Distortion

If you are in the market for a mini distortion guitar effect pedal, ammoon’s Mini Guitar Effect Pedal (Distortion) could be the one for you. The body of this compact pedal is made up of durable zinc-aluminium alloy. It supports T-turbo rat distortion and classic rat distortion. It also features an all-analog signal path, ON/ OFF LED indicator light, and three knobs you can utilize to adjust the volume, gain (Dist), and tone (Filter).

The Plexi-M is a ‘60s Marshall plexi amp in stompbox form that lets you go from a warm, mild overdrive to a crunchy distortion reminiscent of a heavily cranked plexi. You can twist the Tone knob clockwise for a brighter and brighter sound and crank up the Gain knob for all the distortion you could ever want. The Plexi-M comes with true bypass and has a 100% analog signal path. This is quite possibly the cheapest reliable plexi distortion pedal you’ll ever find anywhere.

As its name hints, Amptweaker’s FatMetal creates a thick, rich distortion with a warmer overall tone compared to the TightMetal pedal. It is a professional-quality tool packed with valuable features that exhibit an unmatched devotion to practicality and quality. It features Tight, Gain, Tone, and Volume controls. A trio of mini switches lets you select noise gate on/off, normal/thrash tone, and normal/black gain boost settings. FatMetal is among the few metal distortion pedals whose sound does not immediately vanish while performing with a full band.

The FatMetal Pro delivers an assortment of new functions to the earlier FatMetal pedal. This Pro version contains a dual-boost function, three effects loops, and a handy 3-band EQ, which facilitates tone shaping, and still brings the classic Fat-Metal tone curve. The FatMetal Pro is a super high-gain pedal featuring a Smooth switch to temper the highs and Thrash switch to transform the basic tone into a heavier, more mid-scooped one. It is crafted for players who sought a warmer metal tone which works best with brighter guitars and amps.

Carrying features identical to the TightRock, the darker and fatter FatRock Distortion Pedal is the culmination of insights from players who asked for a variation of TightRock. The FatRock version’s tone was tweaked to extend the Tone and Tight controls’ low range. The EQ switch provides classic vintage stack tones while the Gain Boost switch produces a very modern amount of gain. With both switches turned off, you can use the pedal as a fat overdrive for an already distorted pedal/amp, without drastically altering the character.

Amptweaker’s TightMetal JR ranges from FatMetal to TightMetal tones and features a Tight attack switch and noise gate. With the crazy output level available through the Volume knob, Tight settings (Fat/Flat/Tight), EQ voicings (Thrash/Flat/Smooth), and punchy midrange you can cut or boost using the Tone control, you can virtually run a tone party from Black Sabbath to Avenged Sevenfold to Kyuss and so on. The TightMetal JR is worth exploring as each twist and turn could create new vistas of snarl, growl or singing sustain.

The Amptweaker TightMetal Pro Distortion Effect Pedal is the dual-pedal version of the well-loved TightMetal. Since the TightMetal’s introduction in 2011, Amptweaker customers have requested for a two button variant. Amptweaker surveyed some users who were not pleased with the TightMetal to determine the necessary tone changes. The TightMetal Pro features a Midboost button, two Fat switches, and two Boost knobs. Other features include an adjustable internal input noise gate for more gating, High Gain switch for heavier tones, and Gain, Tight, and Volume controls.

The Amptweaker TightMetal ST Distortion Pedal takes the famed TightMetal pedal with its aggressive metal and hardcore crunch tones and incorporates Amptweaker’s proprietary SideTrak effects loop, which works only when the pedal is off. The loop lets you alternate clean effects, or a different distortion pedal, with one stomp, eradicating the stomp-box tap-dance. The TightMetal ST boasts a High/Low gain switch to choose vintage or modern metal tones. It also features a Thrash EQ switch for a deeper mid-scoop and inbuilt noise gate for extremely tight stops.

Animals Pedal’s I Was A Wolf In The Forest guitar effects pedal is a single-stomp ticket to the days of classic 4×12 stack sounds. Set the Drive knob to low for a light, crunchy sound or crank it up to the max for truly crisp, driving distortion. You can also fiddle around with the Volume knob for tighter control over how much grit and dirt you want to pull out of the pedal. I Was A Wolf In The Forest features artwork by Jonas Claesson and comes with true-bypass switching.

Built in collaboration with master pedal builder Matthew Holl from Wren and Cuff, Animals Pedal’s Tioga Road Cycling Distortion introduces fatter lows to the classic “rodent-style” distortion tone from the late ‘70s and early ‘80s. With knobs controlling Volume, Distortion, and Tone as well as a toggle switch that lets you cycle through three gain modes, the Tioga Road Distortion is an extraordinarily versatile and dirty distortion pedal. The Tioga Road Distortion features artwork by Jonas Claesson and comes with true-bypass switching.

The Behringer HD300 Heavy Distortion guitar effects pedal gives you all the bottom-heavy distortion you could ever need to blaze through the most punishing and aggressive modern heavy metal and hard rock songs in your setlist. Still looking for a more bottom-heavy tone? Turn up the dedicated Bottom dial to high for more impact. Need some extra sustain? Cranking the Gain Boost knob up lets you achieve insanely liquid sustain—perfect for punctuating those epic guitar solos.

