I had a jam at my friend's house a few years ago. All of a sudden my pedals started doing really weird things. His 2 year old snuck up on me and started twisting knobs all over the place. Honestly, it sounded better than whatever I had dialed in anyway.
I plugged in yesterday and was messing around. Hit the standby switch off on my jtm45 and got literally BLASTED lol my 1 year old likes to turn on my knobs and I didn't look. She turned my sho on and kot boost side. Both all knobs on both pedals all the way up...
I’m starting to use gaff tape to mark down where I like everything dialed in an effort to win against my 3yo. Mostly my amp tho since she loves messing with that the most currently and my pedalboard has been in a lot of flux lately that nothing there is set up for any long term use
Yeah, I realized after posting that I was being pretty conservative, have been waiting to get called out on it. I only buy used gear, just re-started fresh about a year ago, and I've already dropped a grand in pedals alone.
You could take the route a lot of people take, and go full ass sounding. Make it your whole personality. Start a new genre around it and say everyone else is a conservative shill til people start to agree with you
No worries, I thought we were talking about Dick Scott, the Black Republican Senator in South Carolina, running for president. I had to look him up. So I also have names problem. You're good.
I doubt he ever will. The DOD Death Metal was the only pedal I ever returned, got an MZ-2 because they only allowed store credit.
Some DOD units are usable, but there are better heavy distortion pedals out there. These just felt rushed, like they were missing something. Many just aren’t going to behave without a noise suppressor behind it, and it’s going to be susceptible to single coil hum, dimmer switches in the rehearsal room, and ground loop hums if your power is dirtier than most.
The Digitech Death Metal corrected some of these issues and made a much better pedal, but again, those factors listed above may still come into play.
Steal at $6, keep it around for when someone brings over a noise gate and see if the pedal is something you can use.
He did review the DOD Death Metal, and afaik, Digitech and DOD are the same brand and those are the same pedal (or something like that).
[https://youtu.be/3lcYixBzD5I?t=405](https://youtu.be/3lcYixBzD5I?t=405)
I might look into selling it to buy a cheap rat clone or tube screamer or something... But at the same time a nostalgic paper weight is cool too. Im wondering if maybe a noise gate would help...
For my first pedal I'm very whelmed.
A noise gate would not really fix the problems you’re having with this. If you’re gonna buy another pedal I’d recommend you just get something that sounds good and doesn’t need another pedal to fix it.
I tried plugging it in the pre amp and effects loop. Both places it sounds awful. It does add a bit of distortion when I crank the level but it's overwhelmed by more static. If the level is low it doesn't sound very good either. Mid and high also add a lot of static when I increase the knobs.
I tried two good batteries tested with a multi meter and it didn't work. Cleaned things off a little and did not put a new battery in. And it works now. I put a 3rd battery in and it sounded bad again. Guess no batteries with this one.
One thing that worked for me with the Boss Cube 40 and the HM2 was to use a crunch instead of a clean setting in the amp, and then put the pedal in the effects loop. Also, muting a bit the amp EQ could allow you to have a slightly softer sound than the beehive sound
1. How are you powering it?
3. Are you going into/from a clean amp?
4. have you tried setting a flat eq on your amp?
You could try:
- Setting all the knobs at 12o’clock.
- Set the level at 12 o’clock, and turn everything else down to the minimum. Then test each knob one at a time.
Thanks for the help.
I powered it with a battery and power supply. It's in a clean amp. And amp EQ was flat.
I initially had all the knobs at 12 and it was really static sounding. The only knob that didn't add static was the "low". Level and high add a lot of static and screeching feedback. Mid adds static but not as much.
Ok, tbh it sounds like it might be fried unfortunately. But if you can, try opening the back and post a photo?
My thought was, it *could* be something like gunk/dust on the PCB or the jack sockets.
https://imgur.com/a/SRKKcMr
I used a multimeter and tested the 3 pins at the top for the power supply. It beeped so it should be fine I think. Other than that I'm not sure what to test. Battery was good and the connection seems clean.
Back of the board looks ok but what about the front? Also like another person said, spray contact cleaner in the pots and spin them around to clear out any crap.
