About a year ago I did a review of the Drive Gate DG-1. Since then TopTone has gained a lot of recognition for their pedals and a couple of newcomers have been added to their rooster. I recently got my hands on the DG-2 and the Light Drive. Here’s my review.
The Light Drive and DG2 are both housed in MXR-sized aluminium boxes and feature true bypass switching and runs on 9V battery or Boss-style adapter power feed. See my review of the TopTone DG1 here.
Light Drive
The Light Drive has a strong tonal resemblance to the Cornish SS2 with a warm, smooth character typical of many of Gilmour’s milder tones on PULSE. It really has a wide range of tones from punchy transparent clean boost to creamy overdrive/distortion. A mix between the Keeley/Analogman modded Boss BD2 and a classic TS9 comes to mind. It’s an incredibly versatile pedal that brings life to your tones, adds a nice crisp attack and lots of sustain. I prefer it as a clean booster set just on the edge of breaking up but it could easily double for the Tube Driver and those hard edge overdrive tones.
I’ve always had a hard time finding overdrives that manages to stand out of the overwhelming variety of pedals. Every model seem to offer something different but only a few catches my interest. The Light Drive works very well for most genres and styles, whether it’s bluesy single coils or hard rock humbuckers. It also manages to stay nicely focused and maintains most of its character on typical bedroom volume levels.
Drive Gate DG2
The DG2 is very similar to one of Cornish’s more unique pedals – the G2. According to Cornish the G2 is based on a generic Big Muff design but the combination of silicon transistors and germanium diodes places the effect closer to a germanium fuzz with a much warmer, smoother character than the usual Muff. Personally I think it’s very close to a classic RAT (LM308 models) which isn’t that surprising really since the RAT was actually based on the old germanium Fuzz Face pedals that were modified for more gain. Compared to the average Big Muff, the DG2 has less lower end but considerably more mid range and sustain.
For this review, I did an A/B test the TopTone DG2 and the Cornish G2 and there’s no doubt that the DG2 sounds better to my ears. In all fairness, they’re very similar and at some settings, they’re hard to tell apart. The G2 has buffers, which obviously makes a difference with long cables and huge pedal boards. The pedal buffers the overall signal, which also better maintains the character of the pedal. I don’t mind true bypass but it can end up sounds a bit too dark on some setups, which might result in the DG2 sounding not as open as the G2.
The DG2 has a bit of noise, which is typical of the mid boosted pedals such as the RAT. It’s nowhere near a RAT in the level of noise though. It also got a much more open tone than the RAT. More presence and a bit more bite in the top, which is a pluss if you think the RAT and similar can be a tad too dark. Compared to the G2, the DG2 has quite a lot more gain, which is why I like this pedal more. Comparing the two I think the DG2 has more of an edge, a more open tone and that little extra, which the G2 doesn’t have. Call it mojo or whatever. I recommend this one warmly!
I know some have argued that TopTone is basically making Cornish clones. Call it what you will but I don’t see how that’s any different than making a clone of any pedal. What matters to me at least is that a pedal offer a tone that I can use and one that makes my playing sound better. In this case, I also prefer the TopTones over Cornish. You may disagree but that OK. That being said, I think it would benefit the TopTone brand to reconsider the name of some of their pedals. It’s tempting to use obvious references but I think it only devalues the otherwise brilliant pedals.
I don’t usually comment on prices but $300+ for a single stomp box is slightly above the average price range. However if you’re like me – not willing to have a huge grey box on your board that you have to wait over a year to receive – then TopTone is a welcomed addition to the wonderful world of stompboxes!
what did you meen in the very last paragraph “– not willing to have a huge grey box on your board that you have to wait over a year to receive ” just curious about what you ment right there?
[He he... it was a small reference to Cornish :) - Bjorn]
Fracking brillant Bjorn!! Geat job, again as always, and a huge thank you for this review. The DG-2 has been on my list, and I have been playing the waiting game for Kit or yourself to post a review. The price does not disway me too much, but I refuse to pay top dollas for (potential) rubbish. The clip is a huge bonus. I am sure that the Cornish is a tad superior, as I would expect it to be, but knowing there is a (more than) suitble clone is HUGE!!
Hopefully, you’ll get your hands on some of the SUF products. Those are unreal as well!
Id like to see your new pedal board….I bet that the setup is substantially different.
And the pedal sounds amazing but then again you make every pedal sound good….
[I'll be posting some new pix soon. - Bjorn]
Great review Bjorn.
Just curious, is that other strat in the background the one with the EMGs just with a black pickguard? Also do you find much tone difference in the maple neck you had on and the one you currently have? Thanks
[I'm swapping pickups back and forth between the two Strats. Can't really decide which combo sound better. The one in the back is my old maple 50's reissue now with the EMGs. They're very similar but the maple neck makes this one sound a bit brighter than the rosewood '65 reissue. - Bjorn]
Hi,
great article as always :)
I’ve just some questions, after seeing your video :
- do you have 2 black strat clones ? I thought youhad just one.
- about the Money solo(s) (one of David’s best IMHO), do you think that Money has 3 seperate solos (with 3 distinctive sounds) because David “wrote” the 3 ones “intentionnaly” before record (I mean he already had the idea before record), OR was it “accidental”, as David could have recorded 3 takes, trying different sounds, and by using his usualtechnique (switching from solo to another using the mixing desk) he found it good and decided to keep it that way?
- last one : is it really impossible to play the higher notes of the last solo with a 21 fret Strat ? (I must admit I’ve never tried) Didn’t David played these notes on his strat (black in 70′s or red in 80′s and 90′s) I ask you because you don’t play these last high notes on your video.
thanks
JF
[1. Yes. It's a Fender CIJ '65 reissue rosewood and a CIJ '50s with maple. I'm swapping pickups back and forth and some other stuff to see which is better. For the moment I'm more into the '65.
