Distortions

Doctor J

Long story short, I'm looking for good pedal based distortion for the times when I can't bring my own amp, gigs and such. I've been using a H&K Warp factor recently and, it's ok, but nothing too special. I don't need ****eloads of gain or mush, we play heavy stuff but I go for something just past the cusp of a full overdrive, crunchy distortion, sort of like a slightly heavier VHII tone... we play in B, dropped A. I don't want any fuss, or 12 feckin knobs to manipulate. I want to plug in and have the tone without any fecking about. Was thinking of the Line6 Uber Metal, but it's not an area I've spent a whole lot of time looking into. Any suggestions?

Karl Hungus

I've heard nothing but good things about the Line6 Uber Metal. So if I was looking to get a pedal for doing all the distortion (As in, not pushing the amp that bit further, but providing all the distortion on a clean channel) then that's what I'd go for.

If you're looking more for something to push the amp into a tighter, more focused distortion, then an Ibanez Tubescreamer is what I'd look for.

Oh, and I've also heard good things about the MXR pedals, such as the Zakk Wylde overdrive and Dimebag Distortion.

Doctor J

Playing gigs means often means not knowing what you're going to play through, so you can't bank on having to push a Valvestate or the likes. I'll be looking for the pedal to do all the distortion, setting up a generic clean tone through whatever amp is there. The one worry I'd have about the Line 6 is that I have a Pod V2 and it doesn't really do low tunings very well, it loses some meat down low, which ain't a good thing.

Karl Hungus

Doctor J wrote:

Playing gigs means often means not knowing what you're going to play through, so you can't bank on having to push a Valvestate or the likes. I'll be looking for the pedal to do all the distortion, setting up a generic clean tone through whatever amp is there. The one worry I'd have about the Line 6 is that I have a Pod V2 and it doesn't really do low tunings very well, it loses some meat down low, which ain't a good thing.

Ah, well the Pod V2 is oldhat. I've played as low as G through my Pod XT Live and it still sounds awesome, and I'd say that's a much better indication of the current Line6 pedals than the oldschool stuff would be.

Best thing would be to bring your guitar into town, and see if you can try out a few things there.

It wasn't me!

I heard all the good things about the MXR Zakk Wylde overdrive, then tried one, and thought it was dirt. Very simple little pedal, would be very handy. Pity it doesn't sound very good.

Something like a Boss Mega Distortion or something along those lines might do the trick perhaps? Haven't tried or heard anything about the Uber Metal.

John

What about a ProCo RAT? I use a You Dirty RAT and it handles both the guitar and bass beautifully so I imagine it could handle a very low tuned guitar well.

Voodu Child

It wasn't me! wrote:

I heard all the good things about the MXR Zakk Wylde overdrive, then tried one, and thought it was dirt. Very simple little pedal, would be very handy. Pity it doesn't sound very good.

ZW OD is pure awesomeness I went for it over a bunch of high-end stuff, maxons, TS reissues etc, sounded much better to my ears. Awesome pedal, huge dB boost available, and very smooth grit.

Not applicable in this case at all though, its not a distortion pedal at all.

judas101

i second the rat. i use for for bass and there isnt as much as a drop off low end wise than a big muff or other so it should handle the low B/A fine.

there's a turbo one too which may suit your "style" of "music" more

Doctor J

I've got good bassy distortions like the Rat coming outta me hoop they don't have what I'm looking for guitar-wise, which is a nice mid crunch, without getting fizzy high end. I don't need tonnes of gain or 'turbo' either I don't want loads of low end, what I mean by the Pod comment is that it just lost a bit of presence on the lower notes, doing fast chuggy stuff it just lost some balls, you know? Most pedals I've heard just have a poxy fizzyness to the high end, they don't have a crispness to the tone which is what I'm looking for. TBH I don't have the patience to go into a shop in town and out-Enter Sandman some teenagers, if I can get a few good recommendations I'll take it from there

feylya

I've been fairly impressed with the Uber Metal too. Don't know if it's any use in Drop A and B though.

gizmo

Was using a mates Uber Metal through my Cube for a few weeks and really loved it. That said I was only playing at bedroom levels and another mate said he had heard it properly and said it sounded quite digital when the amp was cranked.

The Krank Distorus Maximus is meant to be fantastic as is the MXR Wylde.

Grolschevik

I think I know what you're looking for: Seymour Duncan Twin Tube Classic, a great sounding pedal in my opinion. Uses two sub-miniature valves at full plate voltage. It imposes its sound on any amp. I've played it through Valvestates, AVTs, MGs, a Line 6, a JCM 2000, and even a Harley Benton at recent gigs, and as long as you can get a bog standard clean sound out of the amp and enough volume, the pedal does its thing, sounds great (not ultra-high gain, but close if you want it), and has two channels for clean/pushed/crunch and lead. Responds excellently to guitar volume controls.

I don't find it excessively noisy, but I turn it off or the guitar down between songs just in case. Through single coils it might be different, though.

Gets a sort of valve-ampy compression to it at high gain too. I got almost infinite sustain out of it the other night. I say almost cos I had to cut it short, since the rest of the lads were giving me the evil eye...

Or, if you want to cut out the middleman and go straight to the desk, what about something like the Sansamp Tri AC. Three analogue modelling channels emulating Bassman, Plexi, or Boogie. Never tried mine straight into the desk, but in front of an amp, its too noisy to be useful I think.

Anyway: try the Duncan if you can. There's a guitar mag video demo on youtube. Don't have the link to hand, but I imagine a google will bring it up.

Edit: found it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktvJe-YCg-Y

But a google brings up a few more clips that I haven't seen yet.

-=al=-

bad monkey is all ther ave these days

boss os-2 it ok,


tubescreamer, rat top of my head

Fingers Mcginty

Ibanez TS808 reissue. ...lovely sounding pedal.

Karl Hungus

Fingers Mcginty wrote:

Ibanez TS808 reissue. ...lovely sounding pedal.

I think some people here are mixing up Overdrive pedals with Distortion. A Tubescreamer would be excellent for tightening up and pushing a tube amp that bit harder, but acting solely as a distortion pedal? I'm not so sure.

Fingers Mcginty

OK it doesn't do full on heavy distortion but there still is a nice crunch to it.
I've used mine on a solid state amp and it still sounds excellent.

Hypnotoad

A metal zone?I think it's pretty versatile

-=al=-

holy smokes, no need for that!