If you're a metalhead without an amp, you've got to try this beast of a distortion pedal. Multi-modeling can be a headache to set up, but this is as intuitive as a regular pedal, and it has so many controls, it can be used with any amp. It can produce a solid & tight modern metal sound, allowing you to create anything from 00s metalcore to contemporary progressive metal/djent tones.
- Lugging around a tube amp is a real pain.
- I just can’t satisfy the modeling amp of a multi-effects unit.
For all you metalheads out there who can relate, I highly recommend giving the metal distortion of Solar Guitars’ [CHUG] a shot. I’m Yosh(@Yosh_Guitars), an ex-music store employee, and I’ve chosen this as my main distortion.
Pros
- Amp-like modern metal distortion
- 5-band EQ that can replace your amp
- Two gain filters to adjust the characteristics of the guitar
- A noise gate is included to enhance the cut of the riff
- Compact size that is easy to fit on the board
Amp-like Modern Metal Distortion
“Solar Guitars” is a metal guitar brand founded by Ola England(Instagram Account @olaenglund), a guitarist for THE HAUNTED and a famous YouTuber. The CHUG is a distortion pedal specifically designed for metal, developed by the same company that creates guitars equipped with powerful humbuckers suitable for technical performances.
Unlike the sound of a typical distortion pedal, it creates a sound that turns any clean amp into a “high gain amp”. It’s an analog-like sound, different from the digital sound of multi-effectors.
The sound is a modern metal tone heard since the 2000s. In terms of character, it’s like Peavey, Diezel, ENGL, etc., with a solid yet organic sound, fine-grain distortion, and sound pressure.
It’s a pedal that can provide a stable sound in any environment, but it can also kill the personality of the amp. However, you can clearly understand the character of the guitar and pickups.
It can be used comfortably even with down-tuning and multi-string guitars.
5-band EQ that can replace your amp
The EQ is equipped with a 5-band EQ including Bass, Middle, Treble, ultra-low frequency Depth, and ultra-high frequency Presence.
You can make detailed sound adjustments, so it has a wide range of adjustments that won’t bother you even if you use it as a replacement for your amp. In other words, you can create a solid modern high gain sound with either a combo amp like Roland JC-120 or Fender Twin Reverb, or a stack amp like Marshall JCM800.
It’s a recommended pedal for those who can’t create a satisfying metal sound with studio/live house equipment, but it’s difficult in terms of size and cost to carry my amp.
You can connect it to the clean channel of the amp, connect it to the effect return, or use it as a preamp in combination with IR.
Two gain filters to adjust the characteristics of the guitar
In addition to the usual Gain that determines the amount of distortion, it is equipped with LF (low frequency) Gain and HF (high frequency) Gain filters. It’s not that it distorts a lot when everything is turned up.
The LF Gain adjusts how much of the low range of the guitar is sent to the gain circuit. HF is a high-frequency adjustment.
If you narrow it down, the range will narrow, so it’s easier to make sound by narrowing it down from the fully open state for these two knobs.
For example, if you feel that the characteristics of the pickup or guitar are a bit boomy, you can adjust it neatly and tightly by narrowing the LF Gain. It’s easier to adjust than cutting with BASS or DEPTH control, and it’s a control that is not in other distortions, but it’s easy to use.
A noise gate is included to enhance the cut of the riff
It is also equipped with a one-knob noise gate, and the noise measures are perfect for high-gain settings.
You can visually check how it works with the color change of the ON/OFF LED indicator.
Despite the simple one-knob setting, the way it works is excellent. It can be said that it is of the same quality as a high-end noise gate without changing the sound.
It is noiseless when silent, but you can make good feedback. From a general setting where you can increase the cut of the mute in the 16th note phrase in the riff if you apply it deeply, it can also handle percussive djent.
Compact size that is easy to fit on the board
Despite being such a high-quality distortion, it fits into a size comparable to a BOSS compact effector (120mm x 70mm x 58mm / 600g).
It’s easy to incorporate into a pedalboard, so it’s a good idea to introduce it not only as a main distortion but also as a metal for those who play multiple genres.
Cons
- If you’re not good at sound making, you might get lost with many knobs
- The position of the stacked knob is hard to see
If you’re not good at sound making, you might get lost with many knobs
To make a wide range of sounds, there are 10 control knobs.
It might be difficult for beginners who don’t understand the meaning of the amp’s knobs well.
In particular, the sound-making that combines the LF/HF Gain and 5-band EQ seems to be lost. At first, it’s a good idea to set all 5 EQs to noon and the two LF/HF Gains to full.
The position of the stacked knob is hard to see
More than half of the knobs are stacked knobs with different parameters inside and outside, and the only mark to indicate the position of the knob is a small dot.
Especially the position of the outer knob is very poor in visibility on a dark stage. It might be a structure that you can adjust by believing in your ears without relying on the knob position.
Why I choose CHUG for my main High-Gain Sound making gear
- Reason 1: Breaking Free from the Shackles of My Amp and Modeling Amp
- Reason 2: Why I Picked CHUG Over the Friedman BE-OD & Revv G3 Pedal
- Reason 3: Modern Metal Sound with Amp-like Distortion
- Reason 4: Versatile Controls for Any Amp or Guitar
- Reason 5: CompactBoss Size with a Noise Gate Makes It Easy to Fit on the Board
Reason 1: Breaking Free from the Shackles of My Amp and Modeling Amp
If you’re after a killer distortion sound without any compromises, your best bet would be to go for a tube amp head. Sure, it’s a significant investment, requiring thousands of dollars… Plus, you’ve got to store a nearly 1m wide, 20kg box at home, lug it around when you use it, and sometimes even deal with stairs at venues or studios… On top of that, you’ve got regular maintenance and tube replacement to think about, adding to the running costs. I might catch some flak for this, but I just don’t have the energy for all that, haha.
