The 5 Greatest Distortion Pedal Moments In History

[@davidmcdonnough]

In 1980, while I was a 15-y/o bassist at my 3rd real band rehearsal, we auditioned a new guitarist who brought a DS-1... totally blew my mind that all that growl came from that tiny little box. Great piece, Phillip!

[@pandemic7]

The early 90s...my Fender Strat into a DS-1 into a cheap Crate amp...good times.

[@mikeroadblock]

Sames.

[@Elksniffer1]

🤢 I remember

[@seanc.5310]

😂 Same. Cheap tone was terrible, times were good. I had a Mexi Strat, Rat dist pedal into a Crate combo

[@Alex-ze9tv]

Same here.

[@MatthewAmsterBurton]

Crate combo here in the early 90s too! Was it good? No. Did I gig the hell out of it? Yes. I think my distortion pedal was a yellow DOD.

[@the_hippykiller22]

The HM2 literally created the sound of a whole musical genre, the swedish melodeath with its chainsaw guitars. This is as iconic as it gets, and I love using it for chaotic distorted leads in the studio.

[@skaldlouiscyphre2453]

Not quite. The HM-2 is mostly associated with the older Swedish Death Metal scene focused on Stockholm. Swedish Melodeath took off a few years later in Gothenborg and didn't use the HM-2 nearly as much as the older bands. The Melodeath bands used a lot of Marshall 8100s and JCMs, along with some Peaveys. When the older bands used the HM-2 they used it's distortion more and used less amp distortion, the Melodeath bands when they incorporated it usually used it as a boost, when they used it at all.

[@koffieverslaafde627]

@@skaldlouiscyphre2453 at the gates used them as a boost right?

[@skaldlouiscyphre2453]

@@koffieverslaafde627 I think so, into an MT-2 is what I've heard was used to SotS.

[@pearljaime2]

More like the old school swede death, but still you're right.

[@zhiguli8]

Also used by shoegazers

[@meschadarc141]

the metal zone set the tone for my relationship with my mother-in-law. definitely defining.

[@monsterkxf]

Still have my Rat from the early 80’s. Best pedal ever!! 🤘🤘

[@Imokyourok440]

I want one of those to use with my ADA MP1 pre amp. I saw one at the pawn shop and by the time I got a paycheck it was gone🥲🥲

[@JohnDeMena]

Same here. The old 🐀 one with the LM chip. That thing’s tone is pure bliss

[@DMSProduktions]

Metal ver of the TS!

[@joet_swbo101]

Me too. Mine from the eighties, is still on my pedal board.

[@RobotShlomo]

I still have the reissue from the 90's. I tried a Boss OS2 a while back but I could never get it to sound the same way as it did in the store.

[@johncollins5552]

I love that Philip is not a hype/price/hipster influenced guy. He goes by what his ears tell him and has integrity.

[@fooglez]

One of the only guitar you tubers I can stand to watch. I’m a newer guitarist and almost all of the major channels give me really negative “fake” vibes, can barely sit through a few seconds of musiciswin.

[@rocktorrocks]

The DS-1 was my first pedal. Starting out, I had this little Fender Frontman 15G practice amp where the gain sounded like a can of bees. Then I bought my DS-1, plugged it in and was blown away, as I had a real proper gain sound like the albums I was listening to. Been over a decade but I still have that same little DS-1 and use it today.

[@ashleyjohansson230]

Line 6 spider + Metal zone + Gibson les paul = Ultimate metal tone

[@skaldlouiscyphre2453]

Epiphone Les Paul, tuned to G.

[@skaldlouiscyphre2453]

@@Ottophil That was the joke.

[@Bss_-eo9dn]

All the gain! No mids!

[@allamericanheadbanger812]

Throw a Spark mini clean boost right before the MZ, an EQ after and it actually does sound good...even if the Les Paul is an Epiphone.

[@kernjames]

Phillip you always give great info and critiques. I bought an MXR in 1978 and I still have it. It has been refurbished a couple of times, but it still works great.

[@mickbrenton]

I first played DS-1 back in 1979 and it still is a benchmark!

[@rickduntz]

Hmm I have a MXR Distortion+ I bought in 1974.Didn't know it was highly regarded but happy to know.