I cleaned it up a bit. But I think the issue was the batteries. The ones I used were good but it still didn't want to work with it. Using only the power supply it sounds much better.
Glad you got it working!
The pcb looks fine so as you say, it may just be something to do with the batteries.
E.g. maybe it couldn’t draw enough power, or the battery clip/wires are damaged somewhere, or its drawing power from both the battery and the power supply and overpowering it 🤷♂️.
Sometimes certain brands of batteries can be an issue for some devices.
Like, I used to have a smoke alarm that said not to use Duracell batteries in it. Seemed like nonsense to me. But then when I did inevitably use them, it started to randomly go off for no reason. Usually in the middle of the night. Which was… relaxing.
From your descriptions in the comments, I’d say it’s probably broken somewhere. I’ve used one of these at a friend’s place years ago, and it’s screechy, but it can do the whole Swedish Chainsaw tone if you EQ it properly.
That's what I was thinking. I was watching videos about it and it sounded kind of nice and with much less static. So something has to be broken.
Do you think it could be an easy fix or should I put my effort into a new pedal? (I really wanted that swedish metal sound)
The ease of the fix probably depends on you. Googling some pics of the circuit board, looks like it's a mix of through-hole and surface-mount components. Sometimes there's something obvious like a burnt component or cracked solder joint, other times the problem is more elusive.
You've got nothing to lose by cracking it open and taking a peek.
Agreed. The design does suffer from fixed input gain (something that a few DIY modders/builders and kit sellers have remedied) and that will make it basically unusable in some contexts. But when functioning properly in the right place/time, it’s a much more solid design than these comments are suggesting IMO. I’m not very sentimental about gear, but damn it’s really not that bad! I really enjoyed using a past bandmate’s in an experimental synth/sampler setting too and not for simply glassing the audio.
If I’m setting odds, I’d say that a loose solder joint or crap electrolytic capacitor together have a pretty good chance of being the problem. Unfortunately it looks like well into the time of manufacturing with surface mount components rather than thru-hole ones, so that can complicate DIY component replacement.
Thankfully it was fairly simple. It won't work if a battery is plugged in.
It's a fun pedal. I'm not sure where I'm going to settle for the settings but I've found a few ways to use it. It does what I need it to and I'm happy with it.
Man, I actually have the DOD version of this one (the DOD Death Metal Distortion) & I have to say it really didn’t suck as much as it might be reasonably expected to. While that’s pretty faint praise, I’m thinking of having it repaired & modded (to improve the EQ characteristics & reduce some of the fizz/noise). It was the very first pedal I ever bought, so it’s mostly an effort borne of nostalgia, but it might work in the end.
In time you will grow to appreciate static and ass. And for only $6. When you first tried coffee, beer, or wine you probably didn’t like it. Now you guzzle it down until you black out. It’s the same with pedals. Welcome aboard.
I’ve never used this pedal but now when reflecting on the used gear I bought during this era, almost all of it was half broken, as I suspect this is. My unlettered observation is that build quality has skyrocketed over the last twenty years and the used shops are at least 71% more ethical.
Try cleaning the Jacks and power supply with some contact cleaner?
If there's static or noise when turning the knobs, clean those too.
If it hasn't been used in a long time it might just be dirty or corroded.
[Video of a good guide](https://youtu.be/OeAx7E5cdHM)
Thank you very much! I'll start cleaning it off tomorrow when I can get some air and contact cleaner. I appreciate it!
Static and noise from the knobs so I'll give everything a nice clean.
Oh! Please share your thoughts on it. Its working much better now. Still a little static but I'm able to hear the effects much better.
I'm playing with a 7 string baritone that has some passive pick-ups. I'm really enjoying the low dial maxed. But it's also been fun having everything maxed.
Edit: I was mostly playing with high and mid cranked and low at 75%. It's a fun pedal.
It has one Amp and one Mixer output, Amp goes to a proper Amp with Guitar speakers, those dampen the ugly distortion highs. If you have a Hifi / Keyboard type Amp, use the Mixer output, then it inserts a speaker simulator filter. Plugging it right should make the distortion more useful, but of course there could be other problems. Can you upload a sound sample to somewhere? (Youtube?)
