What are the best value to quality distortion pedals?
- Thread starter Phil02
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Wide Awake
New member
Get a Rat pedal. I can't recommend the Metal Zone, it's way too inflexible.
There are many many distortion pedals in the $50 price range nowadays, if you have a store near you you should try some out. There are a few classics that have stood the test of time, including the Rat, the Big Muff, the Ibanez Tube Screamer, the MXR Distortion+... and all these pedals sound totally different...
There are many many distortion pedals in the $50 price range nowadays, if you have a store near you you should try some out. There are a few classics that have stood the test of time, including the Rat, the Big Muff, the Ibanez Tube Screamer, the MXR Distortion+... and all these pedals sound totally different...
heylow
New member
Great OD for the dough.....the Nobels OD-1.
40 or 45 bucks...I think you can even get em on ebay of like, 30 bucks. Many folks swear they compete with the fancy boutique ODs on the market, even.
heylow
Rock Jedi/Indie Snob
www.heylowsoundsystem.net
40 or 45 bucks...I think you can even get em on ebay of like, 30 bucks. Many folks swear they compete with the fancy boutique ODs on the market, even.
heylow
Rock Jedi/Indie Snob
www.heylowsoundsystem.net
Lopp
New member
Depending on the style you're looking for, I still recommend the Metal Zone. Great sustain for a pedal.
Most of the others mentioned (Rat, DS-1, TubeScreamer) work best when pushing the first gain stage of a tube amp. Thus, if you are runing them into a tube amp, they should sound great. If you're not, they won't sound as sweet.
If you're gonna rock, go for the Metal Zone.
Most importantly, go to the store and play a few pedals next to each other using YOUR guitar and preferably YOUR amp. Take what we said as a platform and then make the decision yourself based on your desired tone and playing style.
Most of the others mentioned (Rat, DS-1, TubeScreamer) work best when pushing the first gain stage of a tube amp. Thus, if you are runing them into a tube amp, they should sound great. If you're not, they won't sound as sweet.
If you're gonna rock, go for the Metal Zone.
Most importantly, go to the store and play a few pedals next to each other using YOUR guitar and preferably YOUR amp. Take what we said as a platform and then make the decision yourself based on your desired tone and playing style.
Wow Lopp, what kind of Rat have you been playing? Mine has tons of distortion.
Check out Tonefrenzy at www.tonefrenzy.com. They play the same few minutes of guitar through a ton of different distortion pedals, gives you a good idea of how the things sound.
Check out Tonefrenzy at www.tonefrenzy.com. They play the same few minutes of guitar through a ton of different distortion pedals, gives you a good idea of how the things sound.
Scriabin
New member
my vote goes for the route 66 overdrives! Can't be beat unless youve got a vintage ts808. which very few of us do.
however, best distortion to my ears is my superlead plexi at 11.
however, best distortion to my ears is my superlead plexi at 11.
Lopp
New member
charger said:
I'm jaded by my Mesa/Boogie and SansAmp. I love the ability to get so much gain that a note happily starts singing with feedback blended in with the original note after holding it for a couple of seconds. I love having so much gain that a note starts singing from the amp before my finger even frets the string.
The Rat ain't bad. However, I'd only use it to push the initial stages of a tube amp. They really make Marshall's scream!
Not a bad site. Unfortunately, they don't have Marshalls, Boogies, or the higher gain SansAmps for a good comparison. I checked out the Rat clip. The guitarist was real good, but I still found the tone a bit mellow for my tastes.
Cheers,
Matt