Topmusicanswers
Distortion pedals are considered more versatile with more parameters to shape your ideal sound. Their downfall is that some cheap pedals can sound unnatural. In contrast, the majority valve amp distortion provides a more, smoother, and overall, more well-rounded distortion.
- Are pedals better than amp effects?
- Do I really need a distortion pedal?
- Do you need a distortion pedal with a tube amp?
- Can a pedal break an amp?
Are pedals better than amp effects?
A particular pedal may do an effect better than the amp. There is only so much processing power available in your amp, and sometimes the programmers cut corners to use it efficiently. Or, maybe the pedal just does something in analog that the amp isn't replicating well digitally.
Do I really need a distortion pedal?
As we've concluded in this guide, a distortion pedal is almost essential for electric guitarists, to allow you to access the full range of tones you will probably be used to hearing in the music you love.
Do you need a distortion pedal with a tube amp?
Most tube amps won't need a distortion pedal, digital or otherwise. When an amp has both a dirty (gain) and a clean channel, this allows you to dial your distorted tones along with whatever clean sound you might want to use.
Can a pedal break an amp?
Super, mega high output boost pedals (beyond anything you're likely to find commercially) could fry the input stage of a solid state amp. Octave down pedals at super high volumes into a loud amp could mess up speakers, but a lot of amps these days can handle that just fine.
