Your favorite distortion pedal?

So are we talking true distortion pedals or overdrives, boost, etc?

If we are talking genuine distortion pedals (something you use to make a clean channel distorted) then I would go with the Empress Heavy or Revv G3/4 for Metal tones. For Rock tones I would go Friedman BE-OD Deluxe.

I'm usually impressed with Empress stuff, and they pick up the phone and like tinkering with ideas you have.
 
Suhr Riot - All day everyday.

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A few runners up: Wampler Plexi-Drive Mini, Ibanez DS9M, Boss Digital Metalizer
 
Sooooo close to buying one of those.
Just make sure to get the right power supply. When I got mine the person who sold it to me included one that was only 9 volts and the sound was definitely off. It needs a 16 volt 1 amp AC output supply.

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It's between my Biyang "Metal End King", & this other one I got 7-8 years ago, made by a guy in Thailand who sells (sold?) them on ebay ....the "Visa" distortion. There are a few versions of it out there but this is the version I have.

 
Surprised for all the 5150 love around here no one's mentioned James Brown and Amptweaker yet.
I have a prototype (smallbox) Tight Metal Pro, so there, James has been given a nod.

For me, distortion pedals are a lot about EQ.
You give me an average good distortion pedal and a graphic EQ to go along with it, and I can do a lot.
I have a Crunchbox V2 I'm perfectly happy with, bought it for a fiddy.
It sits beside a Boss GE-7, of course.

If I had the money and the desire, I'd probably go for a Big Rock Pro II.
The Tight Metal being somewhat constricted in terms of tonal variety, awesome at what it does do, tho.
 
It's between my Biyang "Metal End King", & this other one I got 7-8 years ago, made by a guy in Thailand who sells (sold?) them on ebay ....the "Visa" distortion. There are a few versions of it out there but this is the version I have.


Hey friend! Another Biyang Metal End King aficionado! See what I had to say about it back at Reply #20.

I've also found it does lite crunch very well. That gain level knob is very responsive.
 
IS it that different from a Metal Muff w/ Top Boost?
I would say yes. It runs two tubes at full voltage, not starved plate. And I find that it sounds best into a clean channel. The mid control can be switched from 600hz to 1.4khz and the boost can be switched from +4 db to +8db.

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Diezel VH-4 2. I like it so much I have been using it more than the dirty channel on my 50 cal plus.
 

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I go tried & true:

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Always get a great tone with it, quickly and dependably.

Recently, a buddy sent me an MD-2, which I'd never tried before and it pairs really, really well with my Jet City JCA22h, but doesn't play nice with my Marshall, so it has it's place, but won't replace the SD-1.

Someday I really want to check out a Strymon Sunset, but can't bring myself to spend that much on a pedal.


 
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For me, distortion pedals are a lot about EQ.
You give me an average good distortion pedal and a graphic EQ to go along with it, and I can do a lot.
I have a Crunchbox V2 I'm perfectly happy with, bought it for a fiddy.
It sits beside a Boss GE-7, of course.

The original crunchbox inspired quite a few of the Marshall ina a box pedals around now.
 
I've played through some terrible amps but been able to get decent sounds using my OD3. It's very versatile. Through a good amp it sounds incredible.
 
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