Super Crunch Box V2, Pinnacle Deluxe V2, something else?

[gregory]

Has anyone tried either of these?

I'm into lower gain stuff that I can push with an MXR M77 in order to get more gain in addition to a volume boost.

I dig the sound of these pedals when their gain is cranked and am hoping that can be exploited by driving them with an OD. By drive, I don't mean your basic TS with mid-voicing and hair. Unlike a TS, the M77 has a f**k-ton of volume on tap, and I love to make use of that.

I recently grabbed a BE-OD and it works amazingly well with my '81 TS-9, and am thinking about getting a mini TS for it, but I'd rather have something that doesn't just compress when juiced with a lot of output.

Headroom, baby! I'm looking for a low gain Plexi-IAB with headroom so that it can be pushed to sound like an angry 2203-IAB.

Ideally I'd like it to work with Fender-style cleans. Right now I have a Mesa Mark IV, but am eye-balling a Super Sonic. Too many of these MIAB pedals are demoed into amps that more closely resemble Marshalls than Fenders.

 

[James Rock]

Re: Super Crunch Box V2, Pinnacle Deluxe V2, something else?

I haven't played the new versions just the older ones but they as a base are still intended as compressed high gain marshall tones. The crunch box now has lower gain and the pinnacle has sag switch to get tighter and less saggy but fundamentally I don't think either is plexi ready to be goosed. Maybe a plexi drive deluxe from wampler which you can use it's boost or your mxr to achieve more grind. Then there is also jhs Charlie pedals.

Sent from my SM-G920I using Tapatalk

 

[gregory]

Re: Super Crunch Box V2, Pinnacle Deluxe V2, something else?

Until I saw the new Wampler and MI on the market, I was looking at the Plexitone Lo-Gain.

Most of the demos I've seen of the Pinnacle Deluxe V2 show some potential for low gain tones, it's just whether there's enough headroom. The Sag switch doesn't seem to add any headroom in any of the demos, rather it's the Boost/Gain switch that *could* make the difference unless it adds more gain than what the original had. I tried the original Pinnacle Deluxe a while back and definitely couldn't get what I wanted out of it.

Aren't the Charlie Pedals also high gain? I do like that they sound more middy than the BE-OD, but that seems to defeat the purpose of being able to drive more mids with an OD.

 

[bladefrenzy]

Re: Super Crunch Box V2, Pinnacle Deluxe V2, something else?

I have a v1 Angry Charlie,I love the tones I get from backing the gain down a bit and pushing it with a Maxon 808 with the gain really low

 

[Little Pigbacon]

Re: Super Crunch Box V2, Pinnacle Deluxe V2, something else?

The Carl Martin Plexitone is superb at this kind of thing. It can go from clean Marshall to hot-rodded, and it takes overdrive pedals well. When I boost mine, it's usually with a DOD 250 reissue, Blues Driver, or OCD, into a Hot Rod Deluxe.

 

[PFDarkside]

Re: Super Crunch Box V2, Pinnacle Deluxe V2, something else?

For Wampler definitely check out the Plexidrive Deluxe. I really like the Pinnacle and boost it with the Tube Screamer, but for your purposes the Plexidrive is probably better.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Super Crunch Box V2, Pinnacle Deluxe V2, something else?

Well, the 805 has more headroom and EQ options than a regular TS. If you need something with flatter EQ, that's what the Forza is made for.

 

[gregory]

Re: Super Crunch Box V2, Pinnacle Deluxe V2, something else?

I apologize if I wasn't clear earlier, I'm definitely not looking for a TS-style OD with more headroom, nor am I looking for an OD with a flatter EQ.

I'm completely happy with my M77. It's not going anywhere. I'm looking to turn Fender-style clean into 1959-style AC/DC-style crunch which can turn into pushed modded 2203-style lead as well as provide a noticeable boost in volume due to the extremely high output capability of the M77.

The best contender so far seems to be the Carl Martin Plexitone Lo-Gain, but I'm holding out hope for the MI Super Crunch Box V2.

