The Fortin Amplification Meshuggah Signature is a Fortin Amplification distortion pedal, currently around $349. Close alternatives include the Browne Amplification Carbon and the NuX NDS-5 Fireman Distortion Dual Brown Sound. It pairs well with the Peavey VTM-120 and the Milkman Sound Creamer 20W Combo.
Fortin Amplification Meshuggah Signature
Fortin Amplification · pedal
The Fortin Amplification Meshuggah is a gain boost and saturation switch pedal created in collaboration with Swedish progressive metal band Meshuggah, designed to deliver the precise, brutally tight high-gain tone associated with the Meshuggah sound. The Meshuggah boost provides the tight, defined gain enhancement needed for the band seven and eight-string drop-tuned rhythm playing that defines their sound, with a saturation switch that adds an additional layer of high-gain density when engaged. It is one of the most influential metal-focused boutique pedals from Fortin Amplification.
What stands out
“The saturation switch adds a second layer of density beyond the base boost character”
— from the community notes
“The Fortin Amplification Meshuggah is a gain boost and saturation switch pedal created in collaboration with Swedish progressive metal band Meshuggah, designed to deliver the precise, brutally tight high-gain tone associated with the Meshug…”
— from the listing
“The Meshuggah boost provides the tight, defined gain enhancement needed for the band seven and eight-string drop-tuned rhythm playing that defines their sound, with a saturation switch that adds an additional layer of high-gain density when…”
— from the listing
“Used by metal players who want the specific Meshuggah tight, defined high-gain character for polyrhythmic metal rhythm playing”
— from the community notes
“Fortin construction quality is boutique and excellent”
— from the community notes
Trade-offs
“Limited availability through specialty channels is consistent with boutique Canadian production”
— from the reviews
- boost
- high gain
- tight
- rhythm
- eight string
- metal
- aggressive
- meshuggah sound
Price updated Oct 23, 2026
Genres the Fortin Amplification Meshuggah Signature is commonly used in
- Djent
- Metal
- Heavy Metal
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Hard 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. - Christian Rock
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
Amps that pair well with the Fortin Amplification Meshuggah Signature
Peavey VTM-120
Peavey
20% 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
Milkman Sound Creamer 20W Combo
Milkman Sound
20% matchpushes an already-dirty tonePushes an already-dirty tone harder and tightens it up. (high gain → mid-forward)
Milkman Sound Creamer 20W Combo takes that high gain character and pushes it toward mid-forward
Comes later in the signal chain
Aguilar SL110 Fawn Limited
Aguilar
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Aguilar SL110 Fawn Limited takes that high gain character and pushes it 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 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
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
Phil Jones BG-400 Suitcase Compact Bass Combo
Phil Jones
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Phil Jones BG-400 Suitcase Compact Bass Combo pushes a high gain tone toward mid-forward
Pedals that stack with the Fortin Amplification Meshuggah Signature
Suhr Shiba Drive
Suhr
17% matchpushes an already-dirty tonePushes an already-dirty tone harder and tightens it up. (high gain → mid-forward)
Stack Suhr Shiba Drive on top and a high gain tone tightens toward mid-forward
Electro-Harmonix Deluxe Electric Mistress
Electro-Harmonix
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 → shimmer)
Put Electro-Harmonix Deluxe Electric Mistress after Fortin Amplification Meshuggah Signature in the signal chain, clear of Fortin Amplification Meshuggah Signature's own gain stage
Comes later in the signal chain
Soldano SLO
Soldano
15% 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
Hungry Robot Moby Dick V2
Hungry Robot
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. (high gain → lush)
Keep Hungry Robot Moby Dick V2 after Fortin Amplification Meshuggah Signature in the signal chain, clear of Fortin Amplification Meshuggah Signature's own gain stage — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Comes later in the signal chain
Hungry Robot The Borderland
Hungry Robot
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. (high gain → modulated)
Keep Hungry Robot The Borderland after Fortin Amplification Meshuggah Signature in the signal chain, clear of Fortin Amplification Meshuggah Signature's own gain stage — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Comes later in the signal chain
Electro-Harmonix Pico Deep Freeze
Electro-Harmonix
12% 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)
Electro-Harmonix Pico Deep Freeze leans toward ambient, and that's a real, usable character to pair with
Comes earlier in the signal chain
MXR CAE Wah
MXR
tonal matchComes earlier in the signal chain
Put MXR CAE Wah in front of Fortin Amplification Meshuggah Signature: a wah tracks picking dynamics best on the raw signal
JAM Pedals RetroVibe Mk.4
Jam Pedals
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Feed a high gain signal into JAM Pedals RetroVibe Mk.4 and it comes out closer to mid-forward
Cheaper alternatives
Wampler Dracarys
Wampler
54% similarityShared character: metal, aggressive playing, high gain settings
Mooer 015 Brown Sound Micro Preamp
Mooer
53% similarityShared character: aggressive playing, high gain settings
Friedman BE-OD Deluxe
Friedman
51% similarityShared character: countless rock and metal players, aggressive playing, high gain settings
Behringer UM300 Heavy Metal Distortion
Behringer
49% similarityShared character: metal, aggressive playing, high gain settings
Friedman BE-OD
Friedman
48% similarityShared character: metal, boost, aggressive playing
DigiTech Metal Master
Digitech
48% similarityShared character: metal, aggressive playing, high gain settings
Similar charactersee all similar tone character →
Browne Amplification Carbon
Browne Amplification
52% similarityShared character: boost, high gain settings
NuX NDS-5 Fireman Distortion Dual Brown Sound
Nux
50% similarityShared character: high gain settings
Joyo Uzi Distortion
Joyo
47% similarityShared character: metal, aggressive playing, high gain settings
Dallas Rangemaster Treble Booster
Dallas
45% similarityShared character: metal, boost
Catalinbread Skewer
Catalinbread
44% similarityShared character: boost
NuX Brownie
Nux
90% similaritysimilar tone character
See all alternatives to the Fortin Amplification Meshuggah Signature (cheaper + boutique) →
Questions people ask
What are good alternatives to the Fortin Amplification Meshuggah Signature?+
The closest matches in character are the Browne Amplification Carbon, the NuX NDS-5 Fireman Distortion Dual Brown Sound, the Joyo Uzi Distortion. Budget picks: Wampler Dracarys, Mooer 015 Brown Sound Micro Preamp, Friedman BE-OD Deluxe.
What pairs well with the Fortin Amplification Meshuggah Signature?+
Strong matches from rig and tone-complementarity evidence: Peavey VTM-120, Milkman Sound Creamer 20W Combo, Aguilar SL110 Fawn Limited — Peavey VTM-120 pushes a high gain tone toward tight.
How much does the Fortin Amplification Meshuggah Signature cost?+
Around $349 (live listing price, updated Oct 23, 2026).