# Decent 8 string distortion pedals



## DJENTLEMAN1994 (Feb 16, 2015)

I currently have a Bugera tube amp, and wondering what distortion pedal would be good for some rhythm and lead guitar stuff. I'm just getting into the world of 8 string, so be gentle to me
I really like a mix of tosin abasi (i know, typical), and some of the really smooth glassy distortion that is more catered to djent.  
Thanks for reading


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## HeHasTheJazzHands (Feb 16, 2015)

POD X3 or XT.


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## DJENTLEMAN1994 (Feb 16, 2015)

HeHasTheJazzHands said:


> POD X3 or XT.



I'm not big on line 6. I've used stuff from them before. All subjective though!


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## Sumsar (Feb 16, 2015)

Do you like the distortion of your bugera amp? One option is to just buy an EQ pedal so that you can control the lows going into the amp. 

If you don't like the distortion coming from your bugera (you don't state which model it is) I would honestly recommend getting another amp instead of looking for pedals that will do the job (I have never really liked the distortion that you could get from pedals, and yes i have tried many). Alternatively you could go modellering and get some line 6 stuff or more expensive depending on your budget.


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## BigViolin (Feb 16, 2015)

Mi Audio Crunchbox and Suhr Riot are the first two I'd look at. Both are pretty tweakable and suit a wide variety of rigs.


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## HeHasTheJazzHands (Feb 16, 2015)

DJENTLEMAN1994 said:


> I'm not big on line 6. I've used stuff from them before. All subjective though!



Tosin used it for the longest time, which is why I'm recommending them.


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## Go To Bed Jessica (Feb 17, 2015)

I'd suggest checking out the MI Audio Megalith Delta pedal. 

The eq control on the Delta is nuts and should be able to get you to wherever you want to be. I have the Megalith Beta - the amp that the Delta was modelled on and it's the best high gainer I know of. They did a very good job of getting the pedal to behave like the amp. 

I owned and loved the Crunch Box for a long time, but in the end the limited eq control got to me and I ended up moving it on (to a good friend who would lend it back to me if I needed it ). The Riot is a slightly tweaked copy of the Crunch Box so they are very similar sounding pedals. 

IMO, a good, flexible eq section is a really big deal on a gain pedal.


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## DJENTLEMAN1994 (Feb 17, 2015)

HeHasTheJazzHands said:


> Tosin used it for the longest time, which is why I'm recommending them.


Ah, my naivete is showing! I'll watch some demos of it to see if i like it.



Sumsar said:


> Do you like the distortion of your bugera amp? One option is to just buy an EQ pedal so that you can control the lows going into the amp.
> If you don't like the distortion coming from your bugera (you don't state which model it is) I would honestly recommend getting another amp instead of looking for pedals that will do the job (I have never really liked the distortion that you could get from pedals, and yes i have tried many). Alternatively you could go modellering and get some line 6 stuff or more expensive depending on your budget.


It's decent, but i wouldn't consider it metal tone. I will look into eq pedals, but it sounds like a lot of work lol



Go To Bed Jessica said:


> I'd suggest checking out the MI Audio Megalith Delta pedal.
> 
> The eq control on the Delta is nuts and should be able to get you to wherever you want to be. I have the Megalith Beta - the amp that the Delta was modelled on and it's the best high gainer I know of. They did a very good job of getting the pedal to behave like the amp.
> 
> ...



I'll definitely check it out  Hopefully it's within my budget.


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## PunchLine (Feb 17, 2015)

If the budget allows, I would highly recommend a Kemper Profiling Amp. Not only would you have a ton of incredible-sounding high gain and clean amps to select from, but you would also have a great selection of stomp boxes already built-in to the Kemper PA.


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## DJENTLEMAN1994 (Feb 17, 2015)

PunchLine said:


> If the budget allows, I would highly recommend a Kemper Profiling Amp. Not only would you have a ton of incredible-sounding high gain and clean amps to select from, but you would also have a great selection of stomp boxes already built-in to the Kemper PA.



