A serious guitar player realizes that the basic guitar set up is not enough to produce the best service that you may need. You need to invest in a perfect distortion pedal for the sound to be sufficient to meet your style and other needs. There are different types of these distortion pedals in the market that may get you confused during the purchase process.
We have the top ten best distortion pedals in 2023 in this article that will lead you through the purchase process and guide you to the best quality. With the buying guide, you will also be able to identify the factors you should put into consideration during the purchase.
Table of Contents
List of 10 Best Distortion Pedals in 2023
#10. Fender Pugilist Distortion Pedal
By: Fender
The distortion pedal comes with dual gain engines that have independent tone controls and thus make it effortless for you to dial in your sound. With the blend control, you can achieve the most articulate tone as it mixes your dry and effected signals for sound output. The tone controls, on the other hand, enhance a perfect toning and also allows you to use it with any amp.
You can comfortably use the distortion pedal even in the darkness or the poorly lit areas since the knobs have a LED illumination. It uses 9v battery which is magnetically latched, for its operations which are also easy to swap. It has a durable and lightweight anodized aluminum construction which enables it tom last for an extended period.
- Comes with LED-illuminated knobs
- Has a magnetic battery door
- Features dual gain engines
- Comes with blend and tone controls
- Made of anodized aluminum
#9. Electro-Harmonix Guitar Distortion
By: Electro-Harmonix
The distortion pedal comes with different knobs which makes it easy to operate for the best results. It has a volume knob that enables you to set the level of output, a sustain knob for adjusting the distortion and sustain, and finally the tone knob which allows you to increase the treble and decrease the bass.
The distortion pedal operates with a 9-volt battery which is inclusive of the package. It has a compact and rugged Nano enclosure which makes it easy to handle and makes it useful in its role.
- Inclusive of a 9-volt battery
- Comes with a volume knob
- Has a sustain knob
- It has a tone knob
- Has a true bypass
#8. Ibanez TS9B 9 Series Distortion Pedal
By: Ibanez
The distortion pedal comes in a dependable and reliable design for a long service period. It enables you to achieve the best tone by controlling it with different knobs. It has the level knob, gain, treble, and mix controls which are easy to adjust the various aspects. It has an input impedance of 500K ohms.
The output impedance of this distortion pedal is 10K ohms. The maximum output level amounts to 0 dB with a maximum gain of + 30 db. It uses a 9 Volt Battery for its operations but also comes with a 9V external AC adapter. It comes with two band control to produce funky sounds.
- Operates with 9 Volt Battery
- Has Gain, level, Treble, Bass, Mix Controls
- 500K ohms input impedance
- 10K ohms output impedance
- A maximum output level of 0 dBm
- Offers + 30 dB maximum gain
#7. Fulltone OCD Obsessive Distortion Pedal
By: Fulltone
The distortion pedal comes in a compact design, which makes it easy to use with no fuss. The control knobs further enhance the ease of operation, which includes the drive controls, volume control, tone, and OCDs. It has an input impedance of 1 mega ohm.
You can get the most accurate sound with this distortion pedal as it also has a true bypass. The OCD knob allows you to achieve either the High peak or Low peak depending on your needs or preference. An internal switch, on the other hand, gives you a choice between enhanced and true bypass.
- It is compact and reliable
- Both true and enhanced bypass
- Easy to operate
- OCD’s with high and low peak
- Volume, Drive, and Tone controls
#6. TC Electronic Dark Matter Distortion Pedal
By: TC Electronic
The distortion pedal comes with a variety of control knobs which makes it use effortless for the best sound distortion. It has the gain, level, treble, and bass controls where all of them ensure that there is total control of the distortion. It also has a true bypass which allows that there is no single tone that gets lost.
You can achieve a perfect shift in the bass response with this distortion pedal as it comes with a voicing switch that facilitates this. It has a wide range of sounds where among all these, it retains its base. You can achieve different sounds with it to meet your needs and preferences.
- Covers a wide sound spectrum
- Has a true bypass
- Gain, level, bass, and Treble controls
- Comes with a voicing switch
- Comes with two-band EQ
#5. Behringer OD300 Distortion Pedal
By: Behringer
The distortion pedal uses 9V battery or gets power supply from the BEHRINGER PSU-SB DC, where each offers a perfect sound distortion. Although they are not inclusive in the package, it is easy to find them in the market. The pedal is so powerful that it can produce a takeoff with an override or else a distortion. It can further combine the two effects for better results.
