Look no further if you’re considering buying a stompbox for a heavy guitar tone. This post will show you the Top 13 Distortion Pedals for Metal 2023 for all budgets:
1. Behringer Ultra Metal UM300
2. TC Electronic Fangs Metal Distortion
4. MXR Super Badass Distortion
6. Harley Benton Extreme Metal
7. Behringer Heavy Metal HM300
8. TC Electronic Dark Matter Distortion
9. JHS Pedals Paul Gilbert Distortion PG-14
10. Fender Pugilist Distortion
You can’t do without distortion if you play metal. This effect is the basis for the heavy guitar tone that we all love this genre for. You can get distortion directly from your amps. But another option is to use the appropriate effect pedals. This way, you can get different flavors of this effect and experiment with the sound.
In this article, we’ve collected top-of-the-line distortion pedals for metal. Each stompbox is unique and gives the user comprehensive control over the level of distortion. Plus, you’ll find units here at different prices, so you can rest easy if you’re starting in metal music and don’t have a big budget.
The 13 Best Distortion Pedals for Metal 2023
1. Behringer Ultra Metal UM300
Behringer Ultra Metal UM300 is one of the most budget-friendly distortion pedals with a decent sound.
We start our list with a fairly budget-friendly unit that will keep you from breaking the bank. It is a product of Behringer, a company known for its audio equipment at affordable prices. Yes, opinions about their products are quite controversial, but at least you won’t go bankrupt trying one of them.
This distortion pedal is called the Ultra Metal UM300. Many online users are convinced this is a famous Boss Metal Zone pedal clone. And yes, the sound is quite similar. Overall, the pedal is made of plastic in black and pink colors. You also get all the necessary settings. But let’s take a closer look at them in order.
Key Features:
- Dist And Level Controls
This pedal has two separate controls for Volume and Level. The former allows you to control the amount of effect, and the latter allows you to adjust the output signal. This pedal can also serve as a preamp and be connected to an FX return or a separate power amp. - 3-Band EQ
You also have 3-Band EQ with High, Low, and Mid controls. It’s also worth noting that you can choose which midrange frequencies to boost or cut. There is a separate knob ranging from 200 to 5K hertz for that purpose. - Powered By Adapter or Battery
As for powering up the Behringer UM300, you can do so with a 9 V battery or DC adapter. By the way, the latter is not included with the pedal. The battery can be placed under the pedal cap, as in similar units.
Pros:
The biggest advantage of the Behringer UM300 pedal is its price, which is about $27. You get a sound similar to Metal Zone for this money, which is quite a good deal. The tone here is quite aggressive and will suit the most extreme genres. Plus, you can use this unit as a preamp, not a common front-end distortion.
Cons:
Many people complain about the plastic body of this pedal, but this is not surprising, given the price. The unit may also have somewhat loose knobs. In addition, the pedal can affect the guitar tone even when turned off.
2. TC Electronic Fangs Metal Distortion
You should check out the TC Electronic Fangs Metal Distortion if you want a pedal with several tonal options.
TC Electronic is one of the giants in guitar effects pedals. And now, we will show you one of their creations, which should appeal to fans of high-gain metal tones. This unit, called the Fangs Metal Distortion, will delight you with its price and features.
Overall, this pedal has the same controls as other similar units. However, the main feature here is a small switch allowing you to get different metal tones. Without further ado, let’s move on to looking at the features of this product.
Key Features:
- Adjust The Gain And Volume
At the top of the pedal, you’ll find the Gain and Volume controls. The former will allow you to adjust how distorted your signal will be, and the latter will help you set the output volume. Find the right balance, and you’ll be safe. - Bass & Treble
You’ll also have two Bass and Treble controls at your disposal, which is self-explanatory. But we can say that the bass on this pedal is quite tight, and the treble control has a great response. - Choose Your Tone
Another important feature of this distortion pedal is a small switch in the middle that gives you three modes: Raw, Fat, and Scoop. The first one will sound like 80s death metal, the second is more modern, and the third has a scooped midrange like 90s groove metal.