[@RobertStraughn]

My first pedal was a used Boss Heavy Metal HM-2. My dad picked it up for cheap at a yard sale in 2000 and I still have it today. Like Phil, my first amp didn't have distortion so this pedal was a game changer! It made my squier strat sound like a chainsaw and put a smile on my face.

[@Supernautiloid]

That was my first pedal too! Many years ago I traded it for a Boss octave pedal. (that I never use lol) Sure wish I had that HM-2 back again. :/

[@skaldlouiscyphre2453]

@@Supernautiloid Yeah, there's no way that octave pedal is worth $300 or more these days. I bought my HM-2 in a pawn shop for $40. The cheapest one on Reverb right now is $300, and mine is a 'black label', not a silver label like the cheapest ones. I don't believe there's substantial differences between the silver label MIT, black label MIT or the MIJ models.

[@Supernautiloid]

@@skaldlouiscyphre2453 Well I looked up my MIJ OC-2 a while back and it looks like I could get maybe a couple hundred bucks for it if I wanted to. But it's not in the best shape and the knobs have been changed from the original ones. So I'll just keep it I guess. I pull it out once in a while to play with it and then put it back in the closet haha.

[@skaldlouiscyphre2453]

@@Supernautiloid Interesting to know. I've never had much use for octave, outside of playing the odd CKY riff.

[@koffieverslaafde627]

@@skaldlouiscyphre2453 well since the waza is coming out it might go down in price significantly

[@Zeptyche]

I have memories of my step dads Boss pedals. I didn’t buy a Boss until I was almost 30. The DS-1.

[@BillDutton]

I bought my first pedal in 1981 right after I graduated from high school - an MXR Distortion+ and soon picked up an Ibanez compressor/limiter, Ibanez chorus and Ibanez delay. I used these with my '76 Gibson Les Paul Custom through my Yamaha G100 212 combo amp. I remember back then that it was a big deal if myself or one of my buddies bought a pedal. Some great memories.

[@courtney5796]

So happy to see this! Have been playing for only 3 mos and know NOTHING about pedals, but just picked up a DS-1 from a friend at work for $20. It seems to do it's job!

[@allanb1402]

My first distortion pedal was plugging into the input of my dad's tube Akai reel to reel tape player and cranking the input. It sounded like 25 Big Muffs plugged in series but when you are 11, you don't care lol.

[@WeeFreeMan78]

Found the love of my life in a Mxr custom badass 78 distortion. Cheap but man does it sound good...!

[@WeeFreeMan78]

@ET Music Not your kind of sound?

[@WeeFreeMan78]

@ET Music I use mine to tighten up the mxr a bit and they work together like a dream!

[@demongeminix]

The metal zone. All I have to say is.... ALL... THE... GAIN!!!!!

[@ronniefnd]

Every little bit of it!

[@gotherella3963]

NO MIDS

[@mr.nobody68]

*FUCKIN SLAYER!!!!!!*

[@TheDistortionPrinciple]

Scoop you amps mids, scoop the metal zone and scoop your eq pedal for maximum toan

[@glenkepic3208]

I never bought one but demoed one a few times in shops. A killer tone in like 5 seconds. More that i can say for the HM-2 i gave away. Not a bad pedal, just sterile sounding to me.

[@jyclin13]

Ola Englund played a metal zone thru a vox ac15 and it sounded amazing and now I want both. Awesome video, keep em comin 😀

[@patrickbrown8540]

Fun video! It’s amazing how in the 90s pre internet we had to go to music stores and ask questions. I also had no clue how to get distortion haha

[@bradleyard4195]

I've never had a DS1, because literally everyone I knew had one, so I went with an overdrive instead (an Ibanez TS10 Tube Screamer), and that's more or less what I used for years. Now, one of my favorite pedals on my board is my MXR Prime Distortion, which is basically a DS1.

[@brucemason8390]

P

[@davidisenberg125]

i got the first series MXR distortion + in the mid 70's and it has served me well all these years .... does not change the guitar tone, my strat still sounds like a strat, les paul still les pauling away and PRS sound good.....was only like 30 bucks back then

[@billyshears6622]

You're making me feel spoiled with my Peavey Backstage. I think my parents paid $120 for it in 1982 for my birthday present.

[@daviddent4492]

Same. Backstage, DS-1, Dunlop Wah. 1982. Aria Pro II guitar with a Koeller floating trem.

