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markxander · October 10th, 2009, 02:08 PM

Are there any Marshall in a box style pedals that were designed for Blackface Fenders? I'm totally set for lowOD and big fuzz sounds, but I need a good moderately-high gain all-around rock-out distortion. I had a Jekyll and Hyde and liked it a lot - especially the really punchy low end; but I hated the overdrive part, and the pedal was a bit too noisy for my taste.

Any suggestions? I don't want to spend too much more than like $250 at the most, but I'll consider anything

biker joe · October 10th, 2009, 02:17 PM

There are plenty of them. Just to name a few:

LovePedal Purple Plexi
Marshall Guv'nor
MI Audio Crunch Box
Xotic BB Preamp
Zvex Box of Rocks

Whoa Tele · October 10th, 2009, 02:17 PM

Barber Direct Drive perhaps.

markxander · October 10th, 2009, 03:41 PM

I know there a lot of pedals in that style - but does anyone have any specific experience running them with a blackface fender?

biker joe · October 10th, 2009, 08:55 PM

I currently use the xotic bb. I'm a big fan of the xoitc stuff. Works really well with my black and brown fender amps. I also like the original Guv'nor, but that can be hard to comeby. I can also get marshally sounds with my Keeley Modded Rat but I prefer the BB. I use the Rat into a Xotic AC for more of a modded Marshall tone. But for one pedal with traditional marshall tones the BB works great. I haven't tried the Barber or the Crunch box.

fakeocaster · October 10th, 2009, 09:04 PM

hao rust driver

dalandan · October 10th, 2009, 11:10 PM

Church of Tone
Dirty Little Secret
Purple Plexi
Blackstone MOSFET

although those are in the medium gain range.

High gain marshall? Maybe a BSIAB or a Wampler Plextortion?

callaway · October 10th, 2009, 11:36 PM

I play a homemade '65 Princeton Reverb modified with 6L6 output tubes. One of my main sounds---for both light gain and thick Marshall crunch---is from a (homemade again) copy of a Marshall Shredmaster. These are great little pedals from the late 80's / early 90's, but can fetch quite a bit on eBay. Bottom line is that I think it would be exactly what you are looking for. If you're keen to build one yourself, BYOC has a great kit.

I would guess that the Zvex Box of Rock would also be suitable. I'm sure many of the other options mentioned would work as well, but that's what I have experience with.

Twang King · October 11th, 2009, 12:24 AM

have a look at this:

frank1959 · October 11th, 2009, 02:46 AM

Catalinbread Dirty Little Secret...$159 shipped (buy direct fromCatalinbread's site, tonefactor.com or both sell it on ebay)

I've run it into a Blackface Pro Reverb and Tweed Bandmaster clone and it will definitely get you the sound you are looking for.

tjk3052 · October 11th, 2009, 05:43 AM

Barber B-Custom Super Sport
Barber Small Fry
Catalinbread DLS

Both of those Barbers would be more versatile, but the DLS is exactly a marshall in a box, with a switch for plexi vs JCM voicings. I sold my DLS for a Small Fry and am happy, but the DLS is very popular.

Dr. Bill · October 11th, 2009, 09:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by markxander

Are there any Marshall in a box style pedals that were designed for Blackface Fenders? I'm totally set for lowOD and big fuzz sounds, but I need a good moderately-high gain all-around rock-out distortion. I had a Jekyll and Hyde and liked it a lot - especially the really punchy low end; but I hated the overdrive part, and the pedal was a bit too noisy for my taste.

Any suggestions? I don't want to spend too much more than like $250 at the most, but I'll consider anything

Sorry to rain on your efforts to stimulate the economy to the tune of 250 dollars

, but this situation sounds like it calls for a Proco RAT pedal to me. Try to get one of the older MIA ones with the LM308 chip. A RAT through a bigger BF or SF Fender reverb amp is an old favorite.

Ignatius · October 11th, 2009, 11:12 AM

Yep, Crunch Box.

JayDee · October 12th, 2009, 01:37 AM

I use a Wampler Super Plextortion into a Deluxe Reverb. I've been very happy with it. Wampler also makes the regular Plextortion and the older style, lower gain Plexidrive for that nice 70s classic rock sound.

A.B.Negative · October 12th, 2009, 06:38 AM

I use a Tech 21 British pedal through either a Sessionette 75 or ZT Lunchbox and I can make them both sound pretty close to a Marshall. Haven't had the opportunity to try it through a Blackface but I reckon you'll be able to get the sound you're after.

Steve McGinnis · October 12th, 2009, 07:54 AM

The Menatone KOTB was designed to be a "Marshall in a box" specifically. I play mine with a DR and it works great. Sounds just like a JCM 800.

