Conference napalm::guitar

    Mike !  Is this Mike Gioielli from old AKo1 (FAIS)
    , working with the likes of Jim Regan ?  Hi Mike, remeber me ????  
    
    Glad to here you came out of retirement.  So your looking for some
    toys huh ?  Well, for a heavy sound without buying a new amp, you
    could try an Ibanez Tube Screamer.  The new MXR distortions I've
    seen have alot of stuff on them, but the sound they give I've never
    really like.  It's kinda of a flat fuzz sound.  I don't use those
    types of pedals anyway, but I've played with them Tube Screamers
    and there o.k.  If your looking for a new amp with master volume/
    chanell switching, etc... try a Dean Markley out, or a Galyn Cruger
    (Spelling ????)  Or of course, if your just getting yourself back
    into it, and need a practice amp, go into any music store and ask
    to see some of the Tom Scholz Rockman line of products.  There
    absolutely unbeatable as a practice amp.  Their headphone amps about
    the size of a Sony Walkman, but they sound like a big amp (in the
    phones that is) another plus is noone else is disturbed by you
    practicing. 

    So glad to hear your back Mike..
    
    /ray

	I bought a Mxr Distortion+ during the 70's and used a 6 band
graphic equalizer to drive it to get the sound I wanted with a Es 355.
	I parted with this equipment eight years ago along with lot's of
other effects pedals.
	But since Mxr went belly up I ended up buying a Boss distortion
box which is probably similiar to the Distortion plus. There are several
different flavor boxes for different sounds but Boss is suppose to be
very reliable. I like the sound I get with it,but would prefer a little more
sustain. The Dod Digitech distortion boxes seem to have a large variety of 
different sounds available in one box,but are a pinch to the pocket book($180).
        Even Ibanez has some stuff on the market worth looking at. The
    tube screamer seems to be popular.
    	Alot of this stuff can be had,used through the Want Ad advertiser
however there is definately an economic shock from the price difference
from the 70's to the 80's. Your lucky you kept what you did,I didn't
and when I asked a guy in a music store what replaced an Echoplex he had
no idea what I was talking about!
	
						Good luck!

						Rick

						Also out of retirement!

 Re. 1  Hi Ray ! Yup it's me. Some guy called me up about 3 months ago
        and said he heard I used to play in bands back in New York in
    	the '70s (small world) and was wondering if I wanted to get 	
    	something going with some old timers like myself - strickly
        part-time (we all are into families now). So here I am.
    	Took sometime for the old lead rifs to come back, but you never
    	really lose it (thank god).

 
 Re. .2  Rick, glad to hear I'm not the only ex-retiree. I did keep my stuff,
    	although I had it up for sale many times. Good thing there were
    	no takers. Can't touch the price of a new Les Paul. 

    	
 Just got back from the Music Workshop (Nashua). They have the DOD Fx55 
boxes ($42) and a DOD Pre-amp. Doug (Music Workshop) didn't know much about 
the pre-amp but the sheet says it raises the level of the signal 7 db (?). 
Is this just a volume boost or would it overdrive the pre-amp stage of the 
amp and generate the distortion I'm looking for (just wondering).

 They didn't have the Ibanez Tube Scream in stock but he's getting a couple
in this week. Their price is around $75 (I guess thats ok ?) list price is $99.
 
 I guess I'll try it out and see how it sounds.

Thanks for the help,

- mike

    Hi Mike, another noter here that's glad you've picked (no pun int.)
    it up again.
    
    I, personally, do not like the DOD equipment, mainly because of
    the electronics...the resultant sound is thin and buzzy, much more
    so than an MXR ever was. Try out a BOSS Overdrive, or a Super
    Overdrive. And, since it sounds like you are looking for a perticular
    sound, try it in conjunction with a BOSS GE-7 Graphic Equalizer.
    Their equipment is pretty well constructed and has a lot of flexibility
    in sound. There are two ways you can patch those effects.
    Guit - Dist - EQ - Amp...or
    Guit - EQ - Dist - Amp.
    The first one, EQing the distortion gives a severe effect on the
    timbre of the fuzz, and you can get it everywhere from Hendrix to
    Steely Dan to Metallica!
    The second patch EQ's you guitar, thus adding a boost to the Guitars
    pick ups, increasing sustain and overlaoding the distortion box
    a bit. It is a totally different sound than patch #1, even with
    the same setting. Experiment with different ideas, but I do recommend
    a Graphic EQ as part of the set-up.
    A lot of people say that the Boss Heavy Metal pedal is a good
    distortion box (w/ built in eq), but the eq is either too bassy
    or too trebly. You can try it and see if you like it.
    Nuff said, good luck...
    -William j.

    
	<Took sometime for the old lead rifs to come back, but you never
 	<really lose it (thank god).

    
    	Strickly part-time.... -- yeah I've heard THAT all before.
    
    	That's what this last thing was supposed to be.  We work and
    and work, and work, and work some more, and love it !
    
    	Have fun !  Hope you guys can get babysitters so the wifes
    can join you.
    
    
    c-ya.

    I second the notion on DOD's. Not too great.  The Ibanez equipment
    is pretty good for the price.  I think boss is probably your best
    bet, although some of the boxes can a bit pricey, but worth it.
    Also, I heard an "arion" distortion.  Distortion is usually
    characterized by being 'fuzzy'; arions are furry. Hmmm....
    		
    		regards
    

    I have an Ibanez tube screamer and it's pretty good, but like
    everything it's not perfect....
    
    dave

    For what it's worth, I love the Marshall sound, but I can't afford
    one.  I found that the closest set up to that sound is a DOD 555
    distortion (old 3 knob model if you can still find it) through a
    tube amp, like a FENDER TWIN.  Also try a MITCHELL or a PIGNOSE
    if you can find them.  Everyone will say they stink, because they're
    not the "in thing", but you'll get more for your money because people
    sell those amps cheap now because nobody is into them...and they're
    not bad amps.  I hate PEAVEY stuff...no character to their product!
    Consequently, I hate Daddy's Junky too.  Generally, they rip you
    off on selling or buying too, but you can get non-PEAVEY stuff there
    used at great prices 'cause they just want to get it out the door.
    Anyway, try the DOD, though the tube screamer was my second choice.
    
    Also, is anyone out there selling a MARSHALL?
    
    Bob

For what it's worth..

     I've tried out the FX 555 with my setup. I personally didn't
    like the sound, however it may have been the unit I was using.

     I did try the Ibanez SUPER TUBE (enhanced TUBE SCREAMER ?) and
    really like the sound. It's not intended to provide a full
    distortion effect, but does give me the sound I'm after with my
    Les Paul and AMPEG. (Kindof reminds me of driving my old DELUXE
    REVERB at 8). In fact, the sound was so good, we learned
    twice as many songs at the last practice. 

     I guess the search is over.

     Thanks one and all for all the help. Don't feel so "retired" 
    anymore.

    - mike

    RE: .8  - DOD
    
    Our other guitarist has one of those 555 - 3 knob boxes, and he
    plays it through a Music Man 150. I just bought a Marshall 3203
    30 watt head, and I have to tell you there is NO comparison. $495
    at Wurlitzer's will get you one! Try your guitar through those
    effect's, then try it without them. If you do both a good volume,
    I think you'd like it better without them.
    
    Anyone interested in a Music Man 130 - 212 cabinet, say $300??
    
    Andy