Here kids ! Learn about 'amp in a box' guitar pedals !...maybe a news to some...

[zendra]

15 Amazing “Amp in a Box” Guitar Pedals By Nick Bowcott on Oct 30, 2020, 8:00 AM​

As the name suggests, such pedals don’t just add distortion to your sound; they strive to emulate the sound of an iconic combo, head, or stack via the clean channel of your amp. And some do it well — really, really well.

Tech 21 SansAmp GT2 Tube Amp Emulator Pedal​

IMHO, this is the “amp in a box” pedal that arguably started it all, as it’s been around for decades now. In addition to controls for Level, High, Low, and Drive, it also houses three 3-way switches — Amp (California, British, or Tweed); Mod (Hot Wired, Hi Gain, or Clean); and one labeled Mic (Off Axis, Center, or Classic). These three switches alone offer you 27 tonal options before you even start to tweak the controls. You can even run the GT2 straight to the mixing board via a DI box. No wonder the aptly named SansAmp (“sans” is a preposition of ancient origins meaning “without” — geddit?!) deservedly continues to be a best seller.

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The “Brown Sound” in a Box

MXR EVH 5150 Overdrive Pedal​

Whenever the legendary Eddie Van Halen’s EVH logo is on a product, you immediately know that you’re in for a tonal treat that also feels as good as it sounds. After all, the late, great Mr. Van Halen was a self-professed tone chaser that changed the way electric guitar both is played and sounds. The MXR EVH 5150 Overdrive pedal is essentially a sonic replica of the revered blue channel of the EVH 5150 III amp. In addition to controls for Gain, Treble, Mid, Bass, and Output (volume), this sleek-looking, striped device also has an onboard Boost button that ups the gain and compression antes. And, for added control and quiet performance, it also features a built-in Smart Gate control. Smart — very smart. The fact this pedal is 110% Eddie Van Halen–approved, too, literally speaks volumes — in a highly desirable “brown sound” way, of course!

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Best of Both Worlds

BOSS JB-2 Angry Driver Overdrive Pedal​

The Angry Driver cleverly combines two great pedals into one compact casing — a BOSS Blues Driver and a JHS Angry Charlie. Here’s the scoop.
In the hard-rock world, one of the most celebrated amps is the Marshall JCM800 due to its signature “punch you in the chest” tone. The JHS Angry Charlie is a much respected “amp in a box” pedal, as it successfully captures said punch. The smooth, warm overdrive of the BOSS Blues Driver compliments the Angry Charlie’s snarl perfectly, pushing it into even more saturation. Now comes the really clever part — the JB-2 has a 6-position Mode switch that allows you to run these two overdrive overlords separately or to combine them in various series and parallel combinations. The result? A vast palette of punchy possibilities. Nice.
Classic Crunch

JHS Charlie Brown V4 Channel Drive Pedal​

The aforementioned JHS Angry Charlie pedal has a lower-gain but equally excellent sonic sibling — the Charlie Brown V4 (V4 means “Version 4,” in case you’re wondering) — and there’s nothing cartoonish about this stompbox either. This pedal’s mission? To replicate the sound and feel of the very first Marshall amp: the legendary JTM45. And, for extra overdrive control, the Charlie Brown has a control that the amp it mimics doesn’t — a Drive knob, which determines how dirty (or clean) the sound is. It also has a Volume control that emulates the amp’s master volume and Bass, Middle, and Treble controls that replicate a JTM45’s tone stack. So, if your tonal target is more AC/DC than Slayer, then the Charlie Brown could well be your ticket to ride.

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[zendra]

Origin Effects RevivalDRIVE Overdrive Pedal​

This feature-laden, 2-channel device offers a vast amount of vintage, overdriven amp tones from the hallowed ’50s, ’60s, and ’70s decades. And, true to the era it emulates, it uses analog circuitry to conjure the breakup, the sag, and even the ghosting characteristics of classic amps from both sides of the Atlantic. Yep, there’s no digital emulation happening in the RevivalDRIVE. One channel offers Valve Rectifier options, the other takes the Silicon Rectifier path. And, to add further to the authenticity of its sound, feel, and response, the pedal houses a built-in reactive load. If you’re looking for old-school sag, tone, and feel at neighbor-friendly volumes, then your search could well end here.

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Less Is More!

