7 Best guitar distortion pedals & why we like them

The DS-1’s solid metal housing is incredibly tough and ideal for touring. You won’t face unexpected breakdowns or replacements. This will save money and stress in the long run.

The DS-1 can produce a wide range of distortion sounds like light fuzz and heavy growl. You can adjust the pedal to suit different songs or styles within a single set.

At high distortion settings, the DS-1 maintains a clear tone. It doesn’t become muddy, which is common with other cheap pedals when pushed. The tone control can fine-tune the sound to stay sharp in loud settings.

The DS-1 is the cheapest pedal on our list. It’s completely appropriate for beginners, budget seekers but also advanced players. Straightforward controls like level, tone, and distortion. Easy for anyone to use, ideal for those who don’t want fuss.

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The Pro Co RAT2 pedal really nails deep, aggressive distortion, perfect for metal. This pedal’s design uses high-gain settings that push your guitar’s signal into heavy clipping. This process drastically alters the waveform, producing the gritty, biting sound metal guitarists love.

RAT2 also switches from mild overdrive to severe distortion smoothly. It features a variable resistor, or “pot,” for adjusting the gain. By turning this knob, you control how much the signal overdrives before it clips. This makes the pedal versatile for many music types, not just heavy metal.

Its build is super rugged too. Made with a sturdy, die-cast enclosure, the RAT2 withstands getting stomped on a lot. This toughness means it holds up well during energetic live shows and long tours.

The dynamic responsiveness of this pedal stands out. It adjusts distortion based on how hard you play. This capability helps keep your sound clean and free of muddiness, even when distortion is cranked up. Good for keeping complex chord progressions clear.

Interface on the RAT2 is real simple, just a few knobs. You get to tweak your sound without fuss, making live adjustments easy. Ideal for gigs where quick changes between songs are needed. This user-friendly setup helps you focus more on playing, less on tweaking.

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The Electro-Harmonix Big Muff Pi pedal delivers thick, creamy fuzz distortion that’s a total win for any fuzz lover. This pedal’s circuit design uses multiple stages of clipping to produce that saturated, velvety fuzz sound. It’s like pushing your guitar’s signal through a wall of molasses; the result is rich, heavy tones that fill up a track.

It’s got an incredible sustain control that’s perfect for grunge. You turn this knob and it feels like your chords and solos just hang in the air forever. The sustain control works by lengthening the signal’s decay time, so the sound carries longer before it fades out.

The Big Muff Pi’s casing is sturdy metal. It can take a lot of abuse, from stomping during intense gigs to getting tossed in and out of gear bags. This solid build makes it reliable over years of use, you don’t have to baby this pedal.

It also sounds consistent on different amps, which is super handy. Whether you plug it into a solid-state practice amp or a high-end tube amp, it keeps its character. This is due to its robust output and EQ specs that adapt well across various amp inputs

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The Ibanez Tube Screamer analog processing tech ensures the overdrive stays warm and smooth. Analog circuits replicate the natural nonlinearities of tube amps, enhancing harmonic content without harshness. It pairs well with tube amps. The pedal slightly boosts signal levels, driving the amp’s tubes to sweeten the distortion naturally. This synergy creates a richer, fuller sound that’s tough to get from digital or solid-state gear.

The Tube Screamer offers true bypass. This feature means it doesn’t affect the guitar’s tone when you’re not using the pedal. The signal passes directly from input to output, ensuring your clean tone stays unaffected. It’s also easy to dial in the right sound. The pedal’s straightforward layout lets you tweak your tone quickly. With just a few knobs, you can set up your sound fast, no hassle. This simplicity is perfect for quick adjustments on stage or in the studio.

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The MXR M75 Super Badass Distortion really brings a lot of versatility. You can dial in from slight edge to full-on metal meltdown. The variety in sound comes from its high-quality circuit design. It modifies signals heavily without losing clarity, which is key for good distortion.

It includes a 3-band EQ. This feature allows precise adjustments of bass, mid, and treble. Tailoring your sound becomes simple and effective. This makes it easy to blend with other band instruments or standalone.

The pedal’s metal chassis is tough. It stands up to serious stomping. That’s great for gigs or rough use in practice sessions. The build quality ensures it lasts and stays reliable through transport and use.

Also, the output from this pedal is both strong and sharp. It sends out a clean, powerful signal no matter the distortion level. High-grade electronic parts make this possible. They keep the sound detailed and robust.

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The Fulltone OCD pedal offers a wide gain range. This means you can switch between light and heavy distortion easily. It suits different playing styles, from blues to hard rock. The pedal adjusts the level of distortion based on how far you turn its gain knob.

It has a reliable and sturdy casing. This is great for musicians who gig often. The solid build protects the internal components, ensuring the pedal lasts a long time. You don’t worry about it breaking down from normal use or during transport.

The output of the Fulltone OCD dynamically responds to your playing intensity. The harder you strum or pick, the more it distorts. This feature allows for expressive playing. It lets your lighter touches be clean and your aggressive plays be gritty.

A special feature is its voltage doubling circuit. This increases the pedal’s headroom, which means it can handle louder sounds without distorting them. This circuit makes the sound clearer and reduces noise, even when the pedal is set to high distortion levels.

