Need Pedal for Good Old Marshal Crunch

[MJ Slaughter]

Currently I'm using my DC-10 for gigging and would like a good pedal to run in the clean channel for Marshal tones. Not looking for heavy saturation but if it could do that as well as old AC/DC and other classic rock Marshall tones then great. Any suggestions? For DC owners, I have tried with the volume controll pulled and it sounds good but I need my clean at a moments notice so I'd rather have a Marshal in a box if possible.

I've heard different pedals on youtube but haven't heard Marshal tones like when you drive the power tubes hard. They tend to sound more like preamp overdrive to me. This is not for bedroom levels. I will be pushing my power section. All the demos sound like they're playing in a bedroom and not opening up their amp with the pedal for maximum listening pleasure.

 

[camsna]

MI Crunch Box will get you there!

 

[SBG200]

MI Crunch Box will get you there!

What he said.

 

[Chris McKinley]

MJ Slaughter,

Regardless of which pedal you try, none of them will get you indistinguishably accurate power tube crunch. However, there are a few which do a passable job if you combine them with your amp's actual power tubes.

The Fulltone OCD, the Voodoo Labs Sparkle Drive, and other overdrives which tend to have a more open and full-range response will work. Not happy with stock stuff, I built my own circuit from the ground up which is very similar to these two pedals, but which reflects my own tone tastes. I'm not selling it, I'm just saying it can be done.

Also, I've had great success with custom modding my Digitech Bad Monkey to lower the bass frequencies and to open up the mids. I've also done several different types of mods to the Boss SD-1 to get various results. One is a beefed up version of the Keeley 5-Star mod, one is a version that gets me a Stevie Ray tone when played through my Triple Rec. One has a separate germanium diode circuit added in to get a combined TS-808/Dallas Rangemaster sound.

I did a complete rewire of a Boss DS-1 Distortion a while ago to give a remarkably good early Marshall Plexi tone. That's all it does now, since to get it there you can't really adjust anything away from the "sweet spot", but it does that one thing extremely well.

For simplicity, when I need a separate Marshall-sounding channel, I keep my Triple Rec's clean channel on "pushed" with the bass and mid knobs dimed and the treble on 2:00, then kick on my modded Bad Monkey. Using my guitar's volume knob, that setup gets me all the way from early Zep, AC/DC, and Free on up to Judas Priest, Iron Maiden and Dio.

 

[plan-x]

Barber Direct Drive. Gotta play it loud, and it gets better.

 

[geese_com]

Don't know much about them but check out the Marshall Guv'nor. They are made by Marshall so they might be close.

 

[MJ Slaughter]

A lot of good ideas guys, thanks.

Chris, how modded is your Bad Monkey? The DC-10 has plenty of mids for me. They're so cheap I might just try that out too with settings similar to your Triple Rec. Haven't played the MI Crunch Box or Barber DD but they are at the top of my list to try out.

You guys with the Crunch Box, are you working your power tubes with it or keeping low masters? Wonder how it sounds cranked. I have not doubt the Barber DD sounds good with a little power tube saturation.

I toyed with the idea of the Tonebone Plexitube but at $300 and all those switches I don't think I need it. I like things simple. Before spending $300 for a pedal to sound like a Marshal I think I'd look for an old Marshal head.

 

[gonzo]

+100 on the barber direct drive.

 

[lyman]

Don't know much about them but check out the Marshall Guv'nor. They are made by Marshall so they might be close.

Indeed. The older marshall pedals are quite sought after. I mean the black, boxey ones they discontinued in the 90's. They're pricey on the used market though. I used to own the Drivemaster (which was the middle one in terms of gain - Bluesbreaker, Drivemaster, and Shredmaster). I haven't used The Gov'ner, as far as I know it predates those pedals I mentioned but supposedly is similar and sounds good.

It's not the answer you're looking for, but a lower wattage el34 amp will be best. (sorry, I had to be "that guy.") :wink:

 

[MJ Slaughter]

It's not the answer you're looking for, but a lower wattage el34 amp will be best. (sorry, I had to be "that guy.") :wink:

Yea I agree but I really don't want to bring another amp to a gig. I'm sure I could find a way to justify it but I get tired of setting up what I do currently.

 

[UsrName]

I just ordered a ToneBone Plexitube to get my Marshall sounds. I'll let you know how it sounds when I get it in.

 

[MJ Slaughter]

I just ordered a ToneBone Plexitube to get my Marshall sounds. I'll let you know how it sounds when I get it in.

I'd like to know how you like it and what amp you're playing it through. Not only the sound but how does it feel if that makes sense. When you play through a tube amp turned up there is a feel to it that I don't know if a pedal can get.

 

[dmt]

Get an Ibanez/Maxon SD-9 from the 80's. Marshallize anything... if you want to make it better get one of the ones modded by AnalogMan, he adds more mids control and makes the pedal sound a bit gfuller.

 

[Big R]

I've had pretty good luck with the Jetter Gain Stage. There are several different models (colors) of the Gain Stage, but the black (the one I have) covers Plexi through hot-rodded JCM800, and does it very well, IMO.

 

[///MK]

Cannot go wrong with one of these. nails marshall tone like nothing else

 

[Geiri]

Used to own an F-50. Used tonebone with it for marshall crunch, rythm and lead and let me tell you. The tonebone is just like having a few marshalls in a box.

 

[primo]

+1 MI Audio CB...absolutely awesome!!!

Cheers Primo.

 

[SBG200]

You guys with the Crunch Box, are you working your power tubes with it or keeping low masters? Wonder how it sounds cranked. I have not doubt the Barber DD sounds good with a little power tube saturation.

I've found that the CB runs best when running into a slightly overdriven amp, whether it be pre-amp, power tube, or even a low-gain pedal. I run mine either directly into the front of my Ace (clean channel slightly overdriven; lead channel on crunch) or into my boss BD-2. I've always favored combining 2 overdrives for versatility and also because there's a certain "smoothness" you get from doing it. I don't get to OD the power tubes too much since it's insanely loud, but just putzing around with it, I can tell you that it does sound great.

The CB has a LOT of gain on tap. I only run mine at about 9:00 and that's plenty for me. Think AC/DC or Rage Against the Machine. You can get into hot rod territory if you go up to 12:00 or more. Really great pedal.