BuyingAdvice Diffstortion?
Ireallyenjoyplayingwithpedals togetdifferentsounds,butthe sameproblemkeepscropping up–somanyofthemsound exactlythesame!I’vetriedlots ofdifferentpedals;Tube Screamertypes,BOSSDS-1, Joyoandsomeothers.They soundslightlydifferent,but noneofthemseemtobetruly individualtome.Arethere anydistortionpedalsoutthere thataretrulydifferent?My musictastesaremostlyrock andalternative(TheWhite Stripes,TheBlackKeys, Nirvana,QOTSA).
StephenWoods,viaemail Goodquestion,Steve.You’rein luck,becausetherearetonsof verydifferentdistorto-boxes outthere.Ifyouhaven’tgot one,getanElectro-Harmonix BigMuffPi,beforemovingup tothreeofourfaves… StoneDeafFXPDF-1(£149) The‘ParametricDistortion Filter’isdescendedfromthe long-goneMaestroMPF-1, includinganextremely powerfulmidrangetonecircuit incombinationwithanedgy, aggressivedistortion.Josh Hommelovesit,tonamejust one.Verydifferent,verycool. WayHugeFatSandwich(£189) HarmonicSaturator?We’ll havesomeofthat!ThisJeorge Trippsdesigndoesn’thavethe tonalscopeofthePDF-1,butit certainlyhasplentyofrock girthandgrit,turninganyclean ampintoacrunchy,darewe sayvery-cranked-Marshalltype CrowtherAudioPrunes& Custard(£179) Ifyouliketheideaofodd harmonics–theunpleasant, edgysoundingones–mixed withtonsoffuzzy,crushydrive andamixoptionforyourclean signal,thisisthepedalforyou! It’slikeMetalMickeymeets BigMuffatErnieIsley’shouse.