[@CivilianStorage]

1984 - Peavey Backstage, Boss HM2 Heavy Metal, and an Encore Les Paul copy. I am sure it sounded horrific to my parents, but to me it was amazing. Lol

[@mykneeshurt8393]

Metal Zone is my first pedal. I've had it 25 or so years and LOVE it.

[@delbert9357]

Great video I had the Distortion + back in the early 80's wish I still had it. Now I have the 5150 you showed. A lot has changed over the years thats for sure.

[@antoniocorsere5675]

Mid 90s my first distortion pedal was a DOD Grunge. Worked great for my bands Nirvana covers. Later I found out why. Kurt actually used the same pedal, lol. I still have it and use it.

[@djay6651]

My first distortion pedal was a DOD FX69 Grunge that I bought in '94. Originally, it pushed a Crate G-10, then a Marshall 8080 and now a Peavey Bandit Red Stripe 112. It's still in my chain.

[@sighermike]

Dude, my first pedal was also a DOD FX56 (purple) distortion pedal. I used to love that thing. played it through my cheap Fender M-80 half stack. that $400 amp is what allowed a 16 year old kid to have a half stack.

[@chrisbystrak7967]

The dod American metal was my first pedal too

[@Mark-pi9eb]

My first pedal was the Ibanez Super Metal pedal; still my favorite. I just picked up a vintage one off of Reverb and it was in mint condition. My daughter runs the Ibanez Mini - Super Metal and it sounds great as well.

[@fooglez]

When I first started guitar during the pandemic i wanted a "clean tone" but I soon found out that I couldn't crank my amp to 10 to get sustain and good sound. As such I went on the journey to understand distortion, drives, and other pedals. Being unaware of how much pedals affected the sound I didn't think about getting one for a long time. I wanted to be "good" without pedals first, then add to taste, like spices in a recipe. But after research and listening to a lot of other songs, I bit the bullet. As soon as I got my first distortion (fuzz) pedal a month ago everything flipped. After messing around with the settings and playing around with it for a few days. It hit me deep in my core, hearing the notes ring out, squeal a bit, with just a little bit of dirt behind the note with the sustain from "cranking" your amp. I hit that For the Love of God riff like I was actually Vai and it was game over for me. It's turned into a drug, wanting to pick up my guitar and lay down a riff just to hear those notes ring out. Through discovering the versatility and sound of distortion, I discovered a deeper love for guitar. I think that for me, is the beauty of distortion pedals, no other pedal I've gotten has given me that feeling.

[@gtr1952]

I wish I had KYG in 1970!! I bought an Ames Dept. Store flat top in 1968. In 1970 I got my first gig playing with a country rock band. It happened by chance and I needed a guitar and amp ASAP. Through an ad in the local penny saver I found a '60's Gibson ES325 and bought it. Then a band mate found me an amp, 1968 Fender Twin Reverb 100W w/ JBL speakers that belonged to a steel player, and I bought it. It was mint, showroom new! The magnets in the JBL's weighed 20 lbs each! Now just imagine trying to get that to break up a little in a 150 person capacity beer joint!! LOL 8) --gary

[@robertpaul2698]

My first “pedal” was my Hitachi D 850 3 head cassette deck in 1978. Plugged the guitar into the microphone input, of course overloading it, and got a great sustaining fuzz-Stortion. Plugged the headphone output into the input of my Marlboro solid state amp, which in itself totally impossible to distort. It was just loud and clean when turned to 11. I called it my “cheater” because I thought at the time all the great guitar players got distortion by using just their guitar, amp and fingers/technique. I never heard of a fuzz box, etc. I played in a band in the early to mid 80’s as a poor, in debt student, just using my clean solid state amp, and then got busy with life and didn’t pick up the guitar again until about 2000. By that time the internet existed and I soon discovered things called guitar pedals were responsible for a lot of the sounds I had heard way back when. I thought, how could I have been so naive and stupid not to know that. Now I have a tape pre-amp fuzz-stortion I built myself that gets me to my old tape deck sound. I also have over 50 manufactured and self built pedals. Still got many more waiting in the wings to build - fuzzes and distortions.

[@leoahearn7382]

My first pedal was an MXR D+ script bought new in 1979. I had an Acoustic 100 watt head - all clean power.

[@davebarone506]

Josh , im happy to see how positive you are about all products, you brig all these pedals to light.

