Top 5 Distortion and Overdrive Pedals and How To Use Them
The Top 5 Distortion and Overdrive pedals you can buy easily, and how to dial them in for great guitar tone
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Dunlop
Jim Dunlop Sr., a Scottish chemical engineer, started the company as a part-time business in Glasgow in 1965 with the Vibra-Tuner before moving the whole operation to Benicia, California, in 1972 and expanding into capos and picks. Dunlop now makes strings, slides, straps, fret wire and the Cry Baby wah alongside the MXR pedal line it bought in 1987, and picks remain the product most guitarists actually touch every day — Dunlop's tortex and nylon shapes are close to an industry standard. Jim Dunlop's son Jimi now runs the company as CEO. On GuitarBomb its picks, string care products and the wider Cry Baby and Way Huge pedal lines are what we cover most. Here's everything we've written.
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Top 5 Distortion and Overdrive Pedals and How To Use Them
The Top 5 Distortion and Overdrive pedals you can buy easily, and how to dial them in for great guitar tone
Founded1965
Based inBenicia, California, USA
FounderJim Dunlop Sr
Articles here14
Makes
- Effects pedals
- Guitar picks
- Strings
- Capos and slides
- Accessories
Known for
- Cry Baby
- Tortex picks
- Jazz III
- Fuzz Face
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Dunlop FAQ4 questions
What does Dunlop make?
A very wide accessory catalogue plus pedals. Dunlop Manufacturing was founded in 1965 by Jim Dunlop Sr, grew from a home operation into a large music-gear manufacturer, and is based in Benicia, California. Its current CEO is Jim Dunlop Sr's son, Jimmy Dunlop.
What brands does Dunlop own?
Dunlop has acquired several well-known effects names, including Cry Baby, MXR and Way Huge, and it handles the Authentic Hendrix licensed products. That is why a Way Huge or MXR pedal ships in Dunlop packaging and is supported through Dunlop.
What is a Cry Baby?
The wah pedal — the most widely used model of the effect, and the name most players use as a synonym for wah. Dunlop makes it in a long list of versions, from the basic GCB95 up to signature and multi-mode models.
What is the difference between Tortex and Ultex picks?
Material. Tortex is Dunlop's matte, grippy Delrin pick, colour-coded by gauge, and is the default for a great many players. Ultex is a harder, more rigid plastic with a brighter attack and much less wear. Both come in the same range of shapes, so the choice is about feel and attack rather than size.