help with an inexpensive distortion pedal

SalJam

Hello... I'm fairly new to the Forum but I've been a ten club member for years (primo seats for shows!). I'm a 40 year old dude learning how to play guitar. I've been playing for a little over a year. I'm looking for an inexpensive distortion pedal for some PJ tones (Alive, SOLAT, Porch....) I play a Strat and EPI LP through a EPI Valve Senior tube amp. Any ideas? Thanks guys.

gimmesometruth27

i would look into the classic boss distortion pedal. i think you can get it at guitar center for under $40. i have a cool little yellow boss overdrive/distortion i don't use any more but i think that one is around $60 or 70. that was a cool little pedal...i'd look into those if you are just starting out.

mccreadyisgod

If an Ibanez TS-9 Tubescreamer ($99) is too rich for your blood, the Digitech Bad Monkey ($50) is almost the same thing at half the price. If you want to spend $150+, then we can talk nuts and bolts, but you really can't beat the Bad Monkey for the price. Thank goodness you have a tube amp, as most drive/distortion boxes sound pretty bad through a solid-state amp.

TS-9:
http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/prod ... sku=150284

Bad Monkey:
http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/prod ... sku=150831

SalJam

Thanks for the response guys. I was also looking at the new GFS pedals at www.guitarfetish.com. However I do not know much about them. They have a Tude Screamer clone called the "Greenie". Anyways, thanks again. I will check out your recommendations.

xtremehardy388

The BD2 Blues Driver is the most versatile pedal. I have the BD2, Tube screamer, BD2, Super Overdrive, and a ton of distortions. I used the little BOSS Distortion/Overdrive pedal, a number of years ago. Great pedal but not too versatile. With the BD2, you get a nice overdrive, a crunch tone, distortion, and even a suble tube breakup. You can also use it as a booster. If you want, you can also have it modded, which is what Mike McCready did. The Blues Driver will also push your tubes, too. That's always good. With the classic distortion, you can't get the full range. Same with the tube screamer.

SalJam

xtremehardy388 wrote:

The BD2 Blues Driver is the most versatile pedal. I have the BD2, Tube screamer, BD2, Super Overdrive, and a ton of distortions. I used the little BOSS Distortion/Overdrive pedal, a number of years ago. Great pedal but not too versatile. With the BD2, you get a nice overdrive, a crunch tone, distortion, and even a suble tube breakup. You can also use it as a booster. If you want, you can also have it modded, which is what Mike McCready did. The Blues Driver will also push your tubes, too. That's always good. With the classic distortion, you can't get the full range. Same with the tube screamer.

Great info! Thanks alot!

IGotShit76

The digitech Bad Monkey is a nice cheap overdrive pedal if money is an issue.

SalJam

money is not really an issue... I just cant justify an expensive one since I have only been playing for a year. I just want something to mess around with in my basement... and piss off my wife and kids! haaaa.. Thanks again for all the responses!

What do you guys think of these....

http://store.guitarfetish.com/grcldicltsct.html

http://store.guitarfetish.com/fattuclvatud.html

savman

Well you can?!
You just tell her you want to buy a good quality pedal that will be a pleasure to her ears, and that the cheap ones might break then you'll just have to buy a new one and so on.... .

Still i agree with the above. I have a TS9 and a BD2 they are both very solid. cant say either way for the bad monkey.

xtremehardy388

I've heard good and bad things about the bad monkey. Digitech has good stuff and tone sucking stuff. It's just tough to mod any digitech stuff. With the TS9 and BD2, those are easy to mod. The TS9 is great but I just don't think it's as versatile.

mccreadyisgod

xtremehardy388 wrote:

I've heard good and bad things about the bad monkey. Digitech has good stuff and tone sucking stuff. It's just tough to mod any digitech stuff. With the TS9 and BD2, those are easy to mod. The TS9 is great but I just don't think it's as versatile.

I've never heard anything bad about the Bad Monkey, what complaints have you heard? Digitech had a terrible reputation in the early 90's, but in the last 10 years, they've been pretty solid.

And don't forget... "versatile" is usually a good way to say it's mediocre at lots of things. A good TS-9 or TS-808 is just a great tone when used correctly, and probably the single-most iconic stompbox out there.

xtremehardy388

I heard the Bad Monkey is a tone sucker. I used the X-series phaser and THAT was terrible at tone sucking.

As for the BD2 being mediocre, I think it's everything but. However, the TS9 and TS808 shouldn't be sold short. They're awesome pedals, too!

markin ball

Ibanez Tube Screamer or Boss Blues Driver. Maybe the Boss for versatility purposes.