Which pedal would suit me?

EvertFC · 2008-11-20T17:58:06+00:00

Hey all, As you can see over there (<--------), I'm a guitar n00b, so I need advice on a pedal. It's going to be my first pedal, so I need help choosing....

Which pedal would suit me?

Martyr

do you need to get a DISTORTION pedal?have you looked into OVERDRIVE?maybe try a ibanez tube screamer....

what amp do you have and what is your budget?i don't think you need a multi FX pedal...

EvertFC

Mr M wrote: EvertFC, what is your budget? All the advice here is good but it really depends on how much you have to spend. That will determine which pedals are actually relevant recommendations for your sonic needs and your budgetary constraints. So, how much $/ R do you want to spend?

About R1000, but I'll be able to get more. Just something in that range

EvertFC

andrewjbryson wrote: Save up and get a tube driven pedal. Its more expenive but totally worth it.

Tube driven pedal? I can't seem to get any info, and google refers me to Tube DRIVER pedal...

Mr-M

What you need is classic Marshall amp distortion in a pedal (as used by Slash pretty much forever). That will get you in the Slash, Black Sabbath & Offspring tonal territory.

Check these pedals out:

Marshall Guv'nor GV2 (a good pedal that will do the job)- http://orangemusic.co.za/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=2471 or http://www.soundz.co.za/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=MSGV2
BTW don't know which of the two prices is right, but I'd reckon R979 is the right one (based on what I've seen it in stores at).

Mi Audio Crunch Box (an excellent boutique-quality pedal) - http://www.mieffects.com/cbinbrief.htm
You can get it locally from Music Connection in JHB. It sells for around R2000 I think, but a friend got his around 6 months back (on my advice and he's loving it!) for around R1500. It is well worth it if you have the budget. http://musicconnection.co.za/news/?p=90

VOX Satchurator (a versatile pedal) - not quite Marshall-in-a-box, but quite close, plus it has a extra gain boost (more distortion) footswitch which makes it a bit more versatile than the other two IMO. These are around R1300.
http://www.voxamps.com/pedals/satchurator/

My 1st choice would be the Crunch Box, followed by the Satchurator, then the Guv'nor. All these pedals will do what you want and more and even if you can't afford the Crunch Box, the other two are still very good options. As a first pedal the Satchurator will probably cover the most different styles (even if it is a Joe Satriani signature pedal).

BTW a Tube driven distortion pedal uses a vacuum tube (as used in more expensive guitar amps) to help "generate" the distortion signal via various methods. Basically the idea is to create more tube amp-like distortion (or in some cases make you think they do). Some tube pedals are very good and some aren't, but they do tend to be pricier (normally R2000+) and require the use of a huge external "wall wart" power supply (except the VOX Cooltron pedals which can run on batteries). That help?

What amp you using?

EvertFC

Mr M wrote:
What amp you using?

A Roland Cube 15x

EvertFC

deanBailey wrote:
I'll just emphasize: Metal-Zone = Death

When you play it, someone, somewhere dies.

nick

I personally have never liked the metalzone, always find it to digital and at some settings it'll take paint of walls with the treble you can get out of it ?

DS-1/DS-2, tube screamer is a bit thin for heavier stuff. I havent tried the marshall guvnor but it sounds interesting, might give it a whirl this weekend at my local music store ?

deanBailey

@ nick: Did you try the DS-1 and TS into a clean or OD channel?

nick

deanBailey wrote: @ nick: Did you try the DS-1 and TS into a clean or OD channel?

I have yes, screachy and nice for lead. the guy who I got the TS from said he merely used it as a boost for his solos

deanBailey

lol wait...I don't think you got my question, which channel of an amp did you use it on? Clean or OD

nick

deanBailey wrote: lol wait...I don't think you got my question, which channel of an amp did you use it on? Clean or OD

oh, usually in the clean

Martyr

oh, usually in the clean

you are suppose to use it through the distortion channel of your amp...that's why you are finding it to "thin" for heavier stuff...the TS is used to boost the existing distortion of you amp....you use your amp distortion low and the pedal OD low aswell and together it sounds kick ass ?

Martyr

then low gain also makes your playing sound alot more clean then when you have lots of gain,tends to make it sound super sloppy

IanB

Personally i like The OS-2 form Boss. It very versatile becuase it is an overdrive and a distortion pedal combined into one!

http://www.muz.co.za/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=222_224_89&products_id=1077

Matt-W--Rowley

The MT2 is cool, yes. There seems to be alot of opinion that it's rather thin, but it is equipped with a parametric EQ which, if used correctly, can solve the digital whine problem to a degree. There is a good alternative though, in the form of the new BOSS METAL CORE pedal. It's much fatter than the MT2 because (they say) it's designed for drop tuning riffs. It really is worth checking out. It's called the ML-2. Happy hunting dude.

AlanRatcliffe

I don't know the ML-2 at all, but have a very solid opinion on the MT-2 - not good at all. The EQ is pretty flexible at shaping the tone, but doesn't ever make it sound remotely good.

Having said that, there are some modders who have done extensive mods on the MT-2 and improved it no end - notably Mark Humphrey of Humphrey Audio Mods (HAM). But stock... not so much.

deanBailey

+1 @ Alan, It's not really the EQ that's the problem with the MT-2 but the voicing of the pedal itself.

And only in my opinion (so that I don't let anyone down) I feel the same about the Metal core pedal. I strongly believe that no pedal by itself should be used as the main/only Overdrive tone of your rig.
Same goes for the other genre name dropping pedal "Digitech Death Metal"

I strongly believe that these companies use the names of these genre's on these pedal to sell them more aimed at a specific crowed.
And design them around the overall perception of the tone regarding that genre.
For example, if they wanted to bring out a thrash pedal they'd probably take the 10 years between '89 - '98 tones of Slayer and a little Pantera etc and come to general tone type and voice the pedal accordingly.

The Digitech Death Metal doesn't even have a gain knob [sarcasm]"BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT METAL IF YOU TURN YOUR GAIN DOWN" ? [/sarcasm]

teleplayer

I had been searching for a Good Marshall type Distortion everywhere.. I play a USA Tele through a Vox ac30.. Nothing really gave it that "Ballsy" marshall sound.. I poped in to a local store and got the Marshall Guv'Nor.. Great Great tone with this!!! The other drive i am using us a Fulldrive II, that's still my no.1.. But If u want that bigger drive, take ther guv'nor!!