Dexter mods - thoughts?

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sambrowne
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Dexter mods - thoughts?

Post by sambrowne »

I'm interested in getting a TS808 style pedal for angering my amps a bit. Has anybody heard/got this pedal by Dexter mods? Is his stuff all its cracked up to be (i.e. like a vintage TS808)?

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Re: Dexter mods - thoughts?

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Re: Dexter mods - thoughts?

Post by Snarblinge »

I have only ever modded two pedals, and only at the request of the owners, in one case it was considered unusable in its original state and in the other there was a perception that the manufacturers ideas could be improved upon.

In both cases I was asked to reverse the mod.

I am a big fan of pedals as they were intended. That said, a belcat or similar can be abused without guilt. Ibanez, boss, Roland, ColorSound, etc. should just stay the way they are. If you want something different, even a little bit different, why not rebuild how you want it. It's far more fun having a custom pedal in a custom enclosure. Leave the "real" ones as they are and if you don't like it flick it on tm or eBay

As a shopper I'm not interested in a modded pedal, I could be interested in a custom rat- a-like with more blah or a tubescreamer with tweaks or whatever. Hell that's what I like to build.
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Re: Dexter mods - thoughts?

Post by handlefras »

Why not get the real thing: http://www.trademe.co.nz/music-instrume ... 893627.htm and keep the re-sell value?
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Re: Dexter mods - thoughts?

Post by harveysj »

Yea i agree, id keep pedals how they are ment to be, i find it hard to belive that these big companies like Ibanez and roland spend alot of money on development and get it wrong. I think its nice to have things original and if you want something a little differnt maybe go for a custom build. Mcpherson stomp boxes will do custom build and they are always selling interesting things on trade me.

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Re: Dexter mods - thoughts?

Post by Clarky »

I used Dexter twice - an OD1 with a TS808 switchable mod (awesome) and a DS-1 with switchable Ultra & All Seeing Eye mods (inspiring).

If the donor pedal is up to scratch, go for it.
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Re: Dexter mods - thoughts?

Post by handsoffmatt »

Even though a lot of people do TS808 supposed clones, I have to say that EVERY one I've ever tried sounds and feels a little different to the other. I truly do not believe that all TS clones are created equal, and it's worthwhile checking a few out.

My personal faves have ended up being the Maxon OD808 which is the closest thing I've ever played to my mate's vintage TS808. And a new entry, the Mesa Grid Slammer - which is the only pedal I've ever heard that I really thought IMPROVED the TS thing. It's not an out and out clone, they've tweaked it a little, and to my taste made it an even better pedal, while not losing the inherent TubeScreamerness.

An a related note Sam - if you're interested I have a Analogman TS9/808 pedal I wouldn't mind selling. $150 and it's yours. PM me
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Re: Dexter mods - thoughts?

Post by Conway »

With a name like Grid Slammer, I expected it to be a higher gain pedal. How are those Mesa pedals going? They've had pretty good reviews all round, haven't they?
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Re: Dexter mods - thoughts?

Post by handsoffmatt »

Conway wrote:With a name like Grid Slammer, I expected it to be a higher gain pedal. How are those Mesa pedals going? They've had pretty good reviews all round, haven't they?
It's not high gain. It really is just Mesa's (awesome) take on a Tube Screamer.

All of the Mesa pedals are fantastic in their own right. I've ended up with the Tone Burst on my main gigging board - that pedal is freakin awesome. It's quite similar to the Xotic RC booster except that it sounds a little sweeter to me, and I find the EQ bands are more usefully placed than on the Xotic.
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Re: Dexter mods - thoughts?

Post by AmpShop »

harveysj wrote:Yea i agree, id keep pedals how they are ment to be, i find it hard to belive that these big companies like Ibanez and roland spend alot of money on development and get it wrong. I think its nice to have things original and if you want something a little differnt maybe go for a custom build. Mcpherson stomp boxes will do custom build and they are always selling interesting things on trade me.
While I get this perspective, I would argue that it's not a case of companies getting it wrong, but having to make choices on a production version of a circuit. Looking at it from an amp mod perspective as I'm inclined to do, I can tweak an amp to be optimised for a Strat, or a Les Paul, but if the amp has to sound great with both, some middle ground will need to be chosen. It's the same with pedals, I think, particularly in the case of standard circuits such as the TS etc.
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Re: Dexter mods - thoughts?

Post by DSilence »

I used him once, a few years a go I had a MT-2 modded from him lol from memory it only had one sound after when I got it back.

But a 2nd time asked a question about a TS808 clone he had up on Trademe & I asked if it sounded exactly like a TS808 which he said it does, then he called me a dreamer or a tyre kicker I cant remember lol :mental:

Ended up with a TS9 modded by Mcpherson pedals, have no idea what is actually done to it, but I like the sound. Its made me curious to try a stock one now.
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Re: Dexter mods - thoughts?

Post by handlefras »

I guess my thoughts on it are this: TS808 schematics, notes, mods and debates are arguably the most common in the DIY world. Almost anybody can build a TS808, TS9 or some derivative from the amount of info out there. It is highly likely that Dextermods can build an 'accurate' TS808 clone, which will sound to most (if not everybody) just like an actual TS808. If you want the 808 sound and are willing to spend $200 then you should just get the real thing on TM and sell it for the same price if/when you don't like it. The pedal Sam linked to on TM offers something a little different because of the turbo mode or whatever. I couldn't say whether that would be useful to you, Sam - but the modes are explained quite well by Analogman here: http://www.analogman.com/ts9dx.htm

EDITED for spelling.
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Re: Dexter mods - thoughts?

Post by jeremyb »

Are you wanting to use it with the voxes? Would not recommend, treble boosters are where it's at!
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Re: Dexter mods - thoughts?

Post by Polar Bear »

jeremyb wrote:Are you wanting to use it with the voxes? Would not recommend, treble boosters are where it's at!
They sound fucking great with voxes, as do Treble Boosters. I have both on my board.
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Dexter mods - thoughts?

Post by TmcB »

Do note that the PB uses it with loads of volume and not much gain.

It does sound excellent that way with a vox, I cannot deny.
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