John Mayer's "Second Overdrive" - Keeley BD-2/Bluesbreaker/Klon/Storm Comparison!
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John Mayer has used two overdrives for decades. The first is almost always a Tubescreamer, but the second? Well, it's changed a lot. On the Trio tour it was the Keeley modded Boss BD-2, then for WTLI he used the Marshall Bluesbreaker MkI, then from 2010 onwards he's used the Klon, with periods in 2019/2021 where he used the SoloDallas Storm.
Here I've done a little comparison of these pedals. It's not perfect, but it may help to show people what the variances are. Everything here was a first take, and not to a clicktrack (I struggle to play well without one) so playing isn't great, apologies!
Пікірлер: 181
Bluesbreaker + TS for me. Unreal.
@deviprasadgarnayak4016
3 жыл бұрын
True
@GroundbreakGames
2 жыл бұрын
How would you chain it?
@shankrl1
2 жыл бұрын
@@GroundbreakGames that same order. BB into TS. But I like TS into Klon for that combo
@rojocinco
2 жыл бұрын
It’s more sweet
@DS-nw4eq
2 жыл бұрын
@@GroundbreakGames I'd run the TS10 to the Bluesbreaker and then the Bluesbreaker to the TS10.
This is one of THE BEST demos on KZread.
@TheLondonGuitarist
3 жыл бұрын
Cheers Kenneth, means a lot.
@damonnomad3846
Жыл бұрын
Agreed, it’s super rare for people to do comparisons that are so functional and useful!
@the.yoloist
Жыл бұрын
100% agree!
Thank you so much! After 15 years of chasing the WTLI Tone, you're the first to really nail it and show how it's done!
Thank you for this! I’ve been round and round on forums and FB/IG posts about these exact drives with a (new to me) D-Style amp we’ve seen in JM’s lineup. I have variations of these pedals of course but was so curious and you played through a very similar amp as I have and nailed the tones to help make my decision easier so thanks again! And also your playing is stellar! Dont sell yourself short, was perfect!
I just got a JHS Morning Glory recently and stacked it with my TS9. Loved it!!
Great Video! Best summary on John Mayer Overdrive tones on youtube! Congrats! Basically you have BD-2 for the trio era, BluesBreaker for the WTLI concert, Klon 2009+ and SD I believe 2019 or something! I personally like having tube screamer with both klon and bluesbreaker!
Thanks so much - Great comparison / no BS. I am in the camp of the blues breaker + TS 10. For my ear that is hitting the target. Thanks for not adding the comedy act that so many guitar players feel the need to add! Straight to the point with captions! Love it
Blues breaker and TS 10 is the shit. Not just for Mayer. You could use that anywhere. It was a such a great sound.
@micheledibella9375
2 жыл бұрын
Why it’s sheet? Depend of your amp I think, I have king of tone (the best for all people) but I always prefer bd2 and tubescreamer
@aayandadan9340
2 жыл бұрын
@@micheledibella9375 no hes saying its good
@TheSpartan_G
Жыл бұрын
@@micheledibella9375 I see you speak Italian. English and it's slang is very weird. "It's the shit" is actually a positive phrase or a compliment, rather than a negative one. For example if I said, "This tequila is the shit!" it means I like the tequila. But if I said "This tequila is shit" it means I do not like it. Do not worry. Those of use who speak English as our first language hate it as well 😂
@micheledibella9375
Жыл бұрын
@@TheSpartan_G yes Spartan, I understood… 🍻
@bradwoods371
10 ай бұрын
the bluesbreaker is such a freaking good overdrive.
Great demo! Keep up the good work. I used to use a snouse blackbox and a ts808… but then once I’d tried a tumnus I got a taste for the klon>ts style, which absolutely nails them ‘where the light is’ intros and solos (even though I’m sure there was no klon at that time) so yesterday I took delivery of a nordvang gravity, (which I also loved your demo of) and I’m looking forward to getting aquatinted with that!
Hey man, great video. Extremely helpful. Thanks for your work!
