MXR Carbon Copy Review

This is a guest post by Kyle Reynolds

MXR Carbon Copy Delay M169 ReviewThe Carbon Copy is MXR’s entry into the affordable analog delay market and it packs some real value for the price.  Offering 600ms of delay time, the basic essential controls (Delay, Regen, and Mix), and a ‘mod’ switch, MXR gives us a simple interface, with a very appealing warm, analog sound.  Using vintage ‘Bucket Brigade’ technology, and with the (adjustable) ‘modulation’, this is easily the best approximation of a classic tape delay in this price range.  You could spend twice the amount to enter the territory of better analog delay, yet not achieve the quality offered by the Carbon Copy.

On the control panel, Regen controls the amount of delay repeats, Mix provides control over the blend of dry signal vs. effected signal, and Delay sets delay time.  There is also a small ‘mod’ switch that turns off/on the ‘modulation’ effect, which is a very subtle chorus-like effect that mimics the warble of the tape in an old tape echo unit.  The modulation’s width and rate are also adjustable via two internal trim pots if you open the pedal.  The factory settings are very subtle, which are perfectly acceptable as is for what this feature is meant to mimic.

The real sonic beauty of this pedal is that the repeated signal is a degraded one.  Unlike digital delays, which very accurately mirror the original signal, the repeated analog signal is darker, has noticeably less treble, and becomes more low-fi with each repeat, eventually reaching a quiet, subtle fuzz-like sound.  For those looking to repeat the initial signal perfectly, you’ll be disappointed and should look to the digital world, but the Carbon Copy provides a warm, luscious repeat, very ‘musically’ degraded.

If long delays or heavily effected sounds are not your thing, consider the Carbon Copy for this purpose:  Set Regen to almost nothing, Mix just a bit of wet signal to the dry, and bring delay times down to just a sliver, turn the modulation on and you have a very slight signal thickening effect.  Not as ‘tinny’ as a reverb, and not as distracting as a full-blown delay, but certainly adds life to a recorded guitar part.

The Carbon Copy also plays well with others.  It is true-bypass, and unlike many other delays, it seems to sound good in the effects loop, or at the end of the signal chain, or in more unorthodox positions out of the effects loop or near the beginning of the chain.  I found some very pleasant sounds moving this pedal around and trying it before and after various other pedals.  You’re not stuck with traditional wisdom as far as pedal placement goes with this unit.

There are certainly better-sounding and more feature-packed analog delays out there, but not anywhere near this price.  The Carbon Copy can be had most anywhere for around $150.  It is simply the best in this price range – easy on the ears and the wallet.

View the MXR Carbon Copy on Amazon.

Analogman Beano Boost Review

This is a guest post by Robert Payne

analogman beano boostThe Analogman Beano Boost is often a very misunderstood pedal. There are a slew of pedals that sport clean boost, line driver or micro amp capabilities for a guitarist to help their solos stand out in the mix, however that is quite the opposite of the Beano Boost’s intended use. Analogman admits the simple design of the pedal originally was meant to emulate one particular guitar tone: Eric Clapton’s tone from the infamous John Mayall’s Bluesbreaker album. Purportedly, Clapton used a Dallas Rangemaster Treble Booster in front of the dark 1960’s Marshall amps to achieve the tone. A classic effect in its day for sure and this pedal’s replication of it is spot on.

Eric Clapton’s tone on this record really shaped much of the modern blues tones we are now familiar with. The original effect, as is the Beano Boost, is meant to be on all the time in front of a tube amp. Think of it as a new master volume for the amp. This is what makes the design of this pedal so bold. It also is probably the reason you don’t see this pedal making its way onto too many pedalboards, because in a sense it will become the new master volume for your pedalboard too.

If you are a pedal stacker like me, you might find that many combinations create feedback unless the Beano Boost is first in the signal chain. The volume sweep and shear dynamic range makes integrating it with other effects almost impossible without using another pedal or device to intentionally bring down the output. Personally, I have mine in front of a Barber Launch Pad (Clean Boost) and in a loop based system to control the volume. Both pedals are on and off at the same time via the loop. That said, this pedal also has a tough time recreating that legendary tone with solid state amps. Because the pedal was designed to push tubes, the solid state amps I’ve heard it through create a high micro-phonics issue that you can’t get rid of when you play. This is just my experience and may not be the across the board result. However amps aside, the pedal works fantastic with both single coil and humbucker pickups.

