Best Distortion Pedal?

[dr. ad]

Re: Best Distortion Pedal?

you're giving them too much credit, i think; youtube "comments" are an old trap for young players

i could be well off the mark here, but my understanding was that kurt used a super distortion as well; i appreciated their songwriting and vibe more than their sonics though.

 

[astrozombie]

Re: Best Distortion Pedal?

he had super distortions at first, then switched to JBs. he used hot rails in all his single coil guitars.

 

[WhoFan]

Re: Best Distortion Pedal?

do the diference between the ds-1 and ds-2 isnt enough to justify buying one, if I own a ds-1?

my DS2 sounds just like my DS1's on the I setting... only difference is the DS2 has the remote switch jack to change between the 2 sounds the DS2 offers... I think the Vox Satchuator pedal is better at it which is based on Joe's modded DS1's...

i use that Vox pedal a lot more then my DS1's these days... i love the MORE button on the Vox that instantly gives you the maximum gain the pedal has to offer... that comes in handy... thru my C30's clean channel i set the Vox's distortion just over half way for rythym sounds and hit the more button for solos... but with the C30's dirt channel i can use the Vox without the More button to send it into pretty much metal land... for one pedal it does a lot

i have a few newer DS1's and an old one from the early 80's, and the DS2, plus the Vox Satchator... all can sound the same as they are basicly the same... even the Ibanez Jem pedal has DS1 like circuit inside, as well as a Tube Screamer... that Ibanez pedal i want but for $200 i'm not so into it...

 

[SirJackdeFuzz]

Re: Best Distortion Pedal?

DS-1 & Big Muff


After that, you might want to start experimenting with other cool (but slightly diff voiced) fuzz boxes, like the SuperFuzz of VooDoo Lab, and Expandora, & my personal fav 'OD-cum-naasty-Fuzz', T-Rex's *MudHoney.


* gain maxed with little black button activated = eVille Sounds

 

[Empty Pockets]

Re: Best Distortion Pedal?

First of all, Kurt's tone sucks so don't kill yourself trying to get it spot on. You can do way better. This is coming from a dude who spent the first six years of his playing trying to sound exactly like Kurt Cobain only to realize i had been using better equipment than he did and actually had better tone because of it...

Second of all, the DS-1 gets you most of the way there. A Big Muff will do everything the DS-1 can't -- it has more of everything. For a really long time my modded DS-1 was my only pedal because it had been modded to be a little closer to a Muff.

Just replaced the DS-1 with a ZVex Box of Rock and couldn't be happier. It's the "Marshall in a Box" trick that the DS-1 is trying to do except it actually sounds like a Marshall in a box.

Put that thing in front of a Big Muff and you've got a thick slab of crunchy fuzzy sludge.

 

[Jeffo46]

Re: Best Distortion Pedal?

If you're looking for a good distortion tone, get yourself a Zoom John 5 Signature series pedal. They're only $50.00 and come with a 9 volt adaptor so you won't have to spend a ton of cash on batteries. I use mine with my Fender Frontman 65R and it sounds killer!

 

[WhoFan]

Re: Best Distortion Pedal?

i think in the early days they basicly were forced to use whatever they could afford... like a lot of bands... and it's strange but you often find a bands or guitarists best work or sounds come from periods of when they don't have huge amounts of signature gear and deals for equipment

 

[astrozombie]

Re: Best Distortion Pedal?

i think in the early days they basicly were forced to use whatever they could afford... like a lot of bands... and it's strange but you often find a bands or guitarists best work or sounds come from periods of when they don't have huge amounts of signature gear and deals for equipment

I dont think lots of pedals into mesa preamps and fender twin reverbs is cheap, neither today or back in the day. :lmao:

but I get you. i find it weird he used pedals for his distortion, instead of running a marshall or something.

ps: by big muff, you guys mean the big muff Pi right?

 

[WhoFan]

Re: Best Distortion Pedal?

I dont think lots of pedals into mesa preamps and fender twin reverbs is cheap, neither today or back in the day. :lmao:

but I get you. i find it weird he used pedals for his distortion, instead of running a marshall or something.

ps: by big muff, you guys mean the big muff Pi right?

ya but i believe those Mesa's came later after they got a little larger... you'd be surprised how many big name acts are using rented rigs or loaned stuff for tours... there is companies out there that do nothing but rent out back line to bands for the road and studio..... you can even hire them to set it up and roadie for ya...

My 5150 stack and Classic 50 Head came off the road, used as Artist Loaners for Peavey Endorsed Clients... my C50 until last year still had the tape and black marker marks on it for the roadies to place the dials on it for some artist...

it's kind of shocking how many players don't own their back line... even more so a lot of bands that no longer have the draw to sopport a track hauling gear put amps and back up guitars in their Contract Riders... and the promoter rents the stuff from these back line rental companies.... that way they just fly in with a guitar, a few pedals, and a suit case, play the gig and fly home...

mind ya with a band like Nirvana breaking and smashing stuff you sure hope they owned their own stuff LOL

 

[astrozombie]

Re: Best Distortion Pedal?

ya but i believe those Mesa's came later after they got a little larger... you'd be surprised how many big name acts are using rented rigs or loaned stuff for tours... there is companies out there that do nothing but rent out back line to bands for the road and studio..... you can even hire them to set it up and roadie for ya...

My 5150 stack and Classic 50 Head came off the road, used as Artist Loaners for Peavey Endorsed Clients... my C50 until last year still had the tape and black marker marks on it for the roadies to place the dials on it for some artist...

it's kind of shocking how many players don't own their back line... even more so a lot of bands that no longer have the draw to sopport a track hauling gear put amps and back up guitars in their Contract Riders... and the promoter rents the stuff from these back line rental companies.... that way they just fly in with a guitar, a few pedals, and a suit case, play the gig and fly home...

mind ya with a band like Nirvana breaking and smashing stuff you sure hope they owned their own stuff LOL

I'd hope so. I heard theyd raid pawn shops just for this purpose.

I know alot of bands have rented gear... its amazing to think that rectifier you see at every show on youtube might be a different amp every time!

 

[caucajun]

Re: Best Distortion Pedal?

i got a BOSS power driver. kinda a cross between a muff and a DS-1. definitly an ugly sounding pedal.

i think you gotta try 'em all before you figure out which is best........"only YOUR ears, bro!"

 

[ACH91332]

Re: Best Distortion Pedal?

Get a DS-1, some sort of fuzz pedal, and pretend you don't know your scales and you will be good to go.

Yeah.. I don't like Kurt at all (hence the scales comment). I think he is a horrible musician but the real "Grunge" tone is based around fuzz pretty much. Not a lot of mids, lots of high end, and a grainy edge and you are good to go. It's not really hard to get a grunge tone. Most tone chasers are out there trying to dial out all the things that make up the grunge tone. Grunge is "I'm mad and I dont care what you think" kind of music. It's pretty rebellious and Kurt's tone pretty much is a reflection of that as well.