High gain distortion pedal that doesn’t sound “metal”?

[D_Malone]

I’m looking for a high gain pedal to put in front of a clean amp. I want a more “vintage” tone that cleans up well when rolling back the guitar volume. Something that maintains clarity when playing chords. What would y’all recommend?

I primarily use humbuckers, and have found that a Fuzz Face doesn’t work for me, FYI.

Currently considering the EQD Talons, but it gets mixed reviews.

 

[blowtorch]

give us an example of someone's tone that you want- post a youtube clip
That works much better than saying stuff like "high gain but not metal", because one guy's idea of "high gain" OR "metal" isn't even, to the next guy

 

[D_Malone]

give us an example of someone's tone that you want- post a youtube clip
That works much better than saying stuff like "high gain but not metal", because one guy's idea of "high gain" OR "metal" isn't even, to the next guy

Good point. Closest I can come to would be Adam Jones’ tone on Tool’s Undertow. I don’t write/play stuff like Tool, but that’s the best example I can give.

 

[blowtorch]

ok, based off that, these are two that I have experience with that I would recommend.
They both just happen to be MXR

 

[MilwMark]

I may be an island unto myself but I think the Rat and the DS1 both do excellent vintage Marshall high gain exceptionally well. Clarity depends in part on the headroom of the amp they are going into and the volume. But if the volume and headroom are there, they cannot be topped IMO. That Super Badass might even be a tricked out DS1? Though I might be confusing that with another MXR pedal. MXR does have some great distortion boxes, and that Badass is one. Along with the '78.

 

[Killing Floor]

Agree, any Rat type.

 

[Refugee]

maybe a Donner Force 2. Sort of a Soldano tone.


Pushed plexi, I really like the old Tonebone Hot British.


Around 7:00 mins, he dimes the drive knob so you can hear how much gain it has. Many don't like these because they are kinda big and need a 15V power supply. But, they are extremely versatile.

 

[Bluego1]

Here you go

 

[andy__d]

Another option might me a Marshall Guv’nor, some say it was “the first amp-in-a-box” pedal - I used one a lot back when they were new plugged into a keyboard amp (when I was in a band where I was primarily a keyboard player), and it managed a nice range of crunch tones on its way to full-on-Marshall. The originals are hard to come by (as the second hand price can be steep), but there’s a few clones using the same circuit that people have recommended to me (see: https://www.tdpri.com/threads/tell-us-your-single-favorite-od-pedal.1092443/post-11456150)

 

[Chipss36]

My recommendation is start with pickups, yup pickups, a lower output pickup will have clarity, even after heavy possessing….the guitar itself kinda plays a roll in this as well. It need to be balanced tonal wise.

took me many years to learn this trick.

another is , turn Down the gain and double track.
another is use compression , and again turn down the gain.
less is more if you want huge…..
all this sounds absolutely huge, compared to a high gain Pedal, and high gain pickups. That combo will never sound huge, god knows I tried. The frequency response is just way over compressed to sound huge.

that is how, I anyway get heavy tones, that have clarity.
clarity for me was the missing link…not sure if this is what you are after here, just my experiences.

 

[gonzo]

REVV G3.

fits the bill perfectly.

 

[Killing Floor]

I’m not qualified at all to talk about Tool’s gear. But he has a fantastic tone. My understanding is that Undertow era howl is mostly from the amp. That’s why a Fuzz Face type won’t hit it. Pretty sure he was using a really hopped up Marshall bass amp back then but like I said, not the expert on Jones.

FYI these are not easy to get but this is one of my all time favorite amp style distortion pedals. It stacks a pair of 12AX7 tubes and makes a really nice heat. It’s OD to the point of distortion, not fuzz. Sound samples below.

Black Eye X – Sushi Box FX

 

[WelhavenTW]

REVV G3.

fits the bill perfectly.

I use that one with the gain-knob almost all the way down. It got that extra bite I missed from many OD-pedals, but not the distortion-sound that sounds like a swarm of bees. Perfect pedal!

 

[bottlenecker]

Rat.

 

[Chiogtr4x]

I play mostly clean ( not completely clean) '50's-60's R&R and Blues and I have a Blues Driver 0N, all the time- just works for me.

But if i do something more Rockin' ( this would be say, Skynyrd, Bad Co., even Allmans) I step on a Rat clone ( BD-2 still ON) at a pretty high Drive setting, but the pedal Volume does not have to be way loud to get this sound- so, pretty controllable

 

[VintageSG]

Budget?

