DigiTech Bad Monkey Reviews

4.3/5.0 based on 7 customer reviews

Sweetwater Advice

Robert Williams

An interesting alternative to the well-known green overdrive pedal. One of the coolest, affordable overdrive boxes out there with a fairly neutral color that doesn't overwhelm your dynamics and signature tone.

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Customer Reviews

Jeff H
from Twin Cities, MN
November 26, 2012Music Background:
Hobbyist

A Surprising Alternative to the Classic TS-9!

If you do some homework online, many people who own and love the Bad Monkey will also tell you that they generally dislike DigiTech products. The Bad Monkey is the ultimate exception to the rule. A fully analog budget version of a Tubescreamer with two-band EQ, and for under $50.

In output and character, it's very similar to the Ibanez TS-9 in many ways. But while both have that characteristic "mids-heavy" tube overdrive sound, the Bad Monkey has an added perk of separate "low" and "high" EQ knobs. While these won't drastically change the character of the sound, they will make a big impact on how well the pedal matches with your amp. The ability take a Tubescreamer and add bass (or treble) at an affordable price is a great option. It's a secret weapon that's becoming less and less of a secret.

Jonny
from Oshawa/Peterborough, Ontario, Canada
November 29, 2007Music Background:
Playing for 5 1/2 years

Absolutely KICK

I've tried a lot of OD/DS pedals in my quest for sweet tone, and this one is the ACE up my sleeve! It's great as a clean boost (the level and tone controls on this thing are POWERFUL), and it also can add a nice smooth overdrive to a clean amp. I'd say the best use for this thing is in an effects loop - I tried it in my friend's and it nearly blew me away! Buy this pedal, people: it rocks!

from ohio
October 16, 2006Music Background:
hobbyist

Great pedal

This $40 pedal can easily compete with most others. Now, I can't say that this pedal will top expensive boutique pedals, but it brings you quite a bit of tone for its low price. As a clean boost, it worked very well in thickening and tightening up my amp, as well as in adding EQ potential. The Low and High knobs did make it easier to dial in more meat or highs quickly. I'm primarily a metal guy, so I really can't say much about the overdrive aspect of the pedal. However, I can say that the overdrive doesn't sound that bad at all. I can easily imagine blues and perhaps even classic rock played with this pedal. Overall, I think the pedal is phenominal, and the fact that it only costs $40 makes it even better!

Brian Cruz
from Bronx,NY
July 27, 2006Music Background:
Guitrist for 2 bands, Christian Rock,Jazz, Gospel

Love it

This was a very good effect im so glad I bought it. The distortion sounds great-nice and crunchy- but you can still hear the tone of the guitar..This aint no zoom pedal people this is digitech

Catdaddy
from USA
May 17, 2013Music Background:
Part time pro

Tone is subjective

First let me start by saying that my buying experiences with Sweetwater have been a pleasure. They seem to know their products, have a nice selection of gear and services and are interested in their customers' satisfaction . Great business model.

I truly wish I had better things to say about the Bad Monkey. It's not bad, but for the tone I like it isn't all that good either. With my equipment, a Squier CVC telecaster and a 30 watt Mega Amp hybrid tube amp, the Bad Monkey's effect is very granular and a bit crispy, not exactly harsh but not nearly as thick and creamy or sweet sounding as the breakup I can get by simply overdriving my amp's 12Ax7 Mullard tube.

Having the two tone pots on the BM helps a lot to contour the sound and for that reason it could be a very useful pedal for someone who likes a good bit of sand in their overdrive tone and likes to do some tweaking. For my tastes though it took a lot of tweaking to approach the tone I want, and in the end it never could get me there.

The pedal itself seems solidly built, has significant gain and responsive control knobs. Certainly a lot of palpable quality for less than $50. The sound simply is just not my cup of tea. Having said that, It could be a completely different sounding pedal with a guitar loaded with humbuckers rather than the single coils of my telecaster or a different amp (although I tried it through my Fender Mustang and it wasn't any better).

All in all I think the Bad Monkey is worth a shot if you're looking for an OD pedal. Could be just the thing for someone else's taste in tone.

JONC.
from AKRON, OHIO
May 7, 2006

NICE PEDAL

I,M A BASSIST THAT PLAYS GUITAR AS A SECOND INSTRUMENT. I DO MOSTLY HOME RECORDING ANY MORE, BUT GIG ONCE IN A WHILE. I'M ALSO A GEAR JUNKIE, WITH BOXES OF EFFECTS PACKED AWAY. I NEVER THOUGHT TWICE ABOUT BUYING A PEDAL THAT APPEALED TO ME AT THE MOMENT. ANY MORE, I,M MORE CAREFUL ABOUT EFFECT PURCHACES.
ANYWAY, THIS IS A USEFUL PEDAL THAT I USE FOR RECORDING AND LIVE GIGS. I USE IT WITH MY BASS FOR LIVE USE AND IT SOUNDS COOL. I LIKE THE EQ ON THIS, AND I CAN GET A NICE OVERDRIVEN AMPEG SOUND OR WHATEVER. IF YOU PLAY METAL, LOOK ELSEWHERE. THIS PEDAL IS JUST A NICE, USEFUL OVERDRIVE WITH GOOD TUBE EMULATION. WITH GUITAR, THIS THING SOUNDS SWEET AND WORKS WELL WITH OTHER EFFECTS. FOR 40 BUCKS, YOU WON'T BE SORRY.

Tony H.
from Taunton, MA USA
March 6, 2006

GREAT pedal

oh yeah - even the "tone snobs" are liking this pedal! The "Tube Screamer" sound at 1/4 the price - put this between your Strat and a Fender-ish amp and you've got the SRV tone... Like the other 3 Digitech stompboxes I've owned, this thing's built solid & heavy and comes with a 6-year warranty if you register on the Digitech website. It's also ANALOG, not digital, so the battery life should NOT be an issue - just don't forget to unplug your cables! LOL Digitech has hit a homerun with the Bad Monkey!