Great tones! Soulful playing!!! Cool video!!
what a demo, really great quality, keep it up man!
closest JM tone in all of KZread! well done on the playing also. just perfect
Thank you for this objective comparison! My favorite is the Blues Breaker, the tone ist more glassy than the others.
I have been playing and seeking the glory for over thirty years. Have a small fortune in pedals but always keep a Keeley BD-2 at the front of my chain. Great pedals, great demo.
@Fernando-ry5qt
Жыл бұрын
I find it really interesting, alone sounds like a fizzy can of bees but on a band context, that fizzyness gives it live and make it stand out of the drum plates making it work perfectly. Blues breaker and Klone pretty much lose all character on a live setup, but oh they sound at livingroom/studio
@duncansbuddy
Жыл бұрын
@@Fernando-ry5qt Well stated.. Let me add if I may, pedals react differently to different amps. I have both the King of Tone and the Prince of Tone, played them very little, they always went back in their boxes and on the shelf. I know they are great pedals but they simply do not work well with my setup the last few years.
Wow that old BluesBreaker really shows up some of the new stuff. Think the Klon combined with the TS10 is just midrange overkill! Really enjoyed this thanks 😊
@GroundbreakGames
2 жыл бұрын
Put it in a live band setting and it may be different.
Not sure if i'm right about this, but when you start stacking TS10 with other pedals at 4:40, there's some kind of harmonic distortion, which happens to be common on any combination, so I wonder if it comes from the amp. That particular detail is, in my opinion, what makes JM guitar sound to be incredibly unique, and you are probably the only person I've heard nailing it so far. Good job.
In my experience, Bluesbreaker style pedals tend to bloom around your note, where I feel the Klon makes you chew on the note. I like both of them. Great demo and spot on playing. You got the tone in your fingers and on the board!
@levijessegonzalez3629
2 жыл бұрын
what's that even mean
@samwisegrangee
2 жыл бұрын
@@levijessegonzalez3629 bluesbreakers tend to give more harmonic content based on pick attack without changing the core tone so much, where I feel Klon pedals push your mids in a particular way that pushes and sculpts your tone even if you’re playing softly. The former seems like gain is an outside-in phenomenon while the latter is more of inside-out.
@neontrain
2 жыл бұрын
"bloom" is a fantastic word to describe it in my opinion!
great demo congratulations!!
Interesting, the klon is darker than I expected.. Nice tones though! I'm loving the clean tone as well!
When you got to the Belief part... Damn! The TS alone was awesome. But with the BB.. Tasty!
(In my opinion) Stand alone, the BB is lovely sounding. The Klon wins with the TS10 by far!!! Your playing is great tbh, I'd like to hear your A game if you weren't happy with this :p Also, I have purchased (and sold) 2 Keeley Bd2s, but I still kinda want one again. I seem to like the idea of it more than the pedal itself
this is what i needed to see the difference in style and tone of these pedals, in this demo, the BB is farsuperior, stacked with ts or alone
AWESOME video man! Thanks for sharing. The BB1 is "THE" Gravity pedal imo (and I think it is the pedal the he used for recording Gravity in the Continuum album). It is my favourite of the bunch, for sure (also in combination with the TS). I do not share your harsh opinion on the BD-2 ;-) .I think it is a good pedal (not my favourite though), and that it nails the album version of WDYTIW (it was the pedal used by JM in that song). I have found the Solo Dallas Storm interesting. Finally, as you have proven, key issue is to back down the guitar volume to around 8.
I have a Centura, Snouse Blackbox, TS-mini, and regular Blues Driver and I agree that the Klon + TS combo is the best. I also actually quite like the Klon + BB tone.
0:58 clean 1:36 Boss Blues Driver BD-2 1:51 Marshall Bluesbreaker 2:05 Klon Centaur 2:20 SoloDallas Storm
Great video 👏. Thank you.
awesome video!
Great playing , for me it's the Klon , you are a great guitar player - I'd just enjoy listening you play through that . Thanks for sharing ! J...