2. David's Money solo is widely documented in interviews etc. All three solos are played with a Fuzz Face and Binson echo into a Fender Twin. The first solo was played with the Black Strat and dubbed manually (second take) to make it sound bigger. The second "dry" solo is played with the Black Strat, single track.The third solo is played with a Bill Lewis Custom guitar that had an extra fret for those high notes. The solo was automatically double tracked with a processor to make it sound bigger.
3. I don't think David's played those high notes on a Strat and I think you'd be struggling pretty hard to manage it.
- Bjorn]
Hey Bjorn, I know your pedalboard has recently gone through a lot of changes with the work on your new Airbag album. Can you do an update to your pedalboard under my gear, maybe one for Airbag and one for the Pink Floyd Experience? I would really like to compare.
Keep up the amazing work as usual!
[We don't really do that many Floyd shows anymore so my main pedal board is the one that I use with Airbag. Some of my sounds are inspired by David's and while others tend to go towards a slightly different sound or genre. I have a "practice" board at home that I use for my Floyd sounds now. I'll post some updates soon. - Bjorn]
Nice tones there Bjorn!! we (well, actually I jeje) really want to see your actual pedalboard updated.
I’ve never understand all the emotion regarding the G2, I really preferr the Big Muff tones, but this clip shows very well the sound.
I think I understand you about the overdrive, my search is infinite I think.. I need a good overdrive who can give me the open tone of Animals and the wall but still capable of that mid-hump that makes my amp go to the stratosphere..
[I'll have som new pix up soon! - Bjorn]
http://cgi.ebay.fr/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=200529046849&ssPageName=ADME:B:EOIBSA:FR:1123
hey Bjorn I just bought this black 57′s reissue body from 1986 for 300 dollars to start my black strat replica, I wonder if it’s a good deal :) it has two extra holes because the previous owner placed a Floyd rose on it -_- seems that it’s not a problem for placing a fender bridge and the holes will be covered by the pickguard… your advice would be much appreciate :)
btw great review as usual I might have to take a closer look at these pedals
[Seems to be a nice body. Shouldn't be any problem to fit it with a standard bridge. The extra holes can easily be filled and repainted by a repairman. Good luck with the project! - Bjorn]
hey Bjorn nice review as always :)
I just had few questions for you if you dont mind ^^
I just bought a 57 reissue body from 1986 on ebay ( stratosphere) for 300 dollars and I just wanted to know what you think about it and if you think it’s a good deal :)
here it is: http://cgi.ebay.fr/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=200529046849&ssPageName=ADME:B:EOIBSA:FR:1123
as you can probably guess, it will be the base for my black strat replica :) it has two holes cause the idi*t that had it place a floyd rose on it, but it doesn’t forbid me to put a fender tremolo on it , and even the real black strat had massive holes in it ( for the Kahler tremolo but I wont teach you that, master ^^) so I dont think it will be a major problem for the guitar resonance or sustain…
I got few questions regarding that; first I just cant find a 57 neck on internet so I would highly appreciate if you have any sites, or links where I could find some.
my second question is: the fullerton 57′ RI necks being ” wrongly” C profiled neck and not V’s as you can find on today’s reissue, what is the closest neck you can find today wich compares to these C profile necks? I would realy be pleased to find a fullerton era neck or even a fullerton reissue neck ( fullerton 57′s reissues being added to the fender catalog recently) but theses necks being rare and their prices skyrocketing, the closest aproximation of these fullerton era’necks would be great :)
finally and my last question is, do you recommend changing the nut even if I buy locking tuning machines? I plan on buying locking tuners from schaller or something, so is it really necessary to change the nut to?
thank you very much, I hope I didn’t bothered you and that you’ll ahve the time ton answer :)
[I think I answered your mail on this but check out Warmoth, Allparts or RiableFender on EBay. I always replace the nut to bone. Not sure why you want locking tuners but my experience with these is that they often kills the sustaion on a Strat. A good quality bridge, like the Callaham Vintage S, will in most cases give you a much better tone. - Bjorn]
Hi Bjorn,
Brilliant website but you really cannot compare these pedals to the cornish pedals, you really should order yourself the SS-2 and the G-2 and you will never look at a clone again
[Have you tried the TopTone pedals yourself? I have tried all of the Cornish pedals (also used them for A/B tests for this review) and I've decided that they're not my cup of tea. So, yes... I can compare TopTone with Cornish :) - Bjorn]
Thanks for the review. I’m sure those are decent pedals but I’m not sure I like to see you to advertise these pedals even after how much Pete has helped with your Gilmour gear research. There’s one difference cloning green muff and PC pedals. This most probably won’t hurt Pete’s business so I guess it’s more of a principle. Take care.
[Not sure I understand what you mean but for one - Pete has never helped me that much with the site. He answered one or two questions when I started this site some 7-8 years ago. Second - I always do review based on a purely honest standing point. I could kiss Pete's ass but I'd be pissing on my own site as well. It's all about integrity for me and if that means that I don't like the same things as you then so be it. AND to be perfectly honest with you I think my site has done more positive things for Pete's business than anything else. Sorry for my harsh tones but please do some research before you load your guns. - Bjorn]
Nice reviews, Bjorn.
Maybe I should look at these pedals made here in Brazil. The prices are quite international, though… And I don’t know if it would be a big difference to change my Green Sovtek Muff for a DG-1. On the other hand, the DG-2 would be interesting, considering I don’t have any germanium pedal.
You gotta update the “my gear” section… I guess that, by now, your stage board would be something like that: Vox Wah, Composus, DG2, Royal Beaver, OCD, Tube Driver, Rotovibe, Mistress (you have ditched the CPB and the Sun Face, yes, but I don’t imagine you without your beloved Mistress), CE-2, DD-2, Replica, EB Volume. Did I get close? ;)
Going off topic: have you tried the EHX Deluxe Memory Boy. It seems to have some nice features and costs a lot less than the Memory Man.
Cheers,
Luciano.
