narrowed it down to 3 pedals, which one?

[rich2k4]

so i narrowed my high gain pedal search to:

MI Audio Crunchbox

Barber Dirty Bomb

Suhr Riot


there is no way i can try these pedals in person (except maybe the crunchbox at guitar center) so i have been going on sound clips and youtube demos

I do not play metal, but i want a pedal that can get me high gain when i need it, i want to make my rig a little bit more versatile.

[jb1911]

How about a nice Rat or Rat clone like the Black Plague or Hartman distortion? Rat = win.

[guitarpkr67]

I haven't played any of them......so I'll say the Riot. :)

[Passenger84]

I've not played the Dirty Bomb, but Barber does make fine pedals. I have played the Crunchbox and the Riot, and I will say the Riot was something special.

The two best 'metal in a can' pedals I've owned were the Skreddy Top Fuel and MJM Foxey Fuzz.

[Stratman76]

I have the Riot and the Crunchbox. The Riot is more versatile in that it is more usable throughout its' gain range. To me, the Crunchbox is more a one-trick pony but it does that trick quite well. It's very Marshall-voiced, most would say higher-gain JCM-800 territory. I get more use out of the Riot but still like the Crunchbox.

[rich2k4]

anyone with a dirty bomb and riot?

seems to me like you can get more control of the tone with a dirty bomb via the 2 band EQ

[clc12rock]

Riot over the Crunch Box, unless you're really tryin to save a buck. Haven't tried the Dirty Bomb.

[ev333]

RIOT. I've been using it for 6 months now. Still love it.

[DS88]

Riot, definitely.. I've had the others and the riot sounds AND feels AMAZING!

[rich2k4]

anyone else want to chime in with opinions?

[jlagrassa]

I've had the Riot and the Crunch Box and would choose the Riot over the Crunch Box, The CB is a good pedal but I think the Riot is a better pedal.... never played the Dirty Bomb but Barber makes great sounding pedals too!

[rich2k4]

what makes the riot better then the crunchbox?

[jlagrassa]

what makes the riot better then the crunchbox?

I would say its more versatile with its clipping options and better low end!

[RockStarNick]

Am I the only one that really doesn't like the Riot? To me it sounds like a muddy, glorified distrotion pedal.

The *clips* I've heard sound amazing, but I've played it at NAMM, thru some CAA gear, and at home thru a variety of amps, and just didn't dig it at all. Sounded muddy and very pedal-like. I'm told that in order to sound it's best, the Riot has to be played into a super-clean amp. Dead Clean. Maybe my amp wasn't set clean enough?

I think bang-for-the-buck has to go to the CrunchBox. And I can get plenty of awesome low-gain tones from the CB as well. But that's just me - it's not for everyone. I'm just a CB lover though.

[jlagrassa]

Am I the only one that really doesn't like the Riot? To me it sounds like a muddy, glorified distrotion pedal.

The *clips* I've heard sound amazing, but I've played it at NAMM, thru some CAA gear, and at home thru a variety of amps, and just didn't dig it at all. Sounded muddy and very pedal-like. I'm told that in order to sound it's best, the Riot has to be played into a super-clean amp. Dead Clean. Maybe my amp wasn't set clean enough?

I think bang-for-the-buck has to go to the CrunchBox. And I can get plenty of awesome low-gain tones from the CB as well. But that's just me - it's not for everyone. I'm just a CB lover though.

I wasnt crazy about the Riot either it lasted about a week before I sold it I still think its a bit better than the Crunch Box.

[JRC4558Dude]

I've looked at all three of the pedals (CB, Riot, Dirty Bomb) and decided to go with a Wampler SuperPlextortion instead. I like the idea of having a 3 band eq in a metal pedal.

[JRC4558Dude]

Am I the only one that really doesn't like the Riot? To me it sounds like a muddy, glorified distrotion pedal.

I didn't like it either. Sounded very MESA-ish to my ears. That's not a compliment, IMHO.

