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Distortion


Huw

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What is everybody using to create their drives sounds for guitar (or bass)?

Good experiences/bad experiences?

I've heard a Boss Metal Zone, MXR Double Shot, Proco Rat and a TC Double Dist.

The first two have their moments, but lack clarity. Both the last two are great. The TC can sound amazing, but i reckon a lot of it is down to your amp and guitar. Your tone definitly shines through at low gain though.

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I prefer overdrive myself, i use a Tubescreamer, but i've been looking at getting a distortion pedal again. The only band i've heard use a Metal zone and it not sound crap are Caspian. I am interested in getting a RAT though, are the new ones any cop or am i going to have to buy vintage?

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I think I prefer overdrive as well. Though depending on your amp setting you can get good sounds out of the Jekyll and Hyde pedal. But as I say it depends on your amp settings. It's meaty as hell through a mildly overdriving channel, but vicious on a clean channel. Plus you get two pedals in one;) It works for me, but I don't play metal etc, more early punk and rock.

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i've always used amp gain for distortion, none of the pedals i've tired have beaten it, tired the big muff (black russian one), boss metal zone, boss ds-2, almost came close to replicating the sound i was using on my amp with a home made thing but it was prone to picking up noise and caught fire once as well.... only one i use regularly is a modified big muff for making doooom noises :rockon:

i prefer using amp gain for simplicity and i just prefer the amp tone as i think it sounds a bit fuller than a wee buzzy pedal, been using a tech 21 tradmark 60, a laney gh100l and a homemade low watt valve job (although that runs clean).

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I've used Boss DS-1, DS-2 and SD-1, Pro Co Rat, Crowther Hotcake, Ibanez TS-7, Maxon OD-808 and an Electro Harmonix Little Big Muff.

I still have my SD-1, but I don't use it. I run my Maxon OD-808 in front of my Mesa Boogie as a boost.

I liked the Rat on its own though.

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On bass i've used Rats, Ashdown drive, odb3, metal zones, sd-1, muffs among others.

but i use my sansamp now. it gets me the tone i want :) consisdering modding the metal zone though, it supposedly sounds ace on bass once modded, and using that as insane drive with the sansamp.

Guitar all ive used is a metal muff (which wasnt mine), metal zone and sd 1. or just the amp..

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Guest davetherave

overdrive n stuff

On guitar I've used all sorts, but lately I use two Boss SD1 pedals, one for rhythm and then kick the other one in for solos.

Also used an American Woman pedal by Tech 21 for long sustained type solos, cool pedal for some songs. The other thing that works for me is to use the gain on my amp for rhythm and then a Boss DS1 for solos.

:woohoo:

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i got an awesome sound out of using my sansamp and metal zone at the same time.

got the sansamp to give a cult of luna type clipping valve overdrive sound, then on the metalzone, drove it home with a dash of high mids, low trebles, and a wee push of bass.

Got a sound thats akin to the bassist from Minor Times, or Botch sometimes. Was great.

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EH Big Muff is a great fuzz pedal, but try before you buy. Each one I've ever played has sounded quite different to another. a Proco RAT is also a good fuzz.

An EH Metal Muff is an excellent, versitile distortion pedal. Don't let the name fool you, there is a lot you can do with it, other than harsh metal tones

A Boss DS-2 is pretty good, if a little generic sounding. I'm not a fan of Boss pedals generally, they just aren't weird enough.

It really does come down to what kind of amp you're using though...

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canna beat a modded ds-1 for a good old simple in your face WTF kinda distortion.

as for overdrive, i like the boss SD-1, BD-2 all modded tho.

Outwith that i have been using a xotic effects BB Preamp pedal which is a seriously cool overdrive - great effects and they do a few other overdrives which am thinking of checking out. only thing is i cant study the circuits or mod them cos the buggers put black epoxy all over the circuit board to stop folk like me stealing their secrets!! :D

i use a keeley time machine boost as well now and again which drives the valves into harmonic saturation

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i use a zvex fuzz factory - its good for doign thole muse-style insane fuzz stuff, but when you set it right it can do a bloody good hard distortion sound aswell. needs to be run through some valves to bring it to life tho - and the EQ set because on its own, its really trebly. once you set it though, its immense.

and the whole oscillation thing kicks ass too:D

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i really like the vox cooltron big ben valve overdrive pedal. sounds great on its own or using it to boost the overdrive channel on my valve amp. was pretty cheap too. use to be over 100 but i got mine for only 39 from sound control.

that sounds lush. Might try get my hands on one.

I still have my SD-1, but I don't use it. I run my Maxon OD-808 in front of my Mesa Boogie as a boost.

whats the maxon like? have you compared it to an ibanez tubescreamer?

anybody tried the Damage Control pedals? they look mighty fine. The womanizer and the demonizer are the ones to look out for.

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Hot valves create my overdrive. I sometimes use a Marshall Guv'nor at a very low gain setting alongside my amp with the gain cranked just for a bit of boost. It adds a bit of extra crunch which my amp needs sometimes. I use a JCM2000 DSL, I had the gain channel modded to get rid of the Fizzy piercing high end and added some JCM800 style warmth to it. It meant it lost a bit of gain, but the Guv'nor brings it back if I need it.

I seem to be straying away from crushing high gain tones though, and going for a more crunchy drive.

I'd rather have valves creating the drive than an OD/DS pedal any day. You just don't get the same response from a pedal or a solid state preamp.

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' date=' post: 463710"']yeah, even the line 6 alone is difficult to get anything resembling a good sound out of. coupled with the zoom you could definitely get some strange sounds, but i think to label it good, well just no.

so has anybody tried these things? Damage Control

I know mate, i've been playing guitar a little longer than a few seconds so i have tried a few different things with it over the years ;)

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