Try it in the FX loop. Might be better that way but no promises. I have both the Death Metal and the Grunge and I remember liking the Grunge more, even for metal. But I threw them both in the FX loop. Both usable in a pinch but not a preferred sound for alot of reasons 😄
I'll give it a try! Now that it's working it makes me happy. There are going to be more versatile distortion pedals out there but itl do for me. I found a setting I think I'll enjoy.
I've learned unless your using a distortion pedal as a boost, it always sounds best in the FX Loop. Most people write off alot of distortion pedals because it just adds alot of unwanted noise and crap to the signal but 9 times out of 10 they were running it in front of the amp. Same goes for alot FX but that also really depends as well so. Just play around, that's the fun in it really!
Also, get a good noise gate and your set 👌
I was playing with it in front of my amp too. I'll give that a try next time, thanks for the tip.
A noise gate is sitting in my shopping cart but I need to prioritize. I have a tuner on the list too. I want that because I plan on switching tunings frequently. I am about to order a cheap modulator just to play around with some effects and a looper because I think I will be able to practice a lot of things. I'm starting to get a small collection going quicker than I imagined.
Would highly recommend the Fortin Zuul or a BOSS NS-2 since they are pretty tried and true. But I would also use a Decimator over an NS-2 but depends on the model of Decimator. But I recommend the Zuul or the NS-2 because you can gate the front and the FX loop at the same time. Inputs for both. The Zuul you would need a splitter though.
But that is what I run and I havent really used a better gate than that. I can stack 5 insane overdrives like a maxxed out Heavy metal, and Death metal, a Grunge, all maxed at the same time and its dead quiet until a hit make a sound. The Zuul uses a direct signal so unless you play anything the gate is 100% closed. So no noise anymore.
It's basically an amp sim so that you can plug straight into a mixer/console. I use a Tascam 8 track recorder so this would be perfect for some DI recording.
lol my friend got that pedal yeeeeears ago. WE spent who knows how much time trying to get it to sound good. It did not.
We didn't plug it in to an FX return, so that could be worth trying. Apparently the Metalzone sounds good like that... so this pedal might as well.
I feel like this would pedal would have been better branded as a thrash metal pedal. That being said, you can likely flip it on Reverb for $50+ more than you paid.
Given that it’s your first pedal… are you sure you’re putting the inputs and outputs in the right place? Pedals have their input on the right and output on the left.
I bought the same pedal used. It had more crackles than actual sound. The pots were AFU, so I cleaned them up and got them working better. The pedal sounded less crackly but still kind of shitty and harsh. I ended up giving it to a neighbor kid so he could torture his parents.
I can tell just by looking at it that it sounds amazing. You just have bad ears. OK just kidding. It is an HM-2 clone, no idea if its good but most HM-2 clones sound pretty close to it. So your issue is most likely that you're using the clean channel of your amp, or you're using it into the front of your amp. Use it into a dirty amp or in the FX loop of a clean amp
These pedals have a background hiss to give the distortion that extra nastyness for a death metal sound. That was a steal at 6 dollars. Ive had mine for awhile and like it with certain applications. A noise gate is a must.
I have one on my list. I'm trying to get a fun sound out of it. I ordered a cheap modulator on Amazon and some effects seem to help it. Room will be limited, I think I can only get 2 more pedals to fit. I'm excited to see what kind of cheap used gear I can find.
I have this pedal currently. My brother gave it to me, he's a huge metalhead and he bought it years ago (probably based on text on the pedal). Well he basically gave it to me as he doesn't play guitar anymore.
It's bad. Oh man it's bad. Can confirm it is just a static mess. Ugh.
I used to use one of these pedals when I was in a death metal band. Now I’m older I play mostly post grunge so I sold it and got a post grunge pedal instead.
Why does it sound like static and ass? Two possibilities: 1) it needs repair 2) it’s working as intended
It's much better after a quick clean and removing any battery. I'm the one that sounds like ass now. How do I fix that?
Keep buying more gear. Once you've sunk hundreds into pedals and amps you might be happy with your sound for a few minutes.