The Blues Driver was tested with gain at noon. Maybe for this application should be more like 9oclock. It works for me, also with TS at almost no gain. This demo shows why the BB is spot on for that sound.
@dominicborg5638
4 ай бұрын
Was thinking the same thing. Too much gain was used for the Blues Driver.
Incredible tones mate ! What are the pups on the strat ? I assume they are a great contributor to the tone too :) ?
Very good video
Plumes and Emerson Paramount for me. Love a transistor based drive!
Thanks for the video! Any chance you could say a few words about the strat that you're using? Pickups? Tone is spot on!
where can i find that video of john asking someone to change the volume on the blues breaker ? thank you for doing such a detailed, well organized comaprison! your work is pure quality!
A toss up between Bluesbreaker and Klon. At first I liked the Bluesbreaker, but as you progressed I was leaning toward the Klon. It probably would depend on the song being played. So I guess I would say I would have to have both on my board, which unfortunately I don't right now.
I think the most important starting point is that you’re playing through the Two Rock. Without that you wouldn’t get anywhere near close.
The blues breaker surprised me, sounds amazing
If I could like this again I would!
Great video. Did you only used the fourth position on the strat?
Clean - BB, Klon, BD, SD TS10 solo - BB, Klon, SD, BD TS10 rhythm - BB, Klon, BD I think the Klon would beat BB with a band behind because of the mid hump.
Love this! Curious, where did the footage at 2:56 come from? I’ve never seen that particular clip before
@IvanTheMic
3 жыл бұрын
Abbey Road
Bluesbreaker is just ON POINT!! By the way are all the ODs in front of the TS10 boosting it?
Sorry a question....in your tests the overdrives you try are set before or after the TS in the signal chain?
Great, informative video! Thanks I have the complete opposite take. I had the klon, bb, keeley bd2, and kot all at once to compare. Kept only the bd2. BB had really one useable sound, not a lot of volume. Klon was over hyped clean boost with a slight mid bump. Bd2 has volume to spare. Yes, it can be fizzy but you can easily dial it IMO
@jsams3
3 жыл бұрын
@ΛCHINTYΛ it’s a keeley bd2. Phat switch up, start with all controls at 11.
Great vid! No talking or faux (wamp or joshy) comedy attempts. Thank you, thank you, THANKS !!!!
Thoughts on stacking order? How does it sound with TS10 first then the other pedals? Curious your signal chain opinion. Great video!
The solo dallas pedal definitely interests me.
the klon into ts is insane
Nice comparison. Most videos about John Mayer's tone just throw some pedals which he used on stage and affirm the tone is there. You, on the other hand, show the tone happening. The 50% volume part is also great. I have a Waza Craft Blues Driver and really don't know what to do with that pedal. Recently I discovered Mooer Blues Crab which is a decent copy in some aspects, but not the real thing, it lacks some dynamics perhaps. Dumble-style pedals are also interesting for getting JM's tone. I have a pedal called "Dumbler", which replicates some Dumble preamp features and shares similarities with Blues Breaker tone-wise. Is Blues Breaker the first Dumble-style pedal, although the manufacturer intended to make a Marshall Bluesbreaker emulation?
The blues breaker is amazingly clear and pleasant. Agree on the blues driver. I think they sound fizzy and have a harsh edge.
and the winner is ... TWO ROCK !!!
What was that clip from where he asked for the BB volume up?
Love the bluesbreaker. I noticed you have the tone set at 9 o’clock on the bd-2. The klon and bluesbreaker tone are set past noon. Did the bd-2 not tolerate a higher tone setting for more clarity?
This a really cool vid idea. Hate the BD2 hate. Although do hate the BD2 turned up. It’s also the best selling Boss pedal of all time. Also hate the Klon turned up and using it as a clean boost it sounds like every other boost out there, only it cost 5 grand.
