Best Distortion Pedals

Top 8 Best Distortion Pedals On The Market (March 2024)

The Best Distortion Pedals On The Market (March 2024)

If you're looking for the best distortion pedals on the market then you've come to the right place. We've searched high and low for the best, most positively reviewed and recommended distortion pedals available. We hope you enjoy the article and find the distortion pedal you're looking for.

Distortion, the gritty, crunchy sound of electric guitars is an integral part of classic rock ‘n’ roll. It’s a sound that has been around since the 1950s. One that has been used by guitarists from Chuck Berry to Kurt Cobain, from Joe Satriani to Jeff Beck.

If you want a taste of distortion or a more dramatic, fuzzed-out distortion then you need to get yourself a pedal. Pedals made for electric guitars are available in all shapes and sizes. From small compact units to foot-pedal units with powerful amplifiers built-in.

The Best Distortion Pedals On The Market Buyers Guide (March 2024)

  • 1. JHS Angry Charlie V3 Distortion
  • 2. Wampler Dracarys Distortion
  • 3. Fender Pugilist Distortion
  • 4. JHS Pedals 3 Series Distortion
  • 5. MXR M75 Super Badass Distortion
  • 6. MXR Custom Badass '78 Distortion
  • 7. Pro Co RAT2
  • 8. BOSS DS-1 Distortion
JHS Angry Charlie V3 Distortion Image

JHS Angry Charlie V3 Distortion

  • ✔ From Hendrix Like Breakup To High Gain Brit Rock
  • ✔ Ample Controls To Find The Perfect Sound
  • ✔ Turns Your Amp Into A Screaming Marshal Stack
  • ✔ Colour Changed to Red And Extra Controls Added In V3 Model

A true bypass distortion pedal with a high-gain preamp and a powerful driver for a highly-saturated distortion sound that is not over-the-top.

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"I am Charlie and I am angry. My distortion is powerful and my sound is divine. Trust me, you will not be disappointed."

The JHS Angry Charlie V3 is the third iteration of the Angry Charlie pedal series. The company behind it, JHS, released its first pedal in 1999. It has since expanded to include many different guitar effects pedals. They are known for producing high-quality products at an affordable price point. The V3 is one of the high-end pedals in the market. It has a built-in tuner, true bypass switching, and a lot of extra features. Features like an EQ, boost, and EQ kill switch.

It is designed for rock guitars. It has six different types of distortions that you can experiment with for your music needs. The clipping diodes can be changed from silicon to metal to suit your needs. As well as the tone's response to picking dynamics. The Angry Charlie V3 is an easy-to-use signal booster. It also packs a lot of punch when it comes to distortion. The Angry Charlie V3 is great for someone who wants a distortion pedal that has huge potential, yet won't break the bank.


Wampler Dracarys Distortion Image

Wampler Dracarys Distortion

  • ✔ Capable Of Modern, Tight, High Gain Distortion, As Well As Classic Tones
  • ✔ Lots Of Controls To Help Customize Your Sound
  • ✔ Top Mounted Jacks For Easy Access On A Pedal Board
  • ✔ True Bypass Switching

Housed in a light weight, durable steel enclosure, the Dracarys distortion pedal is the first to utilize a unique two stage gain circuit. Produces an open and aggressive tone. Perfect for high volume lead play.

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Wampler’s new product highlights the company’s dedication to innovation and quality. The pedal provides a diverse range of tones and is perfect for players who like to experiment with new sounds. Such as metalheads and heavy rock players.

The Wampler Dracarys High Gain Distortion Pedal is an essential piece of equipment for any metalhead. Especially if they're looking to add some serious distortion to their set-up. Wampler has managed to create a new and exciting tone that caters for the more experimental styles of death metal. If you're in need of something that can really get your head banging. This is definitely the pedal for you.

Wampler Dracarys Distortion pedal is a highly versatile and affordable pedal that can be used for various musical genres. This pedal lets the user get the best of both worlds. Speed and tone. It has been designed to produce smooth, natural distortion with good sustain. The pedal has been praised by guitarists as being very effective in capturing the grit of vintage distortion tones. It is also known as one of the best pedals to stack with a tube amp. For those who love higher output amps that extend into their saturation range.

The pedal features a five-knob interface with a toggle for modes: open and tight. This gives you a wide range of tones to play around with. From classic through to more modern distortion.