Pros:
The TC Electronic Fangs is a great distortion pedal that will appeal to metal fans. It gives you three different guitar tones that will suit different subgenres. As for the build quality, it’s at a high level. And another plus is the price, which is approximately $43.
Cons:
Some users say that the Raw mode has too many mids. But you can add bass and treble to fix this. Besides that, we don’t see any other drawbacks to this unit.
3. Boss DS-1 Distortion
The Boss DS-1 is a legendary pedal that’s easy to use and will give you a juicy guitar tone.
We couldn’t help but include this unit in our list, as it is iconic. The Boss DS-1 Distortion is the first distortion pedal Boss ever created. Its first version was released back in 1978 and immediately became extremely popular. As a result, many musical masterpieces have been created with this unit.
As for the stompbox itself, it has an orange color, three knobs, and the same dimensions as most Boss pedals. In general, this unit is quite easy to use, but on the other hand, it is versatile. Let’s take a closer look at everything it has.
Key Features:
- Tone Control
The Tone control, which is located on the left side of the pedal, will be your one-knob EQ. Accordingly, with this control, you can either make your sound darker or, on the contrary, add expressiveness through high frequencies. Overall, it’s very responsive. - Distortion Level
Another important control here is Dist, which determines the amount of your distortion. This knob is located on the opposite side of the Tone. It is worth noting that you can go into fuzz territory at the maximum value. - Use It As a Boost
The small knob in the middle is called Level. As you might expect, it helps you adjust the output signal. By the way, if you set Dist to the minimum and raise Level, this pedal can be a good boost.
Pros:
The Boss DS-1 is a legendary distortion pedal that has gained popularity for decades. You can use it as a boost, a dirty distortion, or even go into fuzz territory. Plus, it has a responsive EQ in the form of a Tone knob that helps you determine the color of your guitar tone. The unit also has a nice price tag of about $70.
Cons:
We see no drawbacks to this unit. Therefore, we advise you to read user reviews on the Internet in detail.
Related Readings:
Top 12 Pedals For Metallica Tone 2023
Top 12 Delay Pedals For Metal 2023 (Any Budget)
Top 12 Reverb Pedals For Metal 2023 (Any Budget)
4. MXR Super Badass Distortion
The MXR Super Badass Distortion is a versatile pedal that will give you a variety of tones.
If you’re a guitarist, you probably know about MXR, a well-known manufacturer of effects pedals for electric guitars and basses. Now we will discuss one of their products, which has a pretty funny name: Super Badass Distortion. We are sure that this pedal can pleasantly surprise you.
It is a fully analog distortion with a true bypass. You’ll have familiar controls, but a big plus is that you’ll get more advanced tone-shaping capabilities. Let’s move on to the features of this unit.
Key Features:
- Choose Amount of Distortion
On the right side of this pedal is the Distortion knob, which will be your gain control. The sound palette here is quite wide. Thanks to it, you can get boosted, overdriven, crunchy, and dirty distortion tones. - Output Control
Thanks to the Output control, you can adjust your overall volume. By the way, if this knob is at the half and Distortion is at a minimum, you’ll get a slight boost that will be useful for breaking in on specific parts. - Three-Band EQ
The undoubted advantage of this pedal is it has three tone controls: Bass, Mid, and Treble. They are quite responsive and give you a mid-oriented classic tone, a more modern scooped sound, and everything in between.
Pros:
The MXR 75 Super Badass Distortion is a great all-around pedal that will give you a variety of tonal possibilities. You can use it as a boost, overdrive, crunch, or dirty distortion, perfect for heavy metal. This unit is compact, lightweight, sturdy, and has all the necessary controls.
Cons:
Some users believe this pedal is unsuitable for extreme metal, and its tones are more in the pop-rock zone. Others are also convinced that it is difficult to get smooth sounds.