If you’re not interested in nailing that Clapton tone, the pedal also sports a three way toggle switch that allows you to do a Treble, Mid, or Bass boost. This is really where this pedal shines. If you are going for modern country tones, you can’t deny the extensive use of mid boosted overdrive. It’s all over the place on the radio. With the Beano Boost’s mid-boost toggle selected, you can run it into another overdrive pedal a get that killer mid crunch. Again, volume output of the pedal is still out there, so controlling it in conjunction with an additional overdrive, fuzz or compressor pedal just makes sense and seems to be apart of the design. This is my exact application of the Beano Boost.

In the end, the Analogman Beano Boost is a boutique of boutique pedals. It really has a very specific use and specific sound. The pedal is fantastic when setup with it’s recommended use all-the-while inspiring new and unique configurations with other pedals. It’s volume is unwieldy, but if you can harness it, you can truly shape your tone to stand out in the crowd.

Radial Tonebone Plexitube Tube Distortion Review

This is a guest post by Mike Batke

tonebone plexitube distortion reviewRadial Engineering is known more in professional circles for the high quality DI boxes they make for sound reinforcement in both live and studio applications. A few people know that they also make other versatile products. Their Tonebone Plexitube Hot British Distortion is another one of those quality products.

The Plexitube replicates the distortion characteristics of the drive channel of a Marshall Plexi amplifier. However, I find the Plexitube is more like a FLEX-i-TONE.

Here’s why: Overall you have a few controls to control the amount of drive, and the umbrella EQ of the pedal: adding or flattening the mids, or making it brighter or darker overall AND to select two frequencies ‘High’ (at 4.3kHz) and ‘Low‘ (at 100Hz). This allows guitarists to sonically ‘cut through’ the rest of the band with great clarity.

Speaking of clarity, the Plexitube retains string definition and picking dynamics even at high distortion saturation levels due to the included, built-in 12AX7 tube.

Simply, the Plexitube gives guitarists two distinct distortions in one:

Channel 1 (C1) is considered the ‘Rhythm’ channel.
Channel 2 (C2) considered the ‘Lead’ channel. And they’re EQ’d in a way that somewhat supports those ‘labels.’

However, to label the channels that way limits what they’re capable of.

The ‘Drive‘ knob allows you to dial in the distortion level overall. Though, C2 comes with a fine tuning screw adjustment on the side of the pedal allowing further adjustements.

C2 ALSO comes with its own effects loop allowing for a loop of wah, delay, chorus, etc.

In each channel you get a variety of EQ settings that you can change and dial in using a ‘Contour’ control to adjust the ‘Q’-level or sweet spot of the EQ. This allows two completely different distortion voicings, or two that are quite similar with maybe more saturation in C2.

Another of the Plexitube’s cool features is the main on/off (bypass) switch and a switch to change from C1 to C2 and vice versa. You don’t need to have the unit ‘on’ to switch from C1 to C2. You can do that silently while you’re in ‘off (bypss)’ mode, to allow for verse/chorus changes, or changes between songs, etc.

There is a limitless supply of sound in this pedal. I’ve found that turning any of the knobs a quarter turn can drastically change the sound. I found it easier to think of the Plexitube as two separate distortion pedals, called C1 and C2.

tonebone-plexitube-controls

So, how does it sound?

Fantastic. In the time I’ve owned this pedal, I’ve been able to dial in anything from a mild  blues boost to drive my amplifier a bit harder, to the super-saturated (yet clear) super high-gain sound of death metal. Yes, the sound is clearly Marshall plexi. And to get that sound wasn’t difficult — even with my Vox AC302CX. I’ve also tried the pedal through a 4×12 and the sound is fuller and rounder (more spread in the highs and especially the lows).

I suggest starting the pedal as it comes stock with everything dialed in at 12 o’clock. Then plug in the pedal and start playing and adjusting. If you playing with a band, it’s easy to find your ‘space‘ in the mix and not feel you’re sacrificing your tone.

