Tue Jun 09, 2015 1:19 pm
by frigid midget
Pepe wrote:The ODB-3 was too much "in your face" for me. I don't really miss it.
Yeah, I can totally see how it's not for everyone. It's far from subtle, really agressive, which makes it almost unuseable for anything but face melting mass destruction. I've got a more mellow project going with a buddy of mine, and it's not like I can use the OBD-3 for that if I dial the gain back a bit. Come to think of it, I should try it just for the hell of it, maybe the blend control can help getting lower gain settings that are a bit easier to digest...

Re: NPD: BOSS ODB-3
Posted: Tue Jun 09, 2015 2:08 pm
by waltdogg
Pepe wrote:The ODB-3 was too much "in your face" for me. I don't really miss it.
Honestly, it didn't have enough "in your face"-ness for me and that's why I got a Bass-Drive.
Re: NPD: BOSS ODB-3
Posted: Tue Jun 09, 2015 5:58 pm
by HeavyXIII
I recall it being an odd beast with bass. Grindy on the top end (alot like the bass on H by Tool, lol) but little to no midrange. In that regard it sounded a lot like my LBMP. It has so much gain and aggression on guitar that I almost never used the gain past 9 or 10 o' clock.
Re: NPD: BOSS ODB-3
Posted: Tue Jun 09, 2015 7:04 pm
by frigid midget
HeavyXIII wrote:I recall it being an odd beast with bass. Grindy on the top end (alot like the bass on H by Tool, lol) but little to no midrange. In that regard it sounded a lot like my LBMP. It has so much gain and aggression on guitar that I almost never used the gain past 9 or 10 o' clock.
Yeah, that description seems pretty spot on to me. Instant melvins tones too imo. Not that I'm the biggest fan in the world, just sayin'...
Re: NPD: BOSS ODB-3
Posted: Tue Jun 09, 2015 7:19 pm
by t-rey
Buzzo.
But now I kinda want to pick up a BD-2 to mess with.
Re: NPD: BOSS ODB-3
Posted: Tue Jun 09, 2015 7:25 pm
by frigid midget
t-rey wrote:Buzzo.
But now I kinda want to pick up a BD-2 to mess with.
Yeah me too...
But I'm already drowning in Boss pedals, as well as in dirt pedals. And after all, the BD-2 is "just" another overdrive pedal, even if has more gain that a tubescreamer
Plenty of of peds around that can do medium gain AND high gain...So I'll probably just stick to what I have.
That's my brain talking ofcourse. My gut:GAS knows that the first $40 BD-2 that pops up locally.........Is mine
