What's the difference between distortion pedals and overdrive pedals?

They are essentially the same effect. Distortion is an extreme kind of overdrive. ‘Dynamics’ are the difference between your loudest playing and your quietest playing. Light overdrive will preserve your dynamics whereas distortion will compress them to the point where all your notes are the same volume and have a long, singing sustain.

How to stack overdrive and distortion?

A good starting point is to put the pedal with the least 'Gain' first and the highest fain pedal next. But as with music it's good to experiment! So feel free to move all your pedals around till you find your sound.

Do I need both overdrive and distortion pedals?

Of course not, but it can't hurt to have extra versatility! Your pedalboard is yours and you should load it with pedals you love the sound of.

Should I get an overdrive or distortion pedal?

Without wwanting to say ‘you should get both’, you should get both! Players often use overdrive and distortion in tandem, using distortion for riffs, choruses and solos and using overdrive in verses and lighter songs. Overdrive and distortion pedals work really well when ‘stacked’ in the same signal chain, creating a wider range of gain and tones.

Where does my overdrive and distortion pedals go in a chain?

Overdrive and distortion tend to go near the beginning of the chain - before modulation pedals and time-based effects, like reverb and delay. If you are using both overdrive AND distortion pedals, players tend to stack these in order of gain. Plugging the guitar into the lighter gain overdrive pedal and then into the higher gain distortion pedal works well.

Overdrive & Distortion Pedals | guitarguitar

Nearly New

Universal Audio UAFX Woodrow '55 Instrument Amplifier Emulation Pedal (Nearly New) #22132050001061

£269.00 £456.00

Get it Tuesday, Apr 22

FREE Delivery

In Stock

Nearly New

Universal Audio UAFX Woodrow '55 Instrument Amplifier Emulation Pedal (Nearly New) #22482050004560

£269.00 £456.00

Get it Tuesday, Apr 22

FREE Delivery

In Stock

Nearly New

Universal Audio UAFX Woodrow '55 Instrument Amplifier Emulation Pedal (Nearly New) #22392050003167

£269.00 £456.00

Get it Tuesday, Apr 22

FREE Delivery

In Stock

Easter Sale

KHDK Electronics Mad Monarch Gary Holt Preamp Pedal

£299.00 £339.00

Get it Tuesday, Apr 22

FREE Delivery

In Stock

Keeley Mk3 Driver Andy Timmons Full Range Overdrive Pedal

£209.00

Get it Tuesday, Apr 22

FREE Delivery

In Stock

JHS Pedals Hard Drive Distortion Pedal Black

£179.00 £199.00

Available to Order

JHS Pedals Packrat White Distortion Pedal

£229.00 £249.00

Get it Tuesday, Apr 22

FREE Delivery

In Stock

£69.00

Get it Tuesday, Apr 22

In Stock

New Arrival

Maxon SD-9 Sonic Distortion (Pre-Owned)

£99.00

Get it Tuesday, Apr 22

In Stock

Marshall 1959 Pedal

£119.00

Available to Order

Marshall JCM800 Pedal

£119.00

Available to Order

Marshall JCM900 Pedal

£119.00

Get it Tuesday, Apr 22

In Stock

Marshall JVM Pedal

£119.00

Available to Order

Marshall DSL Pedal

£119.00

Get it Tuesday, Apr 22

In Stock

Easter Sale

MXR Gran Torino Boost Overdrive

£129.00 £149.00

Get it Tuesday, Apr 22

In Stock

MXR YJM308 Yngwie Malmsteen Overdrive Pedal

£139.00

Get it Tuesday, Apr 22

In Stock

MXR Rockman X100 Analog Tone Processor Pedal

£249.00

FREE Delivery

Available to Order

MXR M249 Super Badass Dynamic Overdrive

£139.00 £154.99

Get it Tuesday, Apr 22

In Stock

Ex-Demo

MXR M225 Sub Machine Octave Fuzz (Ex-Demo) #AC56T852

£169.00 £179.00

Get it Tuesday, Apr 22

In Stock

Marshall The Guv'nor Distortion Pedal

(1)

£149.00

Out of Stock

£179.00 £199.00

Out of Stock

Victory Amps V1 Sheriff Effects Pedal

(1)

£179.00 £199.00

Out of Stock

£219.00

Out of Stock

KMA Machines Wurm 2 Distortion Pedal

£162.00

Out of Stock

ThorpyFX Scarlet Tunic Amp Emulator

£265.00

Out of Stock

Tech 21 SansAmp Bass Driver Programmable

(1)

£249.00

Out of Stock

Stores Nationwide

Shipping Worldwide

Free Next Day Delivery

Sell your Guitar

Expert Advice

Overdrive & Distortion Pedals

Filter

Universal Audio UAFX Woodrow '55 Instrument Amplifier Emulation Pedal (Nearly New) #22132050001061

Universal Audio UAFX Woodrow '55 Instrument Amplifier Emulation Pedal (Nearly New) #22482050004560

Universal Audio UAFX Woodrow '55 Instrument Amplifier Emulation Pedal (Nearly New) #22392050003167

KHDK Electronics Mad Monarch Gary Holt Preamp Pedal

Keeley Mk3 Driver Andy Timmons Full Range Overdrive Pedal

JHS Pedals Hard Drive Distortion Pedal Black

JHS Pedals Packrat White Distortion Pedal

JHS Pedals Lari Basilio Violet Distortion Pedal Purple

JHS Pedals Lari Basilio Violet Distortion Pedal Black

LSL Instruments Lucid OD Transparent Overdrive Pedal

LSL Instruments Original Overdrive Pedal

LSL Instruments Vital Distortion Pedal

Maestro Invader Distortion Effects Pedal (Pre-Owned)

Maxon SD-9 Sonic Distortion (Pre-Owned)

Marshall 1959 Pedal

Marshall JCM800 Pedal

Marshall JCM900 Pedal

Marshall JVM Pedal

Marshall DSL Pedal

MXR Gran Torino Boost Overdrive

MXR YJM308 Yngwie Malmsteen Overdrive Pedal

MXR Rockman X100 Analog Tone Processor Pedal

MXR M249 Super Badass Dynamic Overdrive

MXR M225 Sub Machine Octave Fuzz (Ex-Demo) #AC56T852

Marshall The Guv'nor Distortion Pedal

NUX Queen of Tone Dual Stacked Overdrive Pedal

Fulltone Fulldrive 3 Overdrive Pedal

Two Notes ReVolt Guitar Analog Amp Simulator Preamp Pedal

Victory Amps V1 Duchess Effects Pedal

Victory Amps V1 Sheriff Effects Pedal

Wampler Triumph Overdrive

Revv G3 Distortion

BOSS JB-2 Angry Driver Overdrive

Victory Amps V1 Kraken Effects Pedal

J.Rockett Audio Archer Overdrive

MXR M80 Bass DI+ Distortion Special Edition Yellow

MXR Dookie Drive V.4 Distortion

KMA Machines Wurm 2 Distortion Pedal

ThorpyFX Scarlet Tunic Amp Emulator

Tech 21 SansAmp Bass Driver Programmable

Keep up with our latest offers, news & events