It is easy to control and use the distortion pedals as it comes with Level, Tone, Drive, and Mode controls to give you the best. It also comes with a LED indicator that shows you when it is on or off and also shows you the battery status.
- Powered by 9V battery
- Offers take off or distortion effects
- Level, Tone, Drive and Mode controls
- Comes with a LED light
- Power supply from BEHRINGER PSU-SB DC
- High quality with a rugged construction
#4. Pro Co RAT2 Distortion Pedal
By: Proco
The distortion pedal provides you with an excellent distortion where it works perfectly with arena rock rhythm tones. It is easy to control and use since it comes with three control knobs which include the distortion, filter, and volume to adjust the level that suits your needs.
The distortion pedal gives you a perfect boost to your solos, giving you the best sound. It has a high-quality construction which enables it to last for an extended period without breaking down. It is versatile, which makes it convenient and efficient to use.
- Has a versatile design
- Comes with three control knobs
- Works with arena rock rhythm tones
- Ensures perfect distortion
#3. Rowin Plexion Distortion Pedal
By: Rowin
The distortion pedal provides you with the best sound distortion, and it is easy to operate with the three control knobs, which include Gain, Tone, and Volume. It is also easy to toggle between bright and normal sounds. The two different working modes allow you to achieve various aspects. With the bright mode, you can comfortably get into classic rock while the normal mode enables you to get a clean sound.
The distortion pedal has a sturdy and durable high-quality zinc alloy construction which ensures that it lasts for an extended period. With the true bypass, it ensures that no tone is lost and hence provides you with a transparent tone. It also comes with a LED indicator that shows you the working state. Its mini size ensures that it takes less of the pedal board space.
- High-quality zinc alloy construction
- Gain, Tone and Volume control knobs
- Has normal and bright modes
- Comes with a LED indicator
- Has a true bypass
- Comes in a mini size
#2. MIMIDI Distortion Pedal
By: MIMIDI
Operating the distortion pedal is easy and effortless as the toggle switch allows you to get three kinds of fuzz which include the normal, bright, and warm to meet your needs perfectly. It uses the battery S-006/6F22 9V or the special AC-Adapter to bring about the effectiveness. The back battery cover makes it easy to put the battery.
You can achieve warm, blues jazzy soundings with this distortion pedal to meet your various needs. The true bypass ensures that you get a transparent and clear sound and a LED indicator to show the status progress. It has a full metal construction which makes it both sturdy and durable to serve you for long.
- Normal, Bright, Warm fuzz tones
- Uses battery S-006/6F22 9V and AC-Adapter
- Made of cast aluminum enclosure
- Comes with a LED indicator
- Has a true bypass
#1. BOSS Distortion Guitar Pedal
By: BOSS
It is easy and effortless to operate the distortion pedal with the three control knobs which include Tone, level, and distortion knobs, and thus get the best sounds. It has a sturdy and durable construction which ensures that it serves you for an extended period.
The distortion pedal produces classic tones for all types of music and thus enabling you to get the best. Its compact design makes it easy to handle and use. It also comes with a LED light that leads you through the progress whether on or off.
- Tone, level and distortion knobs
- Sturdy and durable construction
- Classic tones for all music
- Comes with a LED light
Distortion Pedals Buying Guide
- Sound effects: Depending on the type of sound you want to achieve, it is essential to pay attention to the one that the guitar will produce to avoid any inconveniences. The reason being that all the pedals do not provide the same type of sound effects. The kind of control knobs can lead you through the type of sound you intend to get.
- Construction: Since playing the guitar is not a one-day activity, it is essential to get a distortion pedal that will last for long. The material making it will determine its longevity depending on its quality, and you should, therefore, focus on high quality.
- Analog and Digital style: At some point, you will be required to incorporate either of the styles, be it traditional or digital. The distortion pedal that you choose should, therefore, be able to produce precisely what you want for it to be active and convenient.
- Cost: The prices for the various distortion pedals are not the same, including the ten in this article. It does not b=necessarily mean that higher prices mean higher quality. You will have an overview of the best in this article and come up with a budget that will prevent you from overspending and enable you to acquire precisely what you need.
Conclusion
Purchasing the best quality distortion pedal has a significant influence on the type of sound it will produce. It is, therefore, essential to determine the effectiveness of the pedal by considering several factors. The top ten best distortion pedals in 2023 in this article will lead you through the purchase process.
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