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Eroachguitar « Versatile Distortion Pedal for Modest Price »
Published on 09/20/12 at 15:52A signature collaboration between the legendary Joe Satriani and Vox, The Satchurator is housed in a durable, sparkly crimson metal case.Two modes labeled ON and MORE, along with Drive, Tone, and Volume controls that affect both modes. Circuit is pure solid-state analog, utilizing a familiar classic distortion circuit with a few tweaks according to Joe's specifications.
A "pad" switch is also included, which is described by Vox as a way to maximize dynamics of bright guitars or effects placed before the Satchurator. I run my setup fairly dark, so perhaps that's why I noticed no audible effect on the tone when it was engaged.
Controls are Creme-colored Chicken head knobs, allowing for precise positioning and a classic look. LED's are reasonably visible, though perhaps not on an outdoor stage during daylight hours.
UTILIZATION
The setup of this pedal is extremely simple. The Satchurator, like all Distortion or overdrive effects, is best run in front of the amplifier (as opposed to in the effects loop). GAIN controls the level of distortion in the pedal (though let's be clear, gain is usually not equivalent to distortion), TONE controls the amount of treble response, and VOLUME controlling...you guessed it... the volume of the signal at the pedal's output. In this way, it's set up much like a certain classic yellow distortion pedal for which it is reputedly designed after.
SOUND QUALITY
I tried the Satchurator through the clean channel of an Egnater Renegade 65 head using a Charvel So-Cal Model 1 with stock Dimarzio Evolution/Tone Zone humbuckers. The Satchurator does not appear to color the tone of the guitar and amp when bypassed, and when engaged it dishes up copious amounts of distortion and harmonics without changing the base tone of your setup.
The MORE switch enacts an instantaneous boost of distortion, which is most evident when the Gain is set at noon or below. This allows a nice instant-access setup to crunchy rhythm tones and searing lead tones without adjusting the gain. When the GAIN is maxed, however, what I encountered was a slight push over the edge which resulted in too much distortion that compromised clarity and cut.
The Satchurator has the ability to be EXTREMELY bright, so judicious use of the TONE control in conjunction with your amp's own treble settings is mandatory. Bright switches are the enemy here.
OVERALL OPINION
The Satchurator is tremendously versatile. Dialing back the GAIN control elicits some classic plexi-like sounds, while cranking it brings out the Satchurator's true intended nature, reproducing Satch's classic precision high gain tone with a mere hint of fuzz.
The pedal exhibits a rather scooped midrange, which may not be favorable for fans of mid-heavy, overdriven Marshall-style crunch. The pedal does, however, a fine job of illuminating cleanly laid, virtuosic single-note and lead passages, lathering on the sustain and harmonics that helped make so many of Joe's compositions memorable.
For those who value dynamics, the Satchurator has the uncanny ability to render its effect almost inaudible, even at full-bore, when the guitar volume is rolled back. When I turned down the volume on my Charvel, my tone sounded almost completely bypassed. I was thoroughly impressed.
One as-of-yet unmentioned point of versatility with the Satchurator is how altering the difference between the TONE control on the Satchurator and the treble control on your amp's EQ effects the feel of the pedal. Rolling back the treble on my amp slightly and boosting the pedal's TONE control gave the pedal a more top-end aggressive, modern feel, whereas rolling back the Satchurator's TONE control and boosting my amp's Treble control rendered a more classic feel reminiscent of classic 80's Marshall amps.
Build quality of the Vox Satchurator is respectable given its price point. I was amused, and slightly bummed, however, to find that upon removing the bottom plate, the footswitches that appeared heavy-duty on the outside gave way to springs that triggered tactile switches on a mounted circuit board. No Carling switches here, folks. But don't let this deter you. If one of the switches ever goes out, or if you desire something more road-worthy, the switches and board are easily replaceable with proper, heavier-duty switches that will accept the flying leads coming off the main circuit board.
Overall, the Vox Satchurator is an excellent pedal for the price, offering capability, versatility and portability for those who want inspiring rhythm crunch, coupled with blistering throwback high gain tones all in one low-priced package.
A "pad" switch is also included, which is described by Vox as a way to maximize dynamics of bright guitars or effects placed before the Satchurator. I run my setup fairly dark, so perhaps that's why I noticed no audible effect on the tone when it was engaged.
Controls are Creme-colored Chicken head knobs, allowing for precise positioning and a classic look. LED's are reasonably visible, though perhaps not on an outdoor stage during daylight hours.
UTILIZATION
The setup of this pedal is extremely simple. The Satchurator, like all Distortion or overdrive effects, is best run in front of the amplifier (as opposed to in the effects loop). GAIN controls the level of distortion in the pedal (though let's be clear, gain is usually not equivalent to distortion), TONE controls the amount of treble response, and VOLUME controlling...you guessed it... the volume of the signal at the pedal's output. In this way, it's set up much like a certain classic yellow distortion pedal for which it is reputedly designed after.
SOUND QUALITY
I tried the Satchurator through the clean channel of an Egnater Renegade 65 head using a Charvel So-Cal Model 1 with stock Dimarzio Evolution/Tone Zone humbuckers. The Satchurator does not appear to color the tone of the guitar and amp when bypassed, and when engaged it dishes up copious amounts of distortion and harmonics without changing the base tone of your setup.
The MORE switch enacts an instantaneous boost of distortion, which is most evident when the Gain is set at noon or below. This allows a nice instant-access setup to crunchy rhythm tones and searing lead tones without adjusting the gain. When the GAIN is maxed, however, what I encountered was a slight push over the edge which resulted in too much distortion that compromised clarity and cut.
The Satchurator has the ability to be EXTREMELY bright, so judicious use of the TONE control in conjunction with your amp's own treble settings is mandatory. Bright switches are the enemy here.
OVERALL OPINION
The Satchurator is tremendously versatile. Dialing back the GAIN control elicits some classic plexi-like sounds, while cranking it brings out the Satchurator's true intended nature, reproducing Satch's classic precision high gain tone with a mere hint of fuzz.
The pedal exhibits a rather scooped midrange, which may not be favorable for fans of mid-heavy, overdriven Marshall-style crunch. The pedal does, however, a fine job of illuminating cleanly laid, virtuosic single-note and lead passages, lathering on the sustain and harmonics that helped make so many of Joe's compositions memorable.
For those who value dynamics, the Satchurator has the uncanny ability to render its effect almost inaudible, even at full-bore, when the guitar volume is rolled back. When I turned down the volume on my Charvel, my tone sounded almost completely bypassed. I was thoroughly impressed.
One as-of-yet unmentioned point of versatility with the Satchurator is how altering the difference between the TONE control on the Satchurator and the treble control on your amp's EQ effects the feel of the pedal. Rolling back the treble on my amp slightly and boosting the pedal's TONE control gave the pedal a more top-end aggressive, modern feel, whereas rolling back the Satchurator's TONE control and boosting my amp's Treble control rendered a more classic feel reminiscent of classic 80's Marshall amps.
Build quality of the Vox Satchurator is respectable given its price point. I was amused, and slightly bummed, however, to find that upon removing the bottom plate, the footswitches that appeared heavy-duty on the outside gave way to springs that triggered tactile switches on a mounted circuit board. No Carling switches here, folks. But don't let this deter you. If one of the switches ever goes out, or if you desire something more road-worthy, the switches and board are easily replaceable with proper, heavier-duty switches that will accept the flying leads coming off the main circuit board.
Overall, the Vox Satchurator is an excellent pedal for the price, offering capability, versatility and portability for those who want inspiring rhythm crunch, coupled with blistering throwback high gain tones all in one low-priced package.