TC Electronic Dark Matter Distortion Pedal Review (A CHEAP Distortion)

[@MrPolevaulter]

Check out more budget pedal reviews: kzbin.info/aero/PLNaLwTdlpQNEWI6wA6DmOwlL6xucK7_n3

[@MrPolevaulter]

@@slimcorpse3241 Dunno. Try it out. Buy a second hand one. They're dirt cheap.

[@AlexH8280]

So for people who are confused... The Malmsteen OD pushes his amp into distortion. A distortion pedal like the Dark Matter is meant to simulate an already overdriven Marshall-style amp (from maxing out the volume). If you want MORE, you of course use an OD pedal to boost a distortion pedal the way he boosts his amp. An OD pedal not only adds gain but also tightens up the bottom end and woofiness of either an overdriven amp or distortion pedal.

[@DominicAirola]

This pedal can absolutely do metal if you have the right guitar. Doesn’t get past hard rock with my strat but with my 7 string with active p-ups it gets brutal! I’ll try to do a review soon.

[@NWTMasterWolf]

LOL. I put a large Orange drop in my knock off Tele and it chugs like my Dean Mustaine V. With my Dark Matter. But I can use my Pigtone and it's almost back to normal.

[@aldersmoke1]

It's interesting that you say you prefer overdrive to distortion, because that Malmsteen pedal sounds more like a modern metal distortion pedal than the Dark Matter. The Dark Matter is supposed to do an early 80s JCM 800 sound, which isn't as tight and compressed as that Fender pedal. And you clearly prefer that sound. Which is fair. I've been using the Dark Matter for years to dial in a 70s Sabbath sound and it's awesome for that in front of a good tube amp.

[@Fkutb1234]

Thanks for the review. One of the best for this pedal that I've found. I'm thinking of buying it. I really like the sounds you got from it. I'm not near the level you are at playing. I'm kinda moderate skill level. To me it sounded great and I think I will go ahead and buy it. Thanks again!

[@vergdan5258]

You are a great player, and you talk about all the things a player would care about, such as gain structure, buzziness, fizzy high end and all the other stuff. Great review. Keep up the good work. The TC guys tried to retain as much low end as possible from the guitar, as opposed to pedals like tubescreamer, so it does get quite mushy when using the neck pickup.

[@tonedriverss8629]

Good video demo . I have this pedal and really like it a lot . It works well with any of my amps and my other drive pedals . It Has a very natural amp - like sound . Does clean boost very well too . The bass and treble EQ is a big plus as well .

[@sinnertrain7405]

I really like how the Dark Matter sounds with the toggle switch down using the Strat. I recall when TC put these out quite a few years ago and thinking it sound good back then. I love TC Electronic pedals and should add this one to my collection, particularly considering the price.

[@erictoniaschwab1009]

This Guy, I just found you and subscribed. Great reviews and I love your humor. Finnish people must all be hilarious because you and the comedian Ismo both make me laugh hard 😆

[@MrPolevaulter]

Ismo is great :D

[@simaojoseph]

Lots of cork sniffers around here. I really enjoyed about every setting, very versatile pedal, no doubt about it. Your playing is very impressive.

[@MrPolevaulter]

Thanks!

[@basslinger]

Cork sniffers! 😆🤣😂😹😆

[@cryingsurrogate]

Probably best use I have for it is I add it to the OD channel of my Firebrand, to both boost the signal and make it sound either more tight, or get more overtones

[@terrencematabadal5437]

Honest...opinion...very good!!

[@nickgrigoropoulos3377]

Great review, thanks. After watching this and your Mooer Cruncher video, I decided to try the Fender Malmsteen pedal! 😄

[@MrPolevaulter]

Cheers!

[@MuscularMetal666]

I've watched few of your pedal review's videos. Wow, great review. You're good at testing stuff.

[@MrPolevaulter]

Cheers :)

[@thedrowned5066]

You're a great guitarist! I bought this pedal together with the Hall of Fame 2 by TCE. Hope to achieve a great result. Thanks for the reviews!!

[@JeighNeither]

I'm a little confused; He's loving the pedal for most of the vid, and then when he strips all the mids and gets mud, he gives up? It's a versatile pedal, and can dial in a wide range of sounds with the right rig. I'd just go by the first three quarters of the vid before he falls out of love with it. If you're looking for something beyond the Malmsteen sound, you can likely get it with this cheap pedal.