[@randols001]

My first distortion pedal was a Washburn Stack in a Box. That thing rocked!

[@ERWebster]

Thank you for mentioning Metal Zone. The internet has an issue with taking memes, trends, and jokes and interpreting them as serious fact. The Metal Zone still remains one of the most versatile digital distortion pedals available, due to it's powerful (some would say too powerful and too sensitive) EQ. ...And I sold mine on the pretense I would get a Waza version eventually, but in the end I feel like a good tube distortion is still a better sound than 99% of digital distortions.

[@wisdomoverfear2685]

My first pedal ever was a Electro Harmonix Big Muff and a year later my second pedal was an Ibanez Tubescreamer ! Then a boss digital delay and I was set for the next 15 years playing through an old 50 watt Marshall half stack !

[@MyCrazyDogs32]

My first pedal was also a DOD American Metal, and I still have it. Bought it in May of 1986.

[@KarlEQuist]

I still have mine too. Bought approx Feb 1987 or so. I still have the battery cover too :-)

[@MyCrazyDogs32]

@@KarlEQuist mine lost the battery compartment cover and the top of the distortion knob. I remember when I bought it, my original intention was to get a Boss DS-1 distortion pedal. But the shop I went to was sold out, and they had just received the American Metal. Since it was over an hour away from where I lived, I just went ahead and got it. The guys at my local guitar shop teased me mercilessly about it because they had never heard of it. A few months later, they couldn't keep them in stock, they were selling so much.

[@maggieo]

My '86 RAT has been mmy secret weapon since the days of hair metal and Jeff Beck solo LPs.

[@doneriksen5599]

My first distortion pedal was the Boss DS-1. I used it with an Orange CR35C. I still use it with my Marshall DSL1CR. Great pedal.

[@One80theband]

One of my first pedals was was the distortion plus. Ran it through a Kustom 1x12 amp with a guild guitar. Thought I was in Kiss.

[@jacobpittman1996]

Thank you Phil for the video. You brought back a lot of memories. My first dirt pedal was a Danelectro Pastrami Overdrive (gift from a friend). Then my pursuit of affordable dirt lead me to a Morely pro distortion volume-wah (sounded like a Rat)- $40 from a friend. Then Boss OS-2 Overdrive/Distortion for $55, ‘cause I thought I could get sustain like Santana... Then, the Boss HM-2, ‘cause it was $40 at EZ-Pawn (in the box). I liked it; I lent it; I lost it (with the box). There were and are others, but years later, a great, more experienced guitarist who I was running sound for gifted me a new Boss DS-1, which I only recently passed on to a friend. I gave away and sold (for various reasons) my distortion pedals as I have evolved my rig. It is cool to think what other players are doing with that gear now. Rock on!

[@patrickegan8963]

I Loved the American Metal. I played through one once in the late eighties and have never forgotten the sound. I have to find a used one now.

[@elenbrandt290]

I did not know these things - thank you!

[@majikmyst]

In 1981 I bought a used Dist+(block) from another student. Had lots of fun with that. I think a style appropriate "distortion" is most players first pedal. I probably would have included the big muff in your list. While today we call it fuzz back in the 70s & 80s it was just a distortion, and way less expensive than the MXR.

[@stoneysdead689]

Dude- you did a video on distortion boxes/overdrives and didn't mention a Klon or a blues breaker- well done. Cool to see some other drives get a little love every once and while- everyone talks about the Klon and the blues breaker- endlessly.

[@Claimjumper55]

My 1st distortion pedal, which I still own after 35 years, is an Ibanez SD9 Sonic Distortion. I also own a Metal Zone in there with all my others.

[@Jay-wk9xj]

Same. Still like it better than any tube screamers ivd tried..

[@charleswood123]

I used to play a metal zone into a fender solid state amp in my college band. Wasnt until much later with online forums and stuff that I saw that was considered a joke

[@johnfrenette]

Nothing’s a joke if it worked for you and the band sounded good as a whole. If it sounded good, then anybody flapping their gums is just gatekeeping.

[@AD1978leo]

I was in a band with cheap gear and guitars. We practiced hard though and had a lot of fun!

[@andrewksadventures]

If you got to play live much no one would have noticed much difference in gear anyway!

