The Best Settings for the Hothead Digitech Distortion Pedals

Pedal Basics

Before using your Hothead Digitech Distortion pedal, you first need to know a few things. When first learning how to use the pedal, always keep your amplifier on the clean channel, and keep your equalization flat (all amplifier knobs pointing straight up). You also need to know what the knobs on your pedal do. The "Level" knob controls the volume of the unit, the "Low" and "High" knobs control the equalization of the guitar's signal and the "Gain" knob controls the amount of distortion the pedal creates.

The sound of a classic overdriven stack can be dialed into the Hothead Digitech Distortion pedal by placing the "Level" and "Low" knobs at the sixth of the eleven dashes surrounding the knobs that act as place markers (pointing straight up), the "High" knob at the seventh dash and the "Gain" knob at the fifth dash. This type of distortion is great for playing classic rock and roll.

A more overdriven, modern sound can be crafted by placing the "Level" knob at the sixth dash, the "Low" knob at fifth dash, the "High" knob at the seventh dash and the "Gain" knob at the ninth dash. This setting is also well suited for hard rock and heavy metal.

For a less overdriven sound more suited for country and blues, set the "Level" and "Low" knobs at the sixth dash, the "High" knob at the ninth dash and the "Gain" knob at the third dash. When compared to the British modern setting, the country blues setting shows just how versatile the Hothead Digitech Distortion pedal truly is.

One of the best parts of using a guitar effects pedal is the ability to create your own unique settings and sounds. An almost infinite amount of different distorted tones can be produced with the Hothead Digitech Distortion pedal coupled with different types of guitar and amplifier settings. The best way to start experimenting is to tweak the proven settings listed above, but no matter how you go about using your pedal, the most important thing is to find a sound that you like.