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mooseherman « Slightly expensive but fantastic pedal »
Published on 10/15/10 at 13:12This is a distortion/fuzz pedal for guitars. It is an analog pedal made by Zvex, a lesser-known company with an excellent reputation amongst those in the know. There are two 1/4" connections, input and output. There are no midi or computer editing capabilities and the pedal is not rackable.
UTILIZATION
This pedal has four knobs (drive, volume, tone, and boost) and has two switches (one for the effect itself, the other for the boost feature). Utilizing this pedal is really easy, and in fact, it is probably one of more awesome pedals to use live that I've encountered. This mainly has to do with the boost feature, which, combined with a fantastic sounding distortion, is quite useful in a live scenario. I often find myself wishing for a boost of some type when using my big muff, as it's loud but doesn't always ring out over the sound of the instruments. This pedal solves that problem quite nicely.
SOUND QUALITY
This pedal has a fantastic sound. There is a phenomenal amount of distortion with this box. The levels range from a reasonably heavy, classic-rock type sound, to a full on sonic assault. Combine that with the boost feature and you have a fantastically capable pedal. This pedal is capable of heavy distortions for ringing out chords, blistering leads, as well as lighter distortions as well. I wouldn't recommend it as an overdrive as it tends to usually be just too heavy for that. The distortion is comparable to the big muff, but with more flexibility and an added boost feature.
OVERALL OPINION
I like the great sound of the distortion this box provides, as well as the boost feature. At $200 it's really pricey, but it will probably be able to replace one, if not two of the pedals in your board. This is a truly fantastic pedal that will hold up well over the years. I'd recommend using it with some humbucking guitars like a Les Paul or a PRS. It also tends to sound better with a Marshall-style tube amp than a brighter Fender one.
UTILIZATION
This pedal has four knobs (drive, volume, tone, and boost) and has two switches (one for the effect itself, the other for the boost feature). Utilizing this pedal is really easy, and in fact, it is probably one of more awesome pedals to use live that I've encountered. This mainly has to do with the boost feature, which, combined with a fantastic sounding distortion, is quite useful in a live scenario. I often find myself wishing for a boost of some type when using my big muff, as it's loud but doesn't always ring out over the sound of the instruments. This pedal solves that problem quite nicely.
SOUND QUALITY
This pedal has a fantastic sound. There is a phenomenal amount of distortion with this box. The levels range from a reasonably heavy, classic-rock type sound, to a full on sonic assault. Combine that with the boost feature and you have a fantastically capable pedal. This pedal is capable of heavy distortions for ringing out chords, blistering leads, as well as lighter distortions as well. I wouldn't recommend it as an overdrive as it tends to usually be just too heavy for that. The distortion is comparable to the big muff, but with more flexibility and an added boost feature.
OVERALL OPINION
I like the great sound of the distortion this box provides, as well as the boost feature. At $200 it's really pricey, but it will probably be able to replace one, if not two of the pedals in your board. This is a truly fantastic pedal that will hold up well over the years. I'd recommend using it with some humbucking guitars like a Les Paul or a PRS. It also tends to sound better with a Marshall-style tube amp than a brighter Fender one.