A Vox in a Box: What to get?

[Diego]

I'm done by now with my heavy dirt pedal search: My Jackhammer does just fine for me.
I'm a happy dog, it's a bit too scooped but nothing some EQ on my amp can't fix.

However, it can't do warm overdriven sounds because, as mentioned, it's too scooped, even with the contour circuit off, which I always keep that way.

My Keeley-spec Blues Driver isn't bad at this at all, I really like it, but it lacks some control. Just a tone knob isn't enough for me.
I can tweak the EQ curve with different capacitors, but that's not exactly quick or truly flexible, is it?

So, I'd like to have a pedal that can do warm Vox crunch, something reminiscent of Queen, U2, Deep Purple, you know. Warm, natural crunch, both with humbuckers and single coils.
Dynamic, perfect clean-up with the volume knob, you get the idea already.

So, what dirt pedal could do those vintage sounds while having, hopefully, a 3 band EQ? Or at least bass and treble.

Oh and BTW, the cheaper, the merrier.
Have no limits on that, as long as it fits what I'm after.
Thanks!

[mrpinter]

Re: A Vox in a Box: What to get?

I'm thinking about a couple of pedals to recommend. I have both of them on my board. First - I had a similar desire for an "amp in a box" effect. In my case I wanted a Matchless tube overdrive sound, to get back some of what I used to have before I sold my Matchless Chieftain. The AC30 was the inspiration for the first Matchless amps, and there is a definite similarity between them, so this could apply to you. What I went with to do this was a Hermida Audio Zendrive. It doesn't have a 3 band EQ, but it does have a "voice" knob besides the tone control, which I think is meant to emulate the "presence" or "brilliance" controls on those amps. It's quite a nice pedal, and does what I want it to.

Second, the Subdecay Super Nova Drive does have a 3 band EQ, and puts out a remarkable warm crunch sound. Here's a pretty good video review of it.

Good luck with your search.

[Chickenwings]

Re: A Vox in a Box: What to get?

have a look at the offerings from Tech 21 - they do a few "amp in a box" pedals. I think the Vox one is called a "Liverpool". Plenty of tweakability in those pedals by the looks of them.

http://www.tech21nyc.com/products/sansamp/characterseries.html

Or theres the beautiful pedals from Xotic - theres the RC (really clean) boost pedal (not what you want) and the AC (as in AC30) pedal! and the BB (blues breaker) pedal. All of which are top notch no compromise pedals.
Having mentioned them, i cant help but mention the OCD - yes it only has 3 knobs (and the peak switch), but if that doesnt do exactly what you mentioned in your post then ill be very surprised. Killer pedal.

[James Rock]

Re: A Vox in a Box: What to get?

There is a Wampler pedals meant to do it and VOX has a cooltron AC30 in a box pedal

[mwalluk]

Re: A Vox in a Box: What to get?

You need to get your hands on a solid, good tube amp. That will solve all your problems. Pedals would essentially become obsolete.

Since we are on the subject of pedals, have you tried ODs? You can have some luck with a warmer crunch by running to ODs pedals at the same time, have one boosting another one.

Maybe have on boost your Blues Driver. Check out Marshall Blues Breaker, that's a good warm crunch, but also works as a boost pedal.

You could also get an eq pedal. This way you could EQ the brightness of say the Jackhammer.

[sbecker67]

Re: A Vox in a Box: What to get?

Hermida Audio Zendrive
Wampler Cranked AC
Tech 21 Liverpool

[Diego]

Re: A Vox in a Box: What to get?

You need to get your hands on a solid, good tube amp. That will solve all your problems. Pedals would essentially become obsolete.

Since we are on the subject of pedals, have you tried ODs? You can have some luck with a warmer crunch by running to ODs pedals at the same time, have one boosting another one.

Maybe have on boost your Blues Driver. Check out Marshall Blues Breaker, that's a good warm crunch, but also works as a boost pedal.

You could also get an eq pedal. This way you could EQ the brightness of say the Jackhammer.

Thanks man. I've got a GE-7 in my chain already, but I don't think that's the way to go honestly;
I'd rather have a pedal that makes the right noises by itself, rather than having to rely on tap dancing and adding make-up to make it sound right.
I'd rather use the GE-7 as a volume/EQ boost as I am, now.

It's not that the Blues Driver sounds bad, it sounds great but I need some extra flexibility and tweaking possibilities to balance all my sounds.

Probably a nice tube amp would solve a lot of this, it's on my to-buy list for sure.
I'm leaning between the Blackstar HT-20 and the Laney Lionheart 20 stacks.
But by now I'd like a dependable rig with all these different flavors and sounds, to squeeze the most out of what I've got.
I'm buying all this stuff used anyway, so I won't lose anything when I sell it back.

[mwalluk]

Re: A Vox in a Box: What to get?

I would seriously try boosting the Blues with a OD. Maybe a MXR Zakk Wylde (it sux on clean but w/ the BB it might do wonders).

[B Bent]

Re: A Vox in a Box: What to get?

A real sleeper= Vox Over the Top Boost

[P.A.Foholic]

Re: A Vox in a Box: What to get?

AMT V-1 is quite good.

[viewaskew2k5]

Re: A Vox in a Box: What to get?

http://www.carlmartin.com/product%20ac%20tone.htm and done

[Vasshu the humanoid typhoon]

Re: A Vox in a Box: What to get?

And it will not sound good without a good amp

[Diego]

Re: A Vox in a Box: What to get?

And it will not sound good without a good amp

Hah, Vasshu is on a anti-modeling roll now!

Are you a Laney or Blackstar dealer by any chance?

[Vasshu the humanoid typhoon]

Re: A Vox in a Box: What to get?

I do not deal anything!
I am just trying to whack into y'all thick heads....a good sound starts with a good amp!

That should not be anywhere hard to understand!

But nooo.....options and more options...




Look at Geoff, and his simple but highly effective gear!!
Cannot think of anything more useful than his stuff....
Gets the job done bigtime!
Simple and effective.

He concentrates on playing!
Because the options are not relevant!

[Diego]

Re: A Vox in a Box: What to get?

I'm prepared to get blown off the face of the earth for this one BUT...

I think the Cube's clean sounds are GOOD. Not "yeah that's OK for a modeling amp", but properly good. Not great, not outstanding, good.
Some of the gain models in this amp are barely usable, and others are just mediocre. I don't use them.
So with some pedals in front, it just makes me smile a lot. And it holds it's own at almost any reasonable volume.

If any of you has played the Roland Cube 60 on the JC120 model at a properly loud volume, I'd like to hear your opinion on this.
Just for comparison and understanding.

Would it be better with a tube amp? Hell yes, and not just marginally better, a lot better. But I'm on my first month after being jobless for a year, I'm full of debt, and I need a car. And I'm not earning a lot of money.

The Cube will have to do until then.