What’s your favorite distortion?

[Bloodshotben]

I’ve been considering building a noise gate, tube screamer, distortion, and tpa3118 chip into a project box for a little home made amp head, but am torn on what to use for dirt. There are so many great options on the site, what would y’all use? Also does anyone that’s done something similar have any general advice or ideas?

 

[Barry]

Tubescreamer I'd go with the Frost Drive

 

[Betty Wont]

My favorite distortion build is a Bajaman Uberschall Preamp.

 

[BuddytheReow]

I think it depends on your style of playing. I don't think there's a best all around set of effects. I would also include a boost in your setup too. SOme of the classics for dirt are tubecreamers, boss bd2, rat, mxr distortion+ to name a few. You may also like Dr Boogie or Sanguine distortion if you're into the 'chugga chuggas'

 

[Nostradoomus]

Tube screamer and a Rat are a thing of beauty together.

 

[beachbum]

I like rat style distortions on the cleaner side. so I like the JHS Kilt (expandora circuit), 1981 DRV and the rat clone I've built. While not a drive pedal, the Solo Dallas Storm (I have an AION clone) is an amazing clean pedal that makes playing a lot more fun. It has a huge boost so it can saturate a tube amp, otherwise it stacks well with transparent overdrives

 

[BuddytheReow]

Tube screamer and a Rat are a thing of beauty together.

TS into the rat or the other way around?

 

[Danbieranowski]

The Brown Betty is really great and versatile.

 

[jubal81]

Hmm. I think I'd pair that mid-hump OD with a preamp emulator like the M800.

 

[Nostradoomus]

TS into the rat or the other way around?

TS into rat.