The Hard Core XXX is a distortion pedal from Metal Pedals, described by Vintage Guitar magazine in its January 2013 review as the "evil twin" to the company's Raw Hide. Where the Raw Hide sits on the milder side of the pair, the Hard Core XXX is designed to rock, with plentiful gain and distortion at the ready1.
What it does
The pedal's core feature is a five-band EQ paired with a two-way Noise Reduction switch, giving a player detailed control over the shape of the distortion rather than a single tone knob1. Vintage Guitar noted that each knob in the EQ stack is voiced with guitarists in mind, though the pedal works surprisingly well on bass, too1.
The Gain control is voiced to suggest multiple gain stages and can go from raucous to searing in short order. With that much gain available, the Volume control becomes a big help in tailoring the crunch1.
"Its Gain control is voiced to suggest multiple gain stages and can go from raucous to searing in short order."
Hard Core XXX and Raw Hide
| Hard Core XXX | Raw Hide | |
|---|---|---|
| Character | High gain, "evil twin" | Milder half of the pair |
| List price (Jan 2013) | $230 | $175 |
Both pedals were reviewed together by Vintage Guitar in January 2013, with the Hard Core XXX positioned as the heavier sibling1.
Sources (1)
- Metal Pedals’ Raw Hide, Hard Core XXX, Vintage Guitar magazine, 2014-08-08