Oh god it's 2000$. Way out of my budget. I'm a poor security guard lol
Frankly, if i was choosing something in that price i would go with the axe fx.


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## lewis (Feb 17, 2015)

Not a distortion pedal, but the Keeley 4 knob compressor made a totally stunning difference to my 8 string. Run into that first then into my Pod HD Pro. Its awesome.


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## mnemonic (Feb 17, 2015)

DJENTLEMAN1994 said:


> Ah, my naivete is showing! I'll watch some demos of it to see if i like it.



Animals As Leaders first album is about as "POD tone" as it gets. That's basically what the L6 Big Bottom model sounds like. 

It's kind of an acquired taste, personally I am a fan, I used the L6 Big Bottom for years.

His current tone is quite a departure from that though. On the Axe FX I think he uses the Friedman BE/HBE and Cameron ch2 models. Atleast 'Weightless' very much sounds like the Cameron Ch2 to me.


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## davemuselman (Feb 17, 2015)

DJENTLEMAN1994 said:


> I currently have a Bugera tube amp, and wondering what distortion pedal would be good for some rhythm and lead guitar stuff. I'm just getting into the world of 8 string, so be gentle to me
> I really like a mix of tosin abasi (i know, typical), and some of the really smooth glassy distortion that is more catered to djent.
> Thanks for reading


 Gonna want a medium output pickup, some great in-amp distortion, a nice noise gate set to time, and a tubescreamer pedal to squeeze it out.


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## BigHandy (Feb 17, 2015)

I was thinking over this too lately: what about BOSS Mega Distorsion MD-2?
I know that a multi would be better, but anyone tryed that one out how does it sound with ERG's to a modern metal tone?

(It's a question not a suggestion tho', and I guess it will seem a bit irregular here.)


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## DJENTLEMAN1994 (Feb 17, 2015)

What about the Line 6 Pod Farm 2? I've got a decent PC, would it be worth it?


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## Daniel13 (Feb 17, 2015)

BigHandy said:


> I was thinking over this too lately: what about BOSS Mega Distorsion MD-2?
> I know that a multi would be better, but anyone tryed that one out how does it sound with ERG's to a modern metal tone?
> 
> (It's a question not a suggestion tho', and I guess it will seem a bit irregular here.)



haven't really heard the mega distortion too much but i don't think boss distortions are ideal for low tunings IMO, i have 2 metal zones that worked great for drop B on a standard guitar but can't really get them dialed in on my bass VI, my digitech metal master however, i was about to sell it until i tried it out on my bass VI and have fallen in love with it but would still like something a little more versatile with an on board noise gate. i've been curious about the tight metal pro, rivera metal shaman and a few other "boutique" pedals though


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## IChuckFinleyI (Feb 17, 2015)

I'm a firm believer in that if your amp isn't giving you the sound you want, get a different amp.


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## mnemonic (Feb 17, 2015)

DJENTLEMAN1994 said:


> What about the Line 6 Pod Farm 2? I've got a decent PC, would it be worth it?



You'll need an interface if you don't already have one.

Podfarm is the same as the PodXT/PodX3 models. Flexibility is more like the PodX3 since you couldn't do dual-tone on the XT.


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## Go To Bed Jessica (Feb 17, 2015)

IChuckFinleyI said:


> I'm a firm believer in that if your amp isn't giving you the sound you want, get a different amp.



I'm in agreement with this as far as cleans are concerned, but there are so many different flavours of dirt that I like to have on hand. Pedals are wonderful for having a good total palette available. 

My current dirt lineup is MI Megalith Beta (amp - killer distortion), Anarchy Audio hm2, MI Tube Zone (goes from clean boost to high gain Mesa type sounds), MI Neo Fuzz, Klinger Mk II Bender. All different flavours, all get used for different things. 