5. JOYO R-17 Dark Flame
You should check out JOYO R-17 Dark Flame if you want crushing modern metal tones at an affordable price.
Joyo is a well-known Chinese company that produces guitar equipment at affordable prices. However, it’s worth noting that their products are not just cheap replicas – they are quite self-sufficient units, and now we’re going to show you one of them – the Joyo R-17 Dark Flame overdrive and distortion pedal.
Although this pedal is not a clone, it still resembles the Revv G3 in its sound and layout. This unit has a red color, several knobs, EQ, and a voicing switch. There’s another feature on the back, which we’ll tell you about below.
Key Features:
- Volume & Gain
The main controls here are Volume and Gain, located at the top of the front panel. From there, you can determine the amount of distortion and balance it with the Volume knob. In addition to aggressive distortion, you can get more overdriven tones here. - Make It Dark or Bright
Another great feature is the three-way switch with Bright, Dark, and Off modes. It allows you to emphasize the low or high frequencies based on the sound of your guitar or pickups. - 3-Band EQ
If the built-in modes aren’t enough, you can always add more tone to your tone with this 3-Band EQ pedal. In particular, you get Low, Mid, and High controls. It does a great job and will give you more versatility. - LED Effect Switch
This pedal also has a cool LED that illuminates the pedal at the bottom and top. Thanks to a special switch on the rear panel, you can synchronize it with the main button, leave it on all the time, or turn it off altogether.
Pros:
The Joyo R-17 Dark Flame is a great distortion pedal for guitar and bass that will give you crunchy modern metal tones. It costs only about $50, so it’s a good value. This unit has a Dark and Bright switch, EQ, and Volume and Gain settings. Plus, you’ll have a cool red LED backlight that will make your pedalboard not so boring.
Cons:
This pedal has small EQ controls, which can be uncomfortable for people with rough fingers. Besides that, we don’t see any other drawbacks to this pedal, so check out the online reviews.
6. Harley Benton Extreme Metal
The Harley Benton Extreme Metal pedal will give you a dirty distortion for heavy music at a very reasonable price.
Harley Benton is an in-house brand of Thomann, which is known for its products at extremely low prices. Their product range includes guitars, basses, amps, effects pedals, and other equipment and accessories. Now we will show you a pedal that might appeal to heavy music enthusiasts – the Harley Benton Extreme Metal.
This pedal is a clone of another famous unit, the Electro Harmonix Metal Muff. In general, it is made in black color and has equalizer and distortion controls. However, another important feature here is the presence of a boost. Let’s talk about it in more detail.
Key Features:
- High, Mid, And Low
At the top of the pedal, you’ll find all the controls you need to shape the frequency spectrum of your tone – the High, Mid, and Low knobs. Speaking of the latter, it can add a lot of low frequencies, which can sound boomy if you overdo it. - Adjust The Distortion
As for the number of distortion bars, you’ll have a separate Drive knob to adjust this. Next, you’ll find another Level knob for balancing the output signal. In general, the tone of the pedal is similar to the Dual Rectifier. - Add Some Boost
Another important feature of this unit is the Boost function. You will get a separate amount control and an on/off button. But remember that this is not a volume boost but a frequency boost in the range of 3K to 4K hertz.
Pros:
The biggest advantage of the Harley Benton Extreme Metal pedal is that it costs only about $25. You get a good-sounding distortion similar to the Dual Rectifier, an equalizer, and a boost function for this money. The pedal is unsuitable for the most extreme metal subgenres, but its distortion is generally very workable.
Cons:
Some users don’t like the boost feature because it changes your tone. It also produces a noticeable increase in high frequencies, so you’ll want to turn down the treble on the pedal right away. In addition, some users say that the knobs have a rather fragile feel.
7. Behringer Heavy Metal HM300
If you want a Swedish “chainsaw” tone at a low price, then you should check out the Behringer Heavy Metal HM300.
