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Guitar Effects Explained - Distortion
The distortion effect was first created back in the 1950's by overdriving the tubes of a guitar amplifier, usually by turning an amp all the way up. This caused the guitar signal to distort or "break up." While this effect was originally considered bad by amp manufactures, early rock players found it exciting since it provided a new tone for the electric guitar's sonic palette. A tone that had an edge and power that fit perfectly with the new type of rock playing that appeared in the 1960's. As amplifier manufacturers embraced distortion, they began adding more gain to their amps, which resulted in more distortion and lead to styles such as metal and shredding. Pedals have been created to simulate all these types of distortion.
Typical Use
Distortion pedals are normally used to simulate overdriven tube amplifiers. They can also be use with tube amplifiers to produce higher gain tones. DIstortion effects are common in almost every style of poular music.
Terminology
Distortion is a generic term used to cover all styles of distortion effects pedals, but they can also be broken down into several categories.
Fuzz
The first type of distortion pedals were fuzz boxes. They produced a distorted tone that allowed guitar players to play singing leads. Like the name says, the tone was more "fuzz" than tube distortion, sounding like a damaged speaker cone, Still, fuzz pedals can be heard on countless recordings from the 60's (think of the opening guitar riff in the Rolling Stone's I Can't Get No Satisfaction or just about any of Jimi Hendrix's riffs.) Fuzz pedals remain popular today.
Distortion
This term usually refers to solid state transistor distortion, which is a harsher type of distortion than tube distortion but still more “amp-like” than fuzz pedals. These pedals were the second generation of distortion boxes.
Overdrive
These pedals attempt to accurately reproduce tube-type distortion. Some even use real preamp tubes in their circuitry. These pedals are often used in conjunction with a tube amp to push the amp into higher gain tones.
High Gain/Metal
These pedals emulate the multistage gain of modern tube amplifiers producing a high gain, saturated distortion that works well for soaring leads or metal styles.
Suggested Units
Here are some distortion pedals that have received good reviews and/or high ratings by players.
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Keeley Fuzz Head
The Fuzz Head is designed to work like Fuzz Face pedals many players use as a lead boost, but a Fuzz Face can be muddy, lack note definition, be too bassy and lack sustain. The Keeley design is transparent, has better frequency response, and gives you that cutting edge for lead breaks. Includes Silicon/Germanium toggle switch. This is like a gain/style switch. The "SI" mode inserts two diodes (one silicon and one germanium in parallel) in the distortion circuit so you can have a modern twist on a vintage sound. It increases the gain and compression a bit for more sustain and more of an overdrive mode.Very transparent and dynamic. Takes the best qualities of the germainum designs and overdrives. Roll back the volume on your guitar for clean sounds, a variety of tones, textures, and natural fuzz/overdrive!
Available At Guitar Center
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Voodoo Lab Superfuzz
The Superfuzz takes a classic '60s fuzz design and adds resonance and tone circuits to create an amazing new array of tones. Using the Resonance sub-harmonic booster control, you can dial in aggressive and focused bottom end. And, you can use the Attack control to vary the gain from rich and creamy to outrageous. Unlike most fuzz pedals, Superfuzz has a unique Tone control with tons of range. In the center setting, you get a traditional fuzz tone. Or, turn it down for an extremely scooped mid sound. Crank it up and you've got a boosted midrange perfect for screaming your tubes!
Available At Guitar Center
Fuzz
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Krank Distortus Maximus Distortion Pedal Standard
The Distortus Maximus packs all the bone-crunching tone of Krank amps into a compact pedal. Easy to operate with 3-band EQ, gain, and master controls. Achieve the high-gain harmonic flavors of the Revolution 1/Krankenstein amps that other distortion effects just can't deliver. It's over-the-top insanity with the warmth and clarity you expect from Krank.
