The DigiTech Metal Master is a Digitech distortion pedal, currently around $39.99. Close alternatives include the NUX Recto Distortion and the JHS Pedals Hard Drive Distortion. It pairs well with the Peavey VTM-120 and the Laney DBC410 Digbeth 4x10 Cabinet.
DigiTech Metal Master
Digitech · pedal
The DigiTech Metal Master is a dedicated heavy metal distortion pedal from DigiTech providing high-gain, thick metal distortion with a powerful 3-band EQ for frequency shaping the metal tone. Covers hard rock through extreme metal gain territory with the tight, aggressive distortion character needed for metal rhythm playing and high-gain lead work. One of DigiTech's dedicated metal-focused pedal designs. Made by DigiTech.
What stands out
“Heavy metal dedicated distortion with high-gain tight saturation and powerful 3-band EQ for metal tone shaping, covering hard rock through extreme metal gain territory”
— from the community notes
“The DigiTech Metal Master is a dedicated heavy metal distortion pedal from DigiTech providing high-gain, thick metal distortion with a powerful 3-band EQ for frequency shaping the metal tone”
— from the listing
“The 3-band EQ provides significant frequency shaping for adapting the metal character to different guitar and amp combinations”
— from the community notes
“Covers hard rock through extreme metal gain territory with the tight, aggressive distortion character needed for metal rhythm playing and high-gain lead work”
— from the listing
“At moderate metal gain settings the distortion is full and articulate”
— from the reviews
- metal
- distortion
- eq
- frequency
- tight
- high gain
- hard rock
- gain
Price updated Oct 23, 2026
Genres the DigiTech Metal Master is commonly used in
- Metal
- Alternative Rock
- Hard Rock
- Heavy Metal
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Christian Rock
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Death Metal
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
Amps that pair well with the DigiTech Metal Master
Peavey VTM-120
Peavey
23% matchpushes an already-dirty tonePushes an already-dirty tone harder and tightens it up. (high gain → tight)
Peavey VTM-120 pushes a high gain tone toward tight
Comes later in the signal chain
Laney DBC410 Digbeth 4x10 Cabinet
Laney
23% matchpushes an already-dirty tonePushes an already-dirty tone harder and tightens it up. (high gain → tight)
Laney DBC410 Digbeth 4x10 Cabinet pushes a high gain tone toward tight
Comes later in the signal chain
Fender Dual Showman
amplifier
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Stack Fender Dual Showman on top and a high gain tone tightens toward tight
Gallien-Krueger Legacy 410
Gallien Krueger
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Feed a high gain signal into Gallien-Krueger Legacy 410 and it comes out closer to tight
Gallien-Krueger Legacy 210 Bass Combo
Gallien Krueger
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Stack Gallien-Krueger Legacy 210 Bass Combo on top and a high gain tone tightens toward tight
EBS Magni 502 2x10 bass combo
Ebs
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Feed a high gain signal into EBS Magni 502 2x10 bass combo and it comes out closer to tight
Gallien-Krueger Fusion 210
Gallien Krueger
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Gallien-Krueger Fusion 210 takes that high gain character and pushes it toward mid-forward
Gallien-Krueger MB108
Gallien Krueger
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Stack Gallien-Krueger MB108 on top and a high gain tone tightens toward tight
Pedals that stack with the DigiTech Metal Master
Soldano SLO
Soldano
18% matchpushes an already-dirty tonePushes an already-dirty tone harder and tightens it up. (high gain → tight)
Stack Soldano SLO on top and a high gain tone tightens toward tight
Comes later in the signal chain
Boss CE-2W Chorus Waza Craft
Boss
17% matchsits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor. (high gain → modulated)
Keep DigiTech Metal Master's tight voice out front: Boss CE-2W Chorus Waza Craft goes after DigiTech Metal Master in the signal chain so its modulated voice doesn't muddy it
Comes later in the signal chain
Shin's Music Dumbloid
Shins Music
17% matchpushes an already-dirty tonePushes an already-dirty tone harder and tightens it up. (high gain → tight)
Shin's Music Dumbloid takes that high gain character and pushes it toward tight
Comes earlier in the signal chain
TC Electronic Triple Flashback Delay
TC Electronic
15% matchsits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.
Keep TC Electronic Triple Flashback Delay after DigiTech Metal Master in the signal chain, clear of DigiTech Metal Master's own gain stage — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Comes later in the signal chain
Walrus Audio Highpoint
Walrus Audio
15% matchshapes the dynamic responseShapes how the tone responds to picking dynamics rather than its frequency or gain.
DigiTech Metal Master's tight character and Walrus Audio Highpoint's tight voice sit in the same lane rather than fighting each other
Comes earlier in the signal chain
Cusack Music Reverb SME
Cusack Music
14% matchsits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor. (high gain → ambient)
Put Cusack Music Reverb SME after DigiTech Metal Master in the signal chain, clear of DigiTech Metal Master's own gain stage — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Comes later in the signal chain
Matthews Effects The Pocket Drive Overdrive Boost
Matthews Effects
tonal matchComes earlier in the signal chain
Matthews Effects The Pocket Drive Overdrive Boost takes that high gain character and pushes it toward clean boost
EarthQuaker Devices Swiss Things
EarthQuaker Devices
Cheaper alternatives
Boutique & premium upgrades
Carl Martin Heavy Drive
Carl Martin
60% similarityShared character: various amps, hard rock, thickness
Carl Martin Crush Zone
Carl Martin
58% similarityShared character: various amps, hard rock, metal
Crazy Tube Circuits Motherload
Crazy Tube Circuits
57% similarityShared character: hard rock, thickness, distortion
Friedman BE-OD Deluxe
Friedman
56% similarityShared character: treble, hard rock, thickness
MXR Super Badass Distortion
MXR
55% similarityShared character: treble, thickness, gain
Mooer Rage Machine
Mooer
54% similarityShared character: high gain settings, metal, hard rock
Similar charactersee all similar tone character →
NUX Recto Distortion
Nux
57% similarityShared character: metal, hard rock, thickness
JHS Pedals Hard Drive Distortion
JHS Pedals
56% similarityShared character: metal, treble, compression
Maxon SM9Pro+ Super Metal Pro Plus Distortion
Maxon
56% similarityShared character: metal, distortion, aggressive playing
ISP Technologies Distortion
Isp Technologies
54% similarityShared character: high gain settings, hard rock, alternative
Roland ST-2 Power Stack
Roland
53% similarityShared character: metal, hard rock, thickness
Keeley KO-Als Distortion
Keeley
53% similarityShared character: treble, bass, distortion
See all alternatives to the DigiTech Metal Master (cheaper + boutique) →
Questions people ask
What are good alternatives to the DigiTech Metal Master?+
The closest matches in character are the NUX Recto Distortion, the JHS Pedals Hard Drive Distortion, the Maxon SM9Pro+ Super Metal Pro Plus Distortion. Budget picks: Caline CP-15. Boutique upgrades: Carl Martin Heavy Drive, Carl Martin Crush Zone, Crazy Tube Circuits Motherload.
What pairs well with the DigiTech Metal Master?+
Strong matches from rig and tone-complementarity evidence: Peavey VTM-120, Laney DBC410 Digbeth 4x10 Cabinet, Fender Dual Showman — Peavey VTM-120 pushes a high gain tone toward tight.
How much does the DigiTech Metal Master cost?+
Around $39.99 (live listing price, updated Oct 23, 2026).