The Swedish “chainsaw” or “buzzsaw” guitar tone became iconic in the late 80s and 90s, as it was associated with the whole genre – Scandinavian death metal. At that time, it was produced with a Boss HM-2 pedal. Over time, this unit was discontinued, and you could find it used at a fairly high price.
Fortunately, Behringer has created a clone of this legendary pedal, the HM300 Heavy Metal Distortion. It has an unusual pink color and a plastic body. As for the controls, they are almost the same as in the original. And, of course, the sound is similar, too.
Key Features:
- Low & Mid Control
While the original pedal has bass and treble controls, this one has Low and Mid knobs. But don’t let this difference upset you because the Mid knob simultaneously affects the middle and high frequencies. - Set Your Dist
Of course, you’ll also have a Dist control, determining the amount of distortion you use. It’s worth noting that this type of pedal is usually used with this parameter maxed out – this way, you get the most gnarly sound. - Level Knob
Like the original unit, this pedal also has a Level knob. Use it to balance the output signal from your pedal. By the way, the unit can be used both in the front of the amp and in the FX return.
Pros:
The creators of the Behringer Heavy Metal HM300 pedal did a good job of replicating the sound of another legendary unit. In general, their tones are very similar. You get almost the same layout and aggressive, nasty distortion. And, of course, all this at an extremely affordable price – about $25.
Cons:
Many users of this pedal are concerned about the plastic body of the pedal, as it gives a feeling of fragility. Also, this pedal is quite noisy and does not have a true bypass, which means it affects the tone even when turned off. But all of this is understandable, given the low price.
8. TC Electronic Dark Matter Distortion
The TC Electronic Dark Matter will be a transparent distortion that will emphasize the characteristics of your guitar’s sound.
The next item on our list will appeal to those who like the sound of cranked tube amplifiers. It is the Dark Matter pedal by tc electronic. A small spoiler: this distortion will not give you the usual high-gain tone. Nevertheless, it will be transparent with a good bass response.
In general, this pedal has a metal housing, four knobs, and a small switch that will help you change the voice of your guitar tone. The developers have also equipped the unit with a true bypass, so it won’t affect the sound when turned off. Let’s take a closer look at this pedal.
Key Features:
- Choose Amount Of Gain
This pedal can give you all from a slightly overdriven sound that you can use as a boost to a more hairy distortion. Overall, you’ll be able to control this through the two Gain and Level knobs that you’ll find at the top of the unit. - Voice Switch
It’s also worth noting that you won’t find a middle-frequency control here. Instead, the pedal has a Voice Switch. Thus, in the upper position, you will have Vintage mode with more emphasis on the lower mids, and in the lower position, Modern mode with emphasis on the high mids. - Additional Tonal Shaping
Thanks to the two Bass and Treble controls, you’ll also have additional tone-shaping options. This way, you can make your tone brighter or vice versa. Overall, these controls are quite responsive and work well.
Pros:
The TC Electronic Dark Matter Distortion is a high-quality pedal that will allow you to get dirty yet transparent distortion and overdrive. This sound is unsuitable for high-gain fans, but if you like a more old-school and dynamic sound, this pedal will suit you. Plus, the big advantage is that it only costs about $50.
Cons:
Some users don’t like the lack of midrange control in this pedal. Others also claim this distortion is only for some, as it does not provide modern metal tones.
9. JHS Pedals Paul Gilbert Distortion PG-14
The JHS Pedals Paul Gilbert Distortion PG-14 might be right for you if you want a quality pedal unlike any other.
Paul Gilbert is an American virtuoso guitarist who, in addition to his solo career, is also known for his participation in the bands Mr. Big and Racer X. Four years ago, he teamed up with JHS Pedals to create his signature PG-14 Distortion pedal. And we’re going to tell you about it right now.
This pedal is unique, as it combines two sections: one is the front section with Mid, Mid Freq, and Drive controls; the other is the FET-based distortion section with Volume, Tone, and Drive controls. The bottom line is that transistor FET technology is somewhat reminiscent of tube technology in its sound. Therefore, you can get the sound of cranked tubes.