EarthQuaker Devices Acapulco Gold V2 Distortion Pedal​

The last “amp in a box” we looked at boasted no fewer than 17 knobs and six toggle switches. The EarthQuaker Devices Acapulco Gold is the exact opposite, as this compact crunch machine merely has one large, unlabeled knob! Joe Perry of Aerosmith once said that his dream amp would only have one control — well, here is said amp in stompbox form.


As you’d expect — the Acapulco Gold’s solitary knob is a volume control. To be exact, it mimics the master volume control on a vintage tube amp. Based on the sound of a Sunn Model T amp running at full bore, this pedal delivers the sound you’d expect in spades. And the more you crank its oversized volume control, the dirtier and looser your tone becomes. Think of the Melvins or the dark, loose, heavy, detuned drone of doom-laden acts such as Sunn O))) and Earth.

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Double-Barreled Barnstormer

Friedman BE-OD Deluxe Dual Overdrive Pedal​

The Clockworks Sweetwater-Exclusive edition of the BE-OD Deluxe


When high-gain, British-flavoured (not a typo — English spelling, dear boy!) hard-rock and heavy-metal tones are the order of the day, the Friedman BE-100 all-tube head is the no-brainer, go-to amp for a legion of pro players. The BE-OD Deluxe not only successfully captures these much-sought-after tones and puts them in pedal form; but it also offers two totally independent channels. This, of course, means that seamlessly switching between mild and mean settings, or from rhythm to lead, is a breeze. Each of the two channels features independent controls for Volume, Bass, Mid, Treble, Presence, and Gain. Plus, for further flexibility of tone and feel, they both have a 3-way Tight switch that takes you from a loose, vintage low-end response to a tight, modern one. If you want to nail the high-gain glory of acts such as Alice in Chains, then the BE-OD Deluxe delivers the goods.

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Girthy Growler

Diezel VH4-2 Pedal 2-channel Overdrive and Preamp​

When the all-tube Diezel VH4 amp appeared in 1992, it literally took the metal world by storm, and its high-profile users included the likes of Korn, Tool, Staind, and a little-known act named Metallica! All four of its channels were stellar, but the one that most were drawn to was channel three, a.k.a. the “Mega” channel. That’s the channel the VH4-2 pedal emulates, and it produces the impressive sonic girth and growl that made the amp rightfully famous. In addition to controls for Treble, Middle, Bass, Presence, and the all-important Deep, the VH4-2 has separate Gain and Master knobs for each of its two channels.


The ruggedly constructed VH4-2 pedal boasts discrete circuity (as opposed to an integrated circuit) and has a Power Amp output as well as a regular one — meaning you can literally use it as a standalone 2-channel preamp. Not shabby.

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[zendra]

Wampler Plexi-Drive Deluxe Overdrive Pedal​

Both its name and the fact it flies the Union Jack make it crystal clear that this “amp in a box” is based on the iconic Marshall Super Lead Model 1959, a.k.a. the “Plexi.” And why not? After all, this 100-watt, all-tube British amp has been used by everyone — from AC/DC to Clapton to Zeppelin; from Hendrix to Van Halen. Armed with an active 3-band EQ plus Bass and Bright Boost switches, the Plexi-Drive is incredibly versatile. The bass boost is especially useful, as it can accentuate the pleasing low-end “thump” of a 4×12 cabinet at bedroom-friendly volumes. To add even further to the Plexi-Drive’s tonal flexibility, it also features a switchable, one-control, pre-gain boost to help push the pedal into creamy overdrive. And, just like a famous green overdrive pedal, this boost has a pleasing “mid-bump,” too. No wonder Wampler refers to the Plexi-Drive as a “versatile M.I.A.B. (Marshall in a Box)!”

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British Invasion Fuel

Catalinbread CB30 Vox-Voiced Overdrive — Sweetwater Exclusive​

Talking of world-renowned British amps, the Vox AC30 is rightfully heralded as one of Britain’s finest, thanks to its signature touch-sensitive, jangly cleans and pleasing crunch. Just like the amp it apes, the CB30 has controls for Bass and Treble, which offer chiming highs with a rich low end. Plus, the more you turn up these two controls, the more scooped the mids become — perfect for dialing in that classic overdrive sound that helped fuel the so-called British Invasion in the mid ’60s. True-bypass switching ensures no tonal changes when the CB30 isn’t engaged. If you’d like to add a Vox AC30 sound to your pedalboard, then the CB30 will assure you satisfaction.

