The Fender Distort is a distortion pedal from Fender, finished in an orange-colored enclosure. In MusicRadar's review, Trevor Curwen describes its range as running from "an aggressive crunch leads on to a powerful cranked rock amp distortion", taking a player from overdrive-adjacent grit through to metal territory1.
Controls and layout
The Distort keeps to the standard three-knob arrangement: tone, gain and level controls1. Gain sets how hard the circuit is driven, tone shapes the top end, and level sets the output. MusicRadar notes it "offers a similar array of tone, gain and level controls" to what players already know from other distortion pedals1.
Physically, the pedal is described as "board-friendly with a similar footprint to Boss compacts", a change from earlier Fender pedals that, in the review's words, "have eaten up floor space"1. That means it slots into a pedalboard built around standard compact pedal spacing without rearranging anything.
What it sounds like
MusicRadar's reviewer characterizes the Distort's range as starting at an aggressive crunch and opening up into a powerful cranked rock amp distortion, covering everything from overdrive-style grit to metal1. As with any review on this site, that is the reviewer's finding, not a verdict of our own.
How it compares within Fender's distortion range
Fender's pedal line includes several other distortion and drive options that a player weighing up the Distort may want to look at:
- Fender Pugilist Distortion, a larger dual-engine distortion
- Fender Hammertone Metal, the series' higher-gain option
- Fender MTG Tube Distortion and Fender MTG: LA Tube Distortion, tube-flavored designs
- Fender Full Moon Distortion and Fender Godzilla Opamp Distortion
- The earlier Fender Distortion
What reviewers said
MusicRadar's overall verdict, in Trevor Curwen's words: "Decent distortion at a good price but be wary of the tone knob."1
That sums up the review's position: the pedal delivers usable distortion for the money, with a caution about how the tone control behaves as it is turned up1.
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Questions
How much does the Fender Distort cost?
MusicRadar's review describes the Fender Distort as competitively priced, under £50 at many retailers. No US dollar list price is given for this pedal, so a player shopping in the United States will need to look at current dealer pricing.
What controls does the Fender Distort have?
The Fender Distort offers a tone, gain and level control layout, the same basic array found on most distortion pedals. Gain sets how hard the circuit drives, tone shapes the brightness, and level sets the output volume relative to your clean signal.
Is the Fender Distort the same size as a Boss compact pedal?
Yes. MusicRadar's review calls the Distort board-friendly, with a similar footprint to Boss compact pedals, which makes it easy to fit alongside standard-sized pedals on a pedalboard.
Sources (1)
- Fender Distort Pedal review, MusicRadar, 2013-08-08