Fender Pugilist Distortion Image

Fender Pugilist Distortion

  • ✔ Dual Gain Engines
  • ✔ LED Backlit Controls
  • ✔ True Bypass Circuitry
  • ✔ A Fantastic Pedal From A Legendary Brand

The Fender Pugilist is a complete distortion pedal packed with a ton of options such as two channels, tone and gain for each, an independent bass boost for solos, as well as blend and level knobs.

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Fender Pugilist Distortion is a Fender's new distortion pedal. It delivers the famous sound and feel of a vintage amp. More so it's designed to provide players with more dynamic performance at high gain levels. It is just one of many pedals in the Fender line. The pedal provides true bypass and a bass boost.

The Fender Pugilist Distortion was released in 2018 and quickly became one of the most popular pedals on the market. Its unique algorithm creates tones with different sounds, depending on how it's being used. Consequently you have loads of control over the eventual sound. The pedal has a dual gain engine feature. Which is controlled by 6 knobs that are found on top of the pedal.

This pedal is perfect for those who are just starting out in the world of guitar pedals. As well as people who want to try something new. Besides its price point, the pedal's reputation is also great because it has tons of positive reviews.

This is a distortion pedal that can be used to add fuzz and boost high-end frequencies. Some of the best uses for the Fender Pugilist Distortion are in metal and grunge styles.

The Pugilist Distortion is a popular choice among bassists in the professional scene. It more than matches many bass distortion pedals on the market. A distortion pedal that utilizes algorithms to generate new tones with unique characteristics. That is to say, the Pugilist Distortion is one of the most popular pedals of its kind.


JHS Pedals 3 Series Distortion Image

JHS Pedals 3 Series Distortion

  • ✔ Strong Metal Casing
  • ✔ Controls For Volume Filter And Distort
  • ✔ Gain Toggle For Saturated Or Crunchy Distortion
  • ✔ Made In Kansas City USA

A modern and versatile distortion pedal designed to be equally as useful as a tone-shaping tool as it is as a high-gain amplifier cranking amp destroyer.

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JHS Pedals 3 Series Distortion pedals are designed for players who want to create their own sound. Taking their guitar playing to the next level. A distortion pedal with a wide range of sounds. The 3 Series Distortion is a distortion pedal that features an analog tube preamp and four outputs. It has been built with the best of technology from the company’s previous pedals into this one. High-quality components, an improved circuit path and a great design. A versatile pedal with a wide range of usable distortion flavors.

The pedal offers the perfect blend of flexibility, portability, and tone for all players. The JHS 3 Series Distortion pedal is designed to allow you to create your own custom sound in just minutes. JHS Pedals 3 Series Distortion pedal features the following:

  • Switchable gain toggle. Providing you with more saturated, compressed distortion.
  • LEDs that indicate whether your amp is on or off.
  • Features true bypass for minimal signal loss when unplugged.

In summation, the JHS Pedals 3 Series Distortion is a high-quality, affordable distortion pedal with a vintage tube sound. It has a variety of useful controls. Presented in a very simple design, a single footswitch, gain toggle and three knobs. The JHS Pedals 3 Series Distortion pedal offers an unmatched clarity. As well as a natural sound that will have you playing your guitar like never before.


MXR M75 Super Badass Distortion Image

MXR M75 Super Badass Distortion

  • ✔ Durable Metal Chassis
  • ✔ 5 Controls Including Bass, Mid And Treble
  • ✔ Features True Bypass Circuitry
  • ✔ 100% Analog Pedal

The original Badass, created in 1973, paved the way for the evolution of the high-gain sound that dominates today's rock and metal. The M75 Super Badass more than matches the original.

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The MXR M75 Super Badass Distortion pedal has features that are built into it. Features that make it a great choice for any guitarist in search for a distortion pedal. It has the ability to produce both high gain and low gain tones. Which is perfect for early '80s to modern metal styles. Additionally, the M75 has a very strong mid range, which makes it ideal for playing clean guitar without any harsh fuzz or distortion.

The M75 offers an impressive amount of versatility and quality at an affordable price. It is an extremely versatile product that can be used with various genres. Its features include input and output gain adjustments, three different EQs, and a presence control.

