Distortion Pedals

[SpookyKidJoey]

Can someone tell me what brand makes affordable and decent distortion pedals or where to get them? Thanks.

[AtomicMassUnit]

Boss makes nice distortion pedals. Don't go with DOD or Zoom for god's sake, Korg and Digitech are fine for multi effects, if that's what youre going for. I can make a few recommendations for pedals though.

1-Boss DS-1
2-ProCo Rat
3-Ibanez Tubescreamer

Those are pedals you won't regret using later on, and they are versatile enough to change as your tone and taste changes.

Atomic

[Raskolnikov]

I Like a good BOSS Blues Driver for overdrive- great for leads and such.
But try stuff out, see what you like. As Atomic said though, DON'T get a DOD or a Zoom.

[SpookyKidJoey]

Thanks. Hopefully you guys have saved me some money. I appreciate it.

[Elmo45]

They are the "Best-Bang-For-the-Buck" IMO. I own that, the Blues Driver and the Tube Screamer. So if moneys and issue try that one out.

[JoeyLibby]

Ibanez Smash Box.

runs 230 CDN with tax in.

id only reccomend it for stuff like korn, limp, Finger eleven.

stuff that has dirty sounding guitar tones.

you can beat this pedal at that tho

[Zeppelin]

You should save some money and get ibanez tube king, which is the best distortion / overdrive pedal...
at least that's what i was told, by the only nice guitar salesman i've ever known

[Raskolnikov]

My vote is still with the BOSS DS-1: It's a "guitar" pedal, but it's versital enough to do all my bass distortion; mild overdrive to "'Jerry Was a Race Car Driver' Destructo Fuzz." Honestly, most distortion boxes sound like crap through a bass, but the DS-1 handles it all. I'd still like a Blues Driver for my lead overdrive though (when I'm playing guitar).

[Elmo45]

.......has 'em for $39.99(US)!!!!!!
A no-brainer! Those used to be almost a hundred bucks, back in the day.

[Elmo45]

http://www.musiciansfriend.com

[LEEtheV]

Originally posted by SpookyKidJoey
Can someone tell me what brand makes affordable and decent distortion pedals or where to get them? Thanks.

*If you're gonna start the building blox for future Koolness, than consider a rack mount unit...(perhaps a Ganiac with a 12AX7 tube ?)...You can trigger it with a foot switch, but don't have to worry about 9 volt batteries and **** like that......Price shouldn't be tooooo much more....(You can find them used for about a C note)....Or then again maybe not :)....I gotta stop drinkin' SOOO much Vodka at night...Burp... V :D

[Raskolnikov]

This is just me, but I'll take 9v batteries and stomp boxes migrating around my mic stand over "processor tone" any day. Their's one person alive who uses a processor and who's tone I like, and that's Les Claypool. I think what gets me about processors is they sound "too good," I like the chaos vacum tubes and funny little boxes insert into the music.

PS:
If you want all your pedals in one place just remember: Duct/gaffing tape is your friend.

[LEEtheV]

Originally posted by Raskolnikov
This is just me, but I'll take 9v batteries and stomp boxes migrating around my mic stand over "processor tone" any day.

*Why ? (and running around looking for a "good" 9v battery in between the setz getz old, FAST.......)

Their's one person alive who uses a processor and who's tone I like, and that's Les Claypool.

*The majority of guitar players that use a "miked" stack, on stage, have their sounds dialed in by the sound man through the PA....(Ever hear of Def Leppard, Pink Floyd or Rush ? ALL RACK EFFECTS, INCLUDING THE BASS )

I think what gets me about processors is they sound "too good," .....

*Either you get the sound you're looking for or you don't....Too good ? (Uhhhmmm, OK....)..LOL

I like the chaos vacum tubes and funny little boxes insert into the music.

*Unfortunatly, ALOT of those "funny little boxes" create alot of noise....Bring one of those THANGS into a recording studio and be prepared to get by the engineer first....(They don't take kindly to hummz and in-balances.....)

PS:
If you want all your pedals in one place just remember: Duct/gaffing tape is your friend.

*I agree about the Duct tape...I don't leave home w/o it :)

[loner92]

That depends on what type of sound you want.

[trendkillah]

Raskolnikov, the Rocktron Gainiac isn't a processor, it's an analogue pre-amp.
It's basically the same as a stomp box, except that it's a rack unit and has a pre-amp tube.

I gotta say, this unit has an more authentic sound then any other distortion unit i've heared so far. But then again, it also costs a bit more.


Greetz, TK

[Bardsley]

Generally I find that there are positives and negatives for both stomp boxes and all in one units. Stomp boxes are great for me, as I don't use too many effects, a bit of delay, some wah, distortion, maybe some flanger or phaser if I am feeling fine. With stomp boxes, they are easily programmable immediately, for instance my Bos DD-5, on which I can tap the tempo of the tune in and I automatically have the right delay time, I find that much easier than playing with fiddly prgram buttons. However, Stomp boxes do create noise, and they are so much more expensive if you use a lot of different effects. Effects untis probably create an overall more cohesive tone too, where all the effects blend a little better. It comes down to preferences, though I do tend to agree that using all-in-one untis ttends to produce similar sounding tones to everyone else. However.... that was my two cents.