Most drive pedals on sale today descend from a handful of classics. Learn these and you can decode almost any pedal description.
| Pedal | Type | Sound in a nutshell |
|---|---|---|
| Ibanez Tube Screamer (TS808, TS9) | Overdrive | Smooth, forward mids, tight bass |
| Klon Centaur | Overdrive / boost | Open, full, "more amp" |
| Boss SD-1 | Overdrive | Brighter Tube Screamer cousin |
| Boss BD-2 Blues Driver | Overdrive | Amp-like, raw, touch-sensitive |
| ProCo RAT | Distortion | Gritty, aggressive, from crunch to nearly fuzz |
| Boss DS-1 | Distortion | Bright, buzzy, affordable and everywhere |
| Electro-Harmonix Big Muff Pi | Fuzz | Thick wall of sustain, scooped mids |
| Dallas Arbiter Fuzz Face | Fuzz | Hairy, cleans up with the guitar volume |
| Maestro FZ-1 Fuzz-Tone | Fuzz | Raspy and buzzy, the '60s original |
| Tone Bender | Fuzz | Biting British '60s fuzz |
Overdrives
The Tube Screamer's trademark is its mid hump: it trims the bass and pushes the midrange, so your guitar sits forward in the mix. Many players run it with low Drive and high Level to push an amp that's already crunchy. It's commonly associated with Stevie Ray Vaughan.
The Klon Centaur, built by Bill Finnegan from the mid-'90s, adds gain without changing your amp's character much. Originals became collector items, so countless "klones" now copy the circuit at every budget. The SD-1 is Boss's take on the mid-hump idea, while the Blues Driver aims for the feel of a small amp turned up.
Distortions
The RAT's Filter knob works backwards: turn it up to darken the sound. You'll hear it everywhere from grunge to metal. The DS-1 is many players' first pedal and is commonly associated with Kurt Cobain.
Fuzzes
The Maestro FZ-1 from the early '60s is widely credited as the first big-selling fuzz, made famous by the Rolling Stones' "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction". The British Tone Bender followed and is often linked to Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page in the '60s. The Fuzz Face is commonly associated with Jimi Hendrix: roll back your guitar volume and it cleans up remarkably. The Big Muff trades that touch response for huge sustain and is commonly associated with David Gilmour.
When you try one, start with Gain around 11 o'clock and Level at unity (same volume as bypass), then explore.