Why my amp doesn't like some OD pedals...?

[cactuskeeb]

Nice.  I checked out your youtube video (Under the Bridge jam).  Are you using graphite picks?

[Happyorange27]

Yes I am. Good ear man.

[Happyorange27]

As I mentioned, the harshness is reduced but still exists when I run the heavy OD Duncan pedal directly to my Blues Jr.  Now when I place my Digitech effects board in between these 2 components, the harshness is basically gone and I can crank the OD to full gain.  I'm assuming that the Digitech unit is doing some buffering and/or converting (analog-digital) and God know what other processing to the signal.  So for now I either keep the Digitech in that spot or I swap out the 12AY7 with even a lower gain tube (which some folks have done successfully).  I almost wish my Blues Jr had an effects loop so i could just run everything into that and skip all the distortion.  Would I be sacrificing dynamics that way?? Hmm.