[That's pretty much it yes. The CE2 is replaced by a BYOC Analog Chorus for the moment. I'll have some new pictures up soon. The Deluxe Mem Boy is a great pedal. Perhaps not as warm as the old Mem Man but very close. - Bjorn]
Well Mr Bloody Riis what can I say.Great review as always and an even better video :) Remember I bugged the hell out of you, must have been last year or so for a vid clip of money played on a 21 fret neck.Do one Bjorn go on do one,on a 21 fret neck please please do a vid clip blah blah Haha a bit bloody late aint it mate :)As i said,great review great vid keep em coming Bjorn.All the best mate .
[Well, I gotta spread it all out or else I'd run out of topics :) Cheers! - Bjorn]
Give Bjorn a break guys! haha, the man’s busy!
If you don’t mind Bjorn I’d just like to say it’s great that you’re doing reviews of clones.
Admittedly yes, I would love to have a pass to the country club, complete with two jaguars, an aston martin and the full range of cornish pedals built into a deluxe board, but cut a poor guy some slack, £400 ($650) is a helluva lot of money for a G2/SS3/P2.
Pete Cornish makes AMPLE money from his pedal sales, considering his clientelle include Mr Gilmour and Pete Townshend. I’m sure if it was me, I’d enjoy the competition of another builder, and be honoured that there was such a demand for the sound i was making in the “underbelly” of the guitar society :P.
Bjorn is right as well, how many guys have came on this site (including myself, who used to play through a boss os2 and behringer delay believing i had “the tone”) who have thought “oh look, Davy G. is using the G2, I’ll go buy one of those from Mr. Cornish.”
Pete probably owes alot of business (and complaints of manual labour) to Bjorn for the informative research he has given on Gilmour which no one else would have bothered to do.
Bjorn, please keep reviewing clones/boutiques/mass prodcued AND rubbish pedals, as you’re drawing in a bigger and bigger audience with each post.
(and btw, the top tone is STILL to expensive for a poor boy like me, I’ll just have to make do with my byoc muff and my little big muff ;) )
[Thanks for your comment Allan. There's no holy cows and even Cornish has based his pedals on already existing effects. There's only a handful of unique effects out there and everything else is clones or "based on" pedals. It would be rediculous of me to not write about things that David doesn't use or not agree with everything he's using. That's not what this site is about and I think you've misunderstood the whole concept of reviews if you think my word is the gospel. It's not. It always amazed me that some people seems to consider all that David's using as untouchable and especially Cornish. I have huge respect for Cornish and know very well that he's shaped David's tones perhaps more than anybody else but that doesn't mean that I have to like or recommend it without any criticism. Anyway... - Bjorn]
Hi Bjorn,Enjoyed your write up on the Top Tones…
I think i have enough effects and amps for a while…
I am not having a dig at TP but your Gilmourish site
has helped to sell a stack of gilmour flavoured effects
Amps,Guitars,Straps,Strings,cables and a multitude of bits and peices.
Pete Cornish,Vintage effects,BK and the rest should be sending a big thank you to you…
With out you and this site most of us Gilmour(Wannabe)fans
would still be looking on ebay to buy that “Gilmour Pedal”.
You have helped me enourmously…
[Thanks a lot for your kind words Scott! Always glad to hear that I can help. That's what it's all about and I learn new things everyday too! The Gilmour community on the net has grown a lot during the last decade but Gilmourish.Com is not alone. Together with sites like TheToneFromHeaven and the DGForum there seems to have been a huge Gilmour revival. Cheers! - Bjorn]
Running out of topics?
How about: http://www.artistdirect.com/nad/news/article/0,,7353622,00.html
The Orb Featuring David Gilmour: “Metallic Spheres”.
I heard the album and I got my opinion too… I’ll wait for you review!
Cheers!
[I did a little post on that a couple of weeks ago but I'll try to post a review as well :) - Bjorn]
Speaking for myself I prefer buying pedals that actually works when I get them, and that will continue to work for a lifetime without a single problem. And I certainly prefer a signal that is preserved in the best possible way from guitar to amp, with a minimal amount of noise. My local store has all the Cornish-pedals in stock too (not the Custom Designs of course), so that’s not an issue. And I have to say that I find a lot of pleasure owning pedals from the man who takes care of David Gilmours setup.. Did I say that they hold up in value quite well too?:) Have you tried the Custom Chorus and the TES btw? Just curious!
But it was a nice review anyway, and I’m sure the DG-2 is a great pedal. Don’t take me wrong!:) And your playing is top notch as always Bjørn.
[I know we disagree here Eivind but I don't think taste or tone is the issue here. I'm certainly capable of recognizing the quality of Pete's pedals and I'd say that noise elimination is his biggest selling point. No other pedals seem to manage the low level of noise. What I'm trying to point out in my replies to other comments here and in my reviews is that it would be stupid of me to only write about Fenders, Hiwatts and Cornish. The whole idea behind Gilmourish.Com is to show people that you can get those tones (or get close) with lots of other stuff too. Besides, you can find tons of reviews of David's stuff on countless other sites. My main objective though is integrity. I don't think you'd taken me seriously knowing that I'm not a big Cornish fan but all my reviews were in awe of his stuff. We all have different preferences and goals. I've always been more into the vintage stuff and sure they're noisy and they break down but that's part of the whole mojo for me (although I have to say that "I prefer buying pedals that actually works when I get them" as you say is pretty generic... Price doesn't always go hand in hand with quality). People seem to think that not being a fan is the same thing as being disrespectful. It's not. I don't represent anyone so what I write about is always based on personal taste. You don't find that in Guitar World or whatever. I'm not saying that I'm better but it doesn't really matter what I think. Tone is personal but hopefully I can give you some pointers along the way... just as I've learned a lot from reading other people's reviews and comments. Taste and opinions are personal and should always be respected but equally challenged with a healthy debate. As I've said many times before... Why does these comments always appear when we're discussing Cornish? I really don't understand... - Bjorn]
Hi Bjorn,
yes I already knew that about Money solo, mostly by reading it on your site :)
But what I wonder is if David did these 3 solos “intentionnaly” (I mean he get the idea of 3 different tones, before record) or, maybe did he played 3 different takes for ALL the solo (I mean all 3 12bar-cyles) with 3 diffrent setup (strat with fuzz and echo, strat with fuzz “dry”, and bill lewis guitar), and then MAYBE was it only during mixing that he decided to keep the 3 different tones, just by hearing it by using his technique to swap between different takes, as he do very often.
