Top 5 Best-Sounding Affordable Distortion Pedals

Top 5 Best-Sounding Affordable Distortion Pedals

Boss DS-1 https://www.amazon.com/BOSS-DS-1-Distortion-Pedal/dp/B0002KYY14?th=1







Boss pedals are well known for their sturdiness, longevity, and great sound. They are also very affordable. The Boss DS-1 pedal will last you a lifetime if you don't break it on purpose. It is also a very easy-to-use one since it has only three control knobs: Tone,Level, Distortion. 

Ibanez TS9 https://www.amazon.com/Ibanez-TS9-Tube-Screamer-Classic/dp/B000T4PJC6

The TS-9 also known as the "Tube Screamer" is famous for its durability and powerful sound. Just for the sake of argument, here are some of the names that use (or have used in the past) this popular pedal: The Edge, Joe Bonamassa, Rory Gallagher, Jerry Cantrell, Cliff Burton, etc...

Just like the DS-1 by Boss, the TS9 by Ibanez has three control knobs: Drive, Tone, and Level. If you want to sound like a guitar hero, don't hesitate to buy it. 

MXR M104https://www.amazon.com/Dunlop-M104-MXR-Distortion/dp/B0002E520C

  

Simple, yet very powerful, the MXR M104 is the favorite toy of many players when it comes to distortion. Why? Well, because it sounds fantastic. 
This pedal, as you can see from the image, has only two control knobs: Output and Distortion.Still, it is one of the best-sounding distortion pedals in its price range. 

Boss DS-2
https://www.amazon.com/Boss-DS-2-Turbo-Distortion-Pedal/dp/B0002CZV8C

DS-1's big brother - the DS-2 "Turbo Distortion" pedal by Boss is a very versatile pedal. It has two modes - the first one sounds just like the DS-1 sounds - powerful and steady, while the second mode is kind of a more modern-sounding distortion.
Aside from the mode switch, the DS-2 has Level, Tone, and Distortion control knobs.
Of course, being a Boss it will last you decades of usage, without letting a single teardrop.

Pro Co RAT2 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002MSQVQ/ref=psdc_11968421_t3_B0002CZV8C?th=1





The Pro Co RAT2 distortion pedal is as simple as it can be, but it has all that you need in a distortion pedal - three control knobs that will help you find the sweet spot of your amp in seconds. Affordable, yet powerful, the RAT2 easily makes our list of Top 5 Best-Sounding Distortion Pedals without even thinking about it. It can add sparkle to your sound, but it can also sound HUGE! 

Summary

If you are looking for your first distortion pedal, and you are wondering which pedal you should get - the answer to that question is very simple - just choose one of these five pedals and you won't make a mistake. While there are much more expensive, fancy distortion pedals on the market, these five have been proven for years by the best players in the world. Still, if you are not sure which one to get, just go to your local guitar store and try out them - you will be amazed by how these pedals sound!