Every effect manufacturer, from tiny boutique companies to huge multinational conglomerates, makes at least one distortion pedal.  So when Fulltone announced the GT500, my first question was: “why?” Why are they competing with their own product line–which already contains some great distortions, overdrives, and fuzzes–in a market that could already be described as saturated? I did a little research and decided to try it out. Essentially, the GT500 is two effects combined in one sturdy steel enclosure: an overdrive/boost and a distortion. The unit’s controls are simply laid out, and even a novice user should be able to plug it in and start without even glancing at the manual. The really ingenious feature of the GT500 is a tiny toggle switch that allows you to decide the signal path—whether it goes from overdrive to distortion, or vice-versa. But enough about design. What does it sound like? The overdrive section is fairly transparent; it can give you everything from a gentle push for your preamp tubes to an absolutely alarming amount of volume, without drastically changing your tone. The EQ controls are effective, without being extreme. I was able to find a setting that I liked pretty quickly. The distortion side […]... Click on the title for more