[@johnfrenette]

@@AD1978leo I think that’s the premise of a Bryan Adams song about a summer in the late 60s

[@AD1978leo]

@@johnfrenette lol fair enough 🤣

[@michael_caz_nyc]

I had an original Big Muff, Boss DS-1, DOD 250 overdrive/preamp, MXR original Distortion + ( now I'm 10x happier with: Barber Gan Changer SR, Fulltone OCD 1.7 & Thorpy Muff ) . Always enjoy your content Phillip. You area great source of information.

[@f.d.english5080]

I don't know why the Metal Zone gets a bad wrap. I love it

[@HauntedGuitarMan]

Cannibal corpse uses a metal zone in front of a dual rectifier. They had the most brutal metal sound I've ever heard live. At least they use to. Back in 2003 not sure about now.

[@f.d.english5080]

@@HauntedGuitarMan I only use it in my room so maybe it good for that. Lot of bass if ya want. Anyway cool man didn't know that

[@HauntedGuitarMan]

And lol...at the gates slaughter of the soul album is probably the best sounding metal album ever. Imo. A peavy supreme ss head. With a metal zone. A homemade cab.

[@chefboy6123]

Rockman Ultimatum slays them all - I had one should have never sold it! Only 50 were made.

[@RustyPryde]

My first pedal was a DOD Hard Rock Distortion. My first amp had Vol, Treb, Mid, Bass, and a Gain that just added more volume. Plugging in that FX57 blew my 14yr old mind. Been a pedal addict ever since.

[@lelandgaunt7130]

The best advice for a beginner Rock/Metal player, Metal Zone, Tube Screamer in front and Duncan Distortion. After a few years of proper practice, Tube Screamer if you can't afford a Friedman BE 100 or a Suhr PT100.

[@antonix_81]

i've got my 1983 ds1 and love it, no modification needed...only thing i have to replace in old boss pedals are the switch j fet, after 30+ years they start to fail

[@VoxMax1200]

Nice video. Always played on amps without any drive or distortion.. (Volume, bass, middle & treble) .. Just with pedals or processor! Clean tone is very important to me!

[@sgriffett541]

this is better than the movie... thanks

[@harryballs5080]

Boss Super Overdrive, 100 watt Marshall, 1972 Gibson Les Paul standard. A lot of fun.

[@awakennomore]

My first distortion pedal was a DOD Grunge, still have it, but it's long dead. Nowdays my only standalone "distortion" pedal is a WMD Geiger Counter.

[@markcatron8996]

I purchased a Metal Zone when they hit the market, and never understood why people bash that pedal, it has its place where it shines, great for some smooth solos when chained with eq and a bit of delay. I love my Metal Zone.

[@grumpymikeguitar]

My very first pedal was a used MXR Distortion + that I bought sometime around 1977 or 78. I also got a Phase 90 either at the same time or soon after. Currently, I've been using a Fender Pugilist.

[@taurushamilton2739]

A great combo🤘🏾

[@garrettboomerbender]

Boss DS1 was my first pedal and it's pretty much everyone's first pedal

[@Imokyourok440]

1988. I hadn’t been playing very long. I ordered a tube screamer because I read that Metallica used them. I was so excited. I was gonna sound just like metallica. My little Holmes practice amp was about to become a fire breathing metal machine! It came in the mail and I couldn’t wait to plug it in and play some Metallica. I plugged it in and.......imagine my disappointment. I felt like I had been kicked in the gut. I had to fight back tears. It sounded nothing like my hero’s from the Bay Area. The long haired stoned kid at school who sold me my first guitar and wore a “Metal up your ass” shirt every other day, said it didn’t have enough distortion and I felt like a complete buffoon. It would be a long time before I learned how they used the tube screamer. By that time, I had traded it for a Boss heavy metal pedal.

[@mikemoir4944]

86 ibanez ds10 distortion with a cheap frankenstrat copy and an old traynor tube amp still to this day best dry sabbath tone ever.

[@allamericanheadbanger812]

I’ve never used a real Metal Zone, but there’s one for Katana amps through the Boss Tone Central computer program. It works real good to get that early/mid 80’s Metallica tone

[@Theenragedone]

The Katana Metal Zone impulse is ok, but it doesn't come close to the real thing. It certainly doesn't come close to getting the Swedish Chainsaw HM1/Metal Zone sound. Same thing with the Tube Screamer impulse.

