Today, we’ve got another killer high gain pedal from the folks at 6 Degrees Music: the R3 Distortion. This bad boy is a heavily-modded RAT, basically, with 3 different (and highly useful) clipping modes to choose from. This sexy beast will do monster tones in a huge range, going from a tasty, warm overdrive to a ballsy sonic distortion in one roll of your guitar’s volume knob. Here we go…
There are three main controls for the R3: Level, Tone and Gain. There’s a ton of output from this pedal, and I didn’t even get the Level knob past about 2:00, so there’s no chance this puppy won’t cut through any mix. The Tone has a big range, and it actually splits the Lows and Highs, then blends them back together. As a bonus here, there’s an internal trimpot to either fatten or scoop the mids, too, enabling you to really dial in the specific tone you need. The Gain knob is a beast, as mentioned earlier, with a nice, broad soundscape you can paint your amp with. The overdrive section (9-12:00-ish) is very amp-like, sort of a cranked vintage tube sound, while anything past noon gets nice and saturated with a TON of sustain, just like you like it. Play with your guitar’s volume knob to really find the strengths and ranges of the Gain control, you will have a blast doing it, trust me.
In addition to these already fine controls, there are 3 clipping section available via toggle switch as well: Germanium, Asymmetrical and Silicon. These each kind of represent a different decade, so to speak. The Germanium mode has a bit more 1970’s-era low end and fuzz sound to it; the Asymmetrical mode has a full-on, 80’s tube overdrive feel to it, and the Silicon mode conjures up your favorite bands from the 90’s, with loads of compression and extremely responsive to your pick attacks. Plus, there’s yet ANOTHER option inside, an internal trimpot that let’s you adjust the overall clipping intensity, from warm and smooth to edgy and rough, enabling more choices still for getting the EXACT tone you’re after.
With all these options and the incredible tones coming out of the R3, you’ll be set for the high-gain section of your pedalboard with just this guy. Not to mention it looks like some kind of European racing car, which will surely have fans inquiring as to what it is once they get a look at it. Cheers to our friends up in Vancouver, Canada, Ken and 6 Degrees FX, for letting us rock this tasty pedal. The craftsmanship and sonic quality of their pedals is just outstanding, make sure to go see what they’ve got in store for you!
Specs:
4.5″ (L) x 3.5″ (W) x 2″ (H) [2.5″ including knobs] 0.95 lb
11.5 cm (L) x 9cm (W) x 5cm (H) [6.5cm including knobs] 430g
9V DC to 15V DC or battery
True bypass
Submitted by Mike B, Website
