ZVex Distortron
Summer 2009 Guitarist 119
£99 each
effects
The Bottom Line
ZVex Distortron
We like: Versatile distortion
with several features that
allow you to obtain great
tones very quickly
We dislike: Subs 2 and 3 can
be a little overwhelming
Guitarist says: A thoroughly
satisfying distortion that
deserves to become very
popular
ZVex Mastotron
We like: Shaping features;
number of tones; the PW
and Relax/Push pots
We dislike: Hard to control;
the Subs switch is awkward
to change on the fly
Guitarist says: This is a fully
pro fuzz pedal, which means
dollops of organic drive and
fizzy treble. Not for everyone,
but some will love it.
The Distortron is better suited to the
market at large… It provides many
extremely useable levels of distortion
ZVex Distortron
£99
USA
Volume, tone and drive
pots, with Lo/Hi gain and 2/1/3 Subs
switches
Mono input and
output jacks
Nine-volt battery or optional
nine-volt PSU
Drive pot goes
between ‘crackle’ and ‘okay’…
The Box of Rock goes for
around £140
Test results
ZVex Mastotron
£99
USA
: Volume, tone, pulse
width, fuzz and relax/push controls,
2/1/3 Subs switch
Mono input and
output jacks
Nine-volt battery or optional
nine-volt PSU
The PW pot goes
between a square and narrow wave
The Fuzz Factory retails at
around £175
Test results
combo to a warm, clean tone
and dive in with the Distortron.
Aside from sheer volume, the
main thing you get from
running a JTM45 at full blast is
plenty of warm drive and a
smooth sustain, something that
this pedal recreates admirably.
Using the low gain and Subs 2
settings, you need only dial the
Drive to just over half to obtain
a lovely crunch that works well
with full open chords. For
rockier tones, simply flick the
gain switch to high and wig out,
although beware Subs 3, as
proceedings do mush up. But on
bass it’s a very different story…
We soon find that the trick is
to balance the tone pot with the
drive value, as use of the former
can clean up too much of the
latter and, if you set your amp to
an AC/DC-style rhythm crunch
and use the pedal to add a little
heat, the tone is nothing short
of wonderful: full of warmth,
drive and attack. In short, this is
a very versatile and toneful
distortion pedal indeed.
We’re grateful for the swathe
of shaping options that the
Mastotron offers, as this is one
wild horse of a fuzz. By
carefully balancing the Relax/
Push, PW and Tone knobs,
there truly are a hatful of
sounds on offer and, by adding
in increasingly bassy f lavours
from the Subs switch, you can
swim in a f lood of soupy drive.
We did find that, unless you
get the balancing act just right,
notes tend to crash into one
another, this is fine if you’re not
trying to pull off two- or three-
string passages: the Subs switch
is difficult to get at quickly too
as it’s almost hidden behind the
volume and tone pots. However,
setting the PW pot towards the
narrow extreme, erring
towards Push and using half
fuzz, that classic Roobarb And
Custard TV show melody is
strident and authentic.
You do need to be a certain
type of guitarist to get anything
out of a genuine fuzz pedal such
as this, but the Mastotron
provides more than enough
options to be getting on with.
Verdict
Although both pedals have
been given the same final
marks here, there’s little doubt
that the Distortron is far better
suited to the market at large
than the Mastotron. It provides
many extremely useable levels
of distortion that, with a simple
flick of the gain switch, can be
applied to many styles.
If you’re experienced with
fuzz, the Mastotron will
impress but, if you’re attracted
to the price and fancy a punt,
you’ll be required to sit with it
until the various intertwined
features fall into place.
Is this ZVex’s arrival into the
mainstream? Well, almost – it
certainly seems that the
Vextron series has taken the
company a giant step closer.
Balancing the Relax/Push, PW and Tone knobs is the key to great Mastotron tone
GIT319.rev_zvex 119 15/7/09 4:49:42 pm