[@elmershiflett8154]

Hey Elmo, what do you think your favorite budget distortion pedal is that you have demoed?

[@MrPolevaulter]

Not sure. What do you class as budget?

[@elmershiflett8154]

Around 50 dollars US

[@elmershiflett8154]

I know behringer makes some pretty descent pedals, but I just wanted your opinion

[@frankeejethro]

Love your videos Elmo!!! I bought mine 7 months ago, like the sound and price, but now the footswitch is dead. I used regularly every weekend with "care".

[@MrPolevaulter]

Thanks! Yeah, the price is such that I don't think it's too reliable.

[@troybadolato7697]

NICE Playing

[@guyfromnj]

The switch sounds like up is mid scooped and down is mid humped. This sounds so much better than the mxr pedal btw. It's really good for the price. Elmo, is that a scalloped fretboard on the custom strat? Also, who made the custom strat?

[@MrPolevaulter]

It is. It was made by a friend of mine who has a company called Sale Custom Guitars.

[@hoosierdaddy2308]

Elmo. I am addicted to your channel my friend. Damn. I can't watch now though. Going to doctors office, but will check it out big time when I return home. I've heard great things about this pedal, and TC is a great company from what I can tell. I came very very close to pulling the trigger on a used Nova multi-effects which sounded steller. Anyway. Keeo up the good work. I will donate a few bucks today sir because, youvare providing good value to me with these vids. Take care sir.

[@MrPolevaulter]

Thanks man! Hope all went well at the doctor's.

[@cheenu711]

Hey Elmo love your playing. I think pedal needs the right setup to work. Boosting in front of it is fine but in my short time with this pedal I think it likes to have everything crystal clean behind it. Obviously you could just get a 5150 od but then that pedal is like 3 times the price. I was about to return this pedal but after tinkering with it over a weekend I kind of realised it really hates dirt after it. Turning the gain up kinda changes the character of the sound in a way like an actual amo would. I think your setup isn't suited for this thing but then again I thought it sounded good.

[@FK12Polaris]

P.S. For Bass it’s really great

[@hoosierdaddy2308]

It would work in a pinch, but the Fender overdrive sounded better to me.. Saw a vid of Paul Gilbert using it on a crunch channel like setting and then using it almost as a boost.

[@NWTMasterWolf]

How are we supposed to get an accurate assessment of the pedal when your signal chain includes so many other effects? I have this pedal and when I tested it out I ran it solo. It's an amazing pedal for chugging but can also be set very quaky. I am not bagging on you bro I am honestly trying to understand ( new to guitar playing ).

[@MrPolevaulter]

Which effects did I have, apart from delay?

[@bradmiddleton412]

This might sound like a really stupid question with an obvious answer, but just to be sure, can this pedal be powered by a T-Rex Fuel Tank JR? It's just I recently got a different distortion pedal and discovered it doesn't work properly off my power supply is all and just want to make sure before I get this one

[@MrPolevaulter]

I think so.

[@MrPolevaulter]

I'm 99% certain it should work.

[@bradmiddleton412]

I does, I ended up getting one. It's okay sounding but I wouldn't use it as my main distortion

[@homebrewznz3482]

Good info. Cheers Elmo

[@khamadiojiambo]

what fender pedal are you A B ing the dark matter with. Really like the sound of the fender

[@MrPolevaulter]

Fender Yngwie Malmsteen Overdrive.

[@Kadotus]

Elmo, I'll gladly take any extra €50 notes you have! _Haha!_

[@MrPolevaulter]

:D

[@5tw8se74]

Hey bud I have one it works great. It's built like a tank. Maybe it's you. If you were using it for all your noodling at the end it sounded great. I Don't understand what you found wrong with it.

[@MrPolevaulter]

It wasn't bad. It was fairly good with humbuckers. Still, not entirely my cup of tea. So yeah, it's very much me. Like I say in the video: "It's very much subjective".

