The Tone City Model B Distortion TC-T31 is a Tone City distortion pedal, currently around $88.80. Close alternatives include the Boss OD-3 Overdrive and the MXR Super Badass Distortion. It pairs well with the Fender Hot Rod Series Blues Junior 15W 1x12 Tube Guitar and the Milkman Sound Creamer 20W Combo.

Tone City Model B Distortion TC-T31

Tone City · pedal

The Tone City TC-T31 Model B is a budget US-style high-gain distortion inspired by a Mesa/Boogie Rectifier, the hottest-voiced pedal in Tone City's range. A Vintage/Modern mode switch changes its character substantially: Vintage gives a crispy, tight crunch building into the saturated high gain of the 1980s and early '90s, while Modern scoops the mids further and lets the low end bloom for the thick, chunky rhythm tone heard on countless '90s and 2000s metal records. A three-band EQ gives real control over the voicing, and a boost switch adds volume and saturation for lead work. It spans tasteful crunch to fully saturated modern metal, though reviewers note it does not fully match a real valve preamp. True bypass, 40mA draw, requires a 9V DC supply and will not run on a battery.

  • crunch
  • high gain
  • eq
  • modern
  • bloom
  • bypass
  • metal
  • blackface inspired character

Good for

  • Busking
  • Live
$88.80View on Reverb

Price updated Aug 28, 2026

Genres the Tone City Model B Distortion TC-T31 is commonly used in

  • Metal
  • Hard Rock
    citedInferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
  • Heavy Metal
    citedInferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
  • Rock
    citedInferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
  • Alternative
    citedInferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
  • Djent
    citedInferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.

Amps that pair well with the Tone City Model B Distortion TC-T31

Fender Hot Rod Series Blues Junior 15W 1x12 Tube Guitar

amplifier

41% match
$789.99via Reverb

The Model B's modern, high-gain crunch pushes the Blues Junior's natural, balanced breakup further.

Milkman Sound Creamer 20W Combo

Milkman Sound

37% match
$3449via Reverb

The Creamer's sweet, roots-voiced breakup gives the Model B's high-gain crunch a warm amp platform to push into.

1959 Fender Tweed Deluxe

Fender

36% match

The Model B's modern, EQ'd crunch pushes the Tweed Deluxe's own woody breakup into a sharper, more contemporary gain.

Fender Dual Showman Reverb

amplifier

34% match
$1100via Reverb

The Model B's modern, EQ'd crunch pushes the Dual Showman's own warm tube headroom into real drive.

Magnatone Super Fifteen 15W 1x12 Combo

Magnatone

32% match
$2799via Reverb

Stack the Model B in front of the Super Fifteen and the amp's punchy vibrato-laden breakup gets a modern crunch layer on top.

Carr Viceroy Combo 2x12" Black

Carr

32% match

Stack the Model B into the Viceroy's own gain and its blackface-voiced crunch pushes the amp into heavier, more saturated breakup.

Magnatone Varsity Reverb (Camel)

Magnatone

30% match

Stack the Model B in front of the Varsity Reverb and the amp's spacious spring reverb wraps around the pedal's modern crunch.

Mesa Boogie Lone Star Head

amplifier

30% match
$1800via Reverb

The Model B's blackface-inspired crunch stacks well ahead of the Lone Star's own tube gain, adding crispy saturation on a platform built to take pedals.

See all 74 amps that pair with the Tone City Model B Distortion TC-T31 →

Pedals that stack with the Tone City Model B Distortion TC-T31

Browne Amplification Gritador

Browne Amplification

28% match
$199via Reverb

Push the Model B's modern, high-gain crunch with the Gritador's own asymmetrical TS-style clipping and the two compound fast.

Electro-Harmonix "Ram's Head" Big Muff Pi V2

pedal

28% match
$2044.15via Reverb

Stack the Ram's Head's vocal, midrange fuzz after the Model B's blackface-inspired crunch for a thicker, more saturated wall.

