DigiTech Bad Monkey

VERY easy to use. You can't get a bad sound out of it. VERY smooooth.
Good harmonics and very transparent.

Very quiet, quality built pedal. My signal chain is a 58 plaintop to the bad monkey, DOD compressor/sustainer, Traynor YCV80 2x12. Simple setup. This pedal does not have a lot of gain. Some players may not like that. Very dynamic EQ controls. I think this is one of the most natural sounding overdrives I've ever used. I've been looking for this sound for a long time. I love it.

Seems dependable. It's built very solid.

No dealing with CS.

For the price, you will not find a more musically natural sounding overdrive. This little box is so transparent. Absolutely no coloring of the guitar's natural sound. It really left me gobsmacked. I also use this box to drive a non-master volume 75 Marshall 50 watt lead head. It sends that old amp into overdriven glory. Very rich sounding. It nails the Jimmy Page, Allman Bros, Peter Green sound when using it in front of a Les Paul. Since it has very dynamic eq controls, you can really fatten up a thin Strat or Tele without adding too much dirt. In fact, I found that this pedal gave you that wide open SRV sound at modest volumes. It also let's dial out the "icepick" if your Strat is so afflicted. For 35 bucks you just can't go wrong with this.

This thing is awesome! There is no hassle or problem with getting the tone you want out of it, it's just like any other pedal (except sounds better). Don't bother with the manual, you gotta just dive in.

I am using this pedal to add a little more girth and some more distortion to my amp. I play a Tele Deluxe/Floyd Rose DST through the Bad Monkey then a Dunlop Crybaby and into a Carvin X100B overdriven on the clean channel. This pedal is transparent in the best way! It adds that extra push you want for a tube amp overdrive but doesn't color your tone. To make it even better it's noiseless! Seriously, no noises or hisses or anything, I can just step on it and leave it on. The only reason I had to dock its score was that to clean up my sound when I roll back my guitar's volume, I have to turn the Bad Monkey off. Still, small price to pay and even then my cleans are always 100% tube so I don't really care.

I haven't played a show with it yet, but it seems durable enough. The tone is consistent as is the volume and the thing's built like a f***ing tank!

Never dealt with DigiTech.

I play a blues-metal-punk fusion style and this works great. It give enough gain to get pinch harmonics like Zakk Wyle, but it isn't super gainy; it gives enough grind to really rip into a punk riff, yet it's also light and smooth enough to play a really soulful blues solo. I've been playing about 6 and a half years now and I've played a lot of Boss pedals up to this point, namely the Mega Distortion and Super Overdrive. The Mega Distortion sucked for what I wanted to do, and the Super Overdrive is pretty good by itself, but once again was horrible at combining with my amp's distortion. If this thing were stolen I would definitely buy it again and that wouldn't be asking much with its pricetag! The tone of this thing makes it seem like such a steal! Sounds more like a $130 pedal than a $30 pedal. It's just perfect for giving a little more dirt without any hissing or fake, SS sounds. Absolutely perfect!

The unit is easy to use, assuming you are human. It has 4 controls, level, low, high amd gain (pretty obvious). Easy to get a good tube overdrive sound. If you want screech metal or some other garbage, DON'T buy this pedal. It is for smooth overdriven tube sound.
The manual is useless, unless you are rain dead.

The overdriven sound is perfect for my Alternative Country Rock. I just love the sound. It is not noisy unless you crank it to the max. The battery compartment is under the on/off pedal. Just depress the two hinge pins and there is the battery (which it comes with). I use it for some lead work but especially for my slide work. Oh, yeah, it shines there. I use a Fender custom Shop FMT Telecaster with hums (a DiMarxio X2N in the front) through a Crate VFX5212. I hear there are some guys doing mods on this pedal. If they are, they are just ripping you off as there is little to change other than the LED. The adition of Tantalum caps, will just add noise. For my money, they are rip off artisits where the Bad Monkey is concerend.

Beats me. The other Digitech equipment I have, have never failed. It is metal and all the components are surface mount mil-spec, so I would assume it would last a long time. Yeah, I would gig without a backup. (but I always gig with a backup amp!!!!!)

Never used them, don't intend to. They were really good with my RP-7.

Overall, I rate it a 10 as it has taken the forefront in my medium overdrive arsenal. I just love the sound. Only thing I wish it had was a true bypass rather than active j-fet bypass. Even with the J-fet bypass, there is little if any signal degradation. If it were stolen or lost, I would get another (after I put the thief in the hospital). I play Alternative Country Rock, and this pedal is the item. I have been playing a full 40 years. I own 5 tube amps, one SS amp and several Strats. I have compared it to my Nady TO-2 and the Behringer Tube Overdrive and the Bad Monkey blows them both away. Way better sound, way less noise. It definitely adds to my creativity and my overall sound. I can't recommend it enough.

4 knobs - every setting I tried sounds good

I'm using this through a halfways decent rig - '83 American Strat/Frankencaster/335 Knockoff into the Bad Monkey then a BOSS SD-1, BOSS ME-30 and into the amp.

It blows the doors off of the SD-1 - it can get the same sound, but it can also do so much more!! Grunting, panting, screaming - it does it all thanks to the very active EQ controls. I don't have that much stompbox experience, but have a reasonable understanding of tone (I've owned lots of cheapy pedals, one of the original Marshall Guv'nors, SS amps, tube amps and the SD-1). This pedal pushed into a tube amp is killer. It's well worth the $$.

So far so good.

????