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Teutonic Titan

Bogner Ecstasy Blue Overdrive Pedal​

Our next stop on our short European trip is Germany — home of Bogner amps. One of the company’s most revered products is the all-tube, 2-channel Ecstasy head. The Ecstasy Blue pedal provides the iconic signature sounds of the Ecstasy’s blue channel. As you might expect, the unit has “the usual suspects” in terms of knobs, namely: Volume, Treble, Middle, Bass, and Gain. To add vastly to your tone-sculpting options, the pedal also has the following: 1) Variac switch, which provides the dynamic compression of an underpowered amp; 2) Mode switch, which allows you to choose between Ecstasy and Plexi tones; 3) three Pre-EQ setting options; 4) three different Bogner EQ and gain setting choices. Add to all this a footswitchable boost with independent controls for both Volume and Gain, and you have an extremely sophisticated tonal menu to rock with.

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Sonic Sculptor

Mesa/Boogie Flux-Five Overdrive Pedal​

This rugged, USA-built pedal offers a lot of firepower and flexibility. It also has two gain modes — Lo & Hi — that you can toggle between via a single footswitch. This effectively allows you to instantly add two extra channels to your amp. As you’d expect from the amp-building experts at Mesa/Boogie, the Flux-Five can go from subtle to stun and anywhere in between. As well as controls for Bass and Treble, like many of the company’s celebrated amps, the pedal has a built-in 5-band graphic EQ, which can be assigned to either or both gain modes. This feature obviously offers tremendous tone-shaping options, as you can cut or boost 80Hz, 240Hz, 750Hz, 2.2kHz and 6.6kHz. The EQ sliders are also protected from accidental foot movement when you’re switching by a simple but effective metal bar, as shown in the above picture. Smart — very smart. Throw in true-bypass switching, and the Flux-Five ticks a lot of boxes!

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[zendra]

Modern Metal Scalpel

Revv G3 Preamp/Overdrive/Distortion Pedal​

One pedal — two finish options: regular Purple or the Sweetwater-Exclusive Bronze Metallic

Revv amps are a relative newcomer to Sweetwater, but, thanks to their stellar tones, they’ve quickly become a firm favorite. Now those desirable tones are available in “amp in a box” pedal form. The G3 pedal emulates the sound of the Revv amp’s purple channel, which a lot of modern metal players immediately gravitate to because it delivers a tight, focused, high-gain sound. And that’s exactly what this pedal provides. In addition to the usual controls (Bass, Middle, Treble, Volume, and Gain), the G3 also has a 3-way switch aptly named Aggression, as it tailors the amount of gain you get — so upping the pedal’s already impressive tonal capabilities. The G3 works equally well when used in front of your amp, in an effects loop, with a modeling device, and even when plugged straight into a cab simulator. Our friends at Revv describe this pedal’s precise punch as follows: “The G3 is a scalpel.” Enough said.

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Clean Up Your Act

Vertex Effects Steel String Supreme Overdrive Pedal​

Thus far, all the “amp in a box” pedals we’ve looked at have been of the rock variety with a definite tilt toward the heavier side of things (imagine that happening in a piece I’m penning, duh!). For our next entry, though, this Monty Python quote definitely applies: “And now for something completely different” — in a really cool way, I hasten to add! Introducing the Vertex Effects Steel String Supreme (SSS) to the pack.

When I asked one of the guitar pickers who picked the SSS pedal why he liked it so much, his immediate response was, “It’s kinda like John Mayer in a box.” He then illustrated his point by grabbing a Strat and quickly dialing in a thick, round, Mayer-esque clean sound. He then followed up with a subtly overdriven lead tone that had not-so-subtle hints of the late, great SRV. A convincing rationalization, to say the least.

This particular “amp in a box” is based on an extremely rare and extremely expensive (at the time of writing this article, I found one on sale for a mind-numbing $220,000!) Dumble amp that delivers a musically fat, uniquely compressed clean sound plus the aforementioned subtle yet harmonically rich, bluesy overdrive. This sturdy Vertex pedal emulates this “unobtainium” amp, and its six controls along with two tone-shaping switches give it a very intuitive, guitarist-friendly versatility. While definitely not a metal “amp in a box,” the SSS does exactly what it “says on the tin,” is a lot of fun to play, and even sounds great when plugged straight into a cab IR. Also, even for a metalhead like me, the clean tone is really pleasing and enjoyable to play. That truth stated, back to the heavier tilt for our final piece…