Key Features:
- Push Into The Drive
Not one but two knobs will be responsible for adding grit to this unit – Push and Drive. You can drive the signal from the first to the second section with the former and get a more ‘on edge’ sound. This way, you can move from light crunch and overdrive to distortion and even a touch of fuzz. - Choose Your Mids
A great feature of this unit is the presence of two controls responsible for midrange frequencies. You can use one to select the desired range and the other to boost. So you can control the low to high mids here and push them into the distortion section. - Tone Control
Finally, you will also have Tone control. It is a separate control located on the left side of the unit. The principle of its operation is similar to other similar controls – on the left, you will have a darker sound, and on the right – on the contrary – a brighter one.
Pros:
The JHS Pedals Paul Gilbert PG-14 is an extremely high-quality pedal that will give you transparent and dynamic distortion. In addition, you can get a whole palette of tones here, including various shades of overdrive. This pedal includes two circuits that interact with each other. And, of course, it has a metal housing and a cool design with a painted shoe.
Cons:
A battery cannot power this unit. There is only a 9 V DC adapter. Besides, it’s unsuitable for you if you’re looking for distortion for extreme metal. And the price of this stompbox is also quite steep, which is approximately more than $200.
10. Fender Pugilist Distortion
The Fender Pugilist pedal gives you a lot of features and the ability to blend two types of distortion.
If you are looking for an opportunity to use two types of distortion, but do it with only one unit, then the next item on our list is for you. It is a pedal from Fender called the Pugilist. Its main beauty lies in the fact that you can use two flavors in a series or blend them.
Overall, this pedal is quite straightforward. Yes, you’ll get a lot of features, but it will take you only a short time to figure them out. There is a clear separation of the knobs into two sections and several toggle switches. But even this is not the end of the features. Let’s talk about all this in more detail.
Key Features:
- Get Two Tones
This pedal’s two side A and side B distortion engines have separate controls. In particular, you get a Tone and Gain knob for each of them. The former will help you adjust frequencies, and the latter will add grit and saturation. It is also worth noting that side A is slightly lower in gain than side B. - Put It In A Series Or Blend
The Series/Blend switch reveals the beauty of this pedal. In the first case, the A side will be on top of the B side. In the Blend mode, both distortions will be in parallel, and you can change the ratio between them thanks to a separate knob. - Bass Boost
You can use the Bass Boost switch if your guitar tone lacks some low end. It will add fullness to your tone and make it sound more solid. By the way, there’s also a general pedal Level control on the side. - LED Switch And Battery Slot
Another cool feature of this unit is the battery slot at the bottom of the pedal. It slides out quite easily, and you can quickly replace the battery. The Pugilist also has a switch for LED backlighting of the controls, which is also a good bonus.
Pros:
The Fender Pugilist is a versatile pedal, allowing you to blend two types of distortion or run them in a series. You’ll also have a Bass Boost switch, a fairly clear settings layout, and additional features. And, of course, the price of the pedal deserves special attention – it’s about $90.
Cons:
Some users complain that this pedal is not suitable for extreme metal. Others have also commented on the sharp corners and the feeling of the controls being loose.
11. JOYO R-03 UZI
If you want an inexpensive pedal for a classic metal tone, the Joyo R-03 Uzi might be right up your alley.
We’ve already told you about the Joyo unit, designed for modern metal tones. Now it’s time to discuss another equally interesting pedal – the R-03 UZI. It’s inspired by another legendary product, the Friedman BE-OD, and you can tell by the color scheme. However, this unit will cost you much less.
As for the functionality of this pedal, it is quite simple: you will have all the necessary controls, including 3-band EQ. Joyo has also adjusted the unit with additional features, which we’ll discuss below.
