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iamqman
Published on 04/12/11 at 10:18
This little unit is based off the Marshall JTM45 unit from the 60's. And I think they have done quite well on this thing. It has a great classic rock tone that sounds fantastic in front of a clean amp or even in front of a dirty amp on a clean boost. The circuit is a boost and an overdrive in one unit. So it is like having two boxes in one.
UTILIZATION
The Controls:
Drive: Sets the amount of distortion. Start around 1:00 o'clock.
Tone: Adjust for treble content. Start around 2:00 o'clock.
Vol: Adjust for distortron engine volume level. Start around 9:00 o'clock.
Boost: Sets the boost level, which is engaged with the left stomp switch. Start around 11:00 o'clock.
The Drive and Boost controls are based on the original Super Hard-On gain control, so they may crackle when turned. This is perfectly normal. The super hard on is a great pedal as well.
Operation:
Plug your guitar (or any effect’s output) into the right hand input jack. Plug the output into an amp or other effect’s input. Rock out. Careful with the Boost setting when using a high-powered amp with lots of headroom... you may be shocked at how loud it can get!
The best way to complete this pedal is to run it through a Marshall amplifier on a warm clean setting (try strapping the channels, setting the volumes below 3, and setting all other controls to 6 as a start point), which has the proper voicing to reveal the "rock" in the Box of Rock.
Battery Change:
If the performance of your pedal seems diminished or the LEDs become very dim, it's time to change your battery. Remove the four screws on the bottom of the pedal and carefully remove and replace the old battery, putting it back exactly in the center of the pedal on edge so that it is gripped tightly by the lid when it is screwed back in place.
Specifications:
Uses 1 9V battery (preferably alkaline, but the unit is shipped with a carbon-zinc battery.) The low current operation of this pedal's circuit will give you a long battery life. Current draw is approximately 3mA. A DC power jack (standard Boss configuration with center negative) is provided on the side of the pedal. Use a high- quality 9V adaptor for all high-gain effects!
Warranty:
All hand painted Z.Vex pedals have a lifetime warranty.
SOUND QUALITY
The sound quality is remarkable! I am not a fan of distortion boxes, but this thing has a sweet warm tone than is very reminiscent of the classic rock albums from the 60's and 70's. Slap a Gibson SG in front of it and you;ll get a solid AC/DC tone for days. Or try a Les Paul and back off the drive to about noon and great a great Pete Townsend or Jimmy Paige tones.
OVERALL OPINION
I am a big fan of this pedal. I like most pedals from Zvex with a few exceptions. This is must own for anyone who needs a solid overdrive pedal that can do a boost and distortion. There are a few different versions of this pedal but all of them have the same circuit inside. At new these units come in at around $330 for the hand painted. A bit higher than some of the other hand painted pedals from Zvex. I am exactly sure why that is the case, but they are great pedals, but it might have something to do with having the Super Hard On circuit inside as well. I highly recommend this pedal to any guitar player.
UTILIZATION
The Controls:
Drive: Sets the amount of distortion. Start around 1:00 o'clock.
Tone: Adjust for treble content. Start around 2:00 o'clock.
Vol: Adjust for distortron engine volume level. Start around 9:00 o'clock.
Boost: Sets the boost level, which is engaged with the left stomp switch. Start around 11:00 o'clock.
The Drive and Boost controls are based on the original Super Hard-On gain control, so they may crackle when turned. This is perfectly normal. The super hard on is a great pedal as well.
Operation:
Plug your guitar (or any effect’s output) into the right hand input jack. Plug the output into an amp or other effect’s input. Rock out. Careful with the Boost setting when using a high-powered amp with lots of headroom... you may be shocked at how loud it can get!
The best way to complete this pedal is to run it through a Marshall amplifier on a warm clean setting (try strapping the channels, setting the volumes below 3, and setting all other controls to 6 as a start point), which has the proper voicing to reveal the "rock" in the Box of Rock.
Battery Change:
If the performance of your pedal seems diminished or the LEDs become very dim, it's time to change your battery. Remove the four screws on the bottom of the pedal and carefully remove and replace the old battery, putting it back exactly in the center of the pedal on edge so that it is gripped tightly by the lid when it is screwed back in place.
Specifications:
Uses 1 9V battery (preferably alkaline, but the unit is shipped with a carbon-zinc battery.) The low current operation of this pedal's circuit will give you a long battery life. Current draw is approximately 3mA. A DC power jack (standard Boss configuration with center negative) is provided on the side of the pedal. Use a high- quality 9V adaptor for all high-gain effects!
Warranty:
All hand painted Z.Vex pedals have a lifetime warranty.
SOUND QUALITY
The sound quality is remarkable! I am not a fan of distortion boxes, but this thing has a sweet warm tone than is very reminiscent of the classic rock albums from the 60's and 70's. Slap a Gibson SG in front of it and you;ll get a solid AC/DC tone for days. Or try a Les Paul and back off the drive to about noon and great a great Pete Townsend or Jimmy Paige tones.
OVERALL OPINION
I am a big fan of this pedal. I like most pedals from Zvex with a few exceptions. This is must own for anyone who needs a solid overdrive pedal that can do a boost and distortion. There are a few different versions of this pedal but all of them have the same circuit inside. At new these units come in at around $330 for the hand painted. A bit higher than some of the other hand painted pedals from Zvex. I am exactly sure why that is the case, but they are great pedals, but it might have something to do with having the Super Hard On circuit inside as well. I highly recommend this pedal to any guitar player.