You do need to have a good base to work with though.


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## jarledge (Feb 18, 2015)

I've gone through quite a few amps, and never found the one that did everything i wanted in one package. What i have found is that eq pedals are awesome. 

You can boost/cut/shape with an eq. It can act like a tube screamer in that you can pull back the low end, boost your mids and pull back on any harsh high end tones, all while boosting your overall output signal. 

That said, it will only get you so far. Your amp will still shape whatever you are putting in to it. So if you dont like the feel of your amp, there probably isn't a pedal out there that will get what you want.


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## PunchLine (Feb 18, 2015)

DJENTLEMAN1994 said:


> Oh god it's 2000$. Way out of my budget. I'm a poor security guard lol
> Frankly, if i was choosing something in that price i would go with the axe fx.



 here is a list of my favorite pedals:

-Walrus Audio Iron Horse
-Megalith Delta from MI Audio
-Tight Rock, Tight Metal, Tight Metal Pro, and others from Amptweaker
-Pro Co Rat
-Zvex Box of Metal

For all of these pedals, there are some great demo videos on you tube, I'd recommend you check them out.

Also check out Dennis Kayzer's youtube channel "Best Pedal" videos. He does good demos and covers many different pedals. Plus his guitars are tuned lower than standard tuning, so you can have an idea about how these pedal might sound with an 8-string guitar.

https://www.youtube.com/user/xtimehascomex/search?query=best+high+gain

https://www.youtube.com/user/xtimehascomex/search?query=best+pedals


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## Carl Kolchak (Feb 18, 2015)

To the OP,

One pedal I've found you really can't go wrong with is a tube screamer. Assuming you don't have a fundamental problem with the tone of your amp, in which case simply getting a new amp would be the best option, then a ts would work very as an additional tone sculpt.


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## Mike (Feb 18, 2015)

POD Farm is software that goes on your PC. You need a line 6 interface to use it. This is really more for recording guitars, not playing in a live scenario with an amp. 

Are you sure a distortion pedal is what you really want? A distortion pedal will add more gain, highs, presence, possibly fuzz/fizz, sustain, and noise. Distortion pedals really do nothing for clarity or even glassy tones (Glassy Distortion?). If you want your 8 string to have that modern progressive AAL high gain tone, an overdrive pedal would be a much better option. 

The bad monkey is the most amazing, well built, value in an OD pedal I've ever used. Get one. Crank the level all the way up, lows to 11 o'clock, highs to 1 o'clock, gain at 0, Done. Don't forget to lower the gain on your amp.


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## Chi (Feb 18, 2015)

Pod HD, seriously.


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## MatthewK (Feb 18, 2015)

Distortion pedals don't have strings. I'd check out Bias Desktop if you want to go the software route.


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## DJENTLEMAN1994 (Feb 18, 2015)

PunchLine said:


> here is a list of my favorite pedals:
> 
> -Walrus Audio Iron Horse
> -Megalith Delta from MI Audio
> ...


Thank you for that. I've got a lot of research now lol 


Mike said:


> POD Farm is software that goes on your PC. You need a line 6 interface to use it. This is really more for recording guitars, not playing in a live scenario with an amp.
> 
> Are you sure a distortion pedal is what you really want? A distortion pedal will add more gain, highs, presence, possibly fuzz/fizz, sustain, and noise. Distortion pedals really do nothing for clarity or even glassy tones (Glassy Distortion?). If you want your 8 string to have that modern progressive AAL high gain tone, an overdrive pedal would be a much better option.
> 
> The bad monkey is the most amazing, well built, value in an OD pedal I've ever used. Get one. Crank the level all the way up, lows to 11 o'clock, highs to 1 o'clock, gain at 0, Done. Don't forget to lower the gain on your amp.


I've started looking more at multi-effect pedals now. Things like the hd500x. Would you suggest it? 
The bad monkey looks cool. I always assumed that overdrive pedals were more for rock distortion and not metal. 