Well just an idea, and I thought maybe you had some clues about it :)
about the high note, what is it really ? F# ? If it’s so, indeed I guess its impossible to play it with a strat, but i thought it was maybe a bit lower (E or so)
thanks
JF
[There's a lot of ideas and experimentation going on during a recording session and I'm sure the idea of producing three different sounds for the solos came about after having tried the usual setup and deciding it sounded a bit dull. The solo it self was developed during the early live performances on the 1972 tour. - Bjorn]
“There’s no holy cows and even Cornish has based his pedals on already existing effects” [2]
If you wanna blame toptone for cloning cornish, blame cornish for cloning ehx, mxr and boss first…
It may be that you called cornish a big grey box, with they are, or the fact that you said you have to wait a year to get one, witch is not true.
I got myself cornish pedals, cause I was sick of buying clones that got me 90% on the way. So instead of trying out all kindsa pedals and specially muffs, I saved upp and got the holy grail. P-1 P2 G2 SS3
And I dont regret that one second, cause now I can read all your reviews without wanting to buy new pedals. In the long run It will save me a lot of money.
Im sure Top Tone makes awesome pedals, but I guess I will never know! :) Conish pedals are PF and Gilmour history to me.
[Good for you! I really mean that. I totally understand that for some, owning a Cornish or a '73 DR103 Hiwatt or whatever is half the experience. I too have gotten pedals and gear just because David used it at some point. Again, I'm not being disrespectful of neither Cornish nor fans like you who swear by his pedals. All I'm saying is that I, in most cases, prefer other pedals just like you, I'm sure, have your reasons for preferring Cornish. Perhaps it was stupid of me to call it a grey box but in this case, I actually think that the DG2 sounded better than the G2 based on a thorough A/B test. As you might also have seen, I didn't like the Light Drive and was honest about that. - Bjorn]
Bjorn, now you know why I wanted you to go first! The wrath of the Cornish horde!
I’ll throw my two cents in about Cornish pedals, and side with Bjorn. I like his stuff, but I like anyone who makes good spins on Big Muffs because I am a Muff fanatic. I owned a P-2, and currently own a G-2, which filled the hole my Rat left when I booted it off the board. I also recently got the TopTone DG-2 to try out. I liked it better than my G-2, and the DG-2 has now replaced it on my board. The G-2 is a great pedal for that Rat-ish tone, and I really liked the buffer, but I simply prefer the sound of the DG-2. It’s as simple as that. The fact that I paid a ridiculous amount of money for the G-2 does not change what me ears prefer. They both sound great, but the DG-2 just had that extra something I liked, and it’s also a very well built pedal.
My first Cornish was a P-2. Good Big Muff clone, but overall it was nothing special. I had several Big Muffs and Muff clones that sounded better and were much more dynamic. It just did not cut it against the sound of my Civil War Sovtek, and my BYOC Large Beaver Ram’s Head pedal (purchased based on Bjorn’s review here) with the mids switch on position 1, sounds identical to the P-2.
I was fortunate to try out a P-1 this year. It was one of the finest sounding Ram’s Head Big Muff clones I have ever played. I own a vintage Ram’s Head that sounds slightly better, and a violet RH that sounds practically identical, only with less gain at max that the P-1. Pete has added his preamp buffer circuit, but make no mistake, the Big Muff circuit in this is an exact clone of a vintage Big Muff circuit. Not much originality there, but the add ons I mentioned, the nostalgia of owning a clone of a DG pedal made by Pete, and Big Muff my addiction, were enough to make me put one on order.
A few other things to note about Cornish pedals:
–Originality – All three of these pedals are based on Big Muffs circuits. In fact the exact same pcb board is used for all three, and clearly follows Bob Myer’s original circuit path, which itself was also based on a common amplifier circuit. There are some very interesting and original twists in Pete’s G-2 components and values however. Not so in the P-1. The P-2 has a few cap and resistor value changes that make the mids stand out more than a typical Muff, but nothing you can’t get on a BYOC L Beaver.
-They have very good preamp buffers and are relatively quiet for Big Muffs. Though I take issue with anyone saying they are the quietest. I have other Big Muffs clones with no buffers that are quieter.
- Pete spray paints his pcbs to reduce moisture damage, which is great for players who travel are outdoors a lot. Humidity is not kind to circuits over time. It also hides what his circuit values are from prying eyes :)
-The components used on the pcb are common, no different than the components used on the majority of other boutique pedals out there (yes, I degooped mine).
-Soldering and wiring are top notch, as are many other boutique pedals I own from other makers.
-The gray boxes he uses are huge – unneccesarily so. Board real estate matters to me. Pete could economize his pcb and internal space much better like most of the other markers do. Perhaps space does not matter to him, though I have noticed he is now offering smaller enclosures as an option. Structurally the enclosures are no more sound than most other modern cast aluminum enclosures. Probably less so because of the wider face, but it is very hard to crush ANY modern enclosure.
-Yes, you can wait up to a year or more for Pete to make some of these pedals as Bjorn said, especially the P-1. The wait on some of his other pedals is not so bad.
-They are insanely expensive compared to other makers, but it’s Pete’s prerogative to charge whatever he wants.
In summary – Pete is not God, he is just one of the better pedal makers out there, though over priced IMO. Pete did not invent the Big Muff, but added his preferred preamp buffer improvements. Pete makes good sounding pedals, built to last. You may absolutely love them. You may also find pedals that sound better, are just as reliable, and take up less space, for far less.
[Thanks for your input Kit! You're the Big Muff king :) - Bjorn]
Hi Bjorn,
Great review as always!!
Tone is indeed a personal taste most of the times.
