Distortion Pedal Decisions

[richard1973]

As I'm slowly building my stomp box line up (usually use FX boards) I've got my clean sound sorted now which is what I spend most time playing, but now I need the all important distortion pedal

To give an idea what I'm looking for when it comes to distortion. Guitar sounds like Pantera, Metallica (old metallica pre Load era) Megadeth etc Muting away on E-minor chord while throwing in fast riffs .. ya get the idea

I was checking out the Boss range first, going by the samples on the Boss website the MT-2 or MD-2 seemed more appropriate, more so MT-2. I know a lot of people on here use the DS-1 and Ibanez TS9's combo, but I dont think I'd get the above sounds I want then too, or would i? Though those 2 pedals are quite cheap each (around Ģ35 each for non modded versions).

Digitech have a Metal Master which is probably similar to the Boss MT-2 I'd imagine? both same price too.

Or then theres hang out for Satchurator, which I'd imagine may not give enough distortion? or would the 'more' button on that be able to give a really heavy distortion too?

However I dont always want to play really heavy distortion I like the satch and vai sound too, so I also want a pedal that can tone down so it'd be suitable for that also?

Am i asking too much for a pedal?

Does anyone have any recommendations?

thanks everyone

[Myst and rain]

The Satchurator is the way to go, I think. It has the largest range, afaik. But if it doesn't float your boat, why not get two pedals?

Alwin

[Myst and rain]

Btw, the Boss OS-2 might be interesting for you, too. As it has overdrive and distortion in one pedal and you can even mix the two. So that gives you a large range, as well.

Also, you might find useful info here.

Alwin

[Big Red]

I know that most people around here hate the more extreme pedals, but I'm gonna throw in my $.02 anyways.

The "heavier" pedals that I use:

-Boss MT-2: perfect for highly processed late 80's glam/hair metal
-Boss ML-2: I use this for heavy stuff like Priest, Iced Earth, Slayer, etc
-Line 6 Ubermetal: on the "Metal" setting I use it for Maiden (except the SIT/SSOASS material). On the "Insane" setting I use it for Sabbath


I also have some Digitech stuff kicking around;

-Death Metal: for amount of criticism that the MT-2 gets, this unit sounds WORSE (thiner and buzzier). I'm selling this unit soon.
-Distortion Factory: contains the Metal Master setting. This pedal has some good other settings on it, but the Metal Master setting is useless. I imagine that the actual Metal Master pedal is just as bad.


While none of these pedals will replace a tube-amp, the better ones will get you close to the heavier tones that you are looking for (Metallica, Megadeth, etc).

The Line 6 Ubermetal pedal has three gain-types, and a built-in noise gate (2 different levels). You might want to give this pedal a shot first. Then try the ML-2 (Metal Core).

Pedals like the DS-1, DS-2, and MD-2, to my ears, are late 70's/early 80's Marshall emulators. As a side note, I A/B/C'd a DS-1, SD-1 and OS-2... the OC-2 lost big time. In other words DS-1 > OS-2 (in distortion mode), and SD-1 > OS-2 (in overdrive mode).


I hope this helps. Cheers.

[rvai]

I have a MD-2 and itīs great, I also play that kind of stuff and itīs the perfect pedal for that, great tone.

[richard1973]

excellent posts guys thanks very much

thanks for the link to the other thread too, i went through 12 pages too so i wouldnt repeat topics lol i must be blind

I was checking out the sounds too on the Boss site for all the distortions, the Metal Core (ML 2) was a bit too heavy for me, though it sounded very cool! I found the OS's, OD's, SD's and DS's not quite heavy enough, though demo's are quite limited and I could imagine the range maybe more. Though I do like all the sounds to them, just its not my sound so to speak.

But out of the Boss demos on the site I'm thinking MT2 or MD 2, MT2 more so though.

lol Alwin knowing me i probably will buy 2, but the plan at the moment is to try and get 1 that suits all I'm hoping the Satchurator will do that, but it's hard to tell yet, and the release date isnt set yet besides 'summer'.

