Korg 104ds Hyper Distortion

Thus thing is actually quite easy to use if you have a quick read of the manual to find out the purpose of each knob. There are many possibilities with this pedal though and that does mean spending a bit of time with it to find out exactly what it can and can't do. The cool feature is that there are tone shaping options. It also has two programs which allows you to find a sound you want, save it and then save a second for two switchable distortion modes

I'm using this with and Ibanez RG and a custom designed strat with 3 SC's running through a Fender Super 210. You can pull some great sounds out of this. Heavey rhythm, high gain solos with endless sustain. Also you can back off the gain and adjust a few knobs and get some really good overdriven blues sound. However, even with the gain backed off all the way there is still a fair amount of distortion. If you prefer an overdrive, Korg also offers an overdrive version of this pedal.

This is where the pedal really sucks. I've had it for maybe 2 weeks and it's already gone back to the factory the be repaired - and this is not a one off problem. It's a MAJOR design fault!!! The first problem is that the bypass mode is louder than the effect even at full volume. So when you step on the pedal to switch it on for a solo or some rhythm the volume drops and you can't cut through the rest of the band. Secondly, this pedal causes the signal to drop out altogether even when the effect is not engaged. I returned it to the shop and the guy tried to get a replacement from another store but the two they had in stock had been returned because of the exact same problem and needed to be returned to the supplier to be fixed! Like I said this is not a one off problem. The reliability of this makes Digitech products look great!

We'll soon find out.

Great tones but pathetic reliablility. Another thing is that Korg have stopped producing the Hyper distortion as well as the overdrive and echo pedals which are based on the same lines.

Quite easy too use, though this pedal has too many crap additions. This makes it frustraiting when all you want to do is get a great sound right away. The facility too store two patches is cool, though.
The manual is crap and has no settings, is a sheet of paper with loads of japanese shit written all over it!

I'm using this with a peavy amp (loud) and strat also a few other pedals. It isn't really noisy as it has a shitty noise gate, which cuts the sustain (on a distortion pedal!) The real disappointment is that the dist when engaged is quiter than the bypassed sound, unless turned extremely loud)The sounds aren't really all that bad though, you can easily get a KoRn like crunch from this pedal in its highest stages or a good scooped metallica sound.

WHAT THE HELL DOES RELIABILITY MEAN TO KORG. THEY NEED A LESSON ON RELIABILY!! This pedal sometimes cuts out mid song, or when stomped on comes in at about half volume. I took mine back to the store and got a danelectro fab tone which I'm having fun with today and 4 ever!

Never Dealt with Korg.

people, don't buy this product and take my word for it. I hated it so much and was jumping when i got rid of it. I play hardcore metal/ rap or alternative and even a lot of Hendrix (praise the god) and blues. If it was stolen I would congratulate them on getting this piece of shit off my hands!

More complicated than the typical 3-knob pedal, but I could get used to it after a while. I wish they put 8 knobs instead of 4 knobs plus a mode toggle though.
The manual is basic but is anything more necessary ?

My setup : guitar :a Charvel 4 bought used in 1989, with original Jackson pickups ; amp : an FBT (Italian-made) solidstate amp, 50 W gives a good colorless sound with no real character. Effects : an Ibanez Tubescreamer TS10 (you know, the one with the footswitch that works once out of five...), a whole bunch of old Boss pedals that I don't use since I bought a Korg AX1G in February...
It is not too noisy and the hiss is hushed by the AX1G noisegate.
Most important : the sound is GREAT, i mean it is a very nice distortion sound and it sounds big, as if playing with bigger gear than actually used.
The gain control is not the most usefull : I turn it up but I must confess that I tend to do that with all my distortion units, I can't help. Set at the minimum gain, the sound using the humbucker seems to be "crying for more", but using the single coil pickup (I mean the bass one)I could get an interesting bluesy sound. But it not made to overdrive the sound but alter it more radically...
The EQ is very effective and the guys in Korg understood very well how important it is. So the sounds are very versatile, from big rock to Death-Doom-Trash-Whatever metal you like.
But there is one problem, even if I am not completely sure it depends on this unit. The distorted sound level is much weaker than the dry sound level even with the pedal level all the way up, it is a bit frustrating especially with a unit that is supposed to give a powerfull sound!
I had exactly the same problem with my old Boss HM2 (which I couldn't stand anymore any way...) but not at all with the TS10. I found a solution by creating a patch on my AX1G with some compression (which is then used as a "dynamic equalizer", do I make myself really clear?)
I think it is linked to the gain of the amp, as this problem doesn't occur so much when the amp gain is high. But it is definitely a problem when I output the sound thru the computer (Soundblaster Live) speakers, which has no gain obviously.
If anyone has a hint that could help, I would be just glad to read it!

