First things first. If you’re not using an amplifier that can achieve high-gain sounds, then you’ll need a dedicated distortion or preamp pedal that can transform it into a fire-breather! And luckily for you, there are loads of options available out there. But what are the differences between distortion pedals and preamp pedals?
Distortion stompboxes are quite straightforward. They’re designed to be plugged into the main input of your amplifier and engaged over a clean tone — adding tonnes of gain to your signal. Most distortion pedals also have fairly simple controls, often sporting ‘Level’, ‘Drive/Distortion’ and ‘Tone’ knobs.
Preamp pedals, on the other hand, are a little bit more sophisticated. These are designed to emulate the preamp stage of a guitar amp, which is where almost all of an amplifier’s gain, EQ characteristics and, ultimately, “tone” come from. Preamp pedals therefore boast the controls you’d find on most guitar amplifiers; including EQ knobs (like ‘Treble’, ‘Middle’ and ‘Bass’) that allow you to precisely adjust their sounds. Preamp pedals can be plugged into the front-end of your amp, but often work better in the effects loop as they can essentially bypass and replace your amp’s existing preamp stage — yielding a richer and more organic tone.
For more info on preamp pedals and effects loops, check out our related articles:
- Ultimate Guide to Preamp Pedals
- Preamp vs. Power Amp – What’s The Difference?
- Should I Use A Guitar Amp Effects Loop?
- What is 4 Cable Method & How Do You Use It?
And if you want to narrow down the perfect distortion/preamp pedal for metal, watch our ‘Ultimate Metal Pedal Shootout’ below!