Metal and hard rock distortion pedals

[ManuPuerta]

Hello everybody,

I've been thinking about getting some new pedals after Christmas, and I've decided to update my distortion tones.
I currently own two guitars: a Fender American Std Strat (pups: two CS69 in the neck and middle positions and a Jeff Beck Jr. single coil sized in the bridge) and a Gibson SG (the cheapest model, with the original specs, but I'm planning on getting some new features in the future).
My amplifier is a Mesa Boogie Royal Atlantic with a 4x12 Celestion V30 cabinet. I use mainly the EL34 valves, because I prefer more classic hard rock sounds better than the metal-ish of the 6L6 valves.
The distortion tones that I use are the ones from the different channels of the amp, only slightly boosted with a Tube Screamer pedal. However, when performing in places where I cannot bring my amp, I usually have to be content with just the distortion of the amp that I borrow and the Tube Screamer for a little boost in the solos, and rolling the volume knob down for clean sounds.
That's why I want to get a pedal board with the sound that I want to just get in the clean channel of any amp and obtain the clean/crunch/distorted sounds that any song needs. I want to be as versatile as possible, so I would want to get only one or two pedals that cover as much genres as possible (combined with the Tube Screamer if needed).
My original idea was to get one pedal for a classic hard rock distortion (anything between Pink Floyd to Guns N' Roses) and one for a more heavy-metal tone (modern metal, if possible). I also would want to have a nice lead tone when I need it, just jumping from the general mix of the band and getting back when the solo is over.

So please, any suggestion will be welcome. Even if it means changing my mind about what I want or anything else. Many thanks!

[ManuPuerta]

Re: Metal and hard rock distortion pedals

Also, I forgot to say that my budget is not too high, so please, the best ratio quality-price will be appreciated!

[El Supremo]

Re: Metal and hard rock distortion pedals

A Proco Rat will cover Gilmour to Morbid Angel (both actually used the Rat). Can be used on a dirty or clean amp, has plenty of volume and gain, sounds great with singles and humbuckers through just about any amp and can even get fuzzy if you want it to.
There's nothing better if you want versatility and quality on a budget imho.

[Kamanda~SD]

Re: Metal and hard rock distortion pedals

Yup I'd look more into OD's with your current setup. Rat is a great one as well.

[ManuPuerta]

Re: Metal and hard rock distortion pedals

I have seen around the Internet the Wampler Triple Wreck Distortion Pedal. What do you think about it? I know it is a distortion and not an OD, but I've read very good reviews about it. Do you think it will cover both the metal and the hard rock sounds I'm looking for? Any feedback from any owner?

[Lampy H]

Re: Metal and hard rock distortion pedals

My first thought was one of the Mesa drive pedals with the five band EQ built in, but I haven't played either of them.

[ManuPuerta]

Re: Metal and hard rock distortion pedals

I have been told that for the hard rocking tones that I get with my amp the best option is the Mesa Boogie Throttle Box, as you say, the one with the 5-band EQ, but it's $250 approx and I think maybe something a little cheaper would suit better what I'm looking for, both in hard rock and metal

[Demanic]

Re: Metal and hard rock distortion pedals

If I get another dirt pedal, it's going to be a Keeley Stahlhamer.

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[DrNewcenstein]

Re: Metal and hard rock distortion pedals

A Boss DS-1, a RAT, and a BigMuff will cover everything from classic Pink Floyd to early Iron Maiden to Master of Puppets (RAT for solos, Big Muff with the Mids way down for rhythm). I've been experimenting with these three models in a Line6 M13 lately and they're spot-on.

In fact, just to have the widest variety, I'd say get either an M9 or M13, but shop around for the best price, and don't be shy about buying used. Be careful and do your homework on it, but don't look down at it because it's used. For some people, it's more than they need, for others it's not enough, so they try to get rid of it cheap.

I'd say get the M5 since it's the cheapest at $129 new, but it apparently can only do one pedal at a time, and I'm not sure if you can change to a different pedal setup on the fly.

[Myaccount876]

Re: Metal and hard rock distortion pedals

Bogner Ecstasy Red. Versatile, can do light distortion or heavy distortion, goes for a souped up Marshall sound, has an on-board foot switchable boost function to get either/or/both a volume boost and a gain boost. Really great pedal, and works best plugged into a channel set to be crystal clean. Sounds like a full blown amp rather than just a distortion pedal.

[Rand-O-Monium]

Re: Metal and hard rock distortion pedals

Heard nothing but good/great things about teh Bogner(s)...

[probo_squad_henry]

Re: Metal and hard rock distortion pedals

Another vote for the Rat from me

[DeadandBuried]

Re: Metal and hard rock distortion pedals

I have seen around the Internet the Wampler Triple Wreck Distortion Pedal. What do you think about it? I know it is a distortion and not an OD, but I've read very good reviews about it. Do you think it will cover both the metal and the hard rock sounds I'm looking for? Any feedback from any owner?

I own the Triple Wreck and its very good. I mainly use in rehearsal rooms when I haven't got my amp with me and have to use the ones supplied there, just use the clean channel on the amp and the TW for my dirty. Its got a lot of gain you can dial back and forth, and a boost feature. I also keep it as a spare at gigs in case my main amp (6505+) goes down.

[Archer250]

Re: Metal and hard rock distortion pedals

AMT makes great amp-in-a-box pedals

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[El Dunco]

Re: Metal and hard rock distortion pedals

From my experience, distortion pedals (this doesn't apply so much to fuzz) can be serviceable if you have a brilliant platform for them, a tube amp that takes pedals really well like a Fender tube amp for example, otherwise there will be some serious trouble trying to get them to sound good at gigging levels. You also have more variables in the sound (amp controls + pedal controls) which can needlessly over-complicate things. Another way is to use a pedal that's built to emulate the circuitry of a preamp section which you can run into the power section of your amp head/combo which takes the 'stacking' problem out of the equation and works well with the newish Bogner line (which are based on the layouts of their amplifiers but with JFET trannies instead of tubes) AMT pedals and some Blackstar distortions which have their own clean channel built in to be used in this way. If you want better than serviceable, is worth it to get an amp that has all the gain and voicing character(s) that you could need. Once you get into the amp game you tend not to go back.