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Double Trouble

MXR FOD Drive Pedal​

Some of the most sought-after guitar tones in rock are not always created by one great amp alone but rather by two righteous rigs blended together. And that, in a nutshell, is exactly what this MXR “amp in a box” offers. The FOD is based on a pair of desirably modified classic tube amps — one that delivers high-gain, mid-scooped sounds and another that packs an impressive midrange punch. With the Blend control fully clockwise, you’re just hearing the scooped amp; and with it fully counterclockwise, it’s 100% the midrange-crunch head. Anywhere in between allows you to blend these two beasts to your heart’s desire — plus those of your ears and the particular track you’re playing. A 3-way toggle switch enables you to mess further with the overall mids — flat (up), scooped (down), or boosted (middle). Two internal trim pots allow you to fine-tune the gain and volume of the midrange-crunch amp to your own personal preference. This is one simple-to-use but highly effective “amp in a box.”

 

[zendra]

link to orig article...buy buy buy !!! (at least they are cheaper)

https://www.sweetwater.com/insync/amazing-amp-in-a-box-guitar-pedals/

 

[japetus]

WTF, so you are spamming?

 

[thegame]

Oh no, it's theToneDig reincarnated. ToneDig 2.0 if you will.

 

[japetus]

Oh no, it's theToneDig reincarnated. ToneDig 2.0 if you will.

Hey guys check out everything you already know. Now I will mass spam pedals with links!

 

[zendra]

its not for you .... you know it all already ! we get it...you rock it for real !!!

..maybe some younger players would like to keep their pocket money and instead of shelling it out on an redundant amp...they can get 6 in a pedal version ?

' but...this forum belongs to 6-7 of us...why would you...how....but....'

 

[Findthetone1]

Hey guys check out everything you already know. Now I will mass spam pedals with links!

Yeah, I was starting to think it’s an infomercial

 

[japetus]

its not for you .... you know it all already ! we get it...you rock it for real !!!

..maybe some younger players would like to keep their pocket money and instead of shelling it out on an redundant amp...they can get 6 in a pedal version ?

' but...this forum belongs to 6-7 of us...why would you...how....but....'

are you "tonedig"?

 

[zendra]

you are spamming otherwise informative thread...dont you have some speakers to carry in your hands, somewhere ?

...i see you're trying hard to prove the 'cool guys' in the forum that you belong...ease up...otherwise they'll never respect you...

 

[zendra]

Yeah, I was starting to think it’s an infomercial

yeah right...you were starting...to think...!!!

 

[japetus]

you are spamming otherwise informative thread...dont you have some speakers to carry in your hands, somewhere ?

...i see you're trying hard to prove the 'cool guys' in the forum that you belong...ease up...otherwise they'll never respect you...

 

[napalmdeath]

yeah right...you were starting...to think...!!!

Piss off..

 

[guitarplayer]

Geez, I don’t check in for a few weeks and we have the new annoying kid in our class, from another school.

 

[Kapo_Polenton]

Except for the fact that amps in the box sound fake and suck next to the real deal. I'm surprised you had the time to put all of that together tbh.

 

[Monkey Man]

Not a great idea to tout the pedals in such a "full-on" manner and in such quantity mate.

Maybe if you'd introduced them one-by-one into various appropriate conversations you wouldn't have received the response you did.

 

[zendra]

Not a great idea to tout the pedals in such a "full-on" manner and in such quantity mate.

Maybe if you'd introduced them one-by-one into various appropriate conversations you wouldn't have received the response you did.

...you have a fine group of average minds here on this forum and not wanting to disturb their 'photo opp with MY new butique amp' lifes, i simply opened up a new thread...nobody is forced to read it...through to the end...

maybe, there are forum members that haven't heard about those...they can't all be experienced (most likely bedroom) players like your band of second hand gear 'acquirers and sellers' that roam these pages most frequently...

i get that they are your 'inner circle' but i didnt think that they're running your show as well...why would there be a problem with an article about amp/pedals ?

aaanyway....it was good while it lasted and thankfully it was short ! byeeeeeeee...

 

[Findthetone1]

...you have a fine group of average minds here on this forum and not wanting to disturb their 'photo opp with MY new butique amp' lifes, i simply opened up a new thread...nobody is forced to read it...through to the end...

maybe, there are forum members that haven't heard about those...they can't all be experienced (most likely bedroom) players like your band of second hand gear 'acquirers and sellers' that roam these pages most frequently...

i get that they are your 'inner circle' but i didnt think that they're running your show as well...why would there be a problem with an article about amp/pedals ?

aaanyway....it was good while it lasted and thankfully it was short ! byeeeeeeee...

Go back to your basement troll