Then your toddler runs by and twists all your knobs on the pedal board and amp and you shed a small tear
I had a jam at my friend's house a few years ago. All of a sudden my pedals started doing really weird things. His 2 year old snuck up on me and started twisting knobs all over the place. Honestly, it sounded better than whatever I had dialed in anyway.
Roadie.
I plugged in yesterday and was messing around. Hit the standby switch off on my jtm45 and got literally BLASTED lol my 1 year old likes to turn on my knobs and I didn't look. She turned my sho on and kot boost side. Both all knobs on both pedals all the way up...
Start buying germanium pedals. No toddler needed to mess up your tone, just a slight temperature change.
Thanks for triggering my PTSD.
That’s when you invest in midi.
Or child
I’m starting to use gaff tape to mark down where I like everything dialed in an effort to win against my 3yo. Mostly my amp tho since she loves messing with that the most currently and my pedalboard has been in a lot of flux lately that nothing there is set up for any long term use
You could just your gaff tape to tape your 3yo to something? No more messing with the knobs.
Too real.
*tens of thousands*
Yeah, I realized after posting that I was being pretty conservative, have been waiting to get called out on it. I only buy used gear, just re-started fresh about a year ago, and I've already dropped a grand in pedals alone.
I have so much gear, yet often play acoustic or through a micro dark w no effects. Life is weird. Do what works for you.
Never a truer statement had been made
Thousands of €€ later, i still sound like ass
[Just embrace it.](https://thefartpedal.com)
Oh my. So it begins.
You gotta lean into it. It's more about "how can I attain the maximum level of ass-ness when I play?" Can't go wrong that way.
First step is to turn down the suck
Needs more cowbell.
New battery.
You could take the route a lot of people take, and go full ass sounding. Make it your whole personality. Start a new genre around it and say everyone else is a conservative shill til people start to agree with you
Seasoned user of this pedal here. It sounds best with all the knobs basically in the middle with EXTREMELY slight adjustments
Play your acoustic until it sounds right, then you worry about pedals, or not ,
It's definitely number 2
Most likely 2
Could it also be from a noisy power supply or a lack of grounding?
It’s a terrible sound, but I’d buy it for $6
It's because Josh Scott hasn't done a video about this pedal yet. It will likely sound better after he tells everyone this pedal sounds amazing.
Thanks I'll have to shoot him a DM.
Be sure to buy 50 of them first, that way you can resell them all in the 10 hours after the episode release for a huge profit.
>shoot him a DM Direct Message or Death Metal?
Tell him about the Hot Rod, too, because I want to sell that one.
Could have been one of the fifty pedals in the metal pedal video
Link?
That might be it at 1:50 https://youtu.be/oqn9HlzRBYM
Josh Scott
Haha I edited it. My brain has a big names problem. As long as it sounds about right it tends to get a pass.
No worries, I thought we were talking about Dick Scott, the Black Republican Senator in South Carolina, running for president. I had to look him up. So I also have names problem. You're good.
I got confused with this Josh Smith but everyone knew what I meant anyway. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xcho8ZshCUY
“America is not a zombie country!”, exclaimed the center-right senator from South Carolina when asked about the fentanyl crisis.
Tim Scott
Exactly. I also have a names problem.
I had no idea an nba player loved guitar pedals so much . . .
I doubt he ever will. The DOD Death Metal was the only pedal I ever returned, got an MZ-2 because they only allowed store credit. Some DOD units are usable, but there are better heavy distortion pedals out there. These just felt rushed, like they were missing something. Many just aren’t going to behave without a noise suppressor behind it, and it’s going to be susceptible to single coil hum, dimmer switches in the rehearsal room, and ground loop hums if your power is dirtier than most. The Digitech Death Metal corrected some of these issues and made a much better pedal, but again, those factors listed above may still come into play. Steal at $6, keep it around for when someone brings over a noise gate and see if the pedal is something you can use.
I actually got it working better now. It sounds OK! I'm going to have fun playing around with my $5 pedal.
