A buddy of mine recently gained access to a boatload of new effects from T-Rex and was kind enough to let me try them out. I'll be reviewing each one based off of some notes I took. First up is one of my favorites: the Mean Machine Double Distortion.The Mean Machine is a very robust stomper with two channels and a no-nonsense control array consisting of LEVEL, DRIVE and TONE. It's name isn't its only badass characteristic: each TONE knob doubles as a bright green LED to indicate which channel is in use, making this distortion pedal look a little bit cooler than the next one. It runs on a 9V DC power supply (though it also has a 9V battery compartment) and features the standard input and output jacks.
Being that I'm not a huge effects user, one of the things that I like most about this pedal (because it is very hard deciding what it is I like the most about it!) is it's simplicity. T-Rex are known best for the incredible tone they are able to capture with their effects, and the Mean Machine definitely delivers. You have just three knobs per channel (and really, what more does a distortion pedal need?); three knobs, and just about the sweetest-sounding lead distortion you could ask for. The DRIVE is what controls how distorted each channel is. I don't play much metal, but I love the sound I get when I roll this knob to full. DRIVE and TONE govern the over-all sound of this meany, but nulling both knobs will still result in a really amazing-sounding distortion pedal, nice for rhythm-playing yet to me, still capable of making a decent lead sound.
With just the right settings, the Mean Machine would do anyone a decent option for blues, but at the center of it's being, I really believe that this pedal is meant to assist... well... MEAN players: Hard rockers. Metal heads. This pedal is not for the weak of heart; the distortion is powerful going from a low roar at low gain to a snarling metal-based tone at higher gains.
Basically, the Mean Machine Double Distortion is exactly that: a mean green machine. It sells for $369 list price, which I know will seem pretty darn steep to a lot of players out there, but I truly believe it would be worth saving for. I can't think of a distortion pedal I've heard that I like more than the Mean Machine, and the hard metal casing certainly makes it feel sturdy enough; this pedal was clearly built for a life on the road. But like I said, I'm not a huge effects user. I would really like to hear your opinion. Listen to the video demo below and tell me your thoughts in the comments.
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