Distortion is a guitar effect that alters the signal’s waveform, creating a gritty, aggressive sound characterized by a high level of harmonic content and sustain. It’s achieved by amplifying the input signal to the point where the amplifier or pedal’s circuitry begins to clip, causing the waveform to become squared off and jagged. This clipping produces harmonics that weren’t present in the original signal, resulting in the characteristic “gritty” or “dirty” tone associated with distortion. Distortion pedals typically feature controls for adjusting the amount of gain or distortion applied, as well as tone-shaping knobs to tailor the sound’s frequency response. Distortion is widely used in rock, metal, and punk music to add power, aggression, and sustain to guitar solos, riffs, and rhythm parts, creating a bold and intense sonic impact in the mix. Popular distortion pedals include the Boss DS-1, Pro Co Rat, and Electro-Harmonix Big Muff Pi.
Electric guitars use magnetic pickups to convert string vibrations into an electrical signal, which is then amplified. Unlike acoustic guitars, they rely on amplification for volume and tone shaping, making them highly versatile in genres like rock, blues, jazz, and metal. Electric guitars come in many body styles—solid, semi-hollow, and hollow—and feature different pickup configurations, neck types, and hardware. From smooth clean tones to aggressive distortion, they offer a wide sonic range, making them the backbone of modern guitar music.
A pedal is a compact device that guitarists use to alter their instrument’s sound by shaping effects such as distortion, delay, reverb, and modulation. Typically housed in a rugged enclosure and controlled by footswitches, pedals are designed to be placed on the floor for hands-free operation during playing. They can be analogue or digital, true bypass or buffered, and come in countless varieties to suit different styles and preferences. Pedals are essential tools for creating signature tones and adding colour and texture to a guitarist’s sound.
We have new and used PRS musical equipment available on our website for fast direct delivery from sellers across the UK & Europe.
PRS (Paul Reed Smith) is renowned for its high-end electric guitars and amplifiers, but the company also produces a range of premium guitar effects pedals. PRS pedals are known for their meticulous craftsmanship, robust build quality, and superior tonal characteristics, reflecting the same attention to detail and innovation that the brand brings to its guitars. The company’s effects lineup includes overdrive, distortion, and modulation pedals, designed to enhance and complement the natural sound of PRS guitars.
Among the most popular PRS pedals are the Horsemeat Transparent Overdrive, Wind Through the Trees Dual Analog Flanger, and Mary Cries Optical Compressor. The Horsemeat Transparent Overdrive is praised for its clear, articulate overdrive that preserves the guitar’s natural tone while adding a touch of warmth and grit. The Wind Through the Trees Dual Analog Flanger stands out for its rich, lush flanging effects with two independent flangers that create complex, swirling sounds. The Mary Cries Optical Compressor is favoured for its smooth, transparent compression that enhances sustain and dynamics without colouring the tone. These pedals have gained acclaim for their high-quality sound, innovative features, and the reliable performance that PRS is known for.
£181.96
FATRAT includes selectable stock "RAT", or new MOSFET clipping circuits FATRAT has a new "FAT" selection for a nice thick tone with the historical RAT bite FATRAT also includes a socketed op-amp, which allows users to easily change between the stock OP07DP and other popular chips
£50.59
【Based on Pro Co Rat circuit】This electric guitar effects pedal is built on the well-known and highly respected Pro Co Rat circuit, a and authentic sound. 【Fuzz distortion】With its fuzz distortion effect, this pedal adds richness and depth to your guitar tone, allowing you to create dynamic and expressive sounds. 【Versatile controls】The pedal featu…
read more
£95.00
Used as a primary distortion, it excels at arena rock rhythm tones and soaring leads Nails that sweet spot where a tube amp goes from sparkly clean to warm overdrive Use the RAT 2 as a boost for soli and get the extra kick you need Used as a primary distortion, it excels in the tones of the rock rhythm of the arena and in the soaring leads Nails th…
read more
£113.39
Rodent-style Disttion Guitar Pedal with Disttion Volume Controls Filter