The MXR M75 features include an output gain adjustment, three different EQs, and a distortion knob. This pedal is perfect for anyone looking for a distortion boost in their tone without adding unwanted clipping or overdrive. It's also great for players who like to emulate vintage tones like Jimi Hendrix or David Gilmour

A versatile distortion pedal that can be used for any genre of music. It has a whole lot of options to modify the sound, which makes it perfect for bass, guitar, and even vocals. The MXR M75 is an analog pedal capable of producing plenty of useful sounds. It's also very easy to use thanks to its features like built-in mini-switch and LED indicator light. The design allows for external switches and relays so you can customize your pedal as you want.


MXR Custom Badass '78 Distortion Image

MXR Custom Badass '78 Distortion

  • ✔ Vivid Red Metal Chassis
  • ✔ Three Knobs To Control The Tone
  • ✔ Crunch Button To Boost The Distorted Harmonics
  • ✔ A Well Made, Well Received Device With Lots Of Happy Customers

The Custom Badass '78 Distortion is designed to give you the powerful, complex tone of an old-school Distortion. Just like the original, it has a compact cast-metal chassis for easy portability and durability.

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MXR Custom Badass '78 Distortion is an effects pedal from MXR. It is a low-cost, usually basic distortion pedal that has an aggressive tone. It comes with a three control knob design. Which controls the output, tone control and distortion of the signal into the amplifier.

This three knobs may seem limiting. But they allows you to have complete control over your tone and volume level without over complicating things. Making it good for live performances as well as for beginners. The '78 Distortion will make your guitar sound much heavier and distorted when you need it to. With their vivid red metal housing design, they are also much more durable than other pedals out there. MXR Custom Badass '78 Distortion pedal is one of the most popular pedals in the history of MXR.

Sometimes mistaken for an overdrive pedal, the Custom Badass '78 has been built to emulate an old-school tube amp. The Custom Badass '78 Distortion pedal has a tone that's both warm and raw. It can be used to nail anything from smooth blues to searing rock. This pedal is truly versatile, so whether your style is shredding or singing, it's suitable for you. With its unique sound, this pedal is perfect for metal guitarists who are looking for that authentic vintage flavor. The Custom Badass '78 Distortion pedal comes in an eye-catching red paint job with chrome plating. Making it stand out against other pedals in your arsenal.


Pro Co RAT2 Image

Pro Co RAT2

  • ✔ A Nice Range Of Distortion Effects
  • ✔ Silicon Clipping Type
  • ✔ Boost Your Solos With This Exceptional Distortion
  • ✔ Strong Durable Steel Casing

A compact, dual-channel pedal that provides a full, aggressive distortion sound. It has the same great features as the original pedal.

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Distortion is a guitar effect that adds more of the raw sound of the instrument to your music. This can be done by amplifying the signal with an amplifier or just using a distortion pedal. Distortion pedals are very popular among players looking for that "rock" sound.

The Pro Co RAT2 distortion pedal has a dedicated distortion control, which is easy to adjust while playing. The distortion can be adjusted from light crunch to heavy grind. The pedal is made of high-quality components that are durable and reliable.

It’s one of the most popular distortion pedals available on the market today. It is known for its sound quality, durability, and affordability. For those looking to make their music louder and rougher, this pedal will do the job!

This pedal has 3 controls - distortion, filter and volume. It also has an LED light which can be used to test the battery status. It is powered via an AC adapter.I like that the distortion on this pedal is very tweak-able. It's not too heavy or too light. Yet it can be tweaked in lots of different ways depending on what you want to get out of it.


BOSS DS-1 Distortion Image

BOSS DS-1 Distortion

  • ✔ Fantastic Build Quality
  • ✔ World Wide Brand
  • ✔ The Benchmark Of Distortion Pedals
  • ✔ Can Be Used As A Booster

One of the most legendary pedals in the world. It's known for it's crunchy, high-gain tones that are absolutely perfect for hard rock. The industry standard for punk, thrash and rock and roll.

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BOSS DS-1 is one of the most famous distortion pedal on the market. Perfect for those who want to play their guitar through a clean amp. While adding some crunch to their sound without too much noise. A distortion pedal that has been used by guitarists since the 1980s. The DS-1 was so popular due to its versatility and affordability. This BOSS Distortion pedal has been one of the most popular pedals on the market for over 30 years now. It's a perfect choice for many guitarists. As it can be used with almost any type of electric guitar and amp setup.