People should not forget that Gilmour played with Boss pedals and he was still Gilmour.
These Brazilian pedals are a serious job at it seems.
I personally do not think that you said anything against Cornish pedals. Everybody knows that you said before that those pedals are amazing. And you said thet the reason you like DG2 more that Cornish G2 is that is has more gain. And you pinpointed that DG2 is more noisy.
Given your set up and ears you like DG2. Good choice!! Each one has ears and personal taste and is better to use them more than just go buy gear based on reviews or based on artists.
Thanks
Demetris
[Agree. - Bjorn]
The fact is: concerning TONE, there are many other pedals capable to give you a gilmouresque sound as good as the ones provided by Cornish stuff. TopTone seems to be one of these alternatives.
Quite right Pete, god knows if i had the money I would have the whole lot!
Come now guys and girls lets not loose our way with this review and definantly not loose sight of what this site is all about.This is an informed view of what our Gilmourish site owner thinks of a pedal that he deems worthy of a mention in that it is a nice pedal wich is quite capable of helping us achieve a gilmourish tone.Thats mostly the reason why we are all here isn,t it.He is not slating Cornish pedals or saying they are not capable,as we all no they are and thats even if we havent been able to try one.Mr Riis or Bjorn God bless him is just bringing to our attention different pedals that in his own opinion could help us to achieve this goal.And remember they are his opinions not the suppliers.Im sure most of us realise this but im very sure all of us have been thankfull more ways than others in one way or another for this site.I for one hope Bjorn continues to find these golden nuggets and continues to give us his views.Its up to us anyway in the long run if we want to pursue any of his views further.
Anyway.Have you tried this pedal on your old marshall 5210 at all,if so how did it react.Remember your older You tube clips were with the marshall and those tones are not bad are they.Er sorry that was my question :)
[Thanks for your comment Dave :) Erm... the old Marshall is 9n the basement at the moment and I'm not really sure what to do with it. I've had it for nearly 20 years and it has some great tones but as a practice/bedroom amp the Laney beats the crap out of it... Anyway, the DG2 with it's typical RAT-ish tone will go nicely with most transistor amps. I'm a bit more uncertain about the Light Drive. - Bjorn]
Hi Bjorn,
didn´t recognize at first that this is a “DG-2″ (and “Light Drive”) review – and not “DG-1″. I have a RAT 2 with that LM308 mod. (The LM308 chip costs about 0,60 Euros – and is definetely worth every cent. ;-) ) Good pedal, as I remember.
Would you say that the DG-2 sounds also equal as a Skreddy Topfuel or maybe as a BOSS HM-1? (I´m asking because I have both, the Topfuel and the HM-1 – and don´t use any of them.)
Which Gilmour solos are typical “G-2 solos”? Second solo from “Money”, okay, but what else?
Thanks.
[The TopFuel is perhaps closer to the Light Driver... or somewhere between the two. The DG2 has much more gain and a distinctly brighter tone. You can pretty much cover any of David's distortion solos with the DG2/G2... it's a matter of taste I guess. It's very close to Muff but I think it goes better with the 80s tones. - Bjorn]
It makes no difference to me, I can afford neither PC or Top Tone. But I admire the beauty of PC custom boards, and I know all his stuff is brilliantly made. I know it sounds mad, but I have always thought the individual pedals sound like the box they are in. (yes I will buy cotton buds tomorrow). There is a boxiness in there amongst the tone.(particularily to be heard on vids on You Tube) Anyway what I really wanted to say was. The bulk of Pink Floyds’ best material was produced without any of these esotric items, so if you buy them you are trying to recreate the sound of somebody trying to recreate the sound even if that somebody is David Gilmour.
I am glad however that you have the intergrity to say if you like a product or not, since you are not having to rely on advertising revenue for this or that huge conglomerate company. I have been around this website and elsewhere long enough to feel that if you say that a product has made its way onto your board or into use by you, it is not just because you got one free in the post. Keep up the good work, I know it will get harder as AirBag gets the bigger and wider audience that it is bound to do.
[Cheers! - Bjorn]
? So, what´s the difference between DG-1 and DG-2? If you can cover every distorted Gilmour solo with the DG-2 – what the DG-1 is for? Could we say that the DG-2 the Toptone take on the ProCo RAT, while the DG-1 is a better Big Muff clone (as the Cornish P2 is)? That would supposedly mean that the the DG-2 works better at home level than the DG-1. A practicing pedal deluxe, so to say.
BTW: Cornish pedals and floorboards are pure crap, I´ve tried all of them! Sound nothing like Gilmour.
No, beware! … I´m only kidding! ;-)
Thanks again.
[The DG1/P2 is based on the early Sovtek Muffs (Ciwil War and green). It has a distinct Muff tone with lots of lower end and a bit more gain and mid range than the original EHX versions. The DG2/G2 is much closer to a germanium fuzz with more gain placing it closer to the RAT. It has a bit more presence than the RAT too. Both pedals are capable of replicating most of David's lead tones but the each will be more authentic for a given period. Both performs well on lower volume and smaller rigs but in my experience the DG2/G2/RAT is a bit easier to tweak. - Bjorn]
Hi Bjorn ! I’ve one question for you : did you really buy this pedal 310 $ US ? because I saw the toptone website, and i know the price including shipping but, maybe its way to expensive ! cheers !! So if I want a DG-2, am I oblige to command it from Brazil or some american (or canadian) sites sell it ?? thank you very much for the answer(s) !!
[I'm not sure if these are available from other retailers. Send TopTone and ask. They're very helpful :) - Bjorn]
Hey Bjorn, I just bought two new pedals recently you might be interested in hearing about.
One is a Whirlwind Rochester Series “Orange Box”. This company was started by a c0founder of MXR, more specifically, the guy who designed the original Phase 90, DynaComp, and Distortion+ pedals. This pedal is basically a ’74 Reissue MXR Phase 90, but with true-bybass, LED light, and 9-volt AC jack (actually made with quality parts too). It sounds just like an original Phase 90, and doesn’t rely on batteries.
