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Best Distortion/Fuzz/OD?

For whats its worth I use a Boss HM-2 and a V-Stack pedal. Both provide loads of bass with the option for overdrive or outright fuzz. These are typically guitar pedals but the bassist from Godflesh used to use the HM-2 on a low gain setting. I didn't know that when I started using one andIi set mine up a bit different. I happened into an early version V-Stack at a pawn shop $20 and without the LED light. I was jamming with a friend tuned F# standard and we decided to try it to help tighten up the low end. Actually sounded good so i stuck with it. You can chase for you tone and literally spend hundreds upon hundreds of dollars on pedals trying to find one you like. Go to your local pawn shop or music store and try every damn distortion or fuzz they have. You might end up spending less and obtaining a tone that is equal to some of the boutique pedals your asking about.
 
There's so many to choose from these days.
For fuzz I use the following:
MXR El Grande (trim pot moved the outside of the case) - i have mine set for quite a bright fuzz sound
Way Huge Swollen Pickle - I have mine set for a nice mid scoop
Wamper Tripple Wreck - Raucous fuzz, nuff said.

Overdrive
Blacksheep Outlaw - Versatile and amazing.
Timmy OD, seriously nice and very dynamic
Joyo American Sound, With it's 3 band EQ, it's very versatile and most OD needs can be serviced with this one box.

Distortion
Mark Bass MB7 Distorsore - it's ok but it doesn't really float my boat. The grit is quite muffled and not as nice as I'd hoped. A trick has been missed with this pedal, the EQ would be better if it was independant of the grit. No grit, no EQ.
 
DOD 250 for your OD
Idiot Box Dungeon Master or Static Fuzz for your fuzz
Check out something like the Blower BOx for distortion.

And a Darkglass B7K to put it all into. You will be killing it!! There are really tons of dirt pedals out there that will excel in doom and sludge but these are the ones that came to my mind at first and are pretty accessible and most are reasonably priced as well.

So, what would your pedal order be all running into the B7K? I'm thinking of shuffling the deck on my pedal board.
 
So, what would your pedal order be all running into the B7K? I'm thinking of shuffling the deck on my pedal board.

Well my B7K is at the very end just about ran clean.

But my dirt goes
EAND muff > b:Assmaster > BB > JTDT > bedlam

The JTDT MAY BE swapped out with the DSoM when it comes back. Still not sure. That JTDT is just too damn awesome to not use on the regular.
 
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If you haven't already checked this site, there's lots of reviews of the type of pedal you're after: BassFuzz.com

On the strength of their review of the Wounded Paw Battering Ram [Invalid or Expired Link Removed] I bought one. Amazingly versatile, from bluesy OD to crazy octave fuzz mayhem. I got version 2.6 of the pedal which allows you to control the OD, fuzz and octave circuits separately.
 
ZVex Machine- it owns. Most evil distortion I've ever had. Still sits on my main board. Holds bass perfect. Just instant Hendrix from hell.

ZVex Sonar- i need. Want. Must have. Okay, never played one but it's some weird tremolo with an entire Machine inside it. I'll let you know how it sounds in a week or so. It could end up like an oscillating Machine if I'm half right. Still not sure...

I just saw that, and the Instant lo fi junkie looks fun, too. I also am very intrigued about the uber big ringtone (had an original, sold, own a tap tempo, have kept until now. Time for the beast. Bring it!

(One last new company has my interest, but there are almost zero units on the market now, so I must be cryptic. Sorry. I'll have a new nasty fuzz. Well, another. It's becoming a problem...)
 
Plenty of great suggestions here; a green Muff (Russian or one of the reissues from SUF) will do well. For a broader range of tone: EH Bass Micro Synth.
It can do octave up and down to fatten the tone and square wave for some aggressive distortion and fuzz.
 
Zvex Mastotron is by far my favorite fuzz, the amount of low end you retain with the "Sub" switch set at 3 is ridiculous. I use this heavily for the Stoner Rock sound. QOTSA, The Sword, Kyuss, Monster Magnet Clutch etc....It's great for filling up a lot of space and has a great fuzz type diversity.

For distortion, i'm not sure that anybody can top what Dark Glass is doing right now. I currently use both a B3k and a B7k.

I've yet to find an overdrive that I love, however Boss came in to work and did an expo, and featured the new BB-1X, and it sounded incredible. I'd like to put one through it's paces for sure.

Just my $0.02
 
I've had very good success with a range of fuzz/OD/distortion using a Pigtronix Disnortion.

Lots of good suggestions already in this thread. So much dirt/grit/noise/grind/buzz/fuzz, so little time...
 
If it's a heavy distortion you want, check out the empress heavy. it has a metal distortion kind of sound and it has a weight control which adds more lows to your sound. I plan to get one myself. that or the idiot box blower box(if it's still available). another good choice for a distortion pedal is the vfe triumvirate. it is a multi-band distortion pedal that has 3 drive controls and 3 level controls for bass, treble, and mid. you can only get it from the vfe website.
 
As indicated by all the great suggestions and my experience of trying many of them, I conclude that there are a plethora of solid options for OD/Distortion. I've actually gone back to one of the booteek muffs to compliment my Barbershop, VMTD, Wood Chipper and Duality.

Edit: as of 11/09/15... The only one that remains on my board is the Woodchipper. I'm rethinking my dirt and am buying a SA OFD to help in the rethinking process.
 
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I'll go way out and say how about a Pigtronix Disnortion =0) It's got an OD that is nice and clear, a Fuzz that has 6 different EQ shapes to pick from (and sounds most like a Muff/Pickle/etc, generally), but then also has a switchable Octaver that can act as a lo-fi drive on its own, or stack with the other two to be a loud, sharp boost into Brassmaster territory. The OD and Fuzz are parallel, but there is a version out there that has a switch to make those in series as well.

I have one sitting around not being used at the moment cause I don't need all that... lol.
 
So, I've been on a distortion buying and selling tear.... notables include: the new MXR M85 and the VFE Bass Triumvirate. And I've come back around to a muff variant - a SUF Civil War as my distortion of choice. I had a W&C TFR for a long time. Bought a SUFCW to compare to the TFR... loved both, so I sold them and decided to try a rat variant (an MXR M85). Then the triumvirate. Anyway, I've learned that I like the sound of a good muff and am glad to have one back on my board.
 
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I'm surprised nobody has mentioned these thus far

1. Mountainking Electronics - Megalith
2. Prescription Electronics - Depth Charge of Masf Starry Wisdom
and if you want a Muff Variant...the Best IMHO is the..
3. Blackout Effects Musket Fuzz

nothing is heavier than the Megalith and it's what I use in my Stoner Doom Project

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