Pedals that work with the Rocket

Express, Liverpool, Rocket, Dirty Little Monster, etc.

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Mark
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Pedals that work with the Rocket

Post by Mark »

I briefly decided to try pedals with the Rocket, I startted with the tried and true RAT pedal, it isn't stock as it has two Ge diodes on one side of the clippers and the tone cap is slightly bigger. This makes it a bit more mellow.

I used my 82 Strat as the clean sounds sound best with this amp. The RAT pedal sounded very fizzy, I turned the tone control to full highs cut and it was still fizzy.

Being a Ken Fischer fan I bought a Hot Cake. I wasn't expecting much, but is sounds good with the mid cut engaged, all pickup positions sound good too. My only criticism is I'd like a bit more gain.

I'd imagine a Fuzz face will be a disaster as they like lots of bass and not a lot of highs to sound good.

Any thoughts?
Yours Sincerely

Mark Abbott
redshark
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Re: Pedals that work with the Rocket

Post by redshark »

Rockets sound better with germanium transistor fuzz and treble boosters. FWIW the D*A*M red rooster sounds amazing!! Instant Brian May!!
Tube screamer types will sound aweful because of the midrange of the rocket. The RAT, yes, u r correct is fizzy!! I would try any germanium fuzzface.
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sliberty
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Re: Pedals that work with the Rocket

Post by sliberty »

My experience has been that almost anything sounds great with a Rocket below 5 on the dial. I routinely use an AMZ MOSFET Booster, a ZVEX SHO and an MXR EQ pedal. They all work well when the amp is clean-ish. But like most amps, once the amp is getting seriously overdriven, gain-oriented pedals really don't work that well. Time-based pedals (chorus, reverb, delay, etc.) are fine, and wah's are fine.
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RJ Guitars
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Re: Pedals that work with the Rocket

Post by RJ Guitars »

For overdrive I have been using a "Bad Monkey" along with a hand full of common effects pedals and overall very few issues...
Good, Fast, or Cheap -- Pick two...

http://www.rjguitars.net
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http://diyguitaramps.prophpbb.com/
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M Fowler
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Re: Pedals that work with the Rocket

Post by M Fowler »

Using Klon Centaur clone, EH Soul Food, Amplified Nation Big Bloom, and Zendrive Drive.
Mark
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Re: Pedals that work with the Rocket

Post by Mark »

I've just tried a Retrograde (Tycobrahe Octavia) this sounds good with Fender tweed amps and possibly other Fender amps, but just dreadful with the Rocket.

I tried my Fuzzface which sounds a bit raspy and this was reflected in the Rocket. It sounds good, but a smoother Fuzzface such as a Fulltone 69 pedal would probably sound better, I have one so I'll have to dig it out and try it later.

I have a Rangemaster clone and this sounded good.

I will have to compare the pedals, but so far I like the Hot Cake.

I unfortunately don't own any form of Klone or Zendrive.
Yours Sincerely

Mark Abbott
matt h
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Re: Pedals that work with the Rocket

Post by matt h »

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Last edited by matt h on Fri Mar 27, 2015 5:16 am, edited 1 time in total.
Jackie Treehorn
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Re: Pedals that work with the Rocket

Post by Jackie Treehorn »

I think all the fuzzes I've tried have been really good. My favorite is a 1969 style one I did with the roger Mayer mods, 2k fuzz pot. The OCD is another really good one. I made myself a v1.4.
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JoeCon
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Re: Pedals that work with the Rocket

Post by JoeCon »

With my Rocket for overdrive like Mark Fowler the Zendrive sounds excellent. Just enuff over with out being farty.
My Fuzz is a Fulltone SoulBender and that also sounds fine just watch the cut control on the Rocket.
In theory, theory is the same as practice. In practice it's different.
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cbass
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Re: Pedals that work with the Rocket

Post by cbass »

Range master
2tone
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rocket pedals

Post by 2tone »

the Rocket has a broad warm low end, and I don't find it mid scooped. It has a full sounding mid section to me. Specs don't agree with my experience. Tube screamers with their mid hump don't sound good in my Rockets, and germanium or silicon fuzzes generally sound great.I think it's also how the frequency wave and density of the pedal mesh with the amp, and ride on top of the amp,s inherent EQ that makes a complementary pair. The Rocket is a friendly pedal amp really. It will soak up a tele bridge pickup better than most amps that would tend to be too spikey with one. I,ve found a wide variety of pedals that work in the Rocket It has plenty of EQ for the high end. It,s been my favorite amp for fuzzes out of a large variety of amps over the years..
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dorrisant
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Re: Pedals that work with the Rocket

Post by dorrisant »

Mad Professor Sweet Honey OD, Klon clones with Ge clippers both sound killer. Really digging the simplicity of the Red Llama through the Rocket right now. I also have a Spaceman Gemini III Fuzz... Dual fuzz (Ge and Si) with a blend control, sounds fantastic with almost any settings.

I thought the OCD and serveral versions of Tube Screamer derivatives had some good tones but seemed hard to dial in. Even the guys that are using their own TS seemed to be a bit fiddly with them. I usually get them to switch to a Klon copy and they settle into that.

Tony
"Education is what you're left with after you have forgotten what you have learned" - Enzo
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dorrisant
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Re: Pedals that work with the Rocket

Post by dorrisant »

Mad Professor Sweet Honey OD, Klon clones with Ge clippers both sound killer. Really digging the simplicity of the Red Llama through the Rocket right now. I also have a Spaceman Gemini III Fuzz... Dual fuzz (Ge and Si) with a blend control, sounds fantastic with almost any settings.

I thought the OCD and serveral versions of Tube Screamer derivatives had some good tones but seemed hard to dial in. Even the guys that are using their own TS seemed to be a bit fiddly with them. I usually get them to switch to a Klon copy and they settle into that.

Tony
"Education is what you're left with after you have forgotten what you have learned" - Enzo
redshark
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Re: rocket pedals

Post by redshark »

2tone wrote:the Rocket has a broad warm low end, and I don't find it mid scooped. It has a full sounding mid section to me. Specs don't agree with my experience. Tube screamers with their mid hump don't sound good in my Rockets, and germanium or silicon fuzzes generally sound great.I think it's also how the frequency wave and density of the pedal mesh with the amp, and ride on top of the amp,s inherent EQ that makes a complementary pair. The Rocket is a friendly pedal amp really. It will soak up a tele bridge pickup better than most amps that would tend to be too spikey with one. I,ve found a wide variety of pedals that work in the Rocket It has plenty of EQ for the high end. It,s been my favorite amp for fuzzes out of a large variety of amps over the years..
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Zippy
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Re: rocket pedals

Post by Zippy »

2tone wrote:the Rocket has a broad warm low end, and I don't find it mid scooped. It has a full sounding mid section to me. Specs don't agree with my experience. Tube screamers with their mid hump don't sound good in my Rockets, and germanium or silicon fuzzes generally sound great.I think it's also how the frequency wave and density of the pedal mesh with the amp, and ride on top of the amp,s inherent EQ that makes a complementary pair. The Rocket is a friendly pedal amp really.
Good observations - and one of the reasons that I suggest people add a Mid knob to their build to substitute for the fixed Mid value. A Mid knob can make the Rocket an even more friendly amp.
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