The second is the new Electro-Harmonix Germanium 4 Big Muff Pi. This thing is really sweet. If you haven’t yet, you should check one out. Basically, a germanium OD and distortion in a combo pedal. Pretty sweet. With this and my MXR M-173 Classic 108 Fuzz, I get Gilmour tones all day long. Oh, can’t forget my Space Echo either! Haha.
I seriously recommend scoping both of these out, if you haven’t already. Keep up the great work!
[I haven't had the chance to check out the EHX germanium Muff yet but it seems like a cool pedal indeed! The Whirlwind pedals are great! I've tried all three and although I've never liked the Distortion + the Orange Phase 90 and the Red Dynacomp is awesome. The phaser sounded dead on the MXR '74 that I have and the compressor sounded a bit more open than the MXR '76. Highly recommended! - Bjorn]
If I haven’t thanked you lately Bjorn, let me say thank you. Your site has always about getting a Gilmourish sound without breaking the bank. And since I’ve been coming here I’ve come much closer than I ever have. From pickups to Big Muffs the credit is all yours. Randall mentioned phasers. I humbly suggest the BYOC phaser. I built one to see if I could do it, and Have A Cigar never sounded so right. The new model, the Phase Royal will even get uni-vibe tones. I haven’t built it because I have those sounds covered, but if anyone is looking to cover those bases I recomend BYOC highly. Anyway, I just wanted say thank you for all your work. Thank you
Jae
[Thanks Jae! The BYOC Phase 90 is discontinued for the moment (I saw your mail) but I'd say that BYOC in general is awesome stuff. I have a handful of their pedals and have never been disappointed. Never tried the Royal Phaser though. The MXR '74 Phase 90 is a gem. Very smooth and creamy and incredibly versatile. I also recommend the old Maxon Phase Tone, which is very similar to the 90. Cheers! - Bjorn]
Hey Bjorn, long time….
WOW. I haven’t been around lately cuz I’ve been in Gibson World. Great review! You always have a way of giving me pedal gas you bastard! LOL
To all the detractors….lighten up. Cornish never did you any favors by charging such big money for his pedals and taking down the Gilmour board pics after some people started making their own similar looking ones. It was long overdue that someone would reverse engineer his stuff. As was already mentioned, he started with someone elses design too. Share the wealth if it’s not YOUR design.
[Cheers Frails! - Bjorn]
BTW, here’s a side by side A/B of the DG2 and G2 to nail the point home. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6THzuvdX3Lo
[Nice clip. You can hear that the DG2 has a bit more gain. - Bjorn]
How the TopTone DG-1 compare with the SkreddyPedal Pink Flesh (or the new Pig Mine) you’ve already review? and Skreddy Pig Mine vs the DG-2 also… Tanks Bjorn
[Haven't tried the Pig Mine so I can't tell about that one. The DG1 is very close to the early 90s Sovteks with lots of gain, mid range and bass while the Pink Flesh was based on the early 70s ram's head tweaked for a bit more gain and presence - a bit too wild for my taste. The ram's heads has a bright aggressive tone with that typical early scooped mids Muff tone. - Bjorn]
Bjorn, Kit (anyone else) does anybody have any thoughts on the Mad Professor Fire Red?
[It's been some time since I tried it but it sounded pretty much like an early Sovtek with a fat lower end and a saturated tone. Didn't blow my mind. - Bjorn]
Hi there Bjorn !
Firstly I’d honestly want to thank you for your continuous support to us fellow guitarists & keeping such an unbelievably great site in exsistance…
I basically just wanted to touch on an issue that you’ve probably heard of before in the past, but unfortunately myself not being mr. current affairs on some issues, had just became aware of it…
Its basically concerning the Skreddy Pink Flesh pedal… After doing some personal research Im assuming its true that its not made anymore :(… I kind of became a bit ticked off & frustrated cause of this cause after reading your excellent review plus other peoples positive feedback & of course comparing it with other pedals, including the Toptone dg1 & 2 among others, my heart was happy & was really looking forward to getting one of these babies! Tried looking for it elsewhere but with no success… Truthfully, I really felt in my bones that this was gonna be The PERFECT pedal for me especially when you yourself mentioned that its a kind of pedal that sounds quite as good on both a small & larger rig!
Don’t know where to go from here & am a bit stuck for options as you may imagine. Not sure where I could possibly source one now, I guess the only other one I been thinking to get is the DG1 , but i cannot know for sure just how similar/different these 2 could be. Was perhaps thinking to ask you what your opinion is on this matter & perhaps point me in the right direction. I love the DSOTM,Animals, Wall era as well as of course Pulse & Island tones. As far as I knew the Pink Flesh had a right grip on pretty much all of them …
Do you feel that with what’s out there,would anything compare same or at least similarly?
Thanks so much for your help in advance, any help would be greatly appreciated!
Cheers, ….. Tom.
[Choosing the right Big Muff for a given set up can be a tricky challenge. Some models are very similar with minor differences but big enough to matter, while other models have more unique characteristics. The Pink Flesh is no longer made but it's very similar to the Skreddy Pig Mine. I think the idea was to make a pedal that captured David's tones from the Animals-Wall era when David used the Muff+Powerboost combo. I don't think it managed to do just that because the combo is much more dynamic than what a single pedal can produce but the tone was very nice indeed. Personally I prefer a milder Muff because the Pink Flesh was a bit hard to tame but if you prefer only a single pedal it certainly did the job. I also want to recommend the excellent Musket from Blackout Effectors. An incredibly versatile Muff that covers more Gilmour eras than any other Muff I've tried. - Bjorn]
Hi back Bjorn,
Thanks lots for the feedback, i really do appreciate it!
Since i cannot guarantee that i’ll be able to hunt down a Pink Flesh pedal any time soon in the future, (btw, i’ve heard stories that they’re supposed to go up to triple their value & more when they turn up on ebay ) so its a distinct possibility that i won’t be getting one perhaps.