I play bluesy rock and have been doing so for about 15 years and have accumulated some pretty decent gear. This is easily on par with that, and deserves it's spot in the lineup.

I love BOSS stuff, but this is definitely better - get one for yourself.

Pretty simple to use, all the knobs are self explanitory. I bought it used, so I don't have a manual or anything for this, but, like I said, it's pretty simple...

I love the sound of this pedal. I have played with tons of pedals and this is one of my favorites. The gain really colors the amount of distortion in differnt ways. Put it at 7:00 and just warm up your sound, send it to 4:00 and you have some really nice rocking overdrive. It's al very warm and very clear, even when it gets crunchy.

I get no hum at all when this is on.

I've played it next to my Visual Sound Jeckyll and Hyde and it's very comparable.

Seems reliable.

I play rock, kind of like U2 mixed with Pearl Jam. Works well with what I do.

I've been playing for over ten years. I play a Rickenbacker 330, a Tele HH, a Danelectro Pro 56, a Taylor 414, and a cheap lap steel guitar.
I play through a Fender Blues Jr. amp.

If it were lost or stolen, no problem, I'll pay $35 for this pedal any day.

Easy to use. The manual was quite brief. Completelyt analog I belive, except the switching.

This pedal I absolutely brilliant. Good for pretty much any classic rock sound as all the old artists used tube amps.
Although this doesn't use a tube , it sounds pretty similar. More realistic than a bloody valvestate marshall that we have at school. Sounds like a rat running around in a pile of celery ??_??.
you can get a zeppelin sound outta this pedal, which is mainly what I want
But this only produces a low gain so it works best with a high output guitar such as a gibson SG special, which is what I have ^_^.

I can depend on this pedal as it is built really well. Similar to boss quality

nah, haven't dealt with them

I think this is a good pedal for all you budding classic rock fans. So go buy it. you can get it for like ??25 off the internet.
Looks funky too. GREEEEEEEEN

Easy to use. Dial in tone, level, gain and you are good.

I use this in front of my AC30. I'd have walked right past it in the store if I hadn't been given advise to try it with my amp. I swear, this is the best pedal you will ever get for ~$50. It is a transparent, evenly voiced overdrive that just sounds great.

It can be used as a boost, or to add a little sizzle, or it can get quite heavy. It all sounds good.

I personally keep all knobs at 12:00.

Looks solid. All these big companies make long lasting pedals.

I've been playing for 6 years. I own a Gibson SG ('61 RI) and a Fender Telecaster (Highway 1 Texas)

I'd recommend that anyone give this pedal a try. I was having trouble getting my tubescreamer to sound good through my amp. I found the TS to be too middy (expecially with my middy amp), while this pedal gives an evenly voiced overdrive. Great effect for cheap!

10 here, because you cannot beat this value.

No Brainer - bass and treble knobs added plus

***ibanez AH-10 guitar> Digitech RP-1> Crate G80 (solid state)***

I have a digitech RP-1 but was unable to get the kind of lead sound (holdsworhian, hendersonian, halenesque) I like from it. the distortion is either grainy on the bottom end, or 'swicky' on the high end. after reading reviews at harmony-cental I bought the bad monkey without auditioning one, a first for me in my 20 year playing career. good choice! the bad monkey gives me the transparent, flat tube-like sound I've been looking for - works great in tandem with the rp-1's distortion. i tried most of the overdrive pedals and was dissatisfied with the tone of most of them. works great for single note and chordal work.

I just bought it

never needed support for digitech devices

for the price can't be beat, a godsend!! versatile tone without coloration

Man this is very easy to use. No brainer kinda thing

I can sound like anybody. Name them P.O.D, creed, chevelle etc.

I use this on top of distortion channel, i can get very chunky, bassy, and yet very gainy tone.

At first i didnt try this, i was going to get ts9, but there was a slight delay on the shipment i decided to cancel that and took this. and i have never been happier than this.

I use peavey valveking 212 combo thru this baby. and it rocks!!

yeah, its digitech!!!

I play pop, metal, rock, alternative. With this thing i can play almost anything.

AND ITS cheap!! i bought new, mannnnnn so awesomee!!!

So easy to use even a monkey could tweak it. *cough*

4 knobs (Level, Low, High, Gain)
Input
Output (Amp)
Output (Mixer)
AC in
Big red "On" LED
Cool metallic green color

Use this OD if you wanna do the Classic Rock/That 70's Tone thang.

Using my Les Paul Custom w/Seth Lovers into my JTM45RI (which I modded to 60's specs) into a 1X12 w/Weber Alnico Blue Dog, it adds a sweet midrange and shiny presence to the tone with nice soft clipping.

Smooth and buttery with no harshness - retains the 'feel' and dynamics of your amp.

Turn the gain up near the top and you've got enough boost to do early 80's hard rock.

Yes, it's true: the Bad Monkey really does deliver the goods.

The only drawback is it could clean up a little more when turning down the volume on your guitar (it's good, but not great at this).

It's a brick; even the knobs are solid.

Never dealt with DigiTech.

I play all sorts of stuff, but my main squeeze is Classic Rock; been playing for 23 years.

This is a fantastic value (tone compared to cost); hence the "10" Overall Rating.

From *my* experience, works awesome with a vintage-style tube amp and vintage-output humbuckers (haven't tried the Strat yet).

I was looking for a Classic Rock boost which would work great with humbuckers (I use a Fulldrive 2 for my Strat), and this Bad Monkey takes the banana and eats it.