Personally, I’ve owned a lot of distortion pedals excellent ones and some duds. With the Plexitube, it’s possible to eliminate all of those if you don’t mind turning a few knobs during a performance. As I’ve said, this pedal really does define flex-i-tone.

My biggest beef (and it’s not really that big) about the Plexitube is that the power supply consists of a 15 volt adapter. There are no provisions for batteries, if you like to go that route. However, Radial Engineering DOES provide a range of optional power supplies so you can power the Plexitube anywhere on the planet.

At around $350.00 retail, the price may seem steep, but considering the quality of the distortion, switching, and that it has it’s own effects loop, and that you’re getting two great distortion capabilities, it’s well worth the money no matter what level of player you are or the genre of music you’re playing.

View the Tonebone Plexitube Tube Distortion on Amazon.

Dunlop/Custom Audio Electronics MC404 Wah review

custom audio electronics mc404 wahThis is a guest post by James Abel

To say that the Wah pedal is one of the most widely used effects in the world of guitars, with the exception of maybe the overdrive and delay, would certainly not be a million miles from the truth. With the market swimming with a wide variety of options, finding a wah that suits you should be no problem. This review covers what Custom Audio Electronics have to offer to the whacky and wild world of Wah Wahs.

Features:

Although designed by the legendary rig builder and the brains behind Custom Audio Electronics, Bob Bradshaw, this wah is produced by none other than Dunlop. The pedal may not be part of the company’s ever-growing Crybaby family, but it does boast the same housing and sturdy build quality that Dunlop’s most famous wahs are well known for. Featuring a brushed black steel body with a rubber foot rest that sports the Custom Audio logo, this little rocker is an utter charmer. Under the hood reside both red and yellow Fasel inductors that allow the user to change the voicing of the wah via a kick-switch on the right hand side of the pedal. But the features of this little gem don’t finish here.  Oh no. This Swiss army knife also boasts one of Custom Audio’s MC401 boost/linedriver that can be switched on via a kick-switch situated on the left hand side of the pedal. On the adjacent side lays a trim pot that allows the user to control the volume of the boost. If that’s not enough, internal trim-pots for gain and ‘Q’ sweep, for each inductor, reside on the neat and well-constructed board within the belly of this beast. The MC404 also features a true bypass, long life potentiometer. This truly is a tweaker’s wah wonderland.

In use:

With the mini switch on the right hand side of the pedal in the “OUT” position the Wah is in the red Fasel mode, which is usefully indicated by a fairly bright LED situated next to the kick-switch. Pushing in the kick-switch switches this to an even brighter yellow LED on the other side of the kick-switch. No prizes go for guessing what that means! The LED indicator for the boost is on the top left of the pedal and shines a bright blue when engaged. Pressing the wah down onto the true bypass switch engages the pedal, and is demonstrated by a bright green LED situated next to the LED representing the boost.

Sounds:

Yellow mode: Dunlop describes this Fasel inductor as a classic Crybaby tone, and they’re certainly not wrong here. All of the classic bite and quack that would be expected of a Crybaby is generated from the sturdy rocker, as it produces a gorgeous sweep with a nice emphasis on the high-end. Oodles of vintage wah tone are up for grabs here, as the pedal adds a gentle and glassy texture to your tone. With humbuckers the pedal pretty much screams late ‘60s early ‘70s tone, with the likes of Cream and Zeppelin begging to be played. Switching over to singlecoils yields a softer tone that would be more than suitable for funk. It would be an absolute crime not to bust out the Hendrix licks here, as this little box really does do it justice. Buddy Guy’s wah sound also comes to mind a little here, as the yellow mode really does have a sweet singing quality. However, depending on your amp, this setting can get a little bit too ‘top-endy’ when in the factory mode. To this reviewer’s ear this mode generally functions best when the amp is set anywhere between clean to a vintage overdrive. A high gain sound may struggle a little here, as the top end can get a little too much. Nevertheless, tweaking the internal trim-pots or rolling off the tone knob helps to control this.