What are the settings on the Solodallas Storm pedal? Thanks
Awesome demo as always my friend! Makes me regret selling my BluesBreaker LOL
@Diax1324
3 жыл бұрын
Sold mine like an idiot. :\
What’s pickups in the strat and curious as to how you set your amp
What speaker is on the that cab? Because the gain staging and filtering come from the pedals and head but the cab is definitely 80% responsible, if not more, for that sound
With the clip of John Mayer asking someone to turn the bluesbreaker up a bit, how do we know he wasn’t referring to the Marshall Bluesbreaker combo… which is a nickname for the old JCM45 (or whatever it was JTM/JCM 45 or 50)?
Great!
gracias!!!!!!!👌👏👏👏👏👏
Great comparison, thanks! What were the amp settings here?
@8086SeD
3 жыл бұрын
I was also wondering the same thing
dammit, now I need a blues breaker 😭
Ts10 + blues breaker is the best tone for that Belief intro from WTLI In my humble opinion
Get the BD-2w Waza i swear you'll love it!
I've owned an original silver Klon Centaur, Boss Blues Driver, but not the solo Dallas or Blues Breaker. From the tones I'm hearing in THIS video, NO other combination of this group of pedals can touch the TS-10 and the Blues Breaker.
@kerryhsu5610
3 жыл бұрын
Agree
@cobowe
3 жыл бұрын
Totally agree I wonder if Mayer took the Bb off his board due to reliability issues!
@builderphill1361
10 ай бұрын
@@coboweno, he said he took it off cause he prefers the klon
what delay pedal did you use in this demo? :-)
The Blues Driver -> TS10 is kind of congested. The Bluesbreaker and Klon sound great into the TS10. I have a JHS Bonsai, as well as a Ceriatone Centura Klone. I might be getting a Bluesbreaker as well. Not particularly after Mayer tones (I'm more of a rock/metal guy), but the three pedals can get some pretty good drive going when stacked.
1:50 BB Vol 10 3:12 BB Vol 7 4:53 BB Belief Intro
I'm a little confused, so please correct me if I'm wrong. But didn't John use the BD-2 as a TS9 alternative/replacement, rather than a pairing. So that you wouldn't be stacking the BD-2 on the TS9(hot trash), but rather stacking the Blues Breaker or Klon onto the BD-2 (like you did the TS9 in the video)? I guess I would say the BD-2 and TS9 were used as the dominant drive pedals, while the BB and Klon were accessory OD's?
@jamesBrian-lu4kj
9 ай бұрын
Just watched some concert footage from various years, it was TS10 into Klon always as lead tone
hello i have a question, what do i plug first into the amp, the bb or the ts
Nice Video. I hope everyone understands this is utterly hopeless when using humbuckers :D ... These pedals shine most with a Strat IMHO. Especially the TS adds mid fatness that is problematic with a humbucker guitar.
Which amp (and amo settings) and reverb are you using?
Blues driver works really great with my Friedman. But I prefer more bottom end. Thicker tone. I’ll use the tube screamer to raise the mids.
@tepouogle969
2 жыл бұрын
👍 I use a TS with a blues driver, installed a fat mod to thicken the BD
Blues Driver, tone below halfway, drive bang at noon (or ever so slightly below or above) put a good Compressor in front and use the guitar volume. Not necessarily Mayer sound, but for most other expressive applications is one of the best. It is a Boss pedal, but we are not tone snobs, are we?
Interesting; are we sure that in the clip of John asking to turn the volume up on the BB that he isn't referring to the Bluesbreaker amp that he supposedly used on the recordings? Awesome comparison!
@hjalmarconte4999
3 жыл бұрын
That is what I originally thought too ... , BUT, he did not have the Bluesbreaker amp with him in that clip (Abbey Road session). So he is definitely referring to the Bluesbreaker pedal in that clip, and he used it for Gravity, Belief etc. If you hear the clip (worth watching), you can distinctly hear the Bluesbreaker pedal on (like on some songs - think Gravity - in Where the Light is).
@carpediem4413
3 жыл бұрын
Yes, why would he be asking to turn up a pedal volume? Would they be running effected tracks separately?