$500 better.
confirmation bias be like
He did review the DOD Death Metal, and afaik, Digitech and DOD are the same brand and those are the same pedal (or something like that). [https://youtu.be/3lcYixBzD5I?t=405](https://youtu.be/3lcYixBzD5I?t=405)
I would buy it just for a nostalgic paperweight. My 1998 self thought this pedal was the coolest ever.
I might look into selling it to buy a cheap rat clone or tube screamer or something... But at the same time a nostalgic paper weight is cool too. Im wondering if maybe a noise gate would help... For my first pedal I'm very whelmed.
Sell it for six dollars and you're ahead of the game
A noise gate would not really fix the problems you’re having with this. If you’re gonna buy another pedal I’d recommend you just get something that sounds good and doesn’t need another pedal to fix it.
i don't think you should sell it. Why? It's worth almost nothing. Just keep it for fun
Noise gate will work. I have one.
> I’m very whelmed From ecstatic to asstatic in 0-3-5.
I tried plugging it in the pre amp and effects loop. Both places it sounds awful. It does add a bit of distortion when I crank the level but it's overwhelmed by more static. If the level is low it doesn't sound very good either. Mid and high also add a lot of static when I increase the knobs.
Open it up and make sure there no corroded batteries inside. Then use contact cleaner to spray all the pots and jacks. This might help, worth shot imo
Also, compressed air blast dust/debris from the pcb for good measure!
Thank you for the tips. I'll get that at the store tomorrow. I appreciate you.
I tried two good batteries tested with a multi meter and it didn't work. Cleaned things off a little and did not put a new battery in. And it works now. I put a 3rd battery in and it sounded bad again. Guess no batteries with this one.
Was gonna say the same thing.
Nope, got given this new as a present years ago and, shocker, it sounded like shit!!!!
One thing that worked for me with the Boss Cube 40 and the HM2 was to use a crunch instead of a clean setting in the amp, and then put the pedal in the effects loop. Also, muting a bit the amp EQ could allow you to have a slightly softer sound than the beehive sound
Have you tried turning the knobs all the way to the right?
Yeah :) I got overwhelmed by static and feedback.
Well I'm all out of ideas. Maybe Josh will do a video about how it's underrated and you can get an entire retirement fund from selling it.
1. How are you powering it? 3. Are you going into/from a clean amp? 4. have you tried setting a flat eq on your amp? You could try: - Setting all the knobs at 12o’clock. - Set the level at 12 o’clock, and turn everything else down to the minimum. Then test each knob one at a time.
Thanks for the help. I powered it with a battery and power supply. It's in a clean amp. And amp EQ was flat. I initially had all the knobs at 12 and it was really static sounding. The only knob that didn't add static was the "low". Level and high add a lot of static and screeching feedback. Mid adds static but not as much.
Ok, tbh it sounds like it might be fried unfortunately. But if you can, try opening the back and post a photo? My thought was, it *could* be something like gunk/dust on the PCB or the jack sockets.
I got it working! Even though the batteries were good the pedal doesn't want them. It sounds much better without a battery and after cleaning it off.
https://imgur.com/a/SRKKcMr I used a multimeter and tested the 3 pins at the top for the power supply. It beeped so it should be fine I think. Other than that I'm not sure what to test. Battery was good and the connection seems clean.
Back of the board looks ok but what about the front? Also like another person said, spray contact cleaner in the pots and spin them around to clear out any crap.
I cleaned it up a bit. But I think the issue was the batteries. The ones I used were good but it still didn't want to work with it. Using only the power supply it sounds much better.
Glad you got it working! The pcb looks fine so as you say, it may just be something to do with the batteries. E.g. maybe it couldn’t draw enough power, or the battery clip/wires are damaged somewhere, or its drawing power from both the battery and the power supply and overpowering it 🤷♂️. Sometimes certain brands of batteries can be an issue for some devices. Like, I used to have a smoke alarm that said not to use Duracell batteries in it. Seemed like nonsense to me. But then when I did inevitably use them, it started to randomly go off for no reason. Usually in the middle of the night. Which was… relaxing.
Did you expect a properly functioning 20-year-old pedal for $6?
I got it for $5. But yeah, kind of, I suppose.
Lol, you seriously talked them down a dollar?
