Revv G3 vs Joyo Dark Flame | Which is the best modern high gain distortion pedal? Shootout!

Today we’re comparing two of the top choices when it comes to modern high gain overdrive/distortion pedals: the Revv G3 and the Joyo Dark Flame!

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Revv G3 at Thomann: https://thmn.to/thoprod/437353?offid=...
At Sweetwater: https://sweetwater.sjv.io/eKj3kg

Joyo R-17 Dark Flame at Thomann: https://thmn.to/thoprod/532055?offid=...
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The Revv G3 pedal has been the go-to high gain drive since it came out for so many players – including me. Whenever I need tight and roaring modded Marshall tones for rock and metal riffs, I turn to the G3… in fact, you can hear it in action in more than 100 videos in my channel to date!

The G3 is a true amp in a box pedal, faithfully recreating the raucous tones of the Revv Generator’s Purple Channel 3. Made in Canada to the highest quality levels, and costing around $239/€230 in 2024, the G3 is simply a top choice for anyone who loves to let the riffs fly, and it turns clean amps into snarling beasts instantly.

The G3 has three aggression modes – Off, Blue and Red – alongside Volume and Gain controls and a powerful 3-band EQ. The Bass, Middle and Treble controls really let you sculpt your tones to fit any setting or musical genre.

The Joyo Dark Flame is – in theory – the Revv G3 (and possibly a bit of its brother, the Revv G4) in a much cheaper box. The Dark Flame will set you back under $50/€50, and it clearly takes its inspiration from the Revv. The main controls on the pedal are the same, although the three modes are labeled Off, Dark and Bright. Sound-wise, though, it’s clear that Joyo have been heavily inspired by the Revv formula, and are now offering it at less than a quarter of the price.

The question is, then: is the Revv G3 worth the extra money? Does it sound better, and is it better quality overall? That’s something I get asked a lot, what this video should help you decide. Here we have two loops – one played on my Fender Telecaster’s bridge single coil pickup, and the other on the bridge humbucker of my Epiphone Les Paul – where I really tweak the knobs of all two pedals to hear how they compare. Let me know which one you think sounds best in the comments!

Here are some links to the various playing samples and info bits:

00:00 Intro and what we’re doing today
01:55 Revv G3 specs and info
02:51 Dark Flame specs and info
03:29 Today’s rig and plan

04:36 Epiphone Les Paul modern rock loop
11:03 Fender Telecaster indie rock loop

My setup was as follows: I ran the pedals into the front end of my Hughes & Kettner AmpMan Classic pedal amp, then went from the Red Box DI straight into my Focusrite Scarlett 2i4, which went into Logic Pro X. That’s it. No post-processing on the sounds was done. Oh, and I used my Boss RC-10R to record and play the loops. Here’s some links to those bits of gear:

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AmpMan Classic at Thomann: https://thmn.to/thoprod/512777?offid=...
At Sweetwater: https://sweetwater.sjv.io/q4vkVO

Boss RC-10R: https://thmn.to/thoprod/470055?offid=...
At Sweetwater: https://sweetwater.sjv.io/daq4J2
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Backing music from the YouTube Audio Library: Duck In The Alley – TrackTribe.

#RevvAmps #RevvG3 #JoyoPedals #DistortionPedal #Revv #Joyo

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