 

[jeremy]

Re: Super Crunch Box V2, Pinnacle Deluxe V2, something else?

the catalinbred dls run at 18v is a great miab pedal. its designed to run into a fender style amp, hell they even tell you the settings they use to test which are volume 2-4, treble 6, mids 6, bass 4. two modes available super lead and super bass. at 9v its a nice pedal but at 18v it has a ton of headroom and feels very amp like. its designed to be an always on pedal and takes things in front of it very well.

 

[gregory]

Re: Super Crunch Box V2, Pinnacle Deluxe V2, something else?

I really didn't want this to turn into what's a great MIAB pedal discussion (there's a plethora of that on the web already), rather what is the best low-gain MIAB pedal with lots of headroom that can go from AC/DC to louder, boosted Friedman BE-100 territory using a hot OD.

Does anyone have a Super Crunch Box V2?

 

[stratguy23]

Re: Super Crunch Box V2, Pinnacle Deluxe V2, something else?

'm looking to turn Fender-style clean into 1959-style AC/DC-style crunch which can turn into pushed modded 2203-style lead as well as provide a noticeable boost in volume

I've gotten most of this from the Keeley 1962. Technically, I have the 1962X version, which has a higher headroom setting, but I use the lower headroom setting and still get the results you seek.

The 1962 is a very low gain MIAB pedal, excellent for AC/DC tones. I've turned it into a fire-breather by pummeling it with a cranked Klone like a Soul Food or Tumnus. I'm not sure I'd call the result 2203-style, but it's certainly high gain and loud.

You might get more headroom just by running pedals at 18V or 12V, as opposed to 9V.

 

[stratguy23]

Re: Super Crunch Box V2, Pinnacle Deluxe V2, something else?

The best contender so far seems to be the Carl Martin Plexitone Lo-Gain, but I'm holding out hope for the MI Super Crunch Box V2.

I've found that the Plexitone doesn't work into a Fender-voiced clean amp. The result is way too scooped. The builder of the Plexitone commented years ago in this forum that the pedal works better with British-voiced amps.

The Plexitone does have higher headroom than most pedals, since it runs internally at 12V. It has a much more amp-like feel, as a result.

EDIT TO ADD: I just re-read and realized you're talking about the Lo-Gain Plexitone. I can't speak as to that, but I'd doubt that the voicing is dramatically changed from the original.

I haven't tried any of the Crunch Boxes.

I'll reiterate my recommendation for the 1962 (or 1962X). Originally I was just looking for AC/DC tones, and found this the best MIAB pedal for that, but got a pleasant surprise when I found it did high gain well when pushed with overdrive.

 

[Little Pigbacon]

Re: Super Crunch Box V2, Pinnacle Deluxe V2, something else?

I guess I'd better stop running my Plexitone into my Fender amps.

 

[gregory]

Re: Super Crunch Box V2, Pinnacle Deluxe V2, something else?

I got th PlexiTone Lo-Gain. It stacks crazy well, giving the saturation/level bump I want with the M77. There could be a touch more gain, but it's pretty much there when dimed. However(!), it's definitely not voiced propery for non-B-man, F-style cleans. As such it doesn't really give me anything that I'm looking for.

What's the point of MIAB boxes that are designed for amps already voiced more or less like a Marshall?

 

[PFDarkside]

Re: Super Crunch Box V2, Pinnacle Deluxe V2, something else?

I use my Wampler amp-in-a-box pedals into Fender (Princeton Reverb) and Mesa (Road King) amps (including the Plexidrive Deluxe and Pinnacle) with pretty good success. He begins with a Fender as the base tone, then adds various switches to help dial the pedal into other amps.

You do have to set the amp pretty neutral, the Mesa takes the AIAB pedals better since I can add a little more midrange. (no mids on the PR)

Also, I assume this is your understanding, but nothing turns a Fender or Mesa into a Marshall, it just helps you get a more Marshally tone out of your amp.

Finally, I believe the Plexi-tone lo-gain was tuned in conjunction with Pete Thorn, and he's got a pretty good ear. His signature amps may be Marshall based though.

 

[gregory]

Re: Super Crunch Box V2, Pinnacle Deluxe V2, something else?

The Lo-Gain was post-Pete Thorn. I'm going to keep my eye out for a Super Crunch Box V2.