Key Features:
- Vol & Gain Control
At the top of this unit, you’ll find two controls responsible for Volume and Gain. While the former will help you balance the output signal of the pedal, the latter will determine the amount of distortion. - 3-Band EQ
This pedal also has three EQ controls: Low, Mid, and High. They are quite responsive, and you can get an American “scooped” guitar tone and a British tone with a distinct midrange. - Make It Tight
This pedal also has another control for those who like additional tone-shaping options. It’s called Bias, and it’s located next to EQ. With it, you can make your guitar tone tighter. - LED Lighting
It’s also cool that the R-03 Uzi pedal has LED lighting with three modes. You can make it light up all the time, turn it off altogether, or synchronize it with the bypass button. It can be quite useful for stage use.
Pros:
Undoubtedly, the main advantage of the Joyo R-03 Uzi pedal is its price, which is only $40. You’ll get a classic solid distortion with an additional tone-shaping feature in the Bias function for this money. In addition, the pedal has a cool backlight that you can turn off or adjust following the bypass button.
Cons:
Some users note that this pedal is not suitable for modern guitar tones. Also, it has rather small EQ and Bias knobs, which can be a bit inconvenient. Another drawback is that there’s no battery power option.
12. Abasi Pathos Distortion
The Abasi Pathos is a distortion pedal that will give you versatility and a fat sound.
The next item on our list is a product of the Abasi Concept brand, founded by Animals As Leaders guitarist Tosin Abasi. The company has collaborated with pedal designer Brian Wampler to create a unit that conveys the feeling of an American tube amp channel. This pedal is called the Pathos.
It looks quite stylish and has all the necessary functions. First, along with controlling the amount of distortion, there is also a 3-band EQ. But the icing on the cake is the Voicing switch, which allows you to choose between two sound options. Let’s talk about it in more detail.
Key Features:
- Two Shelves And One Mid Control
As for the equalizer, there are Bass, Mid, and Treble controls, the first and last of which are shelves. These knobs are located next to each other at the top of the pedal. Overall, this EQ is musically tuned and has a good response. - A Lot Of Gain
This pedal has plenty of gain. It means that you can get a good sustain on lead parts. Overall, the knob of the same name is responsible for the gain here. If you turn it down, you’ll also get a nice crunch sound. - Choose Your Voicing
Another rather important feature of this pedal is a small Voicing switch. Here you will find the Smooth mode, which is somewhat vintage and will suit lead parts. The second position, Edge, is more aggressive and will suit rhythm parts.
Pros:
The Abasi Pathos is a high-quality distortion pedal that should delight you with its rich sound. Even with a large amount of gain, the notes of complex chords will sound clear and intelligible. The unit has all the necessary settings and a switch between two voicings, which adds more flexibility.
Cons:
This pedal is quite expensive and costs about $200. Besides that, we don’t see any other drawbacks and recommend checking out user reviews online.
13. Boss HM-2W Heavy Metal
The Boss HM-2W rebirths the legendary pedal that brings you a “chainsaw” guitar tone.
We already mentioned in our post the legendary Boss HM-2 pedal, which defined the sound of an entire genre – Swedish death metal. Now we will show you its rebirth by Boss, giving you the same sound and new up-to-date features. It is the HM-2w Heavy Metal unit of the Waza Craft series.
This pedal looks almost the same as its predecessor – a combination of black and orange colors. However, on the bypass pedal itself, you will see the Waza Craft logo, which means that it belongs to the series and that this unit is handcrafted. Its most important feature is that it has two modes of operation. But let’s take everything in order.
Key Features:
- Color Mix Knobs
Like the original, this pedal has a Color Mix section with two controls, H and L, located in the center. They act as an equalizer so that you can influence the frequency spectrum of the tone. Thus, H will control the range around 1K hertz, and L will control 100 hertz. - Level & Dist
You will also have a couple of familiar controls – Level and Dist. The latter will control the total amount of distortion. It’s worth recalling here that this pedal was originally used with all the controls at maximum – this way, you can achieve a “chainsaw” tone with endless sustain. - Two Operation Modes
The most important feature of this unit is that you will have two modes of operation: Standard and Custom. A small switch between them is on the pedal’s top side. Standard will give you the legendary sound of the original pedal, and Custom will be more aggressive and suitable for a modern rig.