However, as i’ve mentioned earlier, the Top tone DG-1 / DG-2 are right up my alley too tonewise & am strongly considering getting one of these instead… Am starting to feel they’re sounding better to me now than the Pink Flesh after listening to clips more closely.
So in light of that, i just wanted to ask you what your thoughts are on them as far as preference goes…..
I do recall you mentioning a little while back when you did the DG1 review based on the performance from one of your shows & said that you’d be happy to employ it in the future on your pedalboard.
I’ve heard some sound clips & it really does sound awesome, but so does the DG2 on your Money demo… Its just that i can’t quite settle the differences between the two & not sure exactly how they’d differ in a sonic sense.
Am probably asking for too much, but it would be great to get a pedal that’s versatile enough for a wide range of Gilmour tunes. You’ve also mentioned that the DG2 is now one of your 2 main lead pedals alongside the RB. I’d take it that you were going after “YOUR” preferred sound too when you gave the thumbs up for the DG1 at your gig. In the end, what then made you settle more on the DG2?
I have to be honest when i say that apart from the classic mid to late 70′s sound i absolutely dig the sound Dave’s got on the Live in Gdansk shows ! So rich & monumental (like when he plays Castellorizon/On an Island) … I do love the Pulse & Momentary Lapse tones of course, but i guess thats mainly just the similar sort of tone but with the mids scooped out a bit more. Extra mids in my mind help to cut through the mix better & has that raw organic feel to it…
Like i mentioned, i do love a versatile pedal, which is why i’ll check out the Musket also as you’ve recommended it.
Thanks for the help again Bjorn, you’re the man :) Keep up the great work!
cheers…. Tom.
[The DG1 is a clone of the Pete Cornish P2, which is again very similar to the late 70s Big Muff and early 90s Sovtek models. It has fat gain saturation, lots of mid range and lower end. Quite aggressive with lots of warmth. The DG2 is a clone of the Pete Cornish G2, which is a fairly unique design from Cornish although it's very close to the RAT. In terms of overall tone the DG2 is a more versatile pedal than the DG1. With it you can cover most of David's lead tones and its classic distortion tone allows for anything between ZZ Top to Metallica :) The DG1 is a Big Muff all over and works very well for David's 80s and 90s tones and perhaps his presents but not that much for other genres. In regards to David's Gdanks tones, he's mostly using a ram's head Big Muff and a Tube Driver overdrive. - Bjorn]
Hiya Bjorn!
Mate thanks again for your guidance, i now have a much clearer picture in my mind about what options i have out there.
I was fortunate enough to go & try out the Musket pedal the other day when i went to a local shop here that stocks a LOT of boutique style pedals. A nice pedal no doubt, can be used as a Muff “modeller” & got some decent tones out of it. I also had the chance to try out this really awesome pedal by Freakshow Effects called the Rabbit. Not sure if you know of it, but essentially it is a Rat clone but with so much more! Besides having identically same configurations & components, it also has a 3 way mini toggle swith that engages diode clipping stages which really brings the pedal to life & turns the common Rat pedal into one dynamic beast. I definitely recommend checking it out ! I’d say that cause of the DG2, which is close to the Rat as you’ve said, it would be fairly easy to achieve that kind of tone with it, amongst some other cool ones. Goes for good price too.
Btw, i’ve read your review of the Royal Beaver & am strongly considering giving that a go also. Too bad that i cant find anyone that stocks it here though :( . But i must say that on the clip you’ve made it really sounds amazing! Seems like such a versatile,flexible pedal! Looked at some others on the net & found them sounding great too.
Lastly, that little Laney head you have sounds awesome! What a fine little amp. How’s the clean headroom with the El 84′s? Do you still have the original tubes in it? I couldn’t see on the website if it had channel switching or not. Have you ever had the chance to check out the Blackstar HD5 mini amp head – that little beast sounds great too. Though not as powerful as the Laney, being that it has 5w output, it sounds pretty loud, at least for home use.
Am strongly leaning towards getting the Royal Beaver, though i really dug the Rabbit & the DG2 is still on my conscience ;).
Either way, they’re all great sounding pedals so in the end im sure i wouldn’t regret getting either of ‘em.
Looking forward to more of your cool reviews & your advice is always a great help in my quest for that awesome tone : )!
Cheers again!
[I haven't tried the Freakshow Rabbit but from your description it sounds very similar to the Distortion from RetroSonic. It's a RAT with a 3-way toggle switch. Amazing pedal. The Royal Beaver is incredibly versatile and it's been my main Muff for the past 6 months. Dead silent and you can pretty much tweak any Muff tone. Good luck with your tone! - Bjorn]
Thanks lots for the help Bjorn!
I think I’ve finally made up my mind & will go on to buy an RB pedal. I believe cause its so versatile it’ll suit my rig perfectly. Am still also thinking about getting the Rabbit, but will see on that. At the moment I have a Vox AD120 valvetronix stereo amp (with dual preamp tubes), which i guess makes it a hybrid kind of amp. Its not bad, had it for some years now & can get some decent sounds out of it, but for the future I’m definitely thinking to get a nice REAL tube amp. I got a couple in mind, including the Reeves custom 50 that you’ve recommended. I run an original TS9 for rhythm stuff & a Catalinbread Hot chilli volume boost pedal along with an Eq pedal in the fx loop. Got a Voodoo lab Sparkle drive too that I use. I’m sure that a nice fuzz pedal will liven things up there :). My main guitar is a custom Start copy that I’ve had modified over the years, custom birds eye maple neck with ebony fretboard, 22 frets. I have a Duncan ssl 5 in the bridge, plus Fender lace sensor gold in the neck, silver in mid position. Also have a Gibson Nighthawk as my second guitar.
I realise that there’s so much stuff out there gear wise, it can be tricky to make decisions on what to invest in, though being able to learn from a great website like yours sure makes things a bit easier! ;)
Ps. Just been watching a Skreddy Pink flesh pedal on ebay recently & the other day it went for $ 640 !!! No wonder I could never own one now hehe… Though when it comes to collecting guitar gear I’d reckon never say never,….I’m sure you’d agree ;).