So, you might start considering modeling amps. Recent digital modeling tech like Kemper, Fractal Audio, Quad Cortex, etc., is undoubtedly top-notch, professional quality. But for me, I mainly use it for band practice. In studios and venues where the environment and amp are always different, it’s crucial to be able to set up quickly. These modeling amps can probably create a satisfying sound if you dial it in, but when you want just a bit more treble, it’s tough to make immediate adjustments on the fly. Should you tweak the EQ on the modeling amp, or should you adjust the EQ that’s connected later? Plus, there are all the button presses to get there. (Of course, that’s on me for being a novice.)
So, if you entrust your main distortion to a high-quality pedal, you can meet all the conditions: a relatively low-cost budget, easy portability if it’s on a pedalboard and quick on-the-spot sound adjustments.
Reason 2: Why I Picked CHUG Over the Friedman BE-OD & Revv G3 Pedal
For several years after concluding Reason 1, I was a die-hard user of Friedman’s BE-OD. Released in 2016, this pedal is arguably one of the first to successfully replicate the “high gain” of amp quality in a compact effect pedal. There were high-gain pedals from Mesa Boogie, AMT, and others before, but they always seemed to fall just a bit short. Even today, the BE-OD’s quality remains top-notch. Its sound character is a modded Marshall-style, brown sound. The slightly loose and open low-end and big sound is a bit different from the modern tight metal sound I was after, which is why I decided to switch.
The introduction of the Revv G3 Pedal was also a game-changer. As you’d expect from an amp brand, it delivers a genuine high-gain sound, and it produces a tight modern metal sound that’s different from the BE-OD. Since I play both standard and drop C songs, I switch guitars accordingly. With a simple 3-band EQ, it was difficult to make minor adjustments due to differences in tuning and guitars. CHUG, with its plethora of controls, was just what the doctor ordered.
Reason 3: Modern Metal Sound with Amp-like Distortion
So, let’s dive into CHUG. As I mentioned earlier, you can achieve a high-gain sound of amp quality. The character is a tight, solid, and loud modern metal sound, like the ones you can hear in recent metal band recordings, reminiscent of Peavey, Hughes & Kettner, ENGL, and the like.
It’s sharp but not harsh on the ears, and it resonates clearly without muddiness even when adding 9th tensions which is a testament to its compatibility with modern metal sound. The low-end, which is full of sound pressure and doesn’t get muffled, allows you to play palm-muted riffs with a satisfying thump.
Reason 4: Versatile Controls for Any Amp or Guitar
In addition to the 3-band EQ of Bass, Middle, and Treble, it features a Presence control for adding high-end clarity and harmonic feel, and a Depth control for adding extreme low-end, making it heavy even in standard tuning. This alone is impressive, but the key to CHUG is the LF Gain and HF Gain. These act as filters for how much of the low and high frequencies are sent to the distortion circuit, and their effectiveness is incredibly handy.
For 7-string or down-tuned guitars, reducing the LF Gain can mitigate boominess and achieve a crisp, articulate sound. For pickups where the high frequencies are too prominent during solos, reducing the HF Gain can reduce the harsh attack of picking while maintaining good clarity.
It’s not only capable of modern high gain from the 00s metalcore but also, by actively using these filter controls, it can create percussive djent-style sounds even with multi-string guitars. When connected to the input of an amp as a distortion effect, the manufacturer recommends slightly lowering the Treble and Presence. It can also be used as a preamp when connected to the return. It seems to be designed with line recording in mind, so it’s very useful when used in combination with IR. For sound creation, it’s easier to get closer to the ideal by adjusting the EQ from noon and reducing the LF Gain/HF Gain from full.
Reason 5: Compact Boss Size with a Noise Gate Makes It Easy to Fit on the Board
It even comes equipped with an excellent one-knob noise gate. In high gain, pickups that tend to amplify hum noise can be made noiseless when not playing. Even in this state, the rise and decay of sound are very natural. I also recommend using the noise gate knob more proactively. The cut of the lick when muting with the left-hand increases. Moreover, it’s easy to set up because it’s just one knob.
Despite all these features, by making the control knobs two-axis stacked knobs, it achieves a size comparable to a BOSS pedal, measuring 120mm x 70mm x 58mm and weighing 600g. The power supply is 9V center minus, so there are no obstacles to introducing it to the effect board. Battery operation is not possible.
Conclusion: Highly recommended if you’re looking for a metal-specific distortion
In any case, it’s a must-try for metal guitarists who don’t have an amp. It has enough potential that you won’t regret buying it without trying it. 199USD.
If this pedal doesn’t work for you, you’re a person with technique and ear that has no choice but to buy a tube amp. Or maybe you just don’t like the modern metal sound?
I’ve been leaving the distortion to compact effectors, even in metal, because amp heads are heavy and expensive, and I don’t want to carry them, and digital amp modeling is different…
Until now, I’ve been using Friedman BE-OD and REVV G3, G4 Pedal, but compared to CHUG, BE-OD lacks tightness, and REVV has no presence and resonance controls and is hard to fine-tune, so this CHUG has been promoted to main this time.
I recommend it to people who:
Want a solid and tight modern metal tone Don’t want to carry my amp Find digital modeling amp sound unsatisfactory Want to improve the cut of the riff with a noise gate
