Distortion Flavor: Rat, Big Muff, or DS-1?

[bluesholyman]

Curious to see where the chips fall...although I have a feeling...

Edit: Please ignore duplicate option - can seem to correct it.

 

[blowtorch]

Between those three choices, the Rat is most versatile, so I'd go with that

 

[beyer160]

I've often said that between the Rat and Big Muff, you can cover almost any need for dirt.

 

[Whiskerz]

The Rat for sure, so many good sounds in that thing. Muffs are fun too but too compressed and scooped for me.

 

[galaxiex]

I have a DS-1. (modded) Works for me.

Never tried the other two.

I may have to go shopping now....

 

[DTBlues]

I got an 82 DS1..Been a staple for about 5 years now

 

[whoanelly15]

Or DS-2. I’ve got both on my board.

 

[bftfender]

prefer amp distortion..have all those...did use a rat the other day and to add some grit to DSL crunch channel and it made the coolest nastiest thing i heard i quiet awhile..loved it

 

[TeleBrew]

You can't go wrong with any of those, but I would go with a Rat if I only had one choice.

 

[bgmacaw]

I've got 3 Rat-oids and 2 Muff-oids. Whenever I use a fuzz, people say I sound like a synth, go figure. So I'll have to go with a Rat.

I've never really tried a DS other than as a model on a multi-effects unit which isn't really a good measure.

 

[JoeNeri]

DS-1

 

[idjster]

I decided on the Big Muff. It just sounds right to me for the type of music I play.

 

[Bangdapoontwang]

prefer amp distortion..have all those...did use a rat the other day and to add some grit to DSL crunch channel and it made the coolest nastiest thing i heard i quiet awhile..loved it

I must try this now. I recently got a Rat to put in front of my Fender Bassman but I also have a DSL.

 

[mabley123]

Rat. I consider the Muff a Fuzz.
I also like 5 Knob Butler Tube Driver, Roger Mayer Metalloid, Voodoo TT, Effectrode Fire Bottle

 

[Chiogtr4x]

I don't use a dedicated Distortion pedal anymore ( just an always ON BD-2) but I used to own a GFS Brownie (RAT clone+switching modes) that was great/versatile, so I voted RAT!

 

[3-Chord-Genius]

I had an original RAT, and thought it sounded like a generic solid state distortion pedal. It wasn't awful, but not special either.

Last year I purchased my first (and only) Big Muff. I loved that thing, as it captured the Siamese Dream sounds that I'd been chasing for years. But it was very limited because of its uniqueness.

I've had a Monte Allums modded Boss DS-1 that I use as a lead boost, and I love it. It's still on my pedalboard and I don't see it going anywhere.

 

[kidmeatball]

I use a DS-1 but I am falling in love with a free Metal Core ML-2 I got recently. Both are a little tricky to get good sounds, but once you figure them out they are fantastic.

 

[stnmtthw]

I thought the Big Muff was a fuzz, not a distortion. I don't really like it.

Out of the other two listed, I prefer the DS 1, but that's probably because I'm more familiar with it and can dial it in the way I like it easier.

 

[MilwMark]

Limited to one, Rat. I can make it sound great at home or live.

I love a stock DS-1 as well but for me it works better at quieter volumes in isolation.

A Muff is just so bassy and scooped and useless for me.

 

[SixStringSlinger]

If you're choosing between the three I'd say Rat, though just from reputation (I've never used one).

I've said before that I'll defend the DS-1 till I die, but unless you want a Marshall in a box, it may not be for you. Even my Keeley-modded one which sounds amazing, I really only bring out for when I want "that British amp distortion" without blowing out windows.

The Muff is a fuzz, and fuzzes are cool (though I've never used a Muff), but they're enough of their own thing that I don't like comparing them to the other two, which are still different from each other, but more different flavors of the same thing than the Muff is.

And that "distortion is a crutch" stuff some people spew is garbage. You can turn it off same way you turn it on.