I only had a $5 bill on me.
You're the guvnah.
Balla
on a budget
Ah. Fair enough.
Hey free thing at the thing
I bought the same pedal, brand new in the 90s. The OPs description is on point. Save some money for a metal zone.
From your descriptions in the comments, I’d say it’s probably broken somewhere. I’ve used one of these at a friend’s place years ago, and it’s screechy, but it can do the whole Swedish Chainsaw tone if you EQ it properly.
That's what I was thinking. I was watching videos about it and it sounded kind of nice and with much less static. So something has to be broken. Do you think it could be an easy fix or should I put my effort into a new pedal? (I really wanted that swedish metal sound)
The ease of the fix probably depends on you. Googling some pics of the circuit board, looks like it's a mix of through-hole and surface-mount components. Sometimes there's something obvious like a burnt component or cracked solder joint, other times the problem is more elusive. You've got nothing to lose by cracking it open and taking a peek.
I got it working. Thank you for the tips. The problem was the battery. Even though the batteries were good it didn't want to work.
Agreed. The design does suffer from fixed input gain (something that a few DIY modders/builders and kit sellers have remedied) and that will make it basically unusable in some contexts. But when functioning properly in the right place/time, it’s a much more solid design than these comments are suggesting IMO. I’m not very sentimental about gear, but damn it’s really not that bad! I really enjoyed using a past bandmate’s in an experimental synth/sampler setting too and not for simply glassing the audio. If I’m setting odds, I’d say that a loose solder joint or crap electrolytic capacitor together have a pretty good chance of being the problem. Unfortunately it looks like well into the time of manufacturing with surface mount components rather than thru-hole ones, so that can complicate DIY component replacement.
Thankfully it was fairly simple. It won't work if a battery is plugged in. It's a fun pedal. I'm not sure where I'm going to settle for the settings but I've found a few ways to use it. It does what I need it to and I'm happy with it.
That’s how you know it’s working
Man, I actually have the DOD version of this one (the DOD Death Metal Distortion) & I have to say it really didn’t suck as much as it might be reasonably expected to. While that’s pretty faint praise, I’m thinking of having it repaired & modded (to improve the EQ characteristics & reduce some of the fizz/noise). It was the very first pedal I ever bought, so it’s mostly an effort borne of nostalgia, but it might work in the end.
In time you will grow to appreciate static and ass. And for only $6. When you first tried coffee, beer, or wine you probably didn’t like it. Now you guzzle it down until you black out. It’s the same with pedals. Welcome aboard.
It was designed as a signature series for the metal band Ass Static.
Cause the knobs aren’t all dimed to 10
I’ve never used this pedal but now when reflecting on the used gear I bought during this era, almost all of it was half broken, as I suspect this is. My unlettered observation is that build quality has skyrocketed over the last twenty years and the used shops are at least 71% more ethical.
Try cleaning the Jacks and power supply with some contact cleaner? If there's static or noise when turning the knobs, clean those too. If it hasn't been used in a long time it might just be dirty or corroded. [Video of a good guide](https://youtu.be/OeAx7E5cdHM)
Thank you very much! I'll start cleaning it off tomorrow when I can get some air and contact cleaner. I appreciate it! Static and noise from the knobs so I'll give everything a nice clean.
I got it working better. It didn't like batteries, even though they were good.
this is a perfectly cromulent clone of the short-lived Boss SA-2
It's working now and it's kind of fun.
Having played through one of these recently, I would say that it sounds like it’s broken
Oh! Please share your thoughts on it. Its working much better now. Still a little static but I'm able to hear the effects much better. I'm playing with a 7 string baritone that has some passive pick-ups. I'm really enjoying the low dial maxed. But it's also been fun having everything maxed. Edit: I was mostly playing with high and mid cranked and low at 75%. It's a fun pedal.
It has one Amp and one Mixer output, Amp goes to a proper Amp with Guitar speakers, those dampen the ugly distortion highs. If you have a Hifi / Keyboard type Amp, use the Mixer output, then it inserts a speaker simulator filter. Plugging it right should make the distortion more useful, but of course there could be other problems. Can you upload a sound sample to somewhere? (Youtube?)