The DS1 is a classic overdrive with a heavy duty metal housing, and this pedal will last you a lifetime. With its simple design and functionality, this pedal has been reigning as the king of distortion pedals for decades. This distortion pedal comes equipped with an on/off switch. As well as a tone knob that lets you tailor your sound to your liking. Once you find that perfect tone, there's also a level knob. It lets you adjust the volume of your guitar signal without adding any more distortion. And of course there is a dist knob to increase or decrease the sheer power of the distortion effect.


More Information Regarding Distortion Pedals (2024)

The Guitar's Basic Building Blocks

After a quick introduction on what a guitar is and what components require signal manipulation, we will explore some common effects pedals. The first effect pedal we will explore is a distortion pedal.

Distortion pedals are used to create heavy textures by boosting the volume of certain frequencies in an audio signal. These frequency boosts can be controlled by adjusting the gain knob on the pedal. Which controls the amount of amplification applied to certain frequencies. Some distortion pedals have additional controls that can adjust other parameters such as bass boost or treble boost to tailor the sound even more precisely.

How Pedals Help with Playing Guitar

The question is whether you want to achieve one specific effect or create a number of effects all at once. For example, if you are playing live and would like to do something special with your guitar sound, then you might want to invest in more than one pedal.

A stompbox is a small device that provides guitarists with ways of changing their sound or effect while they are playing. A guitar player may choose to place one or more stompboxes in any order on their pedalboard. Creating their own unique guitar sound.

These pedals are designed to be used with an electric guitar. They can provide a variety of effects that can be used for different playing styles. Many guitarists use these pedals to change the sound of their instruments, create new sounds, and make it easier to play their instrument.

What is a Distortion Pedal?

The distortion pedal has many different variations, but the most common types are fuzz pedals and overdrive pedals.

Fuzz pedals are often used by rock guitarists to create a fuzzy or fuzzy sound. They are often used with hard rock music to provide a more aggressive tone for the guitar. Overdrive pedals provide extra gain to the signal, creating a distortion effect that is more pronounced than what you would normally hear from an amplifier.

What Makes A Good Distortion Pedal?

Distortion pedals are used to provide a distortion of the guitar signal. The distortion is created by taking a clean electric guitar signal and then splitting it into two different signals. One signal will have the full frequency range that was in the clean electric guitar signal. But it will be modified by being clipped or compressed. The second signal will only have the low frequencies that are left over. After the first half of the electric guitar ranges are cut out to create clipping. These two signals are then combined back together to create an overdriven sound. A sound with more harmonics than what is found in a clean sound.

The benefits of distortion pedals can vary depending on your musical style, playing level, and even your personal preference. There are many different types of distortion pedals out there so you can find one that suits your needs.

Why to Use a Distortion Pedal

Distortion pedals are a popular tool for guitarists. They're used to create a more distorted sound.

When a guitarist presses down on the pedal, it reduces the signal level going into the amplifier. This is achieved by putting a voltage divider in series with the guitar pickup. This is often done with diodes as they have a lower forward voltage drop than most other components. Meaning they also have less effect on the high frequency output of an amplifier.

In this way, distortion pedals allow guitarists to change their sound from clean to distorted for different effects, from heavy metal riffs to rhythm and blues solos.

The best distortion pedals can be chosen depending on what you're looking for - presence, drive, or tone shaping.

How to Choose the Right Distortion Pedal As per Your Needs

The best distortion pedal is the one which suits your needs. There are many different types of distortion pedals available in the market. Hence, it is quite difficult to choose the right one for you. If you are looking for a metal guitar sound, then you need to choose heavy-duty pedals. One with heavy-duty metal construction and high gain.

What to Look for in a Guitar Distortion Pedal

Some of the features that make a guitar distortion pedal worth buying.

  1. The first thing to look for in a guitar distortion pedal is whether it has a clean tone setting.
  2. A second thing to consider is if the distortion pedal provides different types of distortion.
  3. Another factor to be considered is how much volume it can produce or what kind of volume settings are available.
  4. Lastly, it’s important to know if there are any additional features such as filters, EQ effects, etc...

The best guitar pedal should be able to provide the desired effects the guitarist wants. This is why you should consider your needs before buying a guitar pedal.

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