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Digitech Death Metal
List: $150
Digitech has taken over the DOD fx pedal production WEF late 2003, products only hit the shelves last year. In addition to new offerings, by the company (eg: The Weapon), there are re-issues of the popular DOD models of which the Death Metal pedal here, is an offering.
If you are after hard-edge distortion (ala BOSS` Metal Zone), the DM pedal should be on your audition list. It offers you saturated distortion & nothing less. To drive the message home, no level control for the distortion intensity is offered. The user only has access to the overall output (volume) of the pedal & a 3-band EQ (Low/ Mid/ High) to sculpt your tone.
What you hear from this pedal is exactly what the label says: over-the-top distortion, even with a wimpy, humbucking guitar at the helm. In use, with the knobs at neutral settings (12-o-clock), the tone on offer was, surprisingly, a balanced one. This is definitely a one-up revision by Digitech because the discontinued DOD version was devoid of bass (despite having a `Bass` knob…). Despite its malicious tag, I was able to trim the high end adequately to give a smooth drive, enough to appease fusion/ rock fans- no kidding. In fact, the polished top end sounded like there were Dimarzio pickups somewhere in the tone chain. This pedal adds enough girth to lifeless neck humbuckers, especially accentuating the individual notes up at the upper frets where they so often mud-out. Of course, the DM can appease scooped EQ fans any time. Turn the Mids down & it`s chug galore with more than sufficient bass response to reinforce your power chords. Thumbs up to the born-again Death Metal pedal, enough merits to sway one away from other black, metal-type distortion pedals (how many others can you think of?).
Digitech also made a revision to the battery access which, IMO is a demerit- you have to remove the entire top of the footswitch. This would have been a novel idea if not for the side release pin which was flushed into its cavity. How does one push it then? Get a pointed object like a pen, jab the pin with it & the top footswitch cover would come undone. Cumbersome. This design feature also leaves gaps between the footswitch cover & the pedal chassis so no immunity to dirt entrance (& moisture) is offered.
I have forgiven the battery access design oversight in favour of the good tones on offer. It`s a genuine attempt to cater to players who wish for a more intense distortion, especially when their amp`s default drive is lacking. This incarnation of the DM pedal rectified the problem of its predecessor; the detrimental lack of bass. Another one-up revision would be the mixer output feature which allows you to plug the pedal straight into the mixing console, emulating a close-mic tone (or so the manufacturer claims). The DM is for the discerning player who knows s/he has no need for distortion intensity variation, otherwise, there are other pedals out there which plug this absence.
I now own both incarnations, I certainly favour the Digitech version. If you own the discontinued DOD version & would think that this is just a cosmetic make-over, try one & you`d hear obvious differences.