I have had it for a couple of weeks, it should be as reliable as any metal pedal.
I wouldn't feel it necessary to have a backup, if ever I have a gig planned...

I don't know.

I play blues, rock, a bit of metal and more and more jazz,
I have been playing for 14 years.
If lost or stolen, I think I would buy it again, and be very unhappy because it was a special : FF 690 ($ 120) instead of FF 1200 ($ 200).
Eventually I found a pedal that doesn't make the guitar sound like coming out of a tiny box of transistors.

This pedal is not quite as easy to work with as the typical 2 or 3 knob stompbox. Getting the sounds you want out of this pedal definitely takes some time. However, the time spent is well worth it. The manual doesn't have any suggested presets, as most pedal manuals do, so it is a little more time consuming to find your sounds. To program the sound of the pedal, it has 4 knobs and a miniature toggle switch. The switch gives each knob a dual function, depending on the switch's position. With the switch in the up position, the 4 knob's functions are Drive, Low, High(treble), and Level. With the switch in the down position, the knobs functions are Mid Freq, Mid(level), (Cabinet Resonator) Size, and (Cabinet Resonator) Level. This knob/switch arrangement takes a while to figure out, and a little getting used to. It took me about 10 minutes to figure out. Once you get the hang of it, it's a piece of cake. It also has 2 stompbox foot switches. The left one is labeled EFFFECT and is for turning the pedal on and off. The right one is labeled PROGRAM, and allows you to switch between your 2 favorite stored sounds.

This is the first equipment review I have written on Harmony Central. I think it is worth the time to let people know how good this unit is. I have been playing guitar for 31 years. I am very, very picky about my sound. As with most guitarists searching for the ultimate sound, I have GAS. I have tried or purchased just about every distortion and overdrive pedal on the market in the last 30 years. I have also played most preamp and multi-effects units out there. Believe me when I say that this box produces absolutely wonderful high gain distortion! I've compared this box to just about everything. This pedal beats them all, hands down.
I have a Peavey Trans-Tube FEX rackmount multi-effects unit whose preamp distortion sound I absolutely love. Until I got the Korg, the Peavey's Ultra mode distortion was the best high gain distortion I ever had. When I compared 104ds' distortion to the Peavey's Ultra mode, the 104ds was considerably smoother. The Korg 104ds can't do the nice overdrive sounds of the Trans-Tube FEX, or beat it's versatility, but it certainly is a nice addition to my setup. After all, the 104ds is simply a distortion stomp box, compared to a much more expensive rack mount multi-effects unit.
The distortion from this box is the thickest, richest fullest and smoothest I've heard, bar none! It also has the chunkiest bottom I have heard out of a pedal. Palm muting tones are wonderful! The wide range of sounds this pedal can produce makes it great for rhythm or leads. The sound quality of this pedal is simply amazing! It has tons of sustain, and is very responsive and dynamic. Lead tones sing and are harmonically rich. Getting pick-edge harmonics is easy. The sound is clear and distinct, and never gets muddy. Try one and you'll see what I mean.
The Cabinet Resonator is basically a speaker simulator. While not the best speaker simulator I have ever heard, it does give the pedal an incredible range of sounds you can't get with other distortion pedals. I find it very useful. The ablity to store 2 different settings, and the incredibly wide range of tones available through the pedal's (virtual) 8 knob arrangement make this the most versatile distortion pedal in the market. It is in a whole different league than most simple one sound stomp boxes.
This pedal is also one of the quietest I have tried. It does generate some noise when the drive and level contols are both set high, but that is the nature of high-gain distortion. It is still way quieter than any other similar pedal I have tried. A good noise gate should be able to eliminate the little bit of noise it generates.
I love this pedal's battery compartment. It is like that of a TV remote controller. It's screwless, and easily snaps open and closed with no tools. Great! The pedal takes 4 double A batteries instead of a single 9 volt. I will probably eventually power it with an AC adapter.
I won't tell you this pedal can do anything, as one of the other reviews stated. You can get an endless variety of distortion sounds out of it. It is extremely versatile. However, as I said earlier, it is a high gain distortion pedal. It is more geared toward hard rock. Even with the drive at it's lowest setting, it has more distortion than most overdrives at maximum. Those looking only for classic rock of the 70's sounds, blues overdrive, or mild distortion should look elsewhere. You need a good overdrive pedal for those type of sounds. For any type of harder rock sounds, this pedal IS IT! It can cover just about any harder rock sound. I do have one setting I like with the drive at a little less than a quarter that sounds nice for high gain blues. It's like a Gary Moore type blues, not your typical light blues overdrive.

