Plugin similar to Digitech Grunge Pedal?...

[Ou_Tis]

Or other distortion pedals recommended for getting metal tones from single coil Stratocasters?

"I strongly recommend the DigiTech Grunge pedal for Strat metal tones as its high distortion works very well with single-coil Strat pickups. You may hate the pedal at first, but watch (or should I say hear) the magic that happens when you turn that treble or "HI" control down and turn up the bass "LO" control.

Other distortion pedals can work, but for whatever reason the Grunge really makes a difference when you want to get that thick, distorted metal tone."

[Etienne1973]

Similar Audiority Distortion 1 is a modeled Boss DS-1 plugin.

It's been a while since I played my DigiTech GSP2101. It has the Grunge pedal as distortion option built in its preamp section. But yes, I can remember it worked with my single-coil Strat back then. Better for solo work, less for rhythm b/c too much compression.

[donkey tugger]

https://mercuriall.com/cms/details_freestuff

Mercurial MT-A - METEL...

..and free.

[BaronWaterpark]

Boss DS-1 is nothing like the Grunge pedal, the MT-A (Metal Zone) can sound similar in certain settings but that's it. I guess the Grunge can work well on Strats because it has a lot of midrange which the Strat lacks. Another solution is to use an eq on the DI, with a LPF around 1500hz, and boost the 200hz-1000hz range.

Anyway, the Diode69 module in Overloud TH is based on the Grunge.

[Melkor]

I've got a 2101LE Gold w/ artist chip, and the grunge setting in it sounds like nothing else.
Absolutely crushing, when matched with the right amp and speakers

I do remember the pedal version sounding pretty different to the 2101 version, but it's been a few years since I've used the pedal.

I'd love a modelled vst version. A circuit model must be pretty simple by today's standards.

EDIT: the old DOD FX86 Death Metal, did sound pretty different to the Digitech version, and I remember that I tried the DOD Grunge (with the face, butt, grunge control knobs)... I'd bet the actual Digi Grunge will sound different from the DOD as well.

So, there seems to be 3 flavours of "Grunge"

[us423]

It is interesting how the Digitech pedals have avoided emulation up till now. I would think Digitech would have wanted to get in on the VST thing but...perhaps they prefer real hardware. I agree with @BaronWaterpark that the actual Digitech Grunge distortion has its own character separate from the Boss DS-1 and the Metalzone. I would like to hear VST versions of old Digitech and DoD distortion pedals.

[Cooker]

+1 For a Grunge pedal emulation

[GaryG]

I guess the Grunge can work well on Strats because it has a lot of midrange which the Strat lacks. Another solution is to use an eq on the DI, with a LPF around 1500hz, and boost the 200hz-1000hz range.

You could also do what people do with pedals, stack a tube screamer-like pedal (lots of mid range) in front of your distortion to fill it out that way. A tube screamer into a Rat is particularly nice/grungy imo.

Try this for free at TSE Audio, the 808 into the R47 sounds good.

[btfnk]

There is a major lack of emulation of digitech stuff and the company was sold on and abandoned so there is little hope of reissues or ports of their original dsp to a modern platform.

Because of that I’ve started collecting their stuff. It’s unique and much more useful in modern productions than you would think from the general lack of clout.