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The TC Electronic Dark Matter Distortion excels in creating vintage warm distortion. This sound comes from its gain circuit design, which enhances the natural harmonics of the guitar. This circuit boosts the signal in a way that mimics old tube amps, providing a classic feel that’s perfect for blues or rock.

This pedal’s distortion intensity responds to your playing dynamics. The harder you play, the more it distorts. This feature lets you control the level of distortion through your playing style. It’s great for musicians who vary their picking attack to express different emotions in their music.

It has 2-band EQ controls. These allow you to shape the bass and treble frequencies. Adjusting these can help match the pedal’s sound to your amp and guitar, optimizing performance. This is especially useful in a band setting, where blending with other instruments is key.

Despite its powerful features, the pedal is small and sturdy. Its compact size makes it easy to fit on any pedalboard. The build quality is solid, making it reliable for both studio sessions and live performances. It stands up well to regular use and handling.

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A good distortion pedal changes your guitar’s sound by making it grittier or ‘dirtier’. This pedal clips your guitar’s sound waves, which means it cuts off the top and bottom of the wave. This clipping creates a harsher, more aggressive sound. People often use distortion for rock or heavy metal music because it makes the guitar sound intense.

An overdrive pedal is a bit different. It gently clips your guitar’s sound waves to create a warm, soft distortion. This mimics the sound of an overdriven tube amp, which is where the amp is turned up really high and naturally distorts the sound. Overdrive is great for blues or rock because it adds depth and warmth without overwhelming the original sound.

A fuzz pedal takes distortion to the extreme by severely clipping the sound waves. This creates a very rough, buzzy sound, like a bee buzzing around. Fuzz is very distinct and stands out in music that wants to push boundaries with its guitar sound.

Each type of pedal suits different music styles. Top distortion pedals are bold and aggressive. Overdrive is warm and subtle. Fuzz is extreme and sharp. The right pedal for a guitarist depends on the sound they want and the music they play.

They use several distortion pedals to create their signature heavy guitar tone. The notable is the Ibanez Tube Screamer which is on our list above. This pedal is famous for its ability to boost lead guitar making it stand out in the mix. The Tube Screamer slightly overdrives their amps during their tight, aggressive riffs.

Another key pedal is the Boss MT-2 Metal Zone for its high gain. The Metal Zone provides the intense distortion necessary for Metallica’s heavier songs. This pedal allows for extensive EQ control. This allows for meticulous tone shape which gets their clarity and punch.

Metallica also uses custom-built multi effects pedals. They integrate seamlessly with their other equipment for gigs and studio recordings.

Dave Grohl is known for Foo Fighters and Nirvana. One of his pedals is the Boss DS-1, featured on our list above. The DS-1 can somewhat emulate the crunchy tones that are a hallmark of Grohl’s style.

Another pedal Dave Grohl has been spotted using is the Electro-Harmonix Big Muff Pi. This has a smoother, sustained distortion compared to the aggressive sound of the DS-1. The Big Muff helps to thicken the rich texture of the music.

Kurt Cobain, of Nirvana, used the Electro-Harmonix Small Clone chorus pedal. It played a big part in crafting his sound. When it came to distortion, he relied on a few key pedals. The most important was the Electro-Harmonix Big Muff Pi. Famous for its rich, creamy distortion which was crucial for Cobain’s iconic solo in “Smells Like Teen Spirit. The Big Muff Pi gave a thick, powerful tone that could cut through the dense mix of loud drums and bass.

One of the notable others was the Boss DS-1 Distortion Pedal. Essential for the robust aggressive distortion of Cobain’s sound. Featured above in our list of best guitar distortion pedals.

If you already have a distortion pedal, you probably don’t need an overdrive pedal as well.
An overdrive pedal gives you a softer type of distortion. It simulates the warm sound you get when a tube amp is turned up high but not maxed. This is great for blues, rock, and anything that needs a subtle, natural-sounding boost. Distortion pedals give you a hard, aggressive sound.

You may only need to set a nice overdrive on your guitar amp whilst relying on a distortion pedal to add aggression.

Yes, having both pedals can expand your sound options. But unlikely to be useful unless you’re a touring guitarist who needs loads of fast, quick options. Most of the best guitar amps will now have 2 setups to allow you to switch between your distortion effects easily.

Deciding if distortion is better than fuzz depends on the music you want to play. Distortion adds a gritty texture, making the sound harsher and more aggressive. It’s great for rock and metal music for a powerful and commanding guitar presence. Distortion enhances the natural sound of the guitar without changing its basic character.

Fuzz creates a more intense and raw sound. It drastically alters the audio signal to produce a buzzy, broken sound. This extreme effect fits well with garage bands that want a vintage tone.

Most players mix both to explore new sounds and keep their options open. The choice between distortion and fuzz can also depend on the type of equipment you have.

A lot of the best multi effects pedals will have loads of distortion options like overdrive and fuzz for you to choose between.

Yes, you can use a guitar distortion pedal for bass, but there are some things to consider. Guitar distortion pedals are designed for electric guitar frequency range and output level. They might not handle the lower frequencies of a bass guitar. When you pair a guitar distortion pedal with a bass, you will notice that the low end of your bass sound gets lost. This happens because most guitar pedals focus on mid to high frequencies.