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As if it isn't obvious, my delay obsession has moved to cheap high gain dirt

To my own surprise, I'm actually liking my newly aquired HM-2 a lot, and not just for shits and giggles and metallica riffs. Dialed in for non-chainsaw sounds, it's a damn useable distortion pedal. Not a very gainy one though, not at all as saturated and menacing as my Dano Fabtone. The Fabtone CANT however be used in a more conservative way, the nasal bees in a jar thing simply can't be dialed out

So if anyone knows what to look for in terms of cheap high gain that sounds like a cross breed between the fabtone and the Boss HM-2, or basically just a souped up HM-2, I'd like to hear about it

In a less cheap boutique context, I know a The Elements does the trick, but aside from the price tag, the range of sounds that pedal covers is way way way overkill for my humble needs. Same for the EQD Talons, and similar higher end offerings on the market

There was a thread about this exact topic not too long ago.


Edit: Can't find it, but it got to a couple of pages.

vidret wrote:probably just need to hit your preamp with it, or stack with ANY other pedal, basically any pedal that can sit before the hm-2 to hit it harder, then dial the volume down on the hm-2 would do the job for you i think.

Yeah, that's how I take care for it. Not a big deal if there's no easy cheap replacement for the HM-2, I don't mind not having an easy single pedal solution. My Harmonic Percolator (clone) works wonders in front of the HM-2, even adds a bit of subtle octave.

I was curious though, cause when I finaly start playing out again, the convenience of having one go-to high gain pedlol would be welcome. Less tap dancing, less noise

actualidiot wrote:There was a thread about this exact topic not too long ago.

Dunno if it's the same one you're refering to, but there was this "HM-2 but louder?" thread, which was about output/volume, rather then gain/saturation

Yeah that's the one, just thought you could find something useful in that one, but maybe not.

actualidiot wrote:Yeah that's the one, just thought you could find something useful in that one, but maybe not.

Yeah, I just went through it again, hoping to find a clue. There were a couple of suggestions for decent alternatives, but not really anything that seems gainy'er, let alone cheap

This search and your quest for cheap, old school dirt may intersect here. Based on demo vids, the DOD FX56-B Super American Metal could be in the right ballpark. Otherwise, Abominable Electronics, Lone Wolf Audio, Dunwich, Anarchy Audio, Dirge, etc. would be worth exploring (for close to quadruple the price).

frigid midget wrote:Dialed in for non-chainsaw sounds, it's a damn useable distortion pedal.

Try it with a tone booster before it. Actually I think the HM-2 is best with gain at 09:00, because I like dynamic sounds.

Germanium Treble Boost + HM-2 double stomp pedal is now on my GAS-to-DIY list.

I remember just plugging my HM-2 in with a 9v power supply it would be pretty tame, and if I had a 9V battery and power supply plugged in at the same time it would be a lot meaner. I remember reading awhile back some people run them at 18V.

With that said I really like my Throat Locust and it has plenty of gain.

The answer obviously is Metal Zone into HM-2

PumpkinPieces wrote:I remember just plugging my HM-2 in with a 9v power supply it would be pretty tame, and if I had a 9V battery and power supply plugged in at the same time it would be a lot meaner. I remember reading awhile back some people run them at 18V.

With that said I really like my Throat Locust and it has plenty of gain.

Damn, you might be on to something there. Probably old news for longtime HM-2 fans, but google just learned me that it's probably an ACA vs PSA thing, and that the older HM-2's want 12 volt instead of 9v...

Supposedely and easy mod, but daisy chaining it with a couple other pedals should apparantly be an even easier fix

Yea, I never used mine with anything but a relatively fresh battery - but it was king in the days before powering pedalboards was a thing too for me.

I replaced the HM-2 with the then-new (and not cheap!) Fab Tone!

PumpkinPieces wrote:I remember just plugging my HM-2 in with a 9v power supply it would be pretty tame, and if I had a 9V battery and power supply plugged in at the same time it would be a lot meaner. I remember reading awhile back some people run them at 18V.

Be careful! With 18V you will probably fry it instantly. The old BOSS models (and every HM-2) take the unregulated ACA 9V power supply that creates something like 12.5V or so. You can daisy chain PSA type BOSS pedals (also most pedals of other brands that have a similar buffer) with a regulated 9V power supply* and all your ACA type BOSS pedals combined with these will then run on the proper power.

*daisy-chaining BOSS ACA pedals with an ACA-type power supply will also most possibly damage your pedals, so watch out! PSA-type regulated power supply is the safest way to avoid fried units.

Yeah I should clarify I never tried it with 18V, and stuck with the battery plus power supply trick which yielded the tones I wanted.