High-Gain Pedals

[la szum]

In my journey of trying to find a workable High-gain pedal I have come to conclude that they are
the hardest pedal to get to approximate an actual amp. Transparent ODs don't have to do as much
work. Edge of break up drives the same. Boosts just have to drive an amp/pedal a little more into
saturation and not fizz out. Light to medium drives just seem to be easier to pull off.

I am curious what your guys' experience has been. Find anything that gets close, or simply puts a smile
on your face and you never think, "Yup, sounds like a pedal?"

For the record I have had Bogner Red, Blue, Uberschall, Friedman BE (and BE-Deluxe) several times, Wampler
Slostortion and Triple Wreck, Revvs G3-4, Boss HM, Metal Zone, and MI Audio Megalith Delta (which was really
decent), Mesa Throttle Box EQ, Flux Five. All seem to get a little too transistory---if that makes sense.

I think I may need to check out Ola's CHUG pedal.

 

[Bob Zaod]

One of the best high gain pedal experiences I've ever had was a Seymour Duncan Pickup Booster into a Wampler Dracarys. Have you tried stacking a clean boost or TS type into any of those you listed?

 

[-BOOGIEMAN-]

If you have the opportunity, try the Mesa Throttle Box. I dig it, reminds me of my old Duel Rec I had in the 90’s. Funny thing is, these days I find myself enjoying less gain. Go figure…

 

[Whizzinby]

I pretty much despise pedals as the primary source of gain, but over a clean channel the best pedal I’ve owned that did convincing tones from edge of breakup, crunch, to high gain was the Strymon Riverside.

I’d imagine dedicated tube preamp pedals like the Victory stuff into a loop would probably get it done, but even stuff like the Revv purple never did it for me. (Tons of gain but very noisey, and something in the top end was too shrill for my tastes)

Much prefer an amp cooking and then an OD pushing it as needed.

 

[la szum]

If you have the opportunity, try the Mesa Throttle Box. I dig it, reminds me of my old Duel Rec I had in the 90’s. Funny thing is, these days I find myself enjoying less gain. Go figure…

Same here. I am at JCM800 levels or below most of the time, but still would like a decent high-gainer,
just because. :)

The Throttle Box was on my list above. Tried it and the Throttle Box with the 5 band EQ on it. Didn't resemble a
Mesa amp to my ears---and I have a Mark V and Dual Rec. Probaly user error on my part.

 

[la szum]

I pretty much despise pedals as the primary source of gain, but over a clean channel the best pedal I’ve owned that did convincing tones from edge of breakup, crunch, to high gain was the Strymon Riverside.

I’d imagine dedicated tube preamp pedals like the Victory stuff into a loop would probably get it done, but even stuff like the Revv purple never did it for me. (Tons of gain but very noisey, and something in the top end was too shrill for my tastes)

Much prefer an amp cooking and then an OD pushing it as needed.

Had high hopes for the Revvs, too. I bet I didn't use it 30 minutes. Back in the box it went.

Nope, that's not it.

You tried the Kraken?

 

[Whizzinby]

Had high hopes for the Revvs, too. I bet I didn't use it 30 minutes. Back in the box it went.

Nope, that's not it.

You tried the Kraken?

Same here. I knew within 5 minutes I was going to return that Revv pedal.

I have not tried any of the Victory preamp pedals. They seemed redundant at the time with the Synergy rig I had. Several people with opinions I trust say they are comparable in quality with the synergy modules, which means they are probably badass. Doesn’t surprise me considering they are tube preamp pedals.

 

[la szum]

Might have to look into those some more. Have had a few of the Kingsley pedals, but
most of those were in the Blues Lawyer gain range.

 

[la szum]

One of the best high gain pedal experiences I've ever had was a Seymour Duncan Pickup Booster into a Wampler Dracarys. Have you tried stacking a clean boost or TS type into any of those you listed?