11 Gauge · October 12th, 2009, 09:17 AM

Your exact situation has been mine as well for many years - clean Fender BF/SF amp.

The two "pioneers" have them all beat, IMO - The Marshall Guv'nor (must be V1) and of course the almighty Rat.

Nothing against the newer offerings for a "Marshall in a Box" - many are quite good. The Menatone pedal is very good IMO, especially since it doesn't lift the circuit from any previous design.

Finding a V1 Guv'nor would probably be hard. Luckily, companies like General Guitar Gadgets offer them as a kit, so assembly is the only obstacle. And pedals like the Crunch Box are over 85% Guv'nor anyways, so they'll do just fine.

Finding a nice Rat is pretty easy, and as long as they aren't recently made ones, they can be easily tweaked to get back to the original sound, which is unsurpassed by most Rat mods, IMO.

The trick with either pedal is to keep from going overboard with the gain/distortion knob - the "Marshall sweet spot" is typically somewhere between 12:00 and 2:30, IMO. Any higher and things get sort of ugly and unmusical.

If you have the means to build or have built a "project" pedal, I highly recommend the Thor project over at runoffgroove.com as it comes closer to the sound of a cranked up 100 watt Marshall than I've heard in any other pedal, and it kills through a clean amp. JMO, but you may want to take a trip over there and listen to the clips.

detuned · October 12th, 2009, 11:47 AM

I've used both:
M.I. Audio Crunch Box &
Xotic BB+
with my '65 Fender Showman (basically the head version of the Twin, sans reverb) with great success. I'd give the edge to the BB, which sounds less compressed & more amp-like (IMO).

I've had a variety of Rats, which I could never bond with. YMMV.

hannigan · October 12th, 2009, 12:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frank1959

Catalinbread Dirty Little Secret...$159 shipped (buy direct fromCatalinbread's site, tonefactor.com or both sell it on ebay)

I've run it into a Blackface Pro Reverb and Tweed Bandmaster clone and it will definitely get you the sound you are looking for.

Yes indeed it will.

Maxwell Street · October 23rd, 2009, 03:01 AM

Fulltone OCD

Grandma's Tele · October 23rd, 2009, 03:10 AM

Radial Tonebone Hot British http://www.tonebone.com/tb-hotbritish.htm

czech-one-2 · October 23rd, 2009, 04:46 AM

+ 1 on the OLC THOR.
While I dont have a silver face fender,I am running it with a solid state peavey Special 130.Great pinch harmonics and its not too gainy.Its based on the 100w marshall super lead.Its the most 'amp like' distortion pedal I've owned.

ReIgnition · October 24th, 2009, 02:50 AM

...another vote for the Lovepedal Purple Plexi

Elliot Easton · October 24th, 2009, 03:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ignatius

Yep, Crunch Box.

The Crunch Box gets my enthusiastic vote! That pedal sounds amazing in front of Fender Reverb Amp, the cleaner the better. Warm, fat and rich in harmonics. I use mine all the time.

SirJackdeFuzz · October 24th, 2009, 04:05 AM

Carl Martin PlexiTone - if you can swing it !

http://www.carlmartin.com/product%20plexitone.htm

YMMV

SirJackdeFuzz · October 24th, 2009, 04:09 AM

Maybe the 2-in-1 Death Rattle by US Toadworks might be more versitile :

http://www.toadworksusa.com/

Tweed & Plexi in one box !

redstringuitar · October 24th, 2009, 04:44 AM

The Crunch Box does Marshall well, but be prepared for that 2 dimensional, vaguely muffled tone that the genuine article itself suffers from when you goose the preamp.

tjalla · October 24th, 2009, 06:00 AM

My Menatone Workingman's Blue sounds fab into the BF channel of my Tone King, although it is more the warm/loose JTM45 Marshall sound, not so much modern/tight JCM vibe.

gmann · October 24th, 2009, 08:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by markxander

I know there a lot of pedals in that style - but does anyone have any specific experience running them with a blackface fender?

Yep, the LovePedal Amp 50. It's a variation on the many COT pedals they sell. It's $99. fm www.proguitarshop.com. It makes my '65 DR sound like my JTM50. People that hear it can't believe it. The clips on Pro Guitar Shop do not do it justice. It's one knob pedal that varies the amt of gain and in a band context it does everything fm AC/DC to ZZ Top remarkably well. This pedal replaced both my OCD and my Box Of Rock. Although I've no personal exp. with them I'm very impressed with the Catalinbread DLS as well as the Rothwell Hellbender for Marshall type sounds.

