Boss1991DistortionDistortion$Budget($50–250)
Boss MT-2 Metal Zone
Metal and hard-rock guitarists wanting the exact scooped, aggressive distortion tone behind a huge amount of 90s heavy music.
Find on ReverbUsed-gear listings, graded conditionCheck prices on eBayBroader inventory, live auctions
Check your gain staging
Free tool — convert dBu/dBV, chain gain stages, and check your headroom before it clips.
Strengths
- A genuinely 3-band semi-parametric EQ section on a distortion pedal was unusual then and gives real tonal shaping most distortion pedals skip
- Became one of the best-selling distortion pedals of all time specifically within metal and hard-rock circles
- Extremely cheap and plentiful on the used market despite its huge cult following
Trade-offs
- Widely considered overly aggressive and fizzy for anything outside high-gain metal tones specifically
- Non-true-bypass buffer colors your clean tone even when the pedal is switched off
Full Specifications
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Brand | Boss |
| Model | MT-2 Metal Zone |
| Era | 1991 |
| Typical Price Tier | Budget ($50–250) |
| Effect Type | Distortion |
| Circuit | Analog |
| True Bypass | No |
| Power | 9V battery/adapter |
| Controls | 7 knobs |
| Tap Tempo | No |
| I/O | Mono in/out |
A relative used-market guide, not a live quote — real prices vary by condition, region, and timing. Check the Reverb/eBay links on any item for current listings.
Similar Distortion
Match Score Explorer
Weight what matters to your workflow. Every deck is re-scored live against your priorities, benchmarked against the Boss MT-2 Metal Zone.
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This deckBoss MT-2 Metal Zone
Match59
Flexibility45
Portability88
Ease of Maintenance82
Tonal Neutrality22
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Maintenance & Supplies
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