Chi said:


> Pod HD, seriously.


Can't tell if you're criticizing it or suggesting it...


IChuckFinleyI said:


> I'm a firm believer in that if your amp isn't giving you the sound you want, get a different amp.


Love my amp! Has an awesome clean channel.


mnemonic said:


> Animals As Leaders first album is about as "POD tone" as it gets. That's basically what the L6 Big Bottom model sounds like.
> 
> It's kind of an acquired taste, personally I am a fan, I used the L6 Big Bottom for years.
> 
> His current tone is quite a departure from that though. On the Axe FX I think he uses the Friedman BE/HBE and Cameron ch2 models. Atleast 'Weightless' very much sounds like the Cameron Ch2 to me.



What is this L6 bottom you speak of?  I'm a complete noob with this stuff, so forgive my ignorance


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## crowbar1115 (Feb 18, 2015)

The Electro Harmonix Metal Muff is another one to add to the list. The EQ on that is really usable and the Top Boost can help make large chords ring with clarity.


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## USMarine75 (Feb 18, 2015)

The best metal distortion pedal I've heard is the Emma Pisdiyauwot. Ridiculously clarity, tight, and not a lot of noise.

I haven't tried the Wampler Triple Wreck or the Amptweaker Tight Metal Pro ... they are on my list. But I couldn't imagine being any happier than I am with the Emma.


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## mnemonic (Feb 18, 2015)

DJENTLEMAN1994 said:


> I always assumed that overdrive pedals were more for rock distortion and not metal.



On a clean channel the most you will get with an overdrive is light distortion, but on top of the distortion channel of an amp, that's where they shine for metal playing. They add a bit more gain, clip the signal before the amp input (adding some compression), and eq the sound, cutting lows, boosting mids. This all culminates in a tighter, more aggressive tone. Some amps need them for metal, some don't. 




DJENTLEMAN1994 said:


> What is this L6 bottom you speak of?  I'm a complete noob with this stuff, so forgive my ignorance



Its one of the amp models in the PodXT/PodX3/PodFarm. 

Bare in mind, with the PodXT's (oldest ones), it didn't come pre-loaded with quite a few amps and effects (including big bottom), they were a separate paid add-on pack. 


In fact, there will soon be a (paid) upgrade on the PodHD's which, among other amps, includes the Big Bottom.


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## Slunk Dragon (Feb 19, 2015)

While I do not currently own one, check out the Empress Effects HEAVY pedal. It seems like it could handle the low end of an 8 effectively, and plus it sounds freaking gorgeous!


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## Chi (Feb 19, 2015)

DJENTLEMAN1994 said:


> Thank you for that. I've got a lot of research now lol
> 
> I've started looking more at multi-effect pedals now. Things like the hd500x. Would you suggest it?
> The bad monkey looks cool. I always assumed that overdrive pedals were more for rock distortion and not metal.
> ...




Suggesting it.


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## PunchLine (Feb 20, 2015)

crowbar1115 said:


> The Electro Harmonix Metal Muff is another one to add to the list. The EQ on that is really usable and the Top Boost can help make large chords ring with clarity.



I agree, another good pedal to add to the list...


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## 7stringsRbetter (Feb 11, 2020)

DJENTLEMAN1994 said:


> I currently have a Bugera tube amp, and wondering what distortion pedal would be good for some rhythm and lead guitar stuff. I'm just getting into the world of 8 string, so be gentle to me
> I really like a mix of tosin abasi (i know, typical), and some of the really smooth glassy distortion that is more catered to djent.
> Thanks for reading



I have a Bugera XXL and put a Dominator Pedals Hellfire distortion in front of it and it instantly became hell on earth! It’s tight, like crazy tight, ultra quiet, and organic. Literally the best distortion pedal on the planet and I’ve had every one you could imagine. Hail Hellfire! The king of Distortion!


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