I just purchased this pedal as a store return from Guitar Center 2 days ago. So I can't tell you about it's long term reliability. However, as most other reviews said, this pedal is literally built like tank. It is very heavy duty, solid metal with very durable looking knobs. It appears to be made of really thick brushed aluminum. It stands up well to heavy stomping. The knobs are rubberized, so they can't crack or break like cheap plastic ones. I hope it holds up well over time. By it's heavy duty looks, I expect it to last a long time without problems.

I haven't need it yet. I hope I don't.

This is one of the best distortion pedals I have ever used. It is definitely the best high gain distortion pedal under a grand that I have tried. I've been searching for years for this good a tone in a pedal. I've finally found it! The ability to program 2 different sounds is great, and the sound is excellent for all heavier types of rock. The only negative thing I have to say is that like others, I wish you could save more than 2 program settings. It kills me to have a programmable pedal that only stores 2 sounds. 4-10 programmable sounds with a rotary knob to switch between them would have been nice. I guess I want it all. Storing multiple sounds would have made it more complicated and probably a lot more expensive. Maybe I should get a second one to store additional sounds. I hate it when manufacturers make you do that. From other reviews, I see people paid anywhere from $135 to $199(list price). Guitar Center periodically runs sales on them at $99.99. At that price they're a bargain. I guess I got the deal of the century on mine. Even at $170, they're worth the money. But why pay the high price if you don't have to. Shop around. I would have easily paid 3 times the price I did. The pedal is that good. I would buy it again without blinking an eye.

Pretty simple- a few more knobs than you usually see on a distortion pedal...manual isn't much help though you shouldn't need any

I'm running a Jackson PS-1 (an OK guitar, I've got a Duncan Distortion at the bridge so it sounds pretty good) running through this monster of a pedal into a Peavy Audition Chorus...this is the distortion pedal to end all distortion pedals! If you are looking for a distortion pedal this is definitaley the one to get, period!

had it for about half a year-hasn't broken down on me yet-looks tough enough-though you could probably break it if you really wanted to.

N/A

If you play metal, then this is the one you've been looking for-if not then maybe you should try it out before you buy it.

Oh, it's simple. Few knobs...few buttons...I think most people will be able to handle it. If you can't, well, maybe you need to check into a mental institute of some kind. Perhaps you should call up some psychiatrist and ask him why you can't ascertain how to use such a simple device. Cuz if you don't find this box easy to use...your hopes of functioning in society are gonna dissipate.

Dudes, I'm not playing around here. The only reason I bothered to sit down and waste time ploping down this review is that I think this box rules and people should know. This thing has got some righteous distortion! I've compared this box to my Marshall amps distortion, Boss GX700, Sansamp GT2, Zoom 510, & DOD Hard rock, and this pedal excels above them all. It's so thick & smooth...you gotta try one out. And it's quiet too...when you're not playing that is...real quiet! I mean to tell ya, i can't get over the sound quality of this thing...it's magical. The distortion is meant for hard rockers though...so no wussies need apply. I will say one thing negative however--do not buy this box to use it for direct recording, for it sucks big time at this task--just like all other guitar amp simulators--but if you use it with a real live guitar amp, it will make you crack a smile.

Looks pretty tough to me. I guess when I'm 100 years old I'll be able to tell more of it's reliability. So far after 6 months is still works fine.

Aww, who needs em.

Overall smoverall...the distortion rules....go buy the thing! Hey, if you don't, I really don't care... I'm just trying to help your little lame setup out.

As easy as anything I have ever used, I mean its not an entire effects processor (which for the record are not that hard to use). Sure it has a few more nobs than your average distortion pedal, however, one must note that it is still just has distortion, eq, and level, just like any other pedal. With the addtion of the cabinet resonator which mery controls size(resonance frequency point) and the level of the effect.