Thick mids and lows, insanely long sustain, and crunchy saturated harmonics are right at the tip of your toes with the Big Joe B303 Metal guitar effects pedal. The Shaper knob lets you boost and scoop your tone’s presence and emphasize the middle or high and low frequencies. The Gain knob, meanwhile, enables you to control precisely how much distortion you want in your sound, whether it’s s subtle guttural growl or a primordial roar. The Big Joe B-303 Metal pedal features true bypass switching.

The Blackstar HT-METAL distortion pedal lets you plug into untamed, high-gain metal tones. If you want molten-hot tones that maintain definition and dynamics, the HT-Metal’s high 300-volt operation and cascaded valve gain stages will surely satisfy your metal cravings. Two channels allow you to select the ideal pair of distortion settings, and Blackstar’s patented infinite shape feature (ISF) and three-band EQ enable powerful tone shaping. The speaker-emulated output allows you to connect the HT-Metal directly to a recording device or sound system for a seamless way to achieve a good sound.

The Blackstar LT Dist pedal lets you add some high-gain distortion to your rig. This compact, pedalboard-friendly distortion pedal gives you everything from crystal clean to boost to loud lead tones. It boasts Blackstar’s famous Infinite Shape Feature (ISF) tone-shaping circuit, providing you infinite adjustment over the tone control’s characteristics. The Blackstar LT Dist provides American and British distortion flavors and anything in between. Its control panel consists of ISF, TONE, LEVEL, and GAIN.

The Bogner Burnley distortion pedal gives your pedalboard Bogner-designed tones. Leveraging a Rupert Neve transformer, the Burnley delivers high-quality sound, lush tone, and killer touch sensitivity. You can get British high-gain tones or mild distortion to drive your amp into tonal bliss. The TONE knob allows you to tweak your sound to perfection while the FAT/TIGHT switch lets you adjust the pedal’s vibe from a looser rock feel to tighter metal. The 100% analog circuit path allows for excellent touch response.

The Bogner Uberschall distortion pedal is a feature-packed pedal that delivers tonal flexibility. Modeled after the high-gain Bogner Uberschall amp, the Uberschall pedal brings all the heavy distortion you could imagine. It boasts five discrete Class A gain stages without diode clipping or op-amps, just like the Uberschall amplifier’s circuitry. This innovative approach provides clarity, amp-like touch sensitivity, and note separation. Although the Uberschall pedal delivers standard lower and medium gains, its real nature lies in in-your-face high-gain tones.

The Boss DS-1 Distortion guitar effects pedal has been a Boss stalwart for over 40 years, outselling any and all of the company’s pedals. The 40th Anniversary version of the DS-1 Distortion pedal has the same hard-edged attack and silky smooth sustain that users have come to know and love, all packed in a special limited edition body. Its all-black metal housing is accentuated with gold lettering, gold-capped knobs, and a vintage silver thumbscrew that keeps the body compartment in place.

Extreme is the name of the game for the Boss ML-2 Metal Core distortion guitar effects pedal. From grindcore to hardcore, metal to industrial, the ML-2’s massive distortion and sharp attack have your back whenever you need to put forth crushing levels of sound. Crank up the Low knob for that ribcage-rattling low-frequency sound of a seven-string or drop-tuned guitar, and push the High knob to the max for screaming metal tones perfect for melting faces in a shredfest.

The Boss MT-2 Metal Zone distortion guitar effects pedal is one of Boss’s most popular stompboxes—and with good reason. This metal monster features unique two-gain circuitry that lets you create massive walls of sound drenched in biting distortion. You get high saturation levels, insanely long sustain, heavy mids and lows, and plenty of tone-sculpting possibilities via a dedicated 3-band EQ with semi-parametric midrange control. The Boss MT-2 Metal Zone is the answer for your truly over the top distortion needs.

The Caline American Sound CP-55 guitar effect pedal models the clarity and trademark twang of a Fender 57 Deluxe amp, giving you access to that classic Fender tone at a very budget-friendly price point. You get six dedicated control knobs for shaping your EQ and overdrive response: Low, Mid, High, Level, Voice, and Drive. The Caline CP-55 American Sound lets you go from classic Fender clean tones to smooth, combo tube amp overdrive and comes with a true bypass feature.

The Caline CP-14 English Man Distortion guitar effect pedal gives you searing, high-gain distortion tones ripped straight from the classic Plexi-powered rock sounds of the ‘70s and ‘80s. This is basically a Marshall Plexi amp crammed into a tiny but sturdy slimform stompbox, serving up red-hot tube tones that feature that distinct cranked up Plexi tone. The Caline CP-14 English Man Distortion lets you sculpt your sound with dedicated Level, Gain, and Tone knobs and comes with a true bypass feature.

A budget distortion pedal that packs more bite than its price suggests, the Caline CP-34 Head Room Vintage Distortion guitar effects pedal is the perfect stompbox for guitarists who want to go dirtier, grittier, and more in-your-face. You get full tonal control over the distortion effect’s bite and attack via dedicated Volume, Filter, and Distortion dials as well as a three-way selector switch that lets you toggle between Solo, Turbo, and Normal modes. The Caline CP-34 Head Room Vintage Distortion comes with a true bypass feature.