Yoni · October 24th, 2009, 12:47 PM

October 10th, 2009, 02:08 PM	#1 (permalink)
markxander TDPRI Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Waterloo ON Posts: 91	Marshall in a Box for a TRRI Are there any Marshall in a box style pedals that were designed for Blackface Fenders? I'm totally set for lowOD and big fuzz sounds, but I need a good moderately-high gain all-around rock-out distortion. I had a Jekyll and Hyde and liked it a lot - especially the really punchy low end; but I hated the overdrive part, and the pedal was a bit too noisy for my taste. Any suggestions? I don't want to spend too much more than like $250 at the most, but I'll consider anything __________________ www.myspace.com/markcarterdemos

October 10th, 2009, 03:41 PM	#4 (permalink)
markxander TDPRI Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Waterloo ON Posts: 91	I know there a lot of pedals in that style - but does anyone have any specific experience running them with a blackface fender? __________________ www.myspace.com/markcarterdemos

October 10th, 2009, 09:04 PM	#6 (permalink)
fakeocaster Tele-Holic Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Enniscorthy, Ireland Posts: 804	hao rust driver __________________ cheers fakeocaster

October 11th, 2009, 12:24 AM	#9 (permalink)
Twang King TDPRI Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: england Age: 31 Posts: 88	have a look at this: __________________ MYSPACE

October 11th, 2009, 11:12 AM	#13 (permalink)
Ignatius Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 1,111 1 Photos	Yep, Crunch Box. __________________ This right here is my signature.

October 10th, 2009, 02:17 PM	#2 (permalink)
biker joe Tele-Meister Join Date: Apr 2003 Posts: 342	There are plenty of them. Just to name a few: LovePedal Purple Plexi Marshall Guv'nor MI Audio Crunch Box Xotic BB Preamp Zvex Box of Rocks

October 10th, 2009, 02:17 PM	#3 (permalink)
Whoa Tele TDPRI Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Smyrna Ga. Posts: 61	Barber Direct Drive perhaps.

October 10th, 2009, 08:55 PM	#5 (permalink)
biker joe Tele-Meister Join Date: Apr 2003 Posts: 342	I currently use the xotic bb. I'm a big fan of the xoitc stuff. Works really well with my black and brown fender amps. I also like the original Guv'nor, but that can be hard to comeby. I can also get marshally sounds with my Keeley Modded Rat but I prefer the BB. I use the Rat into a Xotic AC for more of a modded Marshall tone. But for one pedal with traditional marshall tones the BB works great. I haven't tried the Barber or the Crunch box.

October 10th, 2009, 11:10 PM	#7 (permalink)
dalandan Tele-Meister Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: philippines Posts: 461	Church of Tone Dirty Little Secret Purple Plexi Blackstone MOSFET although those are in the medium gain range. High gain marshall? Maybe a BSIAB or a Wampler Plextortion?

October 10th, 2009, 11:36 PM	#8 (permalink)
callaway Tele-Meister Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Blacksburg, VA Posts: 162	I play a homemade '65 Princeton Reverb modified with 6L6 output tubes. One of my main sounds---for both light gain and thick Marshall crunch---is from a (homemade again) copy of a Marshall Shredmaster. These are great little pedals from the late 80's / early 90's, but can fetch quite a bit on eBay. Bottom line is that I think it would be exactly what you are looking for. If you're keen to build one yourself, BYOC has a great kit. I would guess that the Zvex Box of Rock would also be suitable. I'm sure many of the other options mentioned would work as well, but that's what I have experience with.

October 11th, 2009, 02:46 AM	#10 (permalink)
frank1959 NEW MEMBER! Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: So Cal Posts: 3	Catalinbread Dirty Little Secret...$159 shipped (buy direct fromCatalinbread's site, tonefactor.com or both sell it on ebay) I've run it into a Blackface Pro Reverb and Tweed Bandmaster clone and it will definitely get you the sound you are looking for.

October 11th, 2009, 05:43 AM	#11 (permalink)
tjk3052 Tele-Meister Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: MN Posts: 104	Barber B-Custom Super Sport Barber Small Fry Catalinbread DLS Both of those Barbers would be more versatile, but the DLS is exactly a marshall in a box, with a switch for plexi vs JCM voicings. I sold my DLS for a Small Fry and am happy, but the DLS is very popular.

October 12th, 2009, 01:37 AM	#14 (permalink)
JayDee TDPRI Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Missouri Posts: 54	I use a Wampler Super Plextortion into a Deluxe Reverb. I've been very happy with it. Wampler also makes the regular Plextortion and the older style, lower gain Plexidrive for that nice 70s classic rock sound.