The most amazing thing I have ever heard. I have tried alot of pedals and I must confess, the roctron rampage distortion and the boss metal zone both had more gain then does the hyper distortion. However, lots of gain does not mean good tone. The roctron was quite, the boss was noisy, but neither had the thing that I love ... tone. I never thought I would ever buy another distortion pedal until the hyper distortion blew my mind. I thought I would have to buy an expensive rack unit to get the tone I wanted; I have tried the RP-20, GT-5, GX-700, chameleon, line6, and everything else imaginable. The result, the gx-700 can give you wicked tones and max out the sound of any amp to sound as huge as the amp possibly could, the catch, the gx_700 would cost 1000 dollars after adding in the foot board and expression pedal. With the hyper distortion not only can I get a could sound out of amp, but the reason I but it was for doing 4-Tracking at home. The hyper distiortion can actually give the tone of an amp direct through my stereo!!! I can get a fat mettallica low end chunk fest out of my stereo, and direct on tape with one more added bounus, it never gets muddy, and it is the most quite distortion I have ever heard.

Built like tank, only pedal I ever saw that looked cooler and stronger is the mesa boogie V-twin. One may be interested to know that it takes 4 double A batteries instead of a single 9 volt. I am not sure if this gives it a longer life, but I know I have a bagfull of rechargable pure energy batteries that i would rather use than a pricy 9 volt.

Never need it.

The best direct sound under a 1000 dollars that I have ever heard, the double patch system is sweet, and the sound is very useful for various metal and rock genere. For a 150 bucks you should not be able to buy tone like this, THANKS A MILLION TO KORG!!!

Okay, this pedal is a little more difficult to work with than your average stompbox. It has Level,High,Mid,Mid Freq, Low,Depth,Distortion,Size. The size and Depth switches take a little while to get used to. After a few minutes you get the hang of it and begin having loads of fun, though. It took me about 2 hours to get the sounds I wanted out of it, but it was well worth it. It can do ANYTHING! The manual is easily understood and the pedal is all metal with very durable knobs. Not something to let you down.

Here's the good part. In my opinion, this is the ultimate distortion pedal. It can do ANYTHING YOU want it to do. It has this thing called a cabinet resonator. To let you know how great it is sound-wise, it can make a solid amp sound almost like a tube! No lie. I use a Boss Metal Zone for stuff like Metallica and Deftones. This I use for everything else. I wanted a pedal that could do anything I wanted (which at first sounded pretty impossible). It's great for classic rock like Skynyrd, Foghat, Black Crows as well as newer stuff like Rage Against the Machine, Stone Temple Pilots, Alice In Chains, and Tonic.

Just got, but handles great so far. Very durable in a metal casted body.

Haven't had to deal with Korg before, yet, whatever. Like I said before, pretty durable.

I play everything but country and this thing does it all. I'd call it the miracle pedal for that reason. I record with this, play gigs with this, and practice with this and it can't be beaten!

It's not hard to get a good sound out of it if you know what you're looking for. However, I wish they had just added another row of knobs instead of using the switch that sets which knobs are controlling the settings. But the sounds you can get out of this thng are great! So it is worth the time it takes to get those sounds.

This is the tone I've been looking for. I have a DOD MetalX, Digitech RP-12, and a Big Muff (and I've used my friend's Boss Metal MT-2 many times) and this pedal tops them all as far as distortion tone goes. You can get a heavy bottom end out of it, but the top end stays in there, unlike the other distortions I have tried which are too "muffled" sounding. This is great for palm-muted tones like Metallica, Pantera, Sepultura, the Deftones, and even Korn. I didn't give it a 10, only because I always assume there's something better out there. :-)

It seems very reliable, but I haven't necessarily gig-tested it. All knobs seem durable, and most importantly, the big silver stomp switches look like they can take a beating without getting demolished.

Haven't dealt with them, but from what I've heard they provide good customer support. For the sake of objectivity, I'll say "no oppinion" here.

High score, simply because this is the tone I've been looking for in a pedal, and that's what matters most to me. Complaints: I wish you could save more than 2 program settings. Well, most distortion pedals only provide 1 setting (whatever the knobs are set to), but since there seem to be many tonal possibilities with this pedal I'd love to have more program settings. As I've been using it more this has become less important because I've found the sound that I like. Like I said earlier, it's a little tough to figure out at first, but now I have no problem with it. The price is higher than other pedals, but if you read these reviews and don't waste your money on the bad pedals, then the price is justified.

While this unit is easy to use it will take a couple of hours of tweaking to get the right sound.

The Distortions are great. The are thick and chunky.

I just got it.

There is only one problem I have with this unit. When going from a clean sound to distortion there about a half second delay before the distortion come in. I find it very irritating.