Perhaps the most popular of all stomp boxes, ‘distortion’, ‘booster’ and ‘overdrive’ pedals have become almost as collectable as guitars themselves over the years. A classic Ibanez Tubescreamer or Colorsound Tonebender can fetch many times its original price from guitarists in search of the ultimate killer tone and sustain.

From the crunching tones of nu-metal to the searing beauty of Santana or Cream-era Clapton, electric guitarists the world over have experimented relentlessly with all kinds of boxes, in all kinds of sizes, to find their own unique sound. Here, we look at the history of the distortion pedal, and explore methods of getting the best out of your preferred model.

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