October 12th, 2009, 06:38 AM	#15 (permalink)
A.B.Negative Tele-Meister Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Scotland Age: 43 Posts: 428	I use a Tech 21 British pedal through either a Sessionette 75 or ZT Lunchbox and I can make them both sound pretty close to a Marshall. Haven't had the opportunity to try it through a Blackface but I reckon you'll be able to get the sound you're after. __________________ "The disgusting stink of a too-loud electric guitar.... Now, that's my idea of a good time."

October 12th, 2009, 07:54 AM	#16 (permalink)
Steve McGinnis Tele-Holic Join Date: Mar 2003 Posts: 966	Menatone King of the Britains The Menatone KOTB was designed to be a "Marshall in a box" specifically. I play mine with a DR and it works great. Sounds just like a JCM 800.

October 12th, 2009, 09:17 AM	#17 (permalink)
11 Gauge Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: 6.2 miles northwest of BWI Posts: 3,918 16 Photos	Your exact situation has been mine as well for many years - clean Fender BF/SF amp. The two "pioneers" have them all beat, IMO - The Marshall Guv'nor (must be V1) and of course the almighty Rat. Nothing against the newer offerings for a "Marshall in a Box" - many are quite good. The Menatone pedal is very good IMO, especially since it doesn't lift the circuit from any previous design. Finding a V1 Guv'nor would probably be hard. Luckily, companies like General Guitar Gadgets offer them as a kit, so assembly is the only obstacle. And pedals like the Crunch Box are over 85% Guv'nor anyways, so they'll do just fine. Finding a nice Rat is pretty easy, and as long as they aren't recently made ones, they can be easily tweaked to get back to the original sound, which is unsurpassed by most Rat mods, IMO. The trick with either pedal is to keep from going overboard with the gain/distortion knob - the "Marshall sweet spot" is typically somewhere between 12:00 and 2:30, IMO. Any higher and things get sort of ugly and unmusical. If you have the means to build or have built a "project" pedal, I highly recommend the Thor project over at runoffgroove.com as it comes closer to the sound of a cranked up 100 watt Marshall than I've heard in any other pedal, and it kills through a clean amp. JMO, but you may want to take a trip over there and listen to the clips. __________________

October 12th, 2009, 11:47 AM	#18 (permalink)
detuned Tele-Holic Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Halloweentown, MA Posts: 512	I've used both: M.I. Audio Crunch Box & Xotic BB+ with my '65 Fender Showman (basically the head version of the Twin, sans reverb) with great success. I'd give the edge to the BB, which sounds less compressed & more amp-like (IMO). I've had a variety of Rats, which I could never bond with. YMMV. __________________ Master of Disaster on the Stratocaster

October 23rd, 2009, 03:01 AM	#20 (permalink)
Maxwell Street Tele-Meister Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: chicago Posts: 106	Fulltone OCD

October 23rd, 2009, 03:10 AM	#21 (permalink)
Grandma's Tele TDPRI Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Montreal Age: 38 Posts: 61	Radial Tonebone Hot British http://www.tonebone.com/tb-hotbritish.htm

October 24th, 2009, 02:50 AM	#23 (permalink)
ReIgnition TDPRI Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: CT Posts: 54 3 Photos	...another vote for the Lovepedal Purple Plexi

October 24th, 2009, 04:05 AM	#25 (permalink)
SirJackdeFuzz Tele-Meister Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: P.E. South Africa Age: 36 Posts: 369	Carl Martin PlexiTone - if you can swing it ! http://www.carlmartin.com/product%20plexitone.htm YMMV __________________ Guitar -->Fuzz -->OD -->Trem -->Delay -->'66Bassman.

October 24th, 2009, 04:09 AM	#26 (permalink)
SirJackdeFuzz Tele-Meister Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: P.E. South Africa Age: 36 Posts: 369	Maybe the 2-in-1 Death Rattle by US Toadworks might be more versitile : http://www.toadworksusa.com/ Tweed & Plexi in one box ! __________________ Guitar -->Fuzz -->OD -->Trem -->Delay -->'66Bassman.

October 24th, 2009, 04:44 AM	#27 (permalink)
redstringuitar Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Wales Age: 46 Posts: 1,040	The Crunch Box does Marshall well, but be prepared for that 2 dimensional, vaguely muffled tone that the genuine article itself suffers from when you goose the preamp. __________________ The world is full of busy people, might be a better place if some of 'em spent more time on their arses...

October 24th, 2009, 06:00 AM	#28 (permalink)
tjalla Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 2,466 7 Photos	My Menatone Workingman's Blue sounds fab into the BF channel of my Tone King, although it is more the warm/loose JTM45 Marshall sound, not so much modern/tight JCM vibe.

October 24th, 2009, 12:47 PM	#30 (permalink)
Yoni Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Arizona Age: 26 Posts: 1,668	__________________ Fall in Love it's Fun-EV Music is the perfect virus-Henry Rollins

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