[@ericbgordon1575]

The Metal Zone is also potentially useful for emulating the Tom Scholz Rockman distortion tone. I was experimenting with that idea (within my Boss ME-80), when Rich Bischoff suddenly marketed the NU X Plexi Crunch pedal earlier this year. *KILLER!!!!!!!!*

[@JonNewquist]

My first dirt pedal in 1989 was the Guv'nor into my JC-160 (yeah, 150w into 4x10 - the loudest clean tone). Roland's Jazz Chorus "distortion" circuit was a joke. But the Guv pushed my Ric 360 into Smithereens bliss. I wish I never sold that rig.

[@borgonianevolution]

My first distortion pedal was a Boss DF-1 that had the feature of stepping on to hold a note nearly indefinitely. That was stolen with the Washburn A 20v I bought new and only owned for less then a year. After that it was an OG Rat that I still have. finally a metal zone before I crossed over to digitech gear for better control and simplicity. But a rat paired with a boss Ge 7 equalizer made any amp sound incredible. Even my little 10 watt Gorilla hehe.

[@alwaysrockn2009]

My first distortion pedal on the 90’s was also the American Metal Pedal. I think it was $55 new. I had a Gorilla amp, a DOD Stereo Chorus before I scored the American Pedal. Wow, it was awesome at the time. Rock on!

[@fredfox3851]

In my first teenage basement band (1970) my guitarist boosted his Fender Vibro Champ with an Electro Harmonics LPB-1(I think) in line distortion. It was primitive but a game changer. : )

[@fredfox3851]

@@RaymondGinn1978 I'm sure it was just a boost but because the tiny amp was full up, it gave us a taste of distortion. Later he got a Fuzz Face (obviously not quite distortion either) and we were rockin'. : )

[@Kylora2112]

Visual Sounds Jekyll & Hyde...that Hyde side is just SICK!

[@LeviBulger]

Visual Sounds makes killer pedals. The JnH is definitely amazing. I think the Hyde side is a Guv'nor circuit. I absolutely love their Route 66. I'm surprised more people don't use their pedals. Very underrated

[@RobertNolan]

My first ever pedal was a boss ds-1, and I've recently modded it for a better filter range and more output. I've also modded the clipping diodes for a few mosfets. I can still get those same classic ds-1 sounds but a wide range of others as well.

[@Gearjunkie35]

Great intro to pedals. Love the new content. Bringing the fun back! Thanks Phil

[@billslamp]

My first, the Boss DF-2 Super Feedbacker/Distortion. Long gone, but I still have my HM-2 Heavy Metal pedal, from 1988.

[@kylef5474]

I love the Metal Zone. It was my 1st petal and I’ve owned 2 of them thru the years.

[@roberthart4160]

The MetalZone is always underrated.. I'll never forget my first experience with it... I was a drummer at the time, my bassist wanted more balls to his sound... we were young, clueless and new to playing... Well, the guitarist had a Metalzone she never used... handed it to my bassist, he plugged up, turned up and BOOM!! It was pure balls to the wall goodness!

[@josephcorcoran8714]

That DOD American Metal was my very first pedal too.

[@PhillipMcKnight]

I just bought one and I will be doing a reaction video to see what I think all these years later

[@josephcorcoran8714]

I’m looking forward to that video. I couldn’t remember what the name of that pedal was until I saw you hold it up. I used to use my ‘69 Mustang or Kramer into my Dad’s 68 Bassman. I thought it sounded awesome but probably sounded awful lol. We will see when your video comes out.

[@robertgainor4248]

@@PhillipMcKnight I bought one back in the eighties brand new when I was stationed in England. Had to sell it years later to buy diapers. It was one of the first pedals that I bought when I started getting gear again. It was great to have all that gain on hand. This thing works great when you can shape it with a modulation pedal on the back end. I usually use a flanger set very sparingly to give just enough effect to smooth the distortion out. I've been messing around with a phase pedal behind it lately too with some good results. Looking forward to your video on this pedal.

[@gunslinger80sguitars]

Loved this pedal! Look forward to the video🤘🏻

[@valuedhumanoid6574]

I have 3 flavors on my board. The Boss DS-1X is so friggin good. If you turned the gain on a regular DS1 to full it would be about half way on the 1X. So it will cover everything from that Randy Rhoads tone up to the highest gain tone you can imagine. Then my Hardwire CM-2 for that SRV Texas blues, and a Big Muff for my Cream Sunshine of your Love fuzz tone. Between the three I can do just about every genre and do it well.

