Boss Dyna Drive

or maybe a suggestion could be made for a good distortion/overdrive pedal.

Boss has alot of distortion pedals so it's good to know what kind of distortion you're looking for: Scooped heavy metal? AC DC-ish overdrive? I've never played the Dynadrive but I own two Boss pedals and although I think they COULD be cheaper (I've played Danelectro pedals that are just as good as Boss pedals and they are alot cheaper) they are of pretty good quality and they apparently have a good bypass (which means they usaully don't suck tone when the effect is off).

I have the Boss DS-1 and it is a half decent pedal, it is very simple and is good for getting a basic distortion that is somewhere in between a metal distortion and a heavy ac-dc style overdrive (although with an E.Q pedal I can get very close to a heavy metal sound). I also have the Boss Chorus Ensemble which is a very good chorus pedal as well (it has both mono and stereo outputs, which is not common), but is alot less user friendly. It's harder for me to explain that pedal because I don't use it too often (I really don't use chorus too much), but it is very nice sounding.

If you're looking for a good metal sound, maybe try out the Metal Zone pedals. If you're looking for something alot bluesier, than try out their overdrive pedals.

One word of wisdom though, unless you have a good tube, be sure to really try out overdrive effects in the store on a similar amp as you have before you buy as they will tend to sound quite different on a solid state amp. Not bad per sé, but different.

As for some distortions that are quite common: Electro Harmonix Big Muff if you are into the dry scratchy distortion is quite nice. The digitech or boss Metal distortions are supposedly decent if you like powerchordsy metal.
In terms of overdrive: Behringer TO800, Digitech Bad Monkey, Boss Bluesdriver BD-2 are all nice units going by reviews and general consensus (and my own opinion on the behringer).

As for which is best for you, it depends on what kind of distortion you are looking for. Generally overdrive would be a somewhat lighter in grit than real distortion and is more suited for rock or bluesy sounds.

thanks for the replies. the thing is i play pretty much everything rock. from blues to country rock, to metal to punk. so i was looking for a pedal that could give me nice overdriven tones but if i needed just have flat out distortion. that is the only reason i mentioned the dyna drive because it appeared to have both. but if you all know of anything like that, let me know. i would appreciate it. thanks

I only know the Dyna Drive from the reviews and the demo videos from Boss (and I don't like how they make the videos, sometimes you can find some "non real things"). I discovered it last month. I was very interested in the pedal because it is just I was looking for. I like the idea and it seems they solve it pretty good.

I'd like to check it in the store. When I do it (if it is available there), I'll write a note.

BTW, welcome to GN.

thanks nuno, and thanks to everyone else. i appreciate it

If it works the same as the dynamic mode in their GT8 then it's a very interesting and usefull effect.

Hopefully it is better than the version in the Cube amp series. It works like they say it does but when you play quieter to get the clean tones, the volume drops a whole lot... not even like the difference between lead and rhythm, more like loud and whisper. I want to try one of the pedals though a cranked tube amp and see if the natural compression evens out the volume fluxuations.

I'd like to check it in the store. When I do it (if it is available there), I'll write a note.
Bentley, I was in the store today and they didn't have the pedal. :?