Are you looking for the best distortion pedal for your Telecaster? Then, you have come to the right place to find all the essential information you need for an informed buying decision.
Do you want your guitar sound to have grit and fuzz? Well, this is easily achievable by pairing distortion pedals with Telecaster.
While looking for a distortion pedal for a Tele, it is not difficult to choose, but the difficulty lies in finding the one that plays well with the Telecaster and gives the perfect tone you need.
Distortion depends on your style; the harder the playing style, the heavier distortion is used.
Distortion is not always related to metal or punk playing because guitar players can enhance the sound and add some punch. For your convenience, we have gathered some of the best distortion pedals for Telecaster guitars so you can enjoy playing across styles and genres.
The 6 Best Distortion Pedals for Telecaster (Reviews)
1. Wampler Plexi-Drive Deluxe V2 Distortion Pedal (Editor’s Choice)
The Plexi-Drive deluxe is created based on the original Plexi drive, however, with more tone control. The added brightness, the 3 bands active EQ, and pre-gain booster that is perfectly voiced get every Plexi tone from any amp. The bright switch offers high-end sparkle.
The bass boost switch provides additional control over the lower frequencies, and you can kick in a low-end thump. It is perfect for fattening up single coils so you can get the most from the higher tone knob setting.
There is a bright boost switch opposite of the bass boost switch. This switch will brighten up the higher frequencies. A bypass switch ensures solid removal of the circuit when it is not in use, so there is no loss of tone while the pedal is off.
This high-quality pedal is versatile that delivers distortion. The knob controls the output volume. You can fine-tune the sound with the tone control, and the drive knob allows you to dial in from crunch to distortion. The product can be used conveniently, and it is the best choice for musicians of all skill levels.
It is an excellent option for musicians who want to add some edge and grit to the sound without compromising on clarity. The pedal offers a clean boost when used in performance or practice. In addition, it is made to offer a transparent response when compared to other distortion pedals.
2. Boss DS-2 Turbo Distortion Pedal (Close Runner-Up)
Boss DS-2 pedal comes with twin modes for a high distortion range. It takes users from the searing leads to the blues-rock rhythms with a twist of a knob or at the press of a pedal. Turbo mode I create mellow and warm distortion with flat frequency response. Turbo Mode II creates biting distortion with the mid-range boost that is adequate for leads.
The distortion pedal has a built-in remote jack that helps users connect an external footswitch like the FS-5L for hands-free instant switching between modes. The distortion pedal sounds like rock and roll. It offers perfect distortion and is durable like bass pedals.
3. Wampler Dual Fusion V2 Tom Quayle Signature Pedal
Wampler Dual fusion is made in conjunction with fusion genre forerunners. The pedal is made for created for tighter, controlled response and transparency on the bass end. The dual fusion feels and sounds like an amp that runs at high levels and provides complete response and clarity to string. This signature pedal is the amalgamation of signature and modern sound.
The pedal is voiced explicitly for fusion guitarists and versatile enough for any genre and any board. It is very clean at lower settings and provides you crunch when digging in. It would be best if you kept the volume low to keep the signal even. For true bypass switching, the footswitch is wired up so you can disable the channel.
4. Electro-Harmonix Soul Food Distortion Pedal
The electro-Harmonix soul food can be the amplifier best friend. It offers everything from rich distortion to clean boosts. You can use it for distorted and aggressive lead tones and push your favorite tube amp to the breakup point. The pedal has high drive settings to enhance the mids. It helps the mix cut without becoming overbearing.
The treble control offers easy and fine-tune depending on the tone bite, whether you play single-coil or humbuckers pickups. The drive control is wide-ranging that provides fully saturated and clean distortion. High drive settings increase mid frequencies for rich tone.
Treble control can cut or boost high frequencies that add bite to humbuckers or taming single coils. High headroom with amazing note definition is provided by power rails. The product comes with a 9-volt power supply.
The Soul Food is an affordable clone option of the esteemed Kon Centaur pedal. The product offers a similar powerful boost and high headroom, as provided by Kon Centaur.
The sound effect is also the same, that too at a lesser amount and smaller package.
The Soul Food is especially popular for blues guitarists, but it is not limited to a specific genre. Set the drive and treble knobs to work as the overdrive or distortion pedal. This distortion pedal fits perfectly in any tonal preference. This is one of the best distortion pedals for telecasters.
5. Electro-Harmonix Germanium 4 Big Muff Pi Pedal
The Electro-Harmonix Germanium pedal is a distortion and overdrive pedal. You can practice in a room to get the best results. The pedal will add flavors of vintage overdrive with the interaction of each control. It controls bias for an attack in addition to gain control. The gain control adjusts the input signal amount, and it is then fed to the Germanium 4.
The drive and transistor components are hit according to the knob rotation. The current gain is adjusted by the bias control that is provided to the transistor. The overall tone is attained when bias and voltage controls are worked together. The bias control works explicitly with the Germanium transistor.
The amount of voltage applied to the Germanium OD is controlled by the volt knob control. 9V is applied when set at full, and 3V is applied when set at minimum. The interesting saturations for tone variations can be set up by limiting the voltage. You can turn the true bypass off or on with a footswitch.
6. Abasi Pathos Distortion Pedal
Abasi Pathos distortion pedal is made in the USA. It is designed to get the feel of an American-style tube amp channel. Edge and smooth voicing have controlled distortion but with crunch to scorching. It has mid-control and EQ shelves that are musically tuned along with level and gain controls.
It has the functionality of many dirt boxes. The components are of superior quality. The footswitch is soft touch and durable, so they are long-lasting. It is always better to get enough gain to get the task done correctly. For subtle low gain tones, the distortion circuit is tweaked too. These are built rugged and are simple with adequate size so they can work well.
The Pathos comes with a lot of features that are enclosed in a small package. It fights tough in the overdrive category and has beef in gain structure. Abasi Pathos is a brainer when considering the best distortion pedals, so you get the tone you require.
This little powerhouse is versatile, and it adds a little crunch with extra oomph. The pedal keeps the guitar tone steady, resulting in fat and thick distortion. The fuzz overtones make it fantastic. You can use it for dark, fuzz, and metal nastiness.
The pedal is not cheap and features the EQ option. However, it has impressive distortion on-tap.
How to Choose a Great Distortion Pedal for Your Tele Guitar?
When searching for a good distortion pedal for your Telecaster, there are two important factors involved. The first is your budget, and the second is the effect you want. Pedal transparency has a significant role because it is related to lots of effects. The more transparent your pedal, the more subtle it is, and there will be a more shiny tone. On the other hand, a simple pedal will do the work of adding a bit of color.
The customization options for effect are available more in expensive pedals. Generally, pedals give a 3-knob array to you, but for more depth, you need to consider a larger pedal. Effects are a personal choice, and you understand the sound you need. By listening to the pedals, you know how the pedals perform and what your tone needs.
Conclusion: The Best Telecaster Distortion Pedal Is…
There is no limit when it comes to the best distortion pedal for telecasters, as there are many excellent options available to choose from. So you should take your time and make the decision wisely.
As long as you get the required tone, there is no rule when choosing gear. The tone is the ultimate thing you need to consider when looking for the distortion pedal for a telecaster. Our favorite from the list is Wampler Plexi-Drive Deluxe V2 Distortion Pedal, as it provides more control to shape your tone.