[@robertgainor4248]

DOD FX 56 American Metal was my first distortion pedal as well and I still use it. I love running it through a flanger or other modulation pedal with just enough modulation to smooth out the rough edges.

[@mikehughes2183]

I think you got it right Phil! The metal zone is brilliantly versatile. I could get all kinds of tone out off it, I could get a Tele to sound like a Les Paul.

[@JamieStephens5309]

1st Distortion Pedal was a Ross D/P Combination. Distortion Phaser dual pedal. Great Sounds from that one in 1979.

[@runningwithscissors0911]

The amazing Fran Blanche (of FranTone ~ Peach Fuzz Pedal and more) is in that movie.

[@CaptDan-zk4tt]

First pedal in 1975 MXR distortion + Plus, Into a Fender Vibro Champ, felt like GOD!

[@nibrocnoel3240]

My first pedal was the DOD Supra Distortion. I think around '93. I still have it for the nostalgia.

[@MusicTherapyLaz]

Looking forward to the movie

[@louaguado995]

MXR distortion plus was my first pedal. My first amp, given to me by my unknowing parents, was a solid state bass amp. It didn't even have a built-in drive channel! Only volume and tone knobs. Perfect for smooth jazz tones, but I wanted to rock! As soon as I heard the Scorpions used a distortion plus I had to have one. Remember the Ibanez LA Metal pedal? Had that box of bees later, but preferred the MXR

[@monmixer]

I had the MXR first. Bought the big box Ratt when it came out. Loved it. traded the MXR for Boss CE-2 chorus which I see up their over your right shoulder. Sold the Marshall because it was just to damn loud. bought a deluxe reverb and could crank it in about half the venues we played. small clubs it rarely went past 5.

[@Thorsbeard]

Until last year I used the same Metal Zone for 20 years. It finally died and man I was bummed when it happened. Haven't touched a guitar since then.

[@markn4526]

Nice video! I've owned all these distortion pedals except the Guv'nor. The only one I still have is the Metal Zone. The one that disappointed me the most was the Rat. I know a lot of people make fun of the Metal Zone, but I was using it with a Hiwatt Custom 50 thru a 4x12 with G12-65's and it defined my tone at the time. I know a lot of people love the Rat and I really wanted to love it too, but I've owned 2 at different times over the years and I could never get its tone to work for me.

[@echoguitarist]

I love that you referenced Biffy Clyro! They just don't get enough attention. They are amazing. "Balloons" is an often overlooked gem.

[@robertkidd6270]

According to their dad's. ..I apparently sold them their first guitars ...RGMmusic Kilmarnock 😆

[@bluesdude1194]

My first pedal was a Guyatone > PS-011 (Distortion/Sustainer), I wish I still had it.

[@reedeux7818]

I also owned a DOD American Metal pedal (bought mine new) for the same reason you did. Loved that pedal!

[@markrosenquist8259]

Crate 115 watt combo amp plugged into a crate half stack. Metal zone pedal and a Gibson les Paul studio. Opened for Bad Brains, Agent Orange,Bio-hazard, sick of it all just to name a few. Early 90s South Florida. Great times!!!

[@kirkr1961]

Y'all can say what you want about the MT2 metal zone. It's one of my favorite pedals. As always Phillip I thank you for your knowledge and the sharing of such. Keep rockin'!!!

[@sparky191]

I had three of these. Have none now. I realised it wasn't the pedals that were bad. It was me.

[@deanrobertnoble138]

Bought my original Made In England Guvnor when it came out. Still in the box with the manual, and packing foam. Used all the time through the 90s and 2000s! Still think of the Gary Moore still got the blues album cover featuring it!

[@heymrguitarman7637]

DOD Hard Rock Distortion was my first ever pedal.

[@thatmanonapedal]

Bough DS-1 one month ago. I have 350 eur stuff on my board, but this pedal, for me, works perfectly in stock condition.

[@DjangoClouds]

My first pedal was also a DOD American Metal. I play exchanged it for a DS1 and that for a DS2. Memories....

[@KRAZEEIZATION]

The MXR Distortion + is great but in certain settings. The Maxon SD-9 is great too. I prefer it to the Boss DS-1.