[guitarpkr67]

Guthrie is using the Riot in this video. He talks about it towards the beginning. Sounds pretty good in the video.

http://www.licklibrary.com/Webcasts/8/May+2010

[DS88]

Guthrie is using the Riot in this video. He talks about it towards the beginning. Sounds pretty good in the video.

Helps if you attach the vid ;-)

[guitarslinger21]

The Dirty Bomb is THE best amp-like higher-medium-high gain pedal I've EVER heard/used/owned.

Best $85 I've spent on gear in a LONG time.

[stigmathisen]

make sure you check out Wampler's Triple Wreck, probably the most amazing and complete distortion box I have ever tried, have both his Pinnacle and Super Ecstasy, they are both great (as all of his pedals are), but the TW will give you an incredibly rich and smooth OD.

[shood]

I have the Riot and the Crunchbox. The Riot is more versatile in that it is more usable throughout its' gain range. To me, the Crunchbox is more a one-trick pony but it does that trick quite well. It's very Marshall-voiced, most would say higher-gain JCM-800 territory. I get more use out of the Riot but still like the Crunchbox.

:agree

I also own these two, and echo these very sentiments. Unlike Stratman, I play Lesters almost exclusively

I will say that on occasion I have found the Crunchbox to cut through the mix on certain material better than the Riot (this may be me: part of the reason that I have so many gain options in my rig is that my preference for certain pedals / amp channels changes depending on the day, venue, song, and relative amount of hearing loss I am currently experiencing)

Overall, if I could keep only one, it would probably be the Riot (although I am still honeymooning and may be succumbing slightly to the Riot hype).

[guitarpkr67]

Helps if you attach the vid ;-)


Ha! Sorry about that. Fixed.

[roblues]

Best $85 I've spent on gear in a LONG time.

+1. Just put the Dirty Bomb back on my board last night. Loving the 3x toggle to takes it from 70's classic rock to chunky metal-ish tones. Its my 3rd Barber pedal and I'm sure there will be more to come (anyone selling a Trifecta?) :wave

[aarondavis]

Dirty Bomb! :dude

I've been using the Dirty Bomb as my main live distortion for several months now. And I spent several days with a Riot (I have a good dealer friend that loaned me one, cause I was most likely going to buy it).

I could set the Dirty Bomb to sound basically *identical* to the Riot, but could *not* get many of the same Dirty Bomb sounds out of the Riot. The Riot always has a boosted low end. If you're playing through a Black Face Fender this can be a problem... Therefore, I gave the Riot back since the Dirty Bomb was more versatile. The Riot does sound killer, but is limited EQ wise. Actually the 2 band Baxandall EQ on the Dirty Bomb may be assumed to be limited, but it's *very* musical and very versatile.

I can also set my Dirty Bomb to sound nearly identical to my very expensive BJF Dyna Red Distortion by turning the bass down a bit and attenuating the highs and using the mid boost setting on the toggle.

I agree with another poster, the Dirty Bomb has to be one of the best distortion units available, period.

[rich2k4]

that's the one thing that sucks about the boutique pedals. you can't try them anywhere.

i don't want to drop $200 on a riot and then find out i don't like it. but i do like what i hear from clips.

i wish i can try the riot and the dirty bomb side by side.

[headstockache]

Any of them and run it through an EQ.

[rich2k4]

i still can't decide. there is a dirty bomb in the emporium for $90. that would save me a lot of money over a riot, but i'm still not sure.

i can go to GC to try a crunchbox, and then a local store here has a Riot in stock, but they don't carry barber pedals.

[ES330]

suhr riot !!!!

[aarondavis]

i still can't decide. there is a dirty bomb in the emporium for $90. that would save me a lot of money over a riot, but i'm still not sure.

i can go to GC to try a crunchbox, and then a local store here has a Riot in stock, but they don't carry barber pedals.

dood, get the Dirty Bomb now. I promise you won't regret it. Like I said, I can make my Dirty Bomb sound like a Riot... but the Riot can't do the same stuff that the Dirty Bomb can do.

[Hangfire]

I've got it down to the three in my signature!!!