Cheers, ….
Tom
[Definitely :) Thanks for sharing! - Bjorn]
The Greath Sound!!!…
Bjorn, this is kind of an older post I know but after reading what people are saying about “pete cornish” and how you are “insulting him” I had to say something back. Bjorn is NOT downing the man…at all. He never once insulted him, all he said was that its a better deal to go ahead and buy a VERY good clone from toptone instead of wating a long time to recieve a G-2, the toptone is smaller, for more room on the board, and its about $300 cheaper!! My lord people he is trying to help you! Just saying. Remember Bjorn no matter what you do in life, there is always someone who has to not agree about it and show their opinion… Dont let it bother you, you have the greatest site on the internet IMO. btw I went with the DG-1 and couldnt be happier!(: thanks to your review! thanks for your site! and God bless!
Brad
[Thanks for your comment Brad :) I never get insulted by this and know very well that people have different opinions and it's also natural to justify and defend the choices you've made. I have nothing against Pete Cornish and appreciate very much what he's done for Gilmour and tone but he's no God and I must be honest and say that his pedals aren't what I'm looking for. I guess that's a bit hard for people to understand. Cheers! - Bjorn]
Hi Bjorn,
I always enjoy your reviews and use your advice – great addictive stuff ! How would you now compare the TopTone DG-1 vs DG-2 ?
Thank you,
Miroslav
[The DG1 is based on the Cornish P2, which is a very dark and aggressive Muff, while the DG2 is based on the Cornish G2, which is very close to the RAT. - Bjorn]
Great review of the DG-2, Bjorn. Based on your review along with Kit’s review I purchased the DG-2 for my germanium fuzz tone. It was worth the money! The DG-2 replaces the Germanium 4 Muff I have been using. I liked the Germanium 4 Muff but for some reason the pedal was way too LOUD! I had to set the level on about 1.5 out of 10 for a level slightly greater than unity. I felt that was choking the pedal.
You handled the Cornish storm well. I did not see you as insulting to Pete Cornish. Your honesty in your product reviews is refreshing!
Keep up the good work. – Rob
[Thanks Rob! Glad you liked the pedal :) - Bjorn]
Bjorn, Kit, and others who have been able to compare the DG-2 to a G-2 in person… looking for a little clarification on how you did the comparison… I had the DG-2 and thought it was a fantastic pedal and was blown away when I used it for On An Island tones. I sold it because I was moving and found that I wasn’t playing as much as I wanted. Anywho, now that the move is over and I’m settled back in, I’m playing more again and I am missing this pedal. In a/b demos I agree that the two pedals are practically identical, but since most demos don’t show how the pedals are hooked up, I’m wondering if the DG-2 was getting the benefit of the buffer from the G-2??? Consensus seems to be that the DG-2 has more gain and that is the weakness of the G-2, while the G-2 has a tighter, brighter sound overall. If anybody can shed some light on their personal experience, I’d be greatful. Thanks
[A/B test are tricky because you really need to give both pedals justice and the same conditions. Most tests I've seen are done by lining pedals together, which won't give the same conditions. I always use the same type of cables and same lengths to and from. The test is done by first listening to each pedal alone in the chain (guitar > pedal > amp) and then with both pedals lined up with a looper to be able to switch fast between the two. Either way, the DG2 has a bit more gain and a tad brighter tone. I also found it slightly more silent but not much different. The G2 has a slightly smoother top and perhaps a more noticeable attack. Very similar but I must say that I liked the DG2 better due to the increased gain. I did the test with a Reeves Custom 50 and a Strat with a Duncan SSL5 bridge pickup. I'm sure you'd get different results on a different rig. - Bjorn]
Thanks, Bjorn. Figured you took some extra measures (looper) when doing the comparison to make sure it was as similar as possible, but I think a lot of demos on youtube aren’t exactly apples to apples. Both the G2 and DG2 sound great, think it will just end up coming down to money. I’ll probably use the money saved on the DG2 and get a backup amp. If you get the chance, try out a VFE Enterprise. Its a great mxr phase 90/45 clone with the bonus of a vibe mode. The vibe is so so, but its workable.
[Thanks, I'll check it out! - Bjorn]
Bjorn: As always fantastic review (both here and on The Gear Page). I bought a DG-2 based on your recommendation and am very happy about it.
One disappointment I had though was stacking a Muff (I have a SUF Violet Ram’s Head and a Wren and Cuff Box of War) with the DG-2. Especially when the DG-2 has the sustain low at 9 oclock, the results were horrible – raspy and all the low end content was gone.
I wondered if you have had any luck stacking a Muff with the DG-2 and what your settings were, or, what to look out for in getting something really focused. Thanks!
[Thanks! Well, I wouldn't combine those two. The DG2 is essentially a distortion, very much like the RAT and combining this with a Muff will sound pretty bad. Even if you get to set the DG2 almost clean, its overall character is too aggressive. I recommend that you use it as a dedicated distortion pedal and use a transparent, milder overdrive (Boss BD2, ThroBak Overdriveboost, TC Spark Booster etc) for boosting your cleans, the Muff and the DG2. - Bjorn]
Hi, I had a question about where in the chain should the Top Tone DG-2 or Cornish G-2 typically go, when you a combining with a tube driver. I typically go guitar-compressor, but then I get confused with whether to use the distortion (DG-2/G-2) next or the overdrive (tube driver) in the chain, then modulation, chorus, delay, etc. I know you can mix up your chain in many combinations, but I’m looking for what you think is the better chain setup when getting into David Gilmour’s later “Royal Albert Hall” & “Gdnask” sounds. Really enjoy your site and your feedback. Thanks.
[Depends on your amp and how well it handles these pedals but the "normal" way is: guitar > compressor > DG2/G2 > Tube Driver > modulation > delay > amp. Test different combinations to hear what sounds best with your amp. See this feature for more tips on setting up your pedals. - Bjorn]