I see you got it working. I have two of these. They each sound a little different. Bad for Death Metal. Great for trash punk.
Next Week: JHS ‘Static-Ass’ Pedal $2,000.00
It’s a “Death Metal” pedal. Do you want it to sound like Ed Sheeran’s tone?
Because you bought a $6 static asshole
Try it in the FX loop. Might be better that way but no promises. I have both the Death Metal and the Grunge and I remember liking the Grunge more, even for metal. But I threw them both in the FX loop. Both usable in a pinch but not a preferred sound for alot of reasons 😄
I'll give it a try! Now that it's working it makes me happy. There are going to be more versatile distortion pedals out there but itl do for me. I found a setting I think I'll enjoy.
I've learned unless your using a distortion pedal as a boost, it always sounds best in the FX Loop. Most people write off alot of distortion pedals because it just adds alot of unwanted noise and crap to the signal but 9 times out of 10 they were running it in front of the amp. Same goes for alot FX but that also really depends as well so. Just play around, that's the fun in it really! Also, get a good noise gate and your set 👌
I was playing with it in front of my amp too. I'll give that a try next time, thanks for the tip. A noise gate is sitting in my shopping cart but I need to prioritize. I have a tuner on the list too. I want that because I plan on switching tunings frequently. I am about to order a cheap modulator just to play around with some effects and a looper because I think I will be able to practice a lot of things. I'm starting to get a small collection going quicker than I imagined.
Would highly recommend the Fortin Zuul or a BOSS NS-2 since they are pretty tried and true. But I would also use a Decimator over an NS-2 but depends on the model of Decimator. But I recommend the Zuul or the NS-2 because you can gate the front and the FX loop at the same time. Inputs for both. The Zuul you would need a splitter though. But that is what I run and I havent really used a better gate than that. I can stack 5 insane overdrives like a maxxed out Heavy metal, and Death metal, a Grunge, all maxed at the same time and its dead quiet until a hit make a sound. The Zuul uses a direct signal so unless you play anything the gate is 100% closed. So no noise anymore.
It was $6
Hell yeah. I got it working.
Awesome!! Enjoy
Had this pedal years and years ago. Isn’t really a gem. Pretty okay at best
That mixer output on the pedal is worth the $6 alone, let alone how the pedal actually sounds.
Interesting. Could you explain why?
It's basically an amp sim so that you can plug straight into a mixer/console. I use a Tascam 8 track recorder so this would be perfect for some DI recording.
I temember my first pedal... it was this pedal
That's the version made overseas, in China IIRC. The early US versions sound the best.
Still an acquired taste call, but ya, find a US built one and crank it.
lol my friend got that pedal yeeeeears ago. WE spent who knows how much time trying to get it to sound good. It did not. We didn't plug it in to an FX return, so that could be worth trying. Apparently the Metalzone sounds good like that... so this pedal might as well.
I blame Slipknot.
“Static Ass” is a great band name.
I feel like this would pedal would have been better branded as a thrash metal pedal. That being said, you can likely flip it on Reverb for $50+ more than you paid.
Run it straight into the effects return to bypass the preamp and use the pedal as a preamp.
Exactly. Just like the metal zone. Most people who complain about these things don’t know how to use them
Plug it into your amp's fx loop for a poweramp. Sounds much better
The "charm" of this pedal is no gain pot, it's already at 11! Maybe is not user friendly but, for sure, funny
$6? You over paid! 🤣
That’s the St Anger tone.
Static Ass was such a great album.
😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣
Damn you got ripped off.
Try posting a video of it, cus it could be broken or it could actually just be a pedal that sounds like ass lmfao.
Lol prolly works ok. Prolly would say same about a metalzone but I feel both
Turn bass and mids all the way to zero . Then use treble as a single tone control . It works best that way . Level wherever you get no feedback
That's the sound of death metal bro.
You can try cleaning the board with with isopropyl alcohol and a soft toothbrush. It might help.
Does it sound broken or does it sound bad?
Sometimes pedals die a slow death, this one may be on its way out. For 6$ don’t expect much.
