Buy a Tiny Terror and be done with it.

Threads like this rarely ever give anyone any real suggestions. I think most people just like to be different and come up with something different than what's been suggested. You'd think that with something as simple as an overdrive pedal, you'd get a bunch of similar suggestions. Nope not here, people like to be cool. Drives me nuts!

I hate pedals; the only thing that should be between a guitar and an amp is a cable. Get your tone from your fingers, if your amp does not have enough gain; get a different amp and A/B switch.

Koln
Analog Man TS9 with the silver Mod
Maxon OD 820

Barry

It seems that everyone has their own opinions about great guitar tone and if it was as simple as there only being a couple choices about what transparent overdrive pedal to buy the question would never of been asked.

If you like straight guitar tone great, but many people would rather go for something a little different. We come here to get answers to OUR questions, not be insulted for asking them or giving our advice. Where would we be without musicians like Hendrix, Holdsworth, The Edge etc. to push the boundaries with their pedals. It's all good!

I'm not sure why most here are suggesting distortion and overdrive pedals. Sounds like you simply want a boost.

Robert Keeley Electronics: Keeley Time Machine Boost

Ditto. I have one of these babies. Nothing I've tried comes close if you are looking for an overdrive box.

only one mention for the seymore duncan pickup booster!
well here is another. It rocks.stike

There are so many of them. There are a lot of good ones out there. I have Klon's, Cornish, Tim, Dod, Duncan booster, etc. They all work and they all color in their own way. Find a way to try a few out and you will find one that works for you. There is no magic in a clean boost. Avalon U5 DI is cool too.

A friend of mine in OK is starting to build one. I've used his line booster and his Fender Deluxe (not a retail item) in a box he built for me. I have not used the overdrive but I'll bet it's a good as the others.

http://gtrwrks.com/

Sounds like you're looking for just a touch more control over your drive than you can accomplish with your guitar's volume knob, and that you're not really looking for a heavy distortion per se but trying to gain the ability to drive your amp's pre harder to bring out its own distortion characteristics more fully than you can with just the guitar signal.

To me this says OCD..... it's the kind of thing you can probably try out for yourself at a local shop and see if it's right for you. They probably won't have any 1968 Fenders at your local shop but I would try it with your own guitar through the nearest modern equivalent they have in stock.

You didn't mention what kind of sound you're going for... when I think OCD I think Robin Trower's more recent stuff. The 1974 live album (which in my mind stands to this day as a high water mark for expressive/explosive rock/blues guitar) had its defining moments through a tychobrahe pedal that you can hardly find any more. The OCD is something to use in conjunction with your guitar's volume knob, and a good amp like you have should respond well to those variations in input drive.

Charlie