Pros:
Check out the Boss HM-2w Heavy Metal pedal if you like extreme metal tones. It’s a reissue of the legendary unit but designed in a new way and for new needs. You’ll find all the same controls as the old pedal, but a great bonus is an ability to choose between two modes of operation.
Cons:
This pedal has a relatively high price – about $150. But this is not surprising because it is a handcrafted unit made in Japan. Other than that, we don’t see any other drawbacks and recommend that you read users’ comments online.
Bonus:
JHS PackRat 9-Way Rat Distortion
The JHS PackRat is a pedal that includes nine different mods of the legendary distortion.
The Proco RAT is a legendary distortion pedal invented in the 1970s. It has undergone many different modifications during this time, and these units can be seen in many studios worldwide. JHS Pedals has taken a step towards meeting the fans of this distortion and created a pedal that contains as many as nine Rat mods – the Packrat.
Overall, this small guitar pedal has the same basic settings as the original. However, its main feature is the switch, thanks to which you can choose one of nine modes – the sound and parameters will change with each one. Now let’s take a closer look at this unit.
Key Features:
- Choose Your Mode
The main beauty of this stompbox is the switch between nine modes. The list starts with OG, which will give you the sound of the first pedal. There are also modifications from different times, including White Face V3, Turbo V5, Dirty V7, Landgraff MO’D, and the custom JHS Mode. - Distortion Knob
As for the Distortion control, it allows you to choose the amount of clipping you need. It’s worth noting that with this pedal, you can choose everything from overdrive to distortion to fuzz. The sound character will change based on the selected mode. - Filter The Frequencies
A characteristic attribute of the Rat pedal has always been the Filter control, which allows you to eliminate hi-end hiss. The same function is assigned to it in this pedal. However, the nature of its work here will change based on the selected mode. For example, it will be more like a standard tone control in OG mode. - Volume Control
The Volume control will be responsible for the output signal level. It will also play an important role in this unit, as this level will depend on your chosen operating mode. Therefore, you will need to balance the volume with the distortion.
Pros:
If you’re a fan of the Rat pedal but want to get different versions of this unit’s sound in one box, the JHS PackRat is a great choice. It is a versatile stompbox that will allow you to experiment with the sound and choose the one that suits your creative needs. Despite this diversity, the unit is still quite easy to use, as it has three controls and one mode switch.
Cons:
This pedal is quite expensive and costs about $240. But keep in mind that it holds nine different pedals. Besides that, we didn’t see any other drawbacks to this product.
Conclusion
As you can see, quite a few distortion pedals are out there, and they all differ in price and sound. To summarize this article, let us give you some tips on which stompboxes you should check out.
If you have a sufficient budget for a more expensive purchase, we recommend number 12 on our list – Abasi Pathos. This pedal is of high quality and can provide you with a wide range of sounds. Another good option is the bonus item – JHS Pedals Packrat. This pedal contains as many as nine different mods. In addition, we recommend checking out number 4, MXR Super Badass Distortion.
For those with a more limited budget, #5 JOYO R-17 Dark Flame, #11 JOYO R-03 UZI, and #2 tc electronic Fangs can be a good choice. You can also try #1 Behringer UM300 and #7 Behringer HM300 because they cost almost nothing.
Also, for those who like to experiment with sound, we recommend the 9 JHS Pedals Paul Gilbert PG-14 Distortion and 10 Fender Pugilist. The latter will allow you to blend two types of distortion.
Before purchasing, please familiarize yourself with the unit’s characteristics and listen to how it sounds. It is especially best to do it live – only then will you understand whether you need it. So, we recommend visiting the nearest music store. Good luck with your choice!
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Ilarion Ivanenko is a remote mixing and mastering engineer from Ukraine, a musician with more than 15 years of experience. Specializes in rock, metal, progressive and the other genres. He can’t imagine his life without music, as it is the biggest passion in his life