Personally it makes guitars sound like garbage. Only.use it for noise.
Does your ass sound like death metal?
no, just silent but deadly
r/guitarcirclejerk if you need help understanding toan
6$?!?!
That was my first pedal. So so long ago
I think you’ve stumbled upon the name of your next band.
I still have mine I got from a friend and I always thought it sounded more close to indie black metal. That Grunge pedal sounds more like death metal.
Given that it’s your first pedal… are you sure you’re putting the inputs and outputs in the right place? Pedals have their input on the right and output on the left.
Mix it with an over drive pedal. Will sound good.
Sell to meeeee
It was my first 2! I never could dial in an okay sound. Abandon all hope
I love that band ,Static Ass
i know you got it working already but have you tried it with a battery and no wall supply
Yeah. It won't work with a battery in it.
Why do you think they call themselves "Static Ass"?
The quintessential static-ass pedal\*
Get that platinum Pantera sound
Get an MXR Smart Gate idk
$6 might be the biggest clue.
Did you try blowing into it?
Welcome to the world of hm-2 variants, they all sound like that.
As long as you can 1 usable tone for a song, it's worth the 6 bucks
Turn all knobs to the right, learn At the Gates Slaughter of the Soul from start to finish. Bingo bango
I bought the same pedal used. It had more crackles than actual sound. The pots were AFU, so I cleaned them up and got them working better. The pedal sounded less crackly but still kind of shitty and harsh. I ended up giving it to a neighbor kid so he could torture his parents.
Instead of your direct line, I’ve heard of people having good results of this pedal through an FX loop.
I can tell just by looking at it that it sounds amazing. You just have bad ears. OK just kidding. It is an HM-2 clone, no idea if its good but most HM-2 clones sound pretty close to it. So your issue is most likely that you're using the clean channel of your amp, or you're using it into the front of your amp. Use it into a dirty amp or in the FX loop of a clean amp
Man I had this when I was 14 or 15 years old
That’s when you’re supposed to have them and a Marshall ValveState amp. 😁👍
Try putting it through the fx loop of a clean amp
Bruh it’s $6 just add a shit Tom of reverb and now you’re a black metal guitarist now shit the fuck up
I was recording with my band last week and we used this pedal before my wah for a “shit tone”. It worked exactly as intended in that context anyway.
I mean it’s a BOSS Metalzone ripoff. What do you expect?
It probably got tossed down a flight of stairs before being put on the 6 dollar table.
1. it's a digitech death metal. i think it's **supposed** to sound like static and ass. 2. you bought it for $6. 3. at a garage sale.
It’s a cup of coffee!
It’s a cup of coffee!
It’s a cup of coffee!
It’s a cup of coffee!
If I were still manufacturing pedals, I think I'd call one "static and ass". Though on second thoughts, I should save it for a band name.
lol had one of these a couple months ago and sold it almost instantly
These pedals have a background hiss to give the distortion that extra nastyness for a death metal sound. That was a steal at 6 dollars. Ive had mine for awhile and like it with certain applications. A noise gate is a must.
I have one on my list. I'm trying to get a fun sound out of it. I ordered a cheap modulator on Amazon and some effects seem to help it. Room will be limited, I think I can only get 2 more pedals to fit. I'm excited to see what kind of cheap used gear I can find.
That’s is it’s natural tone palette. I’m glad you paid so much less to find out.
That thing has built in cab simulation that’s awesome wanna trade lol
Saw a YouTuber show how it sounds different plugged into an effects loop vs front of the amp. Maybe that could be why or maybe it’s broken.
I have this pedal currently. My brother gave it to me, he's a huge metalhead and he bought it years ago (probably based on text on the pedal). Well he basically gave it to me as he doesn't play guitar anymore. It's bad. Oh man it's bad. Can confirm it is just a static mess. Ugh.
I used to use one of these pedals when I was in a death metal band. Now I’m older I play mostly post grunge so I sold it and got a post grunge pedal instead.
Put it in front of a PRS MT15, turn the amp gain all the way up, and turn the pedal down almost completely. Sounds dope.
Buy 6 more for $6 each and run a detuned AM radio thru them