Dirt Pedal Ideas

[Robert****]

If I were you, I'd save up for a bigger amp, perhaps sell some gear to afford it. More watts give you a much better low end, even at lower volumes, in my experience. When you have the basic good amp tone happening, almost any dirt pedal will give you that high gain tone I think you are looking for. Unfortunately, that type of amp is hard to find under $500.

[marnold***]

If I were you, I'd save up for a bigger amp, perhaps sell some gear to afford it. More watts give you a much better low end, even at lower volumes, in my experience. When you have the basic good amp tone happening, almost any dirt pedal will give you that high gain tone I think you are looking for. Unfortunately, that type of amp is hard to find under $500.

That's exactly it. I really have no spare gear to sell. Nor any spare money. Kind of a bad combo. The only thing that I could really sell is my EX-7 and a) I don't want to and b) I wouldn't get bubkus for it.

[Eric***]

Tech 21 British Basically every Marshall in a box from Bluesbreaker to JCM 800. This pedal is by far the most flexible of any of the ones in the list. It also can be used as a DI for recording, something my AD30VT doesn't do well. The problem is that you can't defeat the speaker emulation (probably could be worked around) and the fact that it is the most expensive of these pedals at $149.

What is it about this pedal that makes it work as a DI for recording? It looks the same as every other pedal...

[marnold***]

What is it about this pedal that makes it work as a DI for recording? It looks the same as every other pedal...

It doesn't have an XLR-out but it does have speaker emulation so it sounds liked a mic'd cab.

[Matt]

What is it about this pedal that makes it work as a DI for recording? It looks the same as every other pedal...

As Marnold said, it has an emulated cab output. The reason for this is because they are designed to replace an amp (hence being in the SansAmp range) and go straight to the sound board. The are remarkably good at responding to dynamic playing etc, just like a valve amp should.

The only downside to them as far as I can see is the lack of something big behind you when you play live!

[marnold***]

I've almost completely decided to go with the Hardwire pedal. I really like the cleans on my AD30VT and I also really like how my Cool Cat Fuzz works with it. I'm hoping for a similar "revelation" with this one. I've got a conference in the southern part of the state tomorrow and Monday that will have me driving right by the closest GC. They're holding one for me. And my birthday just happens to be in a week and a half . . .

[Robert****]

Why not the cheaper Cool Cat Metal or Metal II?

[Ch0jin]

Nobody mentioned the old Boss MT-2 Metal Zone?

I still love jamming with mine from time to time because, so far at least, I haven't built a pedal that captures that massive, massive gain and compression sound like the Metal Zone.

[marnold***]

Robert, The Cool Cats I addressed in my original post. The controls aren't an issue with my Fuzz, but the Metal (which is the one I'd be interested in, not the Metal II) has two concentric pots. A lot of people have complained about their usability, then throw in my lack of fingertips . . . My Fuzz isn't too bad in that regard, but it's still a bit of a PITA when it's plugged into my 1-Spot.

Ch0jin, the Metal Zone is a good one, that's for sure. I'm looking for something less br00tal. If I was going for teh br00talz, though, I'd probably get an MXR Fullbore Metal.

[marnold***]

I got it today! I was pretty wiped out after conference, but I got to mess with it a bit. The high and low tone controls are active, so a little adjustment goes a long way. I had heard online that the saturated switch scoops the mids but I don't think it really does. It does add another gain stage which is a nice feature. In general, it sounds very Marshally. I tried the Metal one briefly too, but the distortion was more than I would typically use. Still sounded pretty sweet.

[BigBadWolf1171]

im suprised no one said ibanez's tube king. it comes with an 12AX7 tube in it and noise supressor built in. i first used an MT2 pedal, sounded like a chainsaw running on nitrous. very thin and "death metal" sounding. i ordered the tube king out of feening for gear one day and i cant tell you how much better it was then the MT2.i actually gave the boss pedal away.Now i run the tube king thru the preamp not the fx loop, . not that it sounded bad thru the loop, just better thru the preamp. it turned my SS peavey xxl into an absolute beast. at its lowest setting it'll nail any 80's metal or rock, with the Drive on 5 and the Level on 1 it comes as close to a mesa triple as ive ever heard from a SS amp.