What's your favorite distortion?

[Archer250]

Re: What's your favorite distortion?

Ha! If you have enough pedal board space then you need the Metal Muff, the Rat, the Riot, and the Stone Cold! lol

I may actually end up getting rid of my Rat and Solo (basically a Rat on Steroids)...I am really digging the Surh Shiba and Riot combo plus the Mad Professor Golden Cello and Stone Grey...can't really work in the Rat and Solo with those.

BUT I love the tones from the Metal Muff, Rat and Solo...definitely not knocking them for any reason whatsoever!

I hear ya, brother. Finding something that can handle the RAT thing and respond like a boutique BSAIB is a quest I've taken and suffered for.

 

[treyhaislip]

Re: What's your favorite distortion?

I hear ya, brother. Finding something that can handle the RAT thing and respond like a boutique BSAIB is a quest I've taken and suffered for.

I've thought about saving up for an original one, mine is the ProCo Rat 2 that was made in China. Still an incredible sounding pedal and built like a tank...just seems to be missing something that my other pedals do for me. The Suhr Shiba and Riot push the amp like no other pedal I've tried–awesome harmonics come out when holding a note out that are not produced with other pedals.

 

[B2D]

Re: What's your favorite distortion?

It depends on the amp I'm using, but it's hard to go wrong with a Fulltone OCD or a Keeley DS1 Ultra.

 

[Archer250]

Re: What's your favorite distortion?

I've thought about saving up for an original one, mine is the ProCo Rat 2 that was made in China. Still an incredible sounding pedal and built like a tank...just seems to be missing something that my other pedals do for me. The Suhr Shiba and Riot push the amp like no other pedal I've tried–awesome harmonics come out when holding a note out that are not produced with other pedals.

You *can* mod it, ya know

 

[treyhaislip]

Re: What's your favorite distortion?

You *can* mod it, ya know

Ha! That you can! I think JHS or Keeley only offers mods for the US made one though...perhaps it would work on the Chinese as well. lol First thing I would do is change the power adapter plugin...so annoying. lol

 

[Archer250]

Re: What's your favorite distortion?

Don't get the JHS. Changes the thing completely into a fuzz. Personally, I'd go with the Allums' mod. It's closer to mine... in fact, change one of the silicon diodes to a germanium one and it'll get even closer, I guess.

 

[treyhaislip]

Re: What's your favorite distortion?

Don't get the JHS. Changes the thing completely into a fuzz. Personally, I'd go with the Allums' mod. It's closer to mine... in fact, change one of the silicon diodes to a germanium one and it'll get even closer, I guess.

I heard about the germanium mod–was suppose to be as close to the original as a Rat 2 can get. And thanks for the heads up on the JHS–I definitely do NOT want a fuzz pedal. lol

 

[gvis]

Re: What's your favorite distortion?

The Empress Heavy gets my vote for favourite distortion pedal.

+1

I'm surprised it hasn't become more popular by now. Maybe it's the price. But it's worth every penny. After years of going thru pedals I stopped after getting it last year. Some say it lacks dynamics, but I feel they can be in the lower gain settings, just before it gets too thin. Sounds great with a TS type pedal in front as well.

My next favorite is the V1 Jeckyl & Hyde distorton side, only after I added a bass adjustment knob. Without it the bass is overwhelming, causing an overall scooped effect. Dropping some bass allows mids to come through when matching the same volume setting used with the stock bass. This mod required a mod for more overall volume on the distortion. Works ok for leads but best for rhythm. Also great with the gain set lower, for airer, mild OD fendery tones, versus thicker TS type tones.

Still happy with these two.

 

[Liam1963]

Re: What's your favorite distortion?

Fulltone OCD, Wampler Plextortion, BOSS DS1.

 

[CustomCustom]

Re: What's your favorite distortion?

I really like the old Marshall pedals.