I recently returned a mxr 5150 peda because it dd not have enough gain . Now for the part where everyone takes this the wrong way((i own a 6505, triple rec, jsx, 5150 50watt,randall rg100, orange super crush 100, and four 4 12 cabs. But i just got a orange pedal 'baby and its so much fun at home. So my question is whats the best high gain distortion pedal out there that sounds like a amp the mxr did not sound like my 6505 or evh 5150, maybe the rythm channel at best. Im currently using a boss waza mt2 and i know people claim its bad but im looking at the chug pedal or the friedmen be od deluxe or the tight metal . Wicth ever one sounds more metal and like a amp let me know.
Best distortion pedal for a metal tone!
- Thread starter Nathan80
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You might check out the Palladium, which was designed for that sort of thing. The Diamondhead also is a highly tweakable metal distortion and boost in one pedal.
Securb
One of Jerry's Kids
I play high-gain metal. For my most aggressive tone I use a Wampler Dracarys High Gain Distortion. It actually has a TIGHT switch. The EQ is very shapeable, and there is more than enough gain onboard. I dime the GAIN on my MXR D+, the Wampler Dracarys. I have the GAIN at 1 o'clock, and it is more than enough gain for old-school thrash.
El Dunco
Sock Supplier to RHCP
You could do the 80s trick of treating a distortion pedal as a preamp (some sound amazing in the FX return) and boosting with an overdrive pedal. Better yet, use a proper preamp pedal like a Mooer or AMT legend and push it with a powerful overdrive with separate bass and treble controls. The Blackstar HT-metal all tune distortion is going for an absolute steal on the used market right now with enough tight, molten gain for any metal genre. OD1 can be used as a clean channel so it’s very much geared towards being a preamp. I’m considering getting one until I can get my amazing HT-Blackfire fixed. It suddenly stopped working. I have the liftetime guarantee certificate but it doesn’t seem to be be helping much.
You’re pretty much spoiled for choice. From Inexpensive and very tweakable (Biyang Metal End King Version) to the Revv G3 preamp pedal. AMT have these new 12AX7A powered “brick” preamps. You can buy several and hook them up so they work like individual amp channels. Of course today’s multi-fx amp models sound better than ever.
I honestly never found a distortion pedal run into the clean channel that surpassed my amp’s gain channel. What kind of sound are you after? The Metalzone can sound downright crushing in the amp fx return and dialling in the eq properly.
You’re pretty much spoiled for choice. From Inexpensive and very tweakable (Biyang Metal End King Version) to the Revv G3 preamp pedal. AMT have these new 12AX7A powered “brick” preamps. You can buy several and hook them up so they work like individual amp channels. Of course today’s multi-fx amp models sound better than ever.
I honestly never found a distortion pedal run into the clean channel that surpassed my amp’s gain channel. What kind of sound are you after? The Metalzone can sound downright crushing in the amp fx return and dialling in the eq properly.
DankStar
Her Little Mojo Minion
I haven't tried them all by any means, but I have tried and bought several.
My faves that I own:
Classic Hot-Rod Marshall sounds
1. OG Ibanez tube king (prob not metal enough for ya, but screams old Annihilator to these ears)
2. Crunch box (less amp-like but I love it)
3. AMT jcm 800 + TS or Super OD
Higher gain
1. AMT engl
2. AMT rectifier + TS
Love me some AMT
----
One I always wanted to try: Revv G3 (purple one)
My faves that I own:
Classic Hot-Rod Marshall sounds
1. OG Ibanez tube king (prob not metal enough for ya, but screams old Annihilator to these ears)
2. Crunch box (less amp-like but I love it)
3. AMT jcm 800 + TS or Super OD
Higher gain
1. AMT engl
2. AMT rectifier + TS
Love me some AMT
----
One I always wanted to try: Revv G3 (purple one)
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Rex_Rocker
Well-known member
Yeah, I would much rather go for a preamp than a standard distortion pedal.
Distortion pedals aren't really metal, TBH, unless you're using like a Metal Zone to boost your Recto or an HM-2 and are from Sweden, LOL.
Distortion pedals aren't really metal, TBH, unless you're using like a Metal Zone to boost your Recto or an HM-2 and are from Sweden, LOL.
