Guitar Distortion Pedal Buying Advice
 

I am in the market for buying a distortion pedal and need advice to buy the best one. Currently I am looking at MXR M-104 distortion + guitar pedal. I have never used this brand ever before, so I want your views before placing the order. According to MXR this pedal can be set to produce low volume controllable distortion or increased to achieve a warm tube overdrive. It also produces an extreme fuzz with long sustain. If you guys have any better recommendations, please let me know.

Thanks in advance.

Amazon.com: Suhr Riot Distortion: Musical Instruments

My friend has this, it made a $50 amp sound amazing. Best distortion pedal I've ever heard, and it received pretty much all positive reviews.

There is no 'best one' overall. They all sound different, and without an idea in mind of what kind of sound you want to go for, you'll be disappointed.

Who or what do you want to sound like, and what equipment do you have already?

I use a ProCo Rat, and all I really play is folk/indie and blues. But there's a certain sound to a Rat that you just can't get elsewhere :D

It's also REALLY good for high gain stuff.

I really like my Big Muff Pi, but i don't know if fuzz is considered distortion. Anyway, you can make a pretty nice wall of fuzzy sound with it.

No Fuzz pedals and Distortion pedals are two different things.

Dinky, try out a Boss Ds-1. its a classic distortion pedal that an take you from a pretty light overdrive to any classic rock type application. Throw in any amp distortion and you have got yourself some fuzz without even having to buy a fuzz box.

Those old DOD pedals are still the best.

Guys, I don't think he's coming back.

And you should really save your recommendations for when we have an idea of what we're working with in terms of style and gear.

Well thats why I suggest a Boss Ds-1. It pretty much covers the largest spectrum of musical distortion needed.