Thanks, Bob. I'd like to get there without stacking/gain staging. I have a Plexi-style pedal I love and
boost that and sounds great---but still not voiced well for the modern metal type of stuff.

 

[Stone]

This --->

 

[DrewJD82]

This one has my attention more than the Chug. In the 00’s I was talking to XTS Audio about building pedal that did exactly this, I was just going to find 3 different pedals to have them re-house into a new enclosure with the option of putting the delay in front of the input or in an effects loop. There was nothing out at the time that did modern high gain and I didn’t have a need for it so I never went ahead with it.

 

[spawnofthesith]

MXR 5150 overdrive was far and away the best I found when I was on the quest to make my Twin do brootz

 

[metropolis_4]

I agree that they're the hardest to get right. Most of them sound terrible. The problem is getting the weight and girth needed without sounding muddy, and getting a tight low end.

I can do up to about the 80s hard rock thing with pedals, but beyond that I haven't liked anything I've tried.

For those 80s metal kind of tones I've really liked these:

ProCoRat 2
Boss Angry Driver
Joyo Uzi

 

[spawnofthesith]

What amp are you using? Another thing I found is that even the best sounding high gain pedals will fall a bit short if playing through an open back combo, which I feel like most pedal platforms are. A closed back extension cab will take you miles further for modern high gain sounds. Kinda why I stopped trying to use combos with my band (even though I'm playing clean 75% of the time)

 

[la szum]

I agree that they're the hardest to get right. Most of them sound terrible. The problem is getting the weight and girth needed without sounding muddy, and getting a tight low end.

I can do up to about the 80s hard rock thing with pedals, but beyond that I haven't liked anything I've tried.

For those 80s metal kind of tones I've really liked these:

ProCoRat 2
Boss Angry Driver
Joyo Uzi

Crazy coming to similar conclusions and we've never really met or talked about this.

I wonder if I should just be happy with 80s tones and a boosted 800 type of vibe. I don't
do the rapid fire chug often anyways---just thought it would be nice to have around.

The other thing I thought of last night is the amps I am running into are a bit compressed/saggy
and maybe that is making it almost impossible to get that tight and immediate attack.

Kraken in the lead for now.

 

[la szum]

What amp are you using? Another thing I found is that even the best sounding high gain pedals will fall a bit short if playing through an open back combo, which I feel like most pedal platforms are. A closed back extension cab will take you miles further for modern high gain sounds. Kinda why I stopped trying to use combos with my band (even though I'm playing clean 75% of the time)

Haha! Just mentioned something amps being used. Not open back. I am using enclosed cabs right now,
but the two amps I have been using are 60s to 80s voiced (Fillmore and Goldfinger). That can't possibly
help.

Maybe I can't get any heavier than Kill 'EM All era Metallica.

 

[DrewJD82]

Haha! Just mentioned something amps being used. Not open back. I am using enclosed cabs right now,
but the two amps I have been using are 60s to 80s voiced (Fillmore and Goldfinger). That can't possibly
help.

Maybe I can't get any heavier than Kill 'EM All era Metallica.

Have you heard the Linus pedal? It's a lot like the Loomis in that you can kick the sh*t out of it and it keeps coming back for more.

 

[Devin]

I have a ton of awesome dirt/OD pedals, but as far as an insane metal-amp-in-a-tiny-box pedals go this one is my current fave (AMT R/S Lead)

Here's a shitty lil clip I recorded with it direct in to my interface:

 

[JiveTurkey]

I have a ton of awesome dirt/OD pedals, but as far as an insane metal-amp-in-a-tiny-box pedals go this one is my current fave (AMT R/S Lead)

Here's a shitty lil clip I recorded with it direct in to my interface:

Sounds killer! This pedal is like the coolest looking clunky thing I have ever seen

 

[Devin]

To be honest it's almost too small lmao. Not the easiest thing to switch on and off on the fly with the footswitch being so close to the "roll bar"

I don't care though because I think it looks cool as shit and sounds amazing

It does have some built in remote switching options that I've never tried