Pedal distortion?

[misterwhizzy]

Maybe I haven't tried the right pedal, but to me, amp distortion has so much more character than that I've heard from any pedal. I guess it also has to do with the character of the clean amp itself. But I've never heard or felt the tube response from a pedal.

Is the Box of Rock the answer? I guess I just love a cranked amp sound and feel.

[jacksonrr]

Re: Pedal distortion?

I have zero love for the Zvex box of rock OR the metal version. Homogenized vomit. If you wanna get your feet wet in building/modding I'd suggest the BSIAB2 from general guitar gadgets. I like it better than the Metalzone.

It's really hard to suggest something since overdrive and distortion are really loose terms.

Any certain special qualities to the gain you are wanting?

[Empty Pockets]

Re: Pedal distortion?

^ Dude really?

I mean did you seriously just talk **** on the Box of Rock and then recommend something like a Metal Zone?

Cuz if you did I'm never, ever gona take another one of your posts seriously ever again.

[Jeff_H]

Re: Pedal distortion?

I think boxes like those made by Fulltone, the Crunchbox and some others that I can't think of offhand do a really good job. If you already have an amp who's distortion or overdrive you like, I did a SD-1 in front of those....for a boost and a bit more dirt if you need/want it.

[Invader09]

Re: Pedal distortion?

Honestly, while I can say overdrive pedals into an already dirty amp can work sometimes, distortion pedals into a clean channel always sounds terrible to me, And sets apart one player from another.

I don't like doing either of the above maneuvers. I like to get the gain purely from the amp... It just always sound better to me. This is my opinion.

[jacksonrr]

Re: Pedal distortion?

^ Dude really?

I mean did you seriously just talk **** on the Box of Rock and then recommend something like a Metal Zone?

Cuz if you did I'm never, ever gona take another one of your posts seriously ever again.

Please read that again.
I said I like the BSIAB2 BETTER than metal zone. BSIAB2 slays Zvex and you make it yourself in 20 mins, learn something, name the knobs whatever stupid crap you want and then show it off.
Zvex is spongy and overrated. The only effect I ever liked of theirs was that wah that was controlled based on proximity of your foot instead of a physical pedal. That was cool.

[eschoendorff]

Re: Pedal distortion?

For me, amp distortion is what I need. If I'm using a pedal, it's usually just to push the amp over the top.

[Diego]

Re: Pedal distortion?

Go try the Distortron, man. Or the Box of Rock.

I tried the Distortron a couple of days ago and absolutely fell in love with it.
It feels so responsive and alive I think it could sound good in just about any half-decent amplifier.
And since it seems to be pretty close to the BOR, it's a good reference.

And of course the Box of Rock is loose, it's meant to emulate a JTM45, not a Triple Rectifier.

[phil_104]

Re: Pedal distortion?

Zvex is spongy and overrated.

I beg to differ. It has a good reputation, and I think it's well deserved. The BOR is made to sound like a hard rock amp on the drive channel, pushing anywhere from crunchy to real hot.

I think it does a wonderful job. I've played live to many times to count, using various amps, and it's the only distortion pedal that I've played that goes anywhere near what an amp can do when cranked. And trust me, I'm very picky about my amp distortion.

[Empty Pockets]

Re: Pedal distortion?

yeah jacksonrr...that pedal is indisputably awesome and um i don't even have to build it myself, it comes readily-assembled by a professional who knows what the **** they're doing.

i duno who you're getting your opinions from or what rig you tried or how you dialed in or what you did wrong but, it was definitely not the Box of Rock's fault.

[jacksonrr]

Re: Pedal distortion?

yeah jacksonrr...that pedal is indisputably awesome and um i don't even have to build it myself, it comes readily-assembled by a professional who knows what the **** they're doing.

i duno who you're getting your opinions from or what rig you tried or how you dialed in or what you did wrong but, it was definitely not the Box of Rock's fault.

I put it into the fx loop in on a Krank Rev, the front of that Krank, an SS poweramp and a small Laney tube combo with Dave Mustaine Live wires.

A professional who knows what the **** he's doing... Cmon man. You could do this if you cared to.
You put pedal builder's on a pedestal man. That is just not how it is. I bet most people's pedal boards are a more complicated interaction(knobs and switches included) than what's inside the Box of Rock or any other drive pedal like it.
YOU DO HAVE THE CAPACITY TO UNDERSTAND THESE CIRCUITS.
I have full faith that anyone can solder 20 or so correct joints. Just like I have full faith that anyone can change their own strings or set their own intonation. You have a choice to learn things or pay. At some point DIY just makes sense. The Zvex box of rock schematic is available online. You know how much it costs to put the same thing together? Not $200. More like $50. That's worse than refusing to change your own oil, IMO. It's addicting and satisfying. Only surpassed by doing a Hackintosh. Take care dude.

[Empty Pockets]

Re: Pedal distortion?

in the FX loop?

alright man great

you have fun burning your fingers and building stompboxes man...i have no problem finding cool pedals for cheap so don't worry about my finances.

back on topic:

i use lots of pedals for distortion, in conjunction with the natural crunch of my amp cranked up to about 6 or 7. This lends a bit of my amp's natural tone to all of my pedals -- but no other pedal i've tried sounds as close to a cranked-up Marshall's tone, feel and response as the Box of Rock does and i'm not the only person on this forum who's said that...

i understand where people get a bad impression of stompboxes...i attribute that to the oversaturation of ****ty stompboxes in the market since the late 90's. hell after the DOD Grunge and Death Metal pedals i should've been too jaded to ever buy another dirt box...but with the right amp and dialed in right, you can even make a stock Big Muff Pi sound avalanche heavy...

[B2D]

Re: Pedal distortion?

I put it into the fx loop in on a Krank Rev

You do know you're not supposed to plug overdrive/distortion boxes into the effects loops of amps, right? They're designed to work on the signal before it hits the amp. If you're putting it in the effects loop, no wonder you didn't like it... no drive pedal sounds very good that way.

[Empty Pockets]

Re: Pedal distortion?

^ yeah dude but he can put pedals together so he's obviously a genius beyond all description.

[phil_104]

Re: Pedal distortion?

...but with the right amp and dialed in right, you can even make a stock Big Muff Pi sound avalanche heavy...

Off topic : I plug a Les Paul into my stock little Big Muff, into my stiletto, through a pair of V30s, and it sounds like being hit in the chest with a wrecking ball. Best punch ever.

I gotta agree with B2D's statement. You don't run a distortion in the FX loop...