Revv G2 (Green Channel Drive)

Revv

27% match

Tone City Model B Distortion TC-T31's high gain fills in what this high headroom tone doesn't make on its own

Blackstar LT Drive

Blackstar

26% match
$56.91via Reverb

The high headroom tone has headroom to spare — Tone City Model B Distortion TC-T31 gives it high gain to fill it with

67Audio Harry Balz

67audio

26% match
$108.04via Reverb

The Model B's modern, EQ'd crunch stacks with the Harry Balz's own open, dynamic tube gain for a thicker push.

Barber Linden EQ

Barber

25% match
$159.95via Reverb

Run Tone City Model B Distortion TC-T31 into that high headroom platform and it finally gets some high gain

Catalinbread Epoch Boost Mini

Catalinbread

24% match
$110.49via Reverb

Run Tone City Model B Distortion TC-T31 into that high headroom platform and it finally gets some high gain

Catalinbread Pareidolia

Catalinbread

24% match
$338.45via Reverb

Into a high headroom tone, Tone City Model B Distortion TC-T31 brings the high gain it's missing

See all 21 pedals that pair with the Tone City Model B Distortion TC-T31 →

Cheaper alternatives

Sonicake MiniLane Shark Classic Crunch Distortion

Sonicake

65% similarity
$43.98via Reverb

Shared character: crunch, metal, vintage_charm

Fender Hammertone Metal

Fender

94% similarity
$49.99via Reverb

similar tone character

Donner Dumbal Drive

Donner

93% similarity
$52.61via Reverb

similar tone character

Behringer UM300 Heavy Metal Distortion

Behringer

93% similarity
$28.90via Reverb

similar tone character

Boutique & premium upgrades

Tech 21 California Overdrive

Tech 21

70% similarity
$212.57via Reverb

Shared character: thickness, crunch, high_gain_settings

Friedman BE-OD

Friedman

94% similarity
$169.99via Reverb

similar tone character

Beetronics Overhive Medium Gain Overdrive

Beetronics

94% similarity
$230via Reverb

similar tone character

Alexander Pedals Jubilee Silver Overdrive

Alexander Pedals

93% similarity
$189.99via Reverb

similar tone character

Wampler Paisley Drive Deluxe

Wampler

93% similarity
$220.97via Reverb

similar tone character

Walrus Audio Jupiter V2

Walrus Audio

93% similarity
$129via Reverb

similar tone character

Similar charactersee all similar tone character →

Boss OD-3 Overdrive

Boss

73% similarity
$103.97via Reverb

Shared character: chunky, voicing, crunch

MXR Super Badass Distortion

MXR

72% similarity
$99via Reverb

Shared character: voicing, thickness, crunch

JHS Charlie Brown

JHS Pedals

72% similarity

Shared character: chunky, voicing, thickness

Tone City TC Model M V2

Tone City

70% similarity
$91.74via Reverb

“Its sibling the Model B covers US-voiced Mesa Rectifier territory instead.”

Marshall Guv'nor

Marshall

70% similarity
$100via Reverb

Shared character: voicing, thickness, crunch

Suhr Riot Mini Black Edition

Suhr

70% similarity

Shared character: crunch, high_gain_settings, s_build_quality

See all alternatives to the Tone City Model B Distortion TC-T31 (cheaper + boutique) →

Questions people ask

What are good alternatives to the Tone City Model B Distortion TC-T31?+

The closest matches in character are the Boss OD-3 Overdrive, the MXR Super Badass Distortion, the JHS Charlie Brown. Budget picks: Sonicake MiniLane Shark Classic Crunch Distortion, Fender Hammertone Metal, Donner Dumbal Drive. Boutique upgrades: Tech 21 California Overdrive, Friedman BE-OD, Beetronics Overhive Medium Gain Overdrive.

What pairs well with the Tone City Model B Distortion TC-T31?+

Strong matches from rig and tone-complementarity evidence: Fender Hot Rod Series Blues Junior 15W 1x12 Tube Guitar, Milkman Sound Creamer 20W Combo, 1959 Fender Tweed Deluxe — The Model B's modern, high-gain crunch pushes the Blues Junior's natural, balanced breakup further..

How much does the Tone City Model B Distortion TC-T31 cost?+

Around $88.80 (live listing price, updated Aug 28, 2026).

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Tone City Model B Distortion TC-T31 — NodeTone