Detail 01
Heavy drive voicing
Gain lands in distortion territory rather than mild overdrive. Chords stay defined instead of turning to fizz.
Product detailSKU #1273888005427
Carl MartinHeavy Drive
aggressivehigh outputwarmmetalrockhard rock
1/2
Independent shopping perspective
The Korena take
High-gain overdrive/distortion pedal in a compact enclosure. For rock and metal players who want thick, aggressive gain with body behind it.
Strong match
Who this is for
- Pushing a clean amp into rhythm crunch and lead saturation
- Rock and metal rhythm work that needs low-end weight
- Adding a second, hotter gain stage to an already-dirty amp
Consider the trade-offs
When to look elsewhere
- Players chasing transparent, low-gain edge-of-breakup tones
- Clean boost duties — the gain structure runs hot
- Anyone wanting a modern scooped high-gain amp sim
What matters in use
The specifications, translated
Catalog numbers tell only part of the story. These are the details most likely to change how this product feels, sounds, or fits into a setup.
Detail 02
Thick, warm character
Low mids stay present, so single-note lines have body and do not thin out against a band.
Detail 03
Cutting, high-output response
Hits the front of an amp hard. Expect to back off your amp's input volume when you engage it.
Detail 04
0.57 kg enclosure
Heavy for its size — a solid metal box that stays put on a board and survives stomping.
Detail 05
Punchy attack
Pick transients come through, so palm-muted rhythm parts keep their edge instead of smearing.
Final check
Know before you order
- 01No power supply is listed as included — budget for a 9V adapter
- 02High-gain pedals expose noisy single coils; a noise gate may help
- 03Set your amp clean first, or gain stacks and gets mushy
Product questions
Before you decide
Straight answers to the questions shoppers most often ask about this product.
01Is this an overdrive or a distortion?
It sits at the heavy end of drive — more saturation than a tube screamer, with a warm, thick voicing rather than a scooped modern distortion.
02Will it work with a solid-state amp?
Yes. Run it into a clean channel. Because the pedal generates the distortion, the amp mostly needs to stay clean and loud.
03Can I stack it with another drive?
Yes. Put a lower-gain pedal in front for lead boost, or run this into an already-driven amp for more saturation.
04Does it clean up with the guitar volume knob?
At its gain level, rolling back guitar volume reduces saturation but will not return a fully clean tone. Use a separate channel or bypass for clean parts.
Reference
Full specifications
The complete catalog record, organized around the decisions musicians make when comparing gear.
1 detailsSize & weight
- Weight
- 0.57
