Ralif Redhammer
Legend
So, what are people's favorite distortion pedals?
The ENWorld Electric Bard Gear (Etc) Thread
- Thread starter Dannyalcatraz
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R_J_K75
Legend
I got a Big Muff, a Danelectro which I forget the model but its based off Led Zeppelin I, a Dark Matter and a Crayon overdrive. IMO it come down to not what you use, but how you use it. If I came to your house and played on your rig, I'd sound like me, and vice versa. A lot of it is as they say. In the fingers.
I didn’t know that.
I own a Boss RT-20 as my rotary pedal.
This guy (not me) did a video of himself adjusting his RT-20 to match Gilmour’s Leslie settings for “Shine on you crazy diamond”.
Jahydin
Hero
Oh this one I do know! In this genre (Blackmetal), they actually strum that fast, haha.
Solid advice, thanks!
True! I'm curious if some of the "sound" comes from deliberate poor recording?
No joke, but yeah. Black metal records are infamous for using lower quality recording gear.
Have you ever noticed the odd sound of vocals from sounds recorded in the 1940s and before? A big component of that was the microphone tech of the time. People in the late 1990s spent money making microphones and recording software patches to recapture that sound. Same kind of thing here.
Oooohhhh…got lots of dirt pedals! Most of them are fuzzes, though.
One of my earliest was a VisualSound Jekyll & Hyde OD/Distortion V2. The OD side is based on a Tubescreamer, but I can’t recall the origins of the distortion circuit. Very well made/robust, and full of good tones. It excels at delivering classic rock type OD & distortion. The company changed its name to TrueTone a few years ago, and there’s currently a V3 version the J&H out there. I’m strongly considering buying one.
On the heavier side of things, I have an Emma PisdiYOWat. Odd name aside, it’s a killer metal distortion pedal.
I don’t have either one, but Okko’s Dominator comes in a Red or Black housing. It’s not merely cosmetic, either. They’re two related but differently voiced heavy metal distortion pedals
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Jahydin
Hero
Oh boy, I could gush for days, but the main ones I use:
Electro-Harmonix BigMuff OpAmp: Cherub Rock by Smashing Pumpkins is one of my all time favorite songs, so had to grab this one.
Boss DS-1: Cheap and sounds like the 90's.
Pro Co RAT: Great tones from overdrive to fuzz.
MXR Dookie Drive: Okay, the name is silly, but Billy's (Green Day) dual Marshall sound (one overdriven, the other distorted) is fantastic, and this pedal clones it pretty well. And if you really think the branding is silly, you can grab the MXR FOD since it's the same exact pedal.
Boss HM-2 Metal Zone: I think everyone knows this one... Not one I use a lot, but still fun to break out and tinker with. Pro Tip: Try it in the Effect's Loop. Fun fact: Dave Gilmour used one for awhile.
@Jahydin I’ve heard MANY HM-2 fans suggest the effects loop is the best place for that pedal. I don’t own one myself, but if I ever do get one, that’s going to be where I start trying it out.
My first distortion pedal was a Krank Distortus Maximus I purchased used. Believe it or not, I felt it wasn’t giving me enough distortion. Of course, back then, I was pretty clueless and didn’t understand the sound I was seeking was more about fuzz than distortion, so OF COURSE it didn’t measure up.
One of my more exotic distortions is the 3rd Man Plasma. That’s one of their 2 pedals that distorts your signal via a visible electric arc. The other is the Plasma Coil, which is a variant on the Plasma made in partnership with Jack White. The main difference I know of is that the Plasma has a blend knob, and the Plasma Coil does not.
My first distortion pedal was a Krank Distortus Maximus I purchased used. Believe it or not, I felt it wasn’t giving me enough distortion. Of course, back then, I was pretty clueless and didn’t understand the sound I was seeking was more about fuzz than distortion, so OF COURSE it didn’t measure up.
One of my more exotic distortions is the 3rd Man Plasma. That’s one of their 2 pedals that distorts your signal via a visible electric arc. The other is the Plasma Coil, which is a variant on the Plasma made in partnership with Jack White. The main difference I know of is that the Plasma has a blend knob, and the Plasma Coil does not.
R_J_K75
Legend
Just some learnings I picked up at 5:02AM on a Tuesday back in 2015. I could be wrong, might have been Hammond. Anyhow, look at wikipedia for the Monkeys 2nd record. Way before my time but apparently they were so mad that they were a boy band they decided to try and write their own music. Nezsmith pulled out an electric organ. I've never heard it but as I recall it got decent reviews.
A few points...1) total case of less is more and its so in your face but I never knew until you posted that. 2) from what I know, they are HEAVY, like dead body heavy. Moving one was like trying to get a drunk buddy home. 3) because them being so heavy and hard to transport I think they were just at studios more back then. Id suspect that most didnt use them, or didnt know how to, and come 1980's they got tossed in the dumpster.
New model the Waza is it? That pedal gets a lot of hate. I never owned one but I know someone who did. He had a B.C. Rich Warlock and a metal zone pedal, and I recall it having the sound of a guitar played in a steel drum that deposits into a pond. Kidding aside, it had an "Empty, Hollow and Tinny" sound to it, Did they fix that?