[richard1973]

Originally Posted by rvai

I have a MD-2 and itīs great, I also play that kind of stuff and itīs the perfect pedal for that, great tone.

cheers, hmmm so now i'm back torn between MT 2 and MD 2 even more so lol

did you ever try the MT 2 as well?

Big red? Do you reckon the MT 2 would be suitable, or is it too 80's hair metal?

[richard1973]

playing demos between the MT2 and MD2 , i'm leaning more towards the MD2 now

[axemanrio]

I have a modded MT-2 which is perfect for 80's metal... Slayer, Pantera, Metallica and the like. Even a stock MT-2 would do you good though, you can't go wrong with it.

Secondly, it's not easy to find one pedal to do both rock and metal which is why I had both a DS-1 and MT-2 in my pedal board.

There are other good solutions out there (Fulltone, Damage Control) so do you have a budget? I'm currently testing a Sansamp GT2 and I really like it for both 80's rock and metal - works fine through my Fender Frontman too. Might just end up keeping the GT2 and getting a Satchurator for rock.

[axemanrio]

If you'd like, I can ship you my MT-2 to try out before you buy one... haven't been using it after the GT2 arrived. It is modded but one of the toggle switch settings is close to the stock MT-2 sound.

[Big Red]

Originally Posted by richard1973

cheers, hmmm so now i'm back torn between MT 2 and MD 2 even more so lol

did you ever try the MT 2 as well?

Big red? Do you reckon the MT 2 would be suitable, or is it too 80's hair metal?

There are 3 applications where I have used the MT-2:

a) 80's hair: the EQ settings are neutral
b) Justice-era Metallica: EQ is scooped. But since I bought the ML-2, I don't use the MT-2 for Metallica anymore. I should have mentioned this before.
c) SIT/SSOASS-eras Maiden: EQ is bright (and bass is lowered). I also run a SD-1, chorus, reverb, and Digitech Whammy (for harmonies) in this signal chain for this tone.

I don't know what your amp is, but when I play with these pedals, I plug them into my Roland VGA-3 50-watt solid-state amp (which is a Cube with a synth module). I don't play my pedals on the "clean" channel (as most people do), I play them on the "JC clean" channel (which is one setting higher). That channel warms them up a great deal, and takes away most of the buzz associated with these pedals. It makes them sound more "real".

Side note: I don't/won't plug any pedals into my Peavey Valve-King 112.

I'll have to re-check/road-test the MD-2 since rvai says it works for him. Another pedal in my stable would never hurt.


Cheers

[rvai]

Originally Posted by richard1973

cheers, hmmm so now i'm back torn between MT 2 and MD 2 even more so lol

did you ever try the MT 2 as well?

Big red? Do you reckon the MT 2 would be suitable, or is it too 80's hair metal?

yep Iīve tried the MT 2 as well, and I donīt like it at all, it makes too much noise when using high gain

[richard1973]

Originally Posted by axemanrio

If you'd like, I can ship you my MT-2 to try out before you buy one... haven't been using it after the GT2 arrived. It is modded but one of the toggle switch settings is close to the stock MT-2 sound.

thank you very much for the offer, but its ok I'd feel awful if it got lost in the post or something.

Just checked out the Sansamp GT2, Ģ130 cheapest on quick search on net. Bit more than I'd like to pay for a dist pedal.

Seems like the MT 2 and the MD 2 is a 50 50 split, the MD 2 is Ģ5 cheaper and is a nice bright colour lol I think I'll go with the MD 2, and if needs be check out the satchurator if I cant get the more cleaner distortion from it, by the time that gets released my 'toy' money will have saved up again

Bigred:
My amp is a Peavey Bandit 112 and i use the clean channel.


thanks for all the input guys, its very much appreciated

[shogun]

bandit 112 has a decent selection of dirty tones IMO, great amp for the price

[Darin]

Put an OCD on your list of pedels to demo