Red Mode: Switching to the red mode really does change the flavour of this wah. Immediately the response is different here, with a throatier and larger sweep. The emphasis is much more on the mid-range, with a deeper response and resonance. Although it works fairly well on clean and vintage sounds, it doesn’t really compare to the excellence of the yellow mode on these tones. Instead, the red Fasel is a different beast altogether. This Fasel really does thrive in the medium to high gain Ball Park. With some nice harmonic overtones coming through, the pedals gritty and throaty side really shines. Slash’s cocked wah tone is easily achieved here, with clarity and depth being heavily expressed, while the pedal just as easily handles a good metal wah tone by delivering a Tremonti like gurgle. For some, the sweep on this mode may seem a little deep and unyielding in terms of getting the right amount of high end. However, for a great Hard rock, Metal and Heavy Blues tone, the red mode is hard to beat.

MC401 boost/linedriver: With up to 20db of boost of offer, the MC401 is very usable indeed. On both modes the MC401 can either a nice subtle volume boost, or when really cranked, a kick of additional gain. When using some amps, it really helps to give the valves a good lashing and pushes them into a sweet spot. At higher volumes I generally found the boost a tad more usable on the yellow mode, as it really helped to give the pedal that extra push into sweetness. However, on lower volume settings I found that it pushed deep sweep in the red mode up slightly, allowing for a slightly brighter tone on the red setting.

At the price of $169 the Dunlop/CAE MC404 is not exactly a steal. In fact, if the pedal only featured one voicing and no boost, I would probably not recommend a purchase at that price. However, the beauty of this pedal is that it doesn’t feature one voicing. Usually a wah excels at one particular tone, and doesn’t do too much else that well. That’s not the case here, as what CAE have rather intelligently done is provide two different wah voices that perfectly cover the ground that gets left behind by the other. People looking for a basic and simple wah tone should definitely look elsewhere due to the somewhat hefty price tag. However, for those that play a wide range of music and are looking for a wide palette of excellent wah tones, should certainly look no further. The Dunlop/CAE MC404 may be a jack of all trades, but it is quite nearly a master at all of them.

Way Huge Pork Loin Review

This is a Guest Post by James Abel

The Pork Loin is the overdrive brainchild of FX Guru, and the man behind Way Huge electronics, George Tripps. It is a new pedal by the company, as opposed to the many re-issues we have seen emerging from the company over recent years. The Pedal is an overdrive that features both a take on a British classic pre-amp, as well as a modern soft clipping overdrive.

way huge pork lionFeatures

In my opinion the little box looks a bit of a stunner. It’s brushed purple steel and blue font coloration makes it cry for attention. The construction is fairly sturdy and looks like it could survive a few bomb blasts, while battery access is made easy with the inclusion of a small door situated at the base of the pedal. However, it still retains a pedal board friendly demeanour as it also features a 9VDC input on the top of the pedal. At the heart of this purple piggy is a BiFET gain stage, while it also boasts a clean pre-amp. Under the hood everything is clean and in order, with factory manufactured boards that are pristine. No prizes go to Way Huge for creativity in naming the three large knobs on the front of the pedal, as they display the standard Volume, Tone, Overdrive controls. However, Mr. Tripps has taken the proverbial step further and included two small trim pots on the front of the pedal, in addition to three internal trim-pots. The two pots on the outside of the pedal include;

Clean – this controls the amount of the clean pre-amp that is blended into your signal.

Curve – this allows the user to control the corner frequencies of the pedal.

Whereas the three trim-pots on the inside are as follows;

Filter – this acts as a tone control for the clean pre-amp section of the pedal.

Presence – this acts as a usual presence control, thus tweaking the top end frequencies, however this is only for the overdrive signal.

Drive Mix – this acts almost as an opposite to the ‘clean’ trim pot on the front of the pedal as it adjusts the amount of the BiFET overdrive it allows into the signal. For example, turning it all the way down will only provide the clean pre-amp side of things.

Sound

When first plugging in and playing through the pork loin, the pedal appears to match its ‘60s like paintjob. It’s warm, creamy and has a distinctly soft top end. Notes are well defined and remain articulate and dynamic with a nice natural compression.

