My taste in distortion pedals

[ndrly]

Well, for guitar, I don't believe in distortion pedals. Not if you can get a nice grunt with a valve amp. However, if your amplifier doesn't distort as well as you'd like, then perhaps an effects pedal is for you.

I think I have realised that I prefer distortion pedals with a parametric EQ. You know, instead of one knob labelled "tone", it has "bass" and "treble" (and sometimes "mid"). Perhaps if you used one of those on bass guitar, even if it wasn't designed for bass, you could get a nice growl with lots of low end.

However, this is just a thought. Does anyone else use any guitar-oriented effects pedals with a parametric EQ? Does it work? If so, can you recommend any pedals?

[Zappstorius]

I love my MXR Blowtorch, it has panoramic eq...but it's more of s fuzz pedal than distortion.

[Trevor.A]

English Muff'n

[Niff]

i used to use sansamp GT2. low end and growl out the ass.

[RickenBoogie]

Seymore Duncan Twin Tube, has bass and treble control, 2 channels, very gnarly od.

[scotch]

I'm not sure if you are using the term "parametric" correctly, but I think I know what you mean. I believe that the type of single-knob fixed frequency eq controls that you are referring to are most likely "shelving" or "peak" eq's.

Anyway, the EBS Valve Drive has 3-band eq. It's great!
The EH English Muff'n also has 3 bands & gets rave reviews.
Both of these are flexible pedals that are really intuitive when compared to typical guitar setups.

I've also gotten good results with a Mesa V-Twin pedal on bass.

[Geddyfleaharris]

Originally Posted by Zappstorius

I love my MXR Blowtorch, it has panoramic eq...but it's more of s fuzz pedal than distortion.

I tried the blowtorch and one day in the not too distant future I will buy it again but, IMO, I found it to be more of an overdrive/distortion pedal. I really wanted it to produce the sound I had in my head which turned out to be the fuzz that a Little Big Muff produces. Funny how we all hear things differently. Maybe it is a fuzz but a thinner fuzz sound than the LBM. If that makes any sense.
But I believe the blowtorch is a well designed, rugged pedal even though I am not using it currently.

[nickbear]

Originally Posted by Trevor.A

English Muff'n

my choice for a slight overdrive, not fond of its higher gain settings but at lower settings its my favourite pedal

[SFjonstarr]

I Used to get great results from a Mesa Bottle Rocket. It just had a treble and a bass control though, no parametric eq. I don't think that's what you mean anyway. On a semi parametric you would have a control that would shift the frequency the Eq is centered at. On a fully parametric in addition to the frequency control you would get a control to shape the width of the affected region out from the frequency you've set to be the center. This one is typically called "Q" or "bandwidth". Anyways- back to the Bottle Rocket. With the bass attenuated a smidge and bit of a boost on the treble it sounded great. It was kind of singing in the upper register and growly when you'd play lower on the neck. I only wound up selling mine because I upgraded my rig to an all tube amp setup. They sell used on E-Bay for around $150 .

[Tbirdbassist]

I haven't owned an actual pedal with an EQ. I however was using the "head" portion of an old Brownsville 15G 15 watt solid state guitar amp for a grit channel. It can get really, really nasty though. Two gain stages, bass, mid, treble and volume. I'm in the middle of finding a way to rehouse it since the innards are exposed and that isn't exactly safe. I've got three other pedals that I've got to choose for a grit channel so this might be my distortion box once it's rehoused. haven't heard an actual pedal that sounds like it.

[fuNKmaster83]

i have found out that i like distortion or fuzz or even overdrive with no tone control... if it must be then only a high cut...

[lowmid]

Yes , me too, I've recently discovered I'm not a fan of tone controls on pedals, I like my clean tone so I want my dirt tone to be the same than the clean tone So no tone controls for me , and a fairly transparent pedal, the CD 4049 /mos logic chip pedal design worked out pretty well for me, I' use a two channel red llama ( quite like a TF mule)and an escobedo cmos booster all built by me, Could'nt be happier,

I might make a coupla soundclips when we'll record our 3 remaining songs,
I'll make a special improv with the drummer to show you

any interest?
cheers

[seanm]

Originally Posted by ndrly

I think I have realised that I prefer distortion pedals with a parametric EQ. You know, instead of one knob labelled "tone", it has "bass" and "treble" (and sometimes "mid"). Perhaps if you used one of those on bass guitar, even if it wasn't designed for bass, you could get a nice growl with lots of low end.

You aren't using the term parametric EQ properly. A parametric EQ has sets of three controls: a level, a frequency, and a Q. The Q is basically how wide or narrow the frequency is attenuated.

A semi-parametric EQ does not have the Q control.

What you are talking about are just normal tone controls. The low and high are probably shelving, but don't have to be. The mid probably is peaking.

Whew, that said. I like the tone control on some pedals and not on others. It is a crap shoot whether they can the tone center right. So I prefer to be given low, mid, high. And if the mid has a controllable frequency center, all the better!

[ndrly]

Has anyone had any experience with the BOSS Metal Zone pedal, or the Line 6 Distortion Modeller or any other guitar distortion with an EQ as opposed to a single tone control? I'd like to hear some comments from those who have.

[savinggrace]

Originally Posted by lowmid

I might make a coupla soundclips when we'll record our 3 remaining songs,
I'll make a special improv with the drummer to show you

any interest?
cheers

Sure. Please post sound clips when you can.