Low-budget distortion pedal

[triface]

I know there's a similar recent thread, but it would seem kind of rude to hijack the thread, so I'm making a new thread.

I've been playing for 2 years and am still using the beginner rig that I started out with, which consists of a Sound Drive SG-15 amplifier and a Timbre SR100 strat copy.

I'm quite satisfied with my current tone and my guitar's playability, so I'm now looking to expand the range of tones that I can play with with a distortion pedal. (Because let's face it. There's only that much gain you can get out of a less expensive amp at 10. Obviously getting it go to 11 would be pretty awesome, but let's move on.)

I've been lurking on Standard Value's 2 websites for quite some time and it seems to me Modtone Extreme Metal is a pretty decent pedal. However, having no frame of reference, and with the people in the video 'reviewing' the pedal being from Modtone, I feel the need to get your opinions.

So, is it a good pedal? Would I be better going with another pedal? Or should I just save up for a more expensive pedal (Which hopefully will cause the quality of the build and tone to scale proportionately.)? Last but not least, are the distortion pedals that cost less than a hundred any good?

I listen to Metallica, Dream Theater, Alter Bridge and In Flames, just to name a few. In lieu of my last preference, I would also like the pedal to be able to play some high-gain death metal, while still being something that I can play just, say, Metallica with, where the material I'll be working with wouldn't require too much of gain.

 

[mightyboy88]

Hi do consider multieffect pedals as they are one of the most versatile and powerful units that probably provide the best bang for the buck.

Do check out Zoom g2 series(less than 200 bucks) , g7 series(more than 200 bucks) they have good high gain sounds and rather stellar effects to play with as well as lag free patch switching.

For single effect pedals under 100 maybe u can look at pedals from
Artec(soloist distortion, crazy metal)
Biyang(ds-7, metal end king)
Modtone

U could also look into acquiring an overdrive/boost pedal to boost your amp distortion for more gain and a fatter tone if you are satisfied with your amp sound but u want something even more thicker at times.

 

[carboxymoron]

Buy 2 Danelectro Cool Cat pedals (maybe the Drive and the Metal, so you can get a good variety of sounds), hopefully for less than $50 total secondhand, then start saving for a better amp

There's only that much gain you can get out of a less expensive amp at 10.

You don't buy more expensive amps for more gain... Gain is the increase in voltage of your signal

 

[triface]

You don't buy more expensive amps for more gain... Gain is the increase in voltage of your signal

I honestly have no idea why I said this. Was typing out the post on a smart phone late last night. @_@

Thanks for the reply guys! Will take into consideration the suggestions. Would still like second opinions on the Modtone Extreme Metal though. Anyone tried them? Are they worth the $120?

 

[subversion]

yes i did... despite the higher price tag, it won't surpass danE's Cool Cat Metal in terms of intensity... & there's about $70 difference.

 

[triface]

yes i did... despite the higher price tag, it won't surpass danE's Cool Cat Metal in terms of intensity... & there's about $70 difference.

Hm. That's interesting. I did check out some reviews of Danelectro's pedals and one of them seemed to think that it's not reliable. So, how do they compare in terms of reliability? I'm assuming that it's also probably more versatile than Modtone's Extreme Metal?

Now, I just need to get over how it looks very, very tacky and we're all set.

 

[EugeneSmasher]

You're using a strat copy? I assume it has singlecoil pickups? Because if you want to sound like Alter Bridge, Metallica, etc, you'll need humbuckers. Don't get me wrong, though, the strat can play metal too. But it will sound quite a bit different because the vast majority of metal players use humbuckers.

I'm not telling you to change your guitar, though. I'm someone who loves uniqueness, and using a strat to play metal isn't particularly common these days. And hey! It works. A high-gain distortion pedal I've used that sounds very nice with singlecoil pickups (and humbuckers as well) is the Beta Aivin HM-200. I paid $85 for it (I bought it some years back) and it's a really good pedal for the money. So yeah, perhaps you could check that out. Sold at the same place that sells the Modtone.

