Hey guys!
I'm looking for a well-rounded distortion pedal that can give me a quality distortion. I am mainly looking for a distortion that could help me achieve Metallica tones, as thats what I mostly like to play! But I also enjoy playing ACDC and Iron Maiden - hence the need for a well-rounded distortion pedal.
I've tried quite a lot of options, including the full range of MXR distortion pedals. The BOSS DS-1 and MXR Prime Distortion stood out as the most versatile, while also achieving a decent Metallica tone. Google searches have shown me that the ProCo RAT and MXR Distortion + seem to be great, but I didn't quite feel them when I tried them. Also, the MXR Fullbore Metal sounded cool, but somewhat fake I guess. I know that Metallica use Mesa Boogie amps for most of their distortion but I can't quite afford one of those just yet - so ill just have to stick to pedals for now.
I'd greatly appreciate any recommendations you guys have to offer!
My gear:
- Fender Stratocaster American Deluxe HSS
- Marshall MG15CFR (Open to change as well)
P.S. This is my first thread so I apologise if I posted this in the wrong place!
Comments
Look into a Digitech hardwire metal - they're quite affordable second hand. Or, if you don't mind the power supply, the best metal distortion I've ever used was the blackstar HT metal.
But if you're after a really *versatile* distortion, try the Boss Metal Zone. It's much-maligned, but actually an extremely flexible pedal - the EQ is very powerful, and although it's a bit fiddly to dial in you can create some really great sounds with it.
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
I want something that works for Metallica, Guns N Roses, Iron Maiden, ACDC and Pink Floyd. I understand that thats a big ask and that many different types of pedals were used by all these guys.
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
Same for the hardwire metal - cam have a nice loose bottom end and high gain for nu metal, tighten up for thrash and turn the gain down for old school rock.
Ignore the names!