Coma
Well-known member
I tried the Metalzone into Fx loop return just the other day and it ain't bad, actually. Way better than they ever sounded in front of an amp. You might also want to check out some of those mooer two-channel mini preamp pedals. I've never tried one myself, but I've heard good things about them.
misterwhizzy
Well-known member
I'm sure a Revv pedal could get you where to go. I haven't played the G3, but the G4 has more than enough gain for anything you could possibly want, and it's a complete preamp, so you'll have plenty of tweakability. And good luck finding a better-built pedal.
El Dunco
Sock Supplier to RHCP
I have to agree. The people I know who hated took it back when I tried it. They were using awful speakers. It’s not as fuzzy as you’d expect being a muff. It’s GIGANTIC sounding. You can palm mute no problem and they sound Schwarzenegger muscular.
The too boost is a point of contention for a lot of people but like anything, experiment. It does a fantastic job at let your leads come through very audibly in the mix by boosting the most audible frequency range. It can do low tunings nicely. It does what a lot of modern met distortions don’t; actually sound special by being aggressive.
There is such thing as too tight which is what you get when you sacrifice too much punch, grind, aggression and presence to get it. Metal Muff brings that aggression which is sorely missed while letting your notes stay clear and coherent. It makes an absolutely killer preamp into your FX loop with any decent cab.
The absolute ultimate pedal-only rig to me would be the Metal Muff and the Blackstar HT-Blackfire on the Fury channel with either a line mixer to blend them in mono parallel or stereo with one per 2 speakers of a 4x12. It doesn’t /have/ to be combined with a surgically tight but I really love that sound. Try the Metal Muff! It’s awesome!
RanchManSandy
New member
buddy if you want GAIN an HM2 is right up your alley. the waza version is a BEAST
Otherwise, I would recommend building an Aion FX Solstice (Shredmaster clone with extra options) and boost it with something when you need MORE
Otherwise, I would recommend building an Aion FX Solstice (Shredmaster clone with extra options) and boost it with something when you need MORE
El Dunco
Sock Supplier to RHCP
How about a Dr Boogie? Recto preamp with JFets in place of tubes boosted with an overdrive if you need fast, death metal note tracking? They sell already assembled versions online. A won a pcb as a prize on this very forum. Running into the real recto power amo compared to the real thing, it’s damn close.
Phantasmagoria
watch where you point that sabre
Of all the metal distortion pedals I've tried ..nothing compares :bigthumb:
Apparently it's a tweaked DOD Death Metal pedal...Ilove those as well, but they're an acquried taste
Apparently it's a tweaked DOD Death Metal pedal...Ilove those as well, but they're an acquried taste
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marcello252
Well-known member
don't understimate the power of a equalizer after a distortion pedal, for example you can have a RAT and you can put a classic Boss GE7 after to taylor the sound, I can assure you is way more effective than a one trick pony single 'metal' pedal (a classic eq for metal tone is the V shaped eq of the bands).
it works for solo parts either, just use your distortion at the solo moment engage the equalizer with a slight bump on 800 Hz, you will instantly pop yourself out the band mix without compromizing your sound, try it and thank me later
it works for solo parts either, just use your distortion at the solo moment engage the equalizer with a slight bump on 800 Hz, you will instantly pop yourself out the band mix without compromizing your sound, try it and thank me later
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El Dunco
Sock Supplier to RHCP
don't understimate the power of a equalizer after a distortion pedal, for example you can have a RAT and you can put a classic Boss GE7 after to taylor the sound, I can assure you is way more effective than a one trick pony single 'metal' pedal (a classic eq for metal tone is the V shaped eq of the bands).
it works for solo parts either, just use your distortion at the solo moment engage the equalizer with a slight bump on 800 Hz, you will instantly pop yourself out the band mix without compromizing your sound, try it and thank me later
Works with any source of distortion. One of my favourite pedal based sounds like I mentioned earlier is the HT-Blackfire fine-tuned with an MXR 10 band straight to a power amp. The ultimate would be a 4 band parametric with selectable frequencies and bandwidth.
RanchManSandy
New member
never played it, so I dunno, but it's probably fine. I'm sticking to my HM2 waza recommendation
