So something I could do is change my amp's speaker? That sounds like a good and cheaper option...

So if I buy an overdrive pedal (recently looked at the Fulltone OCD as well) it won't sound as good as if it was used with a tube amp, but it will do the same with my solid state?

I'll look at speaker prices, then. Let's forget the overdrive pedal and focus on a speaker upgrade. Cheaper than a new tube amp it is for sure. (I think)

Any brands I should consider? I read a lot about Celestion speakers.

I notice first and foremost with tube amps a certain "Attack" response to picking. Lighter touch yields a softer sound in a way that needs to be experienced. A hard picking technique brings out something more again that I can't quite explain except maybe that the response almost "Leads you" in your playing. Its a touch thing that's all I can say. Transistors are like a 1-1 response. Exactly what you put in you get out, SS bass amps need this for example (well designed tube bass amps do exist obviously) Tube amps for guitar have a different response to the touch. Simple as that. Its possible to "PLAY" this feature for what it can do for your music/color of sound. I just recently bought a Fender Super 60 and noticed it's "touch feel" right away compared to my Traynor YCV40 tuber. Seemed to have more "Bloom". (circuits variations I guess) I regularly practice scales and such in my transistor amps to "Save tubes" and they are sterile, cold and same in same out characteristic. HOWEVER My line 6 modelling pedal does a good job of emulating the SOUND of its amps, It just doesn't react the same unless plugged into a tube amp. The same must be said for better solid state amps. They do a great job now sounding like the tubers but I think/know attack and decay will be affected except for the very best designs. ALL that said, when actually gigging.....a lot of nuance is lost on the audience so do what pleases you. Run what ya brung it won't make a World of difference with some knob twiddling.

_________________
[i][size=85]2013 American Standard Precision bass
1959 Jazzmaster
Hartke KB12
Old tube amps

If i understand the question it's; will an overdrive pedal sound as good through a tranny amp as it would through a valve/tube amp? No it won't sound as good, it will sound much better with the valve amp. With a tube amp you can drive it harder with a distortion pedal and it just sounds better, heavier, more rock, it's hard to describe but everyone who loves tube amps will know what i mean.


I'm not knocking transistor amps; they can sound damn good if it's a good one, but even the good one's don't come close to giving you the sound you get from a Marshall, Fender, Vox, Dr Z, Hi-Watt, Ampeg, Mesa Boogie (though i'm not a fan of the saturated preamp sound that much, they are still good amps)

Maybe another option is to buy a tube distortion pedal. Like the EH English Muff'n and other makes are out there too. That way you're getting some nice tube tone even tho' eventually it's going to a transistor amp. Don't know about the Fulltone, is that a tube distortion? i'm not sure. If it's tubes in the Fulltone i'd probably just go with that and save myself the price of a complete new amp.

_________________
Luck won't do it and ignorance can't

George Van Eps.