An EQ pedal to control the bass is always useful. Everyone has different hearing, and in that clip, I'm not hearing humbucker mudbass. Half the battle is having your own 'range' within the mix and not competing with the bass. Based purely on my hearing. Your mileage will vary.
That sound is compressed. Compressors require careful use. Too often, they're used way too 'compressy'. A lot of that compression can come from the output transformer of the amp, or simulated with the clever stuff around now.
A second hand Blackstar HT Distortion or Laney IRT pedal can get that taut, controlled, slightly compressed sound. They're both valve based, both run the valve at proper high voltages too.
Consider a noise gate early in the chain.

 

[D_Malone]

You guys are the best, thank you!

I've considered the Revv G3. I will give that serious consideration.

I have a Rat, MXR Super Badass Distortion (Guv'nor clone is my understanding), and have had the Boss ST-2 Powerstack. The MXR is actaully close to the tone I seek, but it loses the high end when rolling back the guitar volume. Sounds dull and lifeless in my opinion.

The Rat is a great pedal with some rigs. Doesn't really work for me. Always sounds fizzy with the filter down and too dark with the filter up. Sounds very much like a pedal to me. Sorry Rat fans, I mean offense.

My recommendation is start with pickups, yup pickups, a lower output pickup will have clarity, even after heavy possessing….the guitar itself kinda plays a roll in this as well. It need to be balanced tonal wise.

took me many years to learn this trick.

another is , turn Down the gain and double track.
another is use compression , and again turn down the gain.
less is more if you want huge…..
all this sounds absolutely huge, compared to a high gain Pedal, and high gain pickups. That combo will never sound huge, god knows I tried. The frequency response is just way over compressed to sound huge.

that is how, I anyway get heavy tones, that have clarity.
clarity for me was the missing link…not sure if this is what you are after here, just my experiences.

This is some good advice as we're about to go into the studio to record an EP this weekend. I typically do use lower output pickups. My current favorite guitar is loaded with TV Jones Super'Trons, which are fairly low output for a humbucker. I think double-tracking may be the answer here. I'll definitely try it. Thank you!

 

[aging_rocker]

Another option might me a Marshall Guv’nor, some say it was “the first amp-in-a-box” pedal - I used one a lot back when they were new plugged into a keyboard amp (when I was in a band where I was primarily a keyboard player), and it managed a nice range of crunch tones on its way to full-on-Marshall. The originals are hard to come by (as the second hand price can be steep), but there’s a few clones using the same circuit that people have recommended to me (see: https://www.tdpri.com/threads/tell-us-your-single-favorite-od-pedal.1092443/post-11456150)

The Mk1 Guvnor was a really great pedal. Pretty much all the 'Marshall' sounds are in there if you take the time to find them.

I built a clone (the GGG DIY version) and it's my only pedal these days.

 

[Bluego1]

You guys are the best, thank you!

I've considered the Revv G3. I will give that serious consideration.

I have a Rat, MXR Super Badass Distortion (Guv'nor clone is my understanding), and have had the Boss ST-2 Powerstack. The MXR is actaully close to the tone I seek, but it loses the high end when rolling back the guitar volume. Sounds dull and lifeless in my opinion.

The Rat is a great pedal with some rigs. Doesn't really work for me. Always sounds fizzy with the filter down and too dark with the filter up. Sounds very much like a pedal to me. Sorry Rat fans, I mean offense.



This is some good advice as we're about to go into the studio to record an EP this weekend. I typically do use lower output pickups. My current favorite guitar is loaded with TV Jones Super'Trons, which are fairly low output for a humbucker. I think double-tracking may be the answer here. I'll definitely try it. Thank you!

I was going to say the Revv, until I googled his tone and it said Diezel, or with pedal distortion, ST-2.
I have these GupTech Revv clones, g2, g3, g4, or green channel, purple channel, red channel. I actually think the green (g2) is the one for you. In his demos against the Revv pedals, these are spot on.

 

[drmordo]

The Roger Mayer Axis Face is designed to be like a Fuzz Face but brighter to work better with humbuckers. It very much straddles the line between distortion and fuzz, and is highly recommended. I love it.

It is the only pedal that I own where I first built a DIY version, and then I liked it so much that I eventually bought an actual Mayer.