Hi-gain pedal

Paradox92 · #1 07-25-2010, 09:32 PM

I'm looking for an upgrade from my Boss-ME50b and I'd like to get a nice hi-gain distortion pedal to play a lot of metal (tapping and some chords), which is also the setting I use on the pedal. I've inquired about the Electro-Harmonix Big Muff series (Russian and Bass) but I'm afraid they'll be too fuzzy and lacking sustain, so I won't get a the modern guitar sound I'm looking for. If at all, I'd like to also get a Peter Hook-type sound too which is an overdriven sound caused by a broken amplifier. Would one of these be a decent choice? Or would something else be better?

bongomania · #2 07-25-2010, 10:31 PM

Weeelll... there are a lot of great high-gain distortions out there. A quick search will reveal some of the top choices, but there are plenty of great ones to choose from. The thing about fuzz, which most of the Muff variants are, is that they do their one fuzzy thing brilliantly-- but most fuzzes are not at all the right choice for somebody who wants versatility of different kinds of OD/distortion. OTOH, if you want sustain, most fuzzes give insane sustain-- so that's not going to be a problem. High-gain distortion, too, is a sustain machine. It's inherent to how the signal gets treated to create the distortion/fuzz effect.

What's your budget?

Swift713 · #3 07-26-2010, 05:03 AM

It might help if you were more specific about which effects you use on the ME-50b and where they fall short for you. I think many may be named after Boss' single pedals and people who have used the ME-50 or the individual stomps may have some perspective. I wouldn't, but someone else might.

Darkglass · #4 07-26-2010, 05:22 AM

I think a Sansamp GT2 could be for you... the California mode is fat, and really guitar-sounding!

Regards

Doug.

bigchiefbc · #5 07-26-2010, 07:41 AM

Check out the Tech 21 XXLB and the Landmine LD-1 if you want really high gain distortion.

ga_edwards · #6 07-26-2010, 05:24 PM

You might want to think about trying them out at stage volume before committing to buying, or at least buy with a return option, as high gain distortion does have a habit of feeding back depending on you bass, amp and reset of your signal chain. Hey, even my relatively low gain Bad Monkey TS clone feeds back with heavy compression.

takfar · #7 07-26-2010, 05:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigchiefbc

Check out the Tech 21 XXLB and the Landmine LD-1 if you want really high gain distortion.

Yup, XXLB can do huge gain. Also, if want to try a fuzz, the Musket can get very wild, too.