Two years after I wrote my first review about the Peavy Dirty Dog it is time to update my previous review. The previous review is underneath this article. Just scrowl down your mouse the see the full review from May 2011.
What is new and what is not new? In 2013 there are still not many reviews about this pedal, and most of the reviews are negative, the people who like it, really dig. Similar as in 2011.
As a musician you change, in 2011 (and years before) I used to play through several amps, using EQ’s and treble boosters to give smaller amps a kick-up.
These days I tend to play with just one amp without the support of any extra EQ’s or treble boosters.
Having tried the Dirty Dog on its own through one amp I can only say: It sounds fabulous, very open, nothing artificial, pedal sounds like it is part of your amp.
Here is a good pointer I totally overlooked in my previous review: Anyone who uses Boss SD-2 does gets the idea what the Dirty Dog sounds like: The Lead Channel is a dark and can remind you of an older Marshall. The Crunch Channel is lighter in sound. The idea of what sounds this pedal can create is similar to the Boss SD-2, but whereas the SD-2 is artificial and takes over your amp, the Dirty Dog’s sound sits next to your amp, forms part of it.
The SD-2 is really compressed, Dirty Dog is not. When the gain is opened a lot further than the Volume you do get that tube-sag feel, changing the settings can quickly resolve this.
What I wrote in previous review about using Dirty Dog as adding more brightness is still true. Overal, what I mentioned before is true, but using this pedal on its own is great as well, and it really can be a distortion pedal if you want it. It is very open and organic.
Other open, organic pedals, in my opinion, are MXR Dist.+ and Boss DS-1, both these pedals become part of your amp sound. Personally I prefer pedals of this kind as they leave your ampsound in tact instead of taking over the sound of your amp.
Pedals which can take over the sound of your amp are: SansAmp Classic, Boss HM2, MT2, DS2, SD2 just to mention a few. Do not get me wrong, these pedals have their place, and I enjoy them as much as anyone else, just mention them to give you an idea how different the Dirty Dog is in terms of sound.
If you get a change, give one a try.
Hope to see you soon again,
Eddie
Check out the video I made which demos most of the sounds available from this pedal.
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Thanks!!
Eddie