The Walrus Audio Fundamental Series Distortion is a Walrus Audio distortion pedal. Close alternatives include the MXR Distortion+ and the Dunlop MXR M94SE Super Badass Distortion. It pairs well with the Marshall Bluesbreaker and the Matchless DC-30.
Walrus Audio Fundamental Series Distortion
Walrus Audio · pedal
The Walrus Audio Fundamental Series Distortion is a three-mode distortion pedal covering dark and doomy tones through sharp, cutting lead sounds. Three clipping voices are selectable: Dark uses asymmetric silicon clipping with an added high-frequency cut for a dark, dynamic character; Si uses classic silicon hard clipping for a compressed, crunchy sound; and LED uses LED hard clipping for a dynamic, crunchy and noticeably louder output. Slider controls cover volume, tone and gain in a compact, affordable enclosure. Reviewers place it as a straightforward, reliable distortion that trades some of the character of Walrus Audio's higher-end drives for simplicity and price, describing the voicing as clean and usable rather than distinctive.
What stands out
“Reviewers place it as a straightforward, reliable distortion that trades some of the character of Walrus Audio's higher-end drives for simplicity and price, describing the voicing as clean and usable”
— from the listing
“Three clipping voices are selectable: Dark uses asymmetric silicon clipping with an added high-frequency cut for a dark, dynamic character; Si uses classic silicon hard clipping for a compressed, crunchy sound; and LED uses LED hard clippin…”
— from the listing
“Walrus Audio's accessible Fundamental distortion, valued for quality distortion at lower price point in Walrus Audio's build quality”
— from the community notes
“The Walrus Audio Fundamental Series Distortion is a three-mode distortion pedal covering dark and doomy tones through sharp, cutting lead sounds”
— from the listing
“Three clipping modes give genuinely different voicings : Dark is rolled off and thick, Si is compressed and crunchy, and LED is more open, dynamic and louder”
— from the reviews
- clipping
- distortion
- dark
- drive
- compressed
- crunchy
- silicon
- dynamic
Genres the Walrus Audio Fundamental Series Distortion is commonly used in
- Alternative
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Punk
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Grunge
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Rock
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Hard Rock
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Metal
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
Amps that pair well with the Walrus Audio Fundamental Series Distortion
Marshall Bluesbreaker
Marshall
38% matchfills a frequency gapFills in a frequency range the other side doesn't cover, instead of piling more onto what's already there. (dark → glassy)
Where this leans dark, Marshall Bluesbreaker answers back glassy
Comes later in the signal chain
Matchless DC-30
Matchless
30% matchfills a frequency gapFills in a frequency range the other side doesn't cover, instead of piling more onto what's already there. (dark → glassy)
Matchless DC-30 leans glassy right where the dark tone needs it
Comes later in the signal chain
Gretsch 6160 Chet Atkins Amp
Gretsch
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Run Gretsch 6160 Chet Atkins Amp after it and the dark edge settles into something more glassy
Ampeg V-4
Ampeg
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Feed a crunchy signal into Ampeg V-4 and it comes out closer to mid-forward
Carr Artemus Combo 1-12 Custom Tweed
Carr
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Carr Artemus Combo 1-12 Custom Tweed pushes a crunchy tone toward mid-forward
Ampeg BA 108
Ampeg
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Stack Ampeg BA 108 on top and a crunchy tone tightens toward mid-forward
Ceriatone HRM 50
Ceriatone
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Ceriatone HRM 50 takes that crunchy character and pushes it toward mid-forward
Watkins Dominator
amplifier
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Watkins Dominator's bright balances out the dark tone
Pedals that stack with the Walrus Audio Fundamental Series Distortion
Paul Cochrane Timmy
Paul Cochrane
26% matchfills a frequency gapFills in a frequency range the other side doesn't cover, instead of piling more onto what's already there. (dark → bright)
Paul Cochrane Timmy's bright balances out the dark tone
Comes earlier in the signal chain
J. Rockett Archer
pedal
25% matchfills a frequency gapFills in a frequency range the other side doesn't cover, instead of piling more onto what's already there. (dark → bright)
J. Rockett Archer's bright balances out the dark tone
Comes earlier in the signal chain
Wampler Latitude Deluxe Tremolo
Wampler
24% 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 Wampler Latitude Deluxe Tremolo after Walrus Audio Fundamental Series Distortion in the signal chain, clear of Walrus Audio Fundamental Series Distortion's own gain stage
Comes later in the signal chain
Maxon CP-9Pro+
Maxon
24% matchfills a frequency gapFills in a frequency range the other side doesn't cover, instead of piling more onto what's already there. (dark → glassy)
Maxon CP-9Pro+'s own compressed character is the real reason this is worth trying
Comes earlier in the signal chain
Catalinbread Epoch-Set
Catalinbread
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 Walrus Audio Fundamental Series Distortion's dark voice out front: Catalinbread Epoch-Set goes after Walrus Audio Fundamental Series Distortion in the signal chain so its warm voice doesn't muddy it — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Comes later in the signal chain
Strymon Brigadier dBucket Delay
pedal
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.
Keep Strymon Brigadier dBucket Delay after Walrus Audio Fundamental Series Distortion in the signal chain, clear of Walrus Audio Fundamental Series Distortion's own gain stage — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Comes later in the signal chain
MXR CAE Wah
MXR
tonal matchComes earlier in the signal chain
MXR CAE Wah goes in front of Walrus Audio Fundamental Series Distortion — a wah tracks picking dynamics best on the raw signal
Browne Amplification Ethane
Browne Amplification
tonal matchBrowne Amplification Ethane takes that crunchy character and pushes it toward mid-forward
Alternativessee all similar tone character →
MXR Distortion+
MXR
60% similarityShared character: thickness, gain, distortion
Dunlop MXR M94SE Super Badass Distortion
Dunlop
60% similarityShared character: gain, distortion
Caroline Guitar Company , Aaron Graves Overdrive
Caroline Guitar Company
58% similaritySimilar voicing: dynamic, compressed
ProCo RAT 2
Proco
54% similarityShared character: dark, thickness, distortion
Subdecay Variac
Subdecay
54% similaritySimilar role and voicing
Black Country Customs Monolith
Black Country Customs
54% similarityShared character: gain, distortion
Donner Dark Mouse
Donner
54% similarityShared character: dark, distortion
MXR Prime Distortion
MXR
53% similarityShared character: distortion
Walrus Audio Ages Five-State Overdrive
Walrus Audio
53% similarityShared character: distortion
RHC Rat Turbo Rat Distortion
Rhc Audio
53% similarityShared character: distortion
Suhr Riot
Suhr
53% similarityShared character: voicing, dark, distortion
Electro-Harmonix Pico Triboro Bridge
Electro-Harmonix
52% similarityShared character: gain, distortion
See all alternatives to the Walrus Audio Fundamental Series Distortion (cheaper + boutique) →
Questions people ask
What are good alternatives to the Walrus Audio Fundamental Series Distortion?+
The closest matches in character are the MXR Distortion+, the Dunlop MXR M94SE Super Badass Distortion, the Caroline Guitar Company , Aaron Graves Overdrive.
What pairs well with the Walrus Audio Fundamental Series Distortion?+
Strong matches from rig and tone-complementarity evidence: Marshall Bluesbreaker, Matchless DC-30, Gretsch 6160 Chet Atkins Amp — Where this leans dark, Marshall Bluesbreaker answers back glassy.