 

[lemonade93]

You're using a strat copy? I assume it has singlecoil pickups? Because if you want to sound like Alter Bridge, Metallica, etc, you'll need humbuckers. Don't get me wrong, though, the strat can play metal too. But it will sound quite a bit different because the vast majority of metal players use humbuckers.

I'm not telling you to change your guitar, though. I'm someone who loves uniqueness, and using a strat to play metal isn't particularly common these days. And hey! It works. A high-gain distortion pedal I've used that sounds very nice with singlecoil pickups (and humbuckers as well) is the Beta Aivin HM-200. I paid $85 for it (I bought it some years back) and it's a really good pedal for the money. So yeah, perhaps you could check that out. Sold at the same place that sells the Modtone.

and if you can't afford the HM-200. You can get the HM-100 which is about... $55?

 

[triface]

You're using a strat copy? I assume it has singlecoil pickups? Because if you want to sound like Alter Bridge, Metallica, etc, you'll need humbuckers. Don't get me wrong, though, the strat can play metal too. But it will sound quite a bit different because the vast majority of metal players use humbuckers.

I'm not telling you to change your guitar, though. I'm someone who loves uniqueness, and using a strat to play metal isn't particularly common these days. And hey! It works. A high-gain distortion pedal I've used that sounds very nice with singlecoil pickups (and humbuckers as well) is the Beta Aivin HM-200. I paid $85 for it (I bought it some years back) and it's a really good pedal for the money. So yeah, perhaps you could check that out. Sold at the same place that sells the Modtone.

Actually, I'm not really looking to emulate their tone. I'm getting a distortion pedal so I can get more edge to my tone.

I'll make sure to check out the Beta Aivin pedal.

 

[carboxymoron]

The Cool Cat series is very reliable (in my limited experience). Good metal construction. Some other Danelectros (Fab series) are plastic and more prone to breaking.

The knobs are on the back but it's a set and forget thing. That's why I recommended getting two different pedals so you can have a range of sounds e.g. set one to your rhythm sound and the other to boost it to lead gain levels, or one for rock and one for metal. The footswitch takes a bit more pressure to press than normal footswitches but is very sturdy. I think you'll be much more satisfied with a few Cool Cats than one $100 Boss/MXR/Modtone/Digitech distortion.

 

[subversion]

the unreliable version- the FAB series (thankfully discontinued). the cool cat is the upgraded manifestation which are notches above in terms of being 'better'.

 

[triface]

Sorry to bump this up. I was just going through the classifieds and I saw someone looking to sell an MXR M-116 Fullbore Metal pedal. Was wondering what you guys think of the pedal? I went to check some Youtube videos and it seems it's capable of the sounds I'm looking for.

Edit: Would also like some opinions on the Metal Muff series by Electro-Harmonix. Not sure if I'm horribly wrong, but it seems to be in the price range as the MXR pedal above.

 

[subversion]

i used to own the FUllbore metal...

under-used, so i sold it off. it's definitely one of the more desirable aggressive distortion type in the market, lots of definition & easy to use. do note there's a noise gate included in the pedal.

i also own all the Metal Muff manifestations- it's definitely on par with the rest of the aggressive distortions out there but given a grizzly voicing, that's the 'muff' in the metal.

 

[triface]

Hm. Somebody's selling the Fullbore Metal for $100. I'm considering picking it up. Do you think it's worth it?

 

[Brenkoh]

If you want to get a distortion pedal, get a good one. You will end up selling the one you bought for another. I rather you save up for a good one. Won't go wrong with a Digitech TL-2. (very heavy trash metal sound)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGwc0MY3lM8

Or another pedal. Shark Effect Warzy Drive. (Guitar 77 carries it)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJ_uFgNDoiQ

 

[subversion]

Hm. Somebody's selling the Fullbore Metal for $100. I'm considering picking it up. Do you think it's worth it?

just be informed that the list price for it is $145. suggest you inspect & evaluate accordingly.