Available At Guitar Center
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Ibanez Jemini Distortion
The Ibanez Jemini unleashes Steve Vai's first Signature Distortion pedal. The unique, multi-colored Jemini stompbox combines overdrive and distortion in one rigid zinc die-cast case. Steve Vai Signature pedal Overdrive and distortion in one package • Rigid zinc diecast case Magnificent LED lights around knobs • Unique multi color case with Vai logo • Foot pedal rubber
Available At Guitar Center
Distortion
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Fulltone GT-500 FET Distortion + Booster and Overdrive
The GT-500 Effects Pedal from Fulltone is a discrete FET Hi-Gain Distortion and Overdrive Booster in one box. You could think of them as 2 separate pedals, or think of them as stages to be linked together for endless combinations. The Hi-Gain side has Volume, Distortion knobs, Bass, Mid, and Highs minipots. Its Booster Side has Volume, Overdrive knobs, Bass and Highs minipots. Hard-clipped distortion—the way most guitar pedals achieve distortion—at one point in a circuit can be cool, but stage after stage of FET (GT-500) is very real, very amplike, and has ridiculous amounts of sustain even at low volume. It does the great chunky low-string rhythm stuff and cleans up incredibly well when you turn down the guitar's volume. The Fulltone GT500 contains 9 FETs, 2 Mosfets, and 1 Transistor with no opamps or clipping diodes used.
Available At Guitar Center
Fulltone GT-500 FET Distortion + Booster and Overdrive Guitar Effects Pedal Red
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Blackstar HT Series HT-DRIVE Tube Overdrive
The HT-DRIVE Overdrive effect pedal from Blackstar has dual cascaded, high voltage, triode stages which deliver gain from warm boost to screaming tube saturation. The unique A-Class' tone control cuts the fizz without making your backed-off tone sound dull and lifeless. Add to this no compromise speaker emulated output and you have the ultimate overdrive dream. The HT Range of tube overdrive pedals features true high voltage (300V) circuitry and are packed with innovations and tone. The revolutionary, patent-applied-for tone shaping feature ISF (Infinite Shape Feature) will redefine the tonal expectations of guitarists. Add to this the no compromise speaker emulated output and you have the most cost effective way of getting real tube tones direct to disk or tape.
Available At Guitar Center
Blackstar HT Series HT-DRIVE Tube Overdrive Guitar Effects Pedal Standard
Overdrive
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Electro-Harmonix XO Metal Muff
The Electro-Harmonix Metal Muff effects pedal features 3 powerful EQ bands that are ideal for sculpting mids and a total of 6 controls for shaping sound precisely your way. Top Boost adds serious bite with its own control knob and footswitch button. Volume, Top Boost, Treble, Mid, Bass, and Distortion knobs. Boost and bypass footswitches.
Available At Guitar Center
Electro-Harmonix XO Metal Muff with Top Boost Distortion Guitar Effects Pedal Standard
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DigiTech HardWire Series TL-2 Metal Distortion
The DigiTech HardWire Series TL-2 is a metal distortion pedal that lets you pick your poison. Metal can come at you fast, with tight low-end and a crunching top — or stalk you slowly with a low, throaty roar that sizzles on the high end. The TL-2 distortion pedal's Tight/Loose switch controls the "tightness" of the low end and adjusts the midrange frequency to provide the best overall tone. Level, Gain, and Low, Mid and High tone controls with sweepable midrange allow you to dial in any tone with ease. The HardWire pedals series represents the DigiTech commitment to quality and attention to subtle details. In addition to technical enhancements like true bypass and high voltage operation, all HardWire pedals feature rugged, all-metal construction, a wide, stage-stable footprint, durable, custom-machined metal knobs for a sure grip, and precision potentiometers that guarantee knob positions will stay intact.
Available At Guitar Center
DigiTech HardWire Series TL-2 Metal Distortion Guitar Effects Pedal Standard
High Gain/Metal
links
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Audio Examples
- Fuzz
- Distortion
- Overdrive
- High Gain/Metal
Effect Types
- Chorus
- Distortion
- Flanger
- Phaser
- Rotary Speaker Simulator
- Tremolo
- Wah