When moving the tone knob a decent range of frequencies is covered, however it retains its creamy nature. The low end remains tight and dynamic while the top end remains soft and punchy. However some may be left wanting from the overdrive and volume knobs, as although the pedal feels like there’s a lot of gain, most likely due to the large amounts of compression, there isn’t. While in the factory setting mode, think Bonamassa or Eric Johnson, that’s the ball park.

way huge pork lion gutsBringing in the clean and curve controls give the pedal a brighter tone. The clean pre-amp blend knob, in particular, helps to clean this pedal up nicely; it also gives it an almost transparent tone. Some might be lured into believing this pedal is a bit of a one trick pony, and they would be forgiven for this, had the internal trim-pots not been included. The trick to the versatility in this pedal lies with these pots. Situated in the guts of the piggy, they really do change the pedal. The presence control really opens up the top end giving it a real Marshall JMP kind of vibe, while the filter acts as a wide tone control for the clean pre-amp. The Drive mix is definitely the hidden gem here though. Turning it down in conjunction with increasing the clean pre-amp blend essentially turns the Pedal into a dynamic clean boost, which pushes valves hard while giving them a slight coloration.

In conclusion I’m chuffed to bits with this little gem of an overdrive. Metal heads and hard rockers should look elsewhere, but for those with an interest in British blues or people looking for that Bonamassa/Johnson tone should give the Pork Loin a try. At $169 it’s hardly a steal, but the pedal is definitely a reliable workhorse for any gigging blues player and I would recommend it for their pedal boards.

View the Way Huge Pork Loin on Amazon.

TSVG Angry Jeff Review

We recently acquired a pedal to review called the Angry Jeff made by TSVG Pedals. What kind of pedal is it, you ask? Well, it’s a fuzz that has germanium transistors. Here is what the pedal looks like:

tsvg angry jeff fuzz

As you can see, there is a cool wolf on the front, which is fitting since this fuzz really howls. Lets talk about what the dials do. From left to right: Volume, Fuzz/Drive, and Bias. While the first two are self-explanitory, some might ask what the Bias control does. One way to describe it is that it changes the dynamics of the fuzz, how it reacts, its compression, and clipping. TSVG says that turning it all the way clockwise will make for more gated fuzz tones, while turned counter-clockwise will give a much more raw fuzz. I like the fact that it is a dial, so there are a ton of possibilities depending on how you feel in that particular moment.

Now lets get to the sound of the pedal. I must say, I’m very very impressed. It sounds exactly how you would think a germanium fuzz should sound. Fat, wolfy, roaring, warm, with the right amount of compression. It definitely has the ’60s vibe to it with a more creamy-like breakup. Some might find this pedal to be dark sounding, but that really is the character of germanium transistors. It does get dark with the fuzz and volume all the way up, so it makes for a good opportunity to switch to the bridge pickup.

With the fuzz and volume up, you can get some incredible controlled feedback. Just hold a high note with some vibrato, and hear how it changes into ear-pleasing feedback that is actually controllable. With the fuzz and volume maxed, it almost feels like your guitar tone is on fire, or searing if that makes sense.

I really like how well this pedal cleans up with your guitar’s volume knob. You can get a whole range of tones from relatively clean, to loads of fuzz and everything in between with just your volume knob. This really makes for some great opportunities in your solos, as you can change the tone/sustain on the fly without clicking on pedals.

Turning the fuzz knob all the way off, and keeping the volume high makes for some interesting tones. You can get some really cool sounding cleans if you do this and have your guitar’s volume rolled off a bit. Think of the term ‘pushed cleans’, which is really nice to have a good clean tone, but with excellent touch sensitivity to play quickly.

Lets talk a little more about the Bias control. This feature really makes this pedal a major player in the fuzz category. Why? Well, because you can really change the flavor of the fuzz with this control, it is kind of like having 5 different germanium fuzz pedals. It really offers so much versatility. It also is great if you have many different electric guitars that react differently to pedals.

Overall, the Angry Jeff is an amazing fuzz! You can definitely get some Hendrix tones as well as Cream-era Clapton tones. Again, with the Bias control, you can really cop many fuzz tones from your favorite guitar heroes, