Here's a list of the ones I've owned and currently own. If I had my choice I'd still have them all because everyone has its own characteristics good for certain applications.
Low Gain/Boosts:
TS808 and derivative mods (analogman, keeley, etc.)
TS9 and derivative mods
Mi Audio Blues Pro
Zendrive
Barber LTD
Crowther Hotcake
Danelectro Transparent Overdrive
Retroman Dumbox
Keeley Katana
Fulltone OCD
Medium/Hi-Gain:
DS 1 and derivative mods (analogman, keeley)
DS 2
Mega Distortion
Metal Zone
Jekyll and Hyde
Barber Dirty Bomb
Fuzzes:
Analogman Sunface nkt 275
Analogman Dark Peppermint Fuzz
Big Muff Pi
Rat 2 (keeley mod)
Zvex Fuzz Factory
A lot of these only sound good through certain amps, a lot of the Tubescreamer type pedals prefer clean American voiced amps, while some of the fuzzes excelled with British voiced amps. Most dirt pedals always sound best through tube amps. You can hit your pre-amp a lot harder and you get a lot more musical distortion with tube amps and pedal combos then solid state and pedal combos.
Its very rare that you'll find a pedal that sounds as good or better then natural amp distortion, but it does happen depending on what type of amp you have. Best option is to start researching different pedals and amp combos and then get into the game of buying and selling until you stumble on the ones you like. But then sometimes you sell thinking something is better only to wish you hadn't.
Of the ones I've listed I wish I'd kept the Hotcake, Zendrive, TS808 true vintage mod, fulltone OCD, analogman sunface, and Rat 2 (keeley mod). All of them sounded great. Now I mainly use the peppermint fuzz, mi audio blues pro, barbert ltd, dumbox, and barber dirty bomb, all through a twin reverb.
Don't know if that helps.
