Pedal that mimics Mesa Boogie's distortion sounds on their amps

[southga08]

I like the way Mesa Boogie's distortion sound on their amps.  Which distortion pedal do you recommend I either buy, build, or mod, to get close to that sound and tone without having to purchase the amp?  There are hundreds of distortion pedals out there and I have not played through that many of them, so I appreciate all help.  I am looking for distortion in the AC/DC - Alice in Chains range.

[magikker]

Doesn't AC/DC famously use 100 watt marshall amps to get their sound? That alone leads me to think that you ought to listen to the tracks at Runoffgrove they have some great effects based on amps

[jonathan perez]

ac/dc-alice in chains?  youre looking for a marshall distortion tone. runoffgroove is the place for you!

also, consider modding the boss ds-1...use the search function up top for more information.

[southga08]

I was using AC/DC as a reference that I wasn't looking to play deathmetal or SRV with this pedal.  I guess I should have just said hard rock music, but not metal. 

On a side note could you explain what specifics on the runoffgroove website.

[markm]

Isn't  Dr.Boogie supposed to have a cure for this ailment? 

[magikker]

I think a loud amp is often the answer this question. When I was starting out I'd often wonder, "What does Green Day use?" The answer turned out to be a really loud amp. "A really loud amp" is the answer for a lot of classic tones.

If you want to mimic that sound in a small box, head over to runoffgroove. They do a great job of putting amp sounds into small boxes. Though as a side note you might want to consider the amp you're playing through and it will interact with the effect.

For instance, The first time I played a fuzzface I thought it was the single worst sounding pedal ever made. I was playing it into a very clean Fender Super Twin and it made my guitar sound like a wasp in a mason jar. The next time I played one I was plugged into a darker amp that was just at the point of break up. Suddenly that same pedal sounded great. The highs were rolled off a bit by the amp and tube distortion changed the way the fuzz sounds. For me it was the combo of the amp's distortion combined with the fuzz that made it great.

So there I am looking for a fuzz pedal, and I have to think of what I wanted. I could build a straight up fuzz face and just know that I need to put it into the right amp, or I could build one with a bit of clipping after the fuzz and have it sound right (to me) going into a clean amp....

Long story short, look at the rest of your set up and figure out how you want to get your sound.

[jonathan perez]

not all amps sound good loud, believe it or not...marshall amps sound amazing loud...the sound youre looking for is a too-loud marshall tube amp.

http://www.runoffgroove.com/thor.html

[markm]

not all amps sound good loud, believe it or not...marshall amps sound amazing loud...the sound youre looking for is a too-loud marshall tube amp.

http://www.runoffgroove.com/thor.html

True.
And most LOUD amps are smaller than you'd think.....at least on record.

[jonathan perez]

i want a 50watter to blow air with...lets be honest, 100watts is LOUD...

[magikker]

100 watt's is loud.
However I happen to own a 180 watt Fender Super Twin Reverb.... There are no words for how loud that amp is.

I'm a big fan of AC-30s and pro juniors. Its a great feeling to be able to get good break up at decent volumes.

[powerplayj]

AC/DC - Maybe check out the Runoffgroove "Eighteen" or possibly the "Thor"

For AIC / Jerry Cantrell I think you definitely want something in the realm of a rectifier...maybe the Dr. Boogey for DIY or the MI Audio Tube Zone for a commercially available pedal.

If you want a pedal that does both you may have to give a little on one end of the spectrum.

[goosonique]

IMO ... a BD2 with mod pretty much gives the Marshall crunch 

[fikri]

Trust me, even a cranked 5Watt tube amp is way TOO LOUD for your bedroom !!!
By the way, you should listen to THOR, it is a very nice sounding distortion.

[jonathan perez]

bedroom? im a regular playing fast metal at loud volumes...come to think of it, i dont have any sort of amp in my house...dag nabbit...

my vote, ultimately, is for the Thor.