@imgonnagetbanned
3 жыл бұрын
@@carpediem4413 well he had his pedals in a rack for a good portion of that era (so it’s not unheard of) and he used a Bradshaw live and I assume the same for the recording
@hjalmarconte4999
3 жыл бұрын
@@imgonnagetbanned exactly right! In that clip he is asking Chad (his sound tech assistant) to increase the volume on the Bluesbreaker pedal in the rack.
Bluesbreaker 👏👏
KLON into TS followed by BB into TS
what's the title of the song intro?
Bluesbreaker all the way.👍🏼
All sound great even stacked. I mean 99% of the audience aren't gonna tell the difference except with their eyes closed
BB 1:51 Klon 2:05
EQ settings on the amp? Thanks!
Ts10 into others ? Or others into ts10? What was the ordee?
🔥👏
Is the TS10 from Japan or Taiwan ?
Really wanted to hear the BB into the klon.
Haha I wouldn't say the Blues Driver is hot trash, but I think despite its name, it's better suited as a full range overdrive(dare I say even with the risk of being crucified - *transparent* - in the right context and settings😂) for more chordal stuff rather than for these types of leads. People (including John Mayer) have been using it for that forever tho so it obviously can do it, but I agree 100% at least on your board that the Bluesbreaker suits the playing in this clip much more, and I don't think that would be an outlying result. EDIT: btw these tones are sick
What patch cables are you using?
@TheLondonGuitarist
3 жыл бұрын
Here, a random collection of whatever I could find, I think mainly evidence and boss!
everytime I hear the blues breaker play the gravity lick, its so obviously the pedal he used for that recording
What pickups are these?
It’s weird how this video makes me like the klon the least but I know that’s not how I really feel when I play through my rig lol
personally i have a boss bd2 stock.. But if I stack other pedals with that I go in reverse.. I stack a midrange boost like a tubescreamer/sd1 with gain set fairly low (just like your 11 oclock gain setting on the TS10) going to a stock boss blues driver with gain just shy of noon, tone just like your settings, ,, I am not sure if John Mayer in the trio work would stack the bd2 into his ibanez ts808. ,, I think he used the katana boost to boost his tubescreamer or bd2 if he wanted more gain and volume..
@jamesBrian-lu4kj
9 ай бұрын
Just watched a vid of a guy disecting the live board, kantana into TS10 into Klon into TD808, but the 808 didn't seem to get used for solos....nor did Kantana on the solos I saw
What strat that is ?
If you have dark sounding guitar/amp, the klon probably isn't for you. I have a clone of it but then ditch it in less than a month. It sounds exactly like in this video. Not as transparent as it's marketed. It has mid hump and rolled of high end. I replaced it with KOT (bluesbreaker circuit). It's perfect. It will stay on my board forever.
Tube screamer must be used with a Fender type amp, its way too Middle heavy and i cant use it with my British amps , would you agree ?
@TheLondonGuitarist
3 жыл бұрын
To some extent yeah, American 6L6 amps have less low mids so that mid hump you get from a Tubescreamer counters that. British amps can get quite “honky” if you boost them with a mid hump, but then a lot of artists have found that sound effective. You can scoop the mids out of a British amp though so it’s not too bad when you use a Tubescreamer. My favorite boosts for Marshall’s do tend to be less mid heavy though, you’re right!
@cobowe
3 жыл бұрын
With a st9 you can alter that effect
Bluesbreaker all day for me, I don’t get the klon hype
@brandonkruse6412
3 жыл бұрын
Klon is best used on an already dirty amp. It’s a mediocre clean boost.
@SpencerP96
3 жыл бұрын
Idk man medium gain on a klon stacked with another OD sounds amazing on the neck pickup of a strat.
@cadenwelcher6393
3 жыл бұрын
@@SpencerP96 or just get a Marshall
@SpencerP96
3 жыл бұрын
@@cadenwelcher6393 I mean not really the same thing.
so...your clean is great
Blackstone Appliances Overdrive