[@robertclinger7351]

Hello Elmo! Would you please do a demo of the Keeley Filaments pedal? ...love your videos, from Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Bob

[@MrPolevaulter]

I'll have a look, but I can't promise anything. As it is I have a whole bunch of videos done, just waiting to be released, and all sorts of stuff gets released all the time.

[@MrPolevaulter]

And thanks :)

[@jamesprice6381]

Chelsea Constable slays cliffs of dover with it..

[@syzygy3120]

would this sound good with a solid state amp and a guitar with high output pickups??

[@MrPolevaulter]

I don't know.

[@heeteshshil]

Is it good for playing raw BlackMetal (old stuffs), dose it gives proper lofi sound?

[@MrPolevaulter]

I don't know. Sorry, I'm not into that stuff, so I'm not really qualified to say.

[@redseadiver43]

Elmo could you do a review about the stone deaf warp drive?

[@MrPolevaulter]

Not sure. Maybe, but I won't make any promises.

[@johanq6749]

What kind of delay pedal can I use with this Dark Matter? I mean what delay pedal will fit nice with this?..

[@MrPolevaulter]

Where are you putting the pedal? In the loop or before the amp?

[@GabrielNacu]

The fender overdrive you use definitely kills the Dark Matter! I have owned TC dirt pedals (like the Mojo and Dark Matter), and they just don't do it for me for regular lead stuff....

[@MrPolevaulter]

I really didn't like the Mojo Mojo.

[@GabrielNacu]

@@MrPolevaulter Same! I sold it to a mate, and he sold it too! haha

[@bustanorms2028]

@@MrPolevaulter seems boss sd1 is better and cheaper

[@tophatness5674]

Are those frets scalloped?!

[@MrPolevaulter]

Yes.

[@JimboKennedy]

Not too impressed with the pedal but you can shred, Elmo!

[@MrPolevaulter]

Cheers Jimbo!

[@KY_Bob]

Is the noise gate before or after distortion?

[@MrPolevaulter]

After.

[@KY_Bob]

Elmo Karjalainen thank you. I know that some people like that real muddy sound so they put it in front. I personally put my gate after my effects as well. I got the Digitech Drop pedal about a month ago and have it second in my chain. After my tuner and before my overdrive and distortion pedals. This Drop pedal from Digitech HAS CHANGED MY LIFE!!

[@image30p]

Great playing as before! Interesting pedal. :)

[@MrPolevaulter]

Thanks!

[@elgransergini]

I agree it's mushy. I though it was me not knowing how to tweak it, but I see it's simply not easy... or not possible.

[@Invert_Scrub]

Holy shit, this guy can play.

[@MrPolevaulter]

Cheers!

[@FK12Polaris]

Almost a dark matter of taste. Both sound insane to me

[@JeighNeither]

Drops all the way down to B and says "It's still a bit bassy" lmao, I'd hope so, you're well below the register of a four string bass

[@JeighNeither]

I think it's the lack of mids when you pull the bass and crank the treble that's getting muddy. It's only muddy in that one area of play as well... right around the strummer area

[@MichaelMcGlynns]

I had the Dark Matter for a long time and did everything I could to like. I didn't. Just not a good pedal at any price.

[@MrPolevaulter]

Yeah, not great.

[@msaintpc]

Now you understand why the piece of junk only cost $50.

[@neoaureus]

Do you trust a review in which the reviewer sits even without a guitar in the beginning ????

[@MrPolevaulter]

Hahahaa :D You're in contention for "Best Comment Ever" :D

[@neoaureus]

Elmo Karjalainen ...Elmo you're the boss! Haha

[@Zane_Doe]

Almost 4 minutes before we even hear the pedal. We actually hear a totally different pedal before we get to hear the TC @3:40

[@Anode230]

No foreplay? 😱

[@sryburn641]

Purchased Your review sucks.

[@MrPolevaulter]

Good for you.

[@rRichmoo7]

You can't do a good video if your constantly playing malmsteen riffs. You need to expand and demonstrate a wide range of styles. ARent you bored of the same malmsteen? Find your own sound, it gets old fast. There is only one malmsteen.

[@MrPolevaulter]

First off. Thank you for the critique of the actual demo. Secondly, you're actually knocking my musical style based on a pedal demo? Go and listen to some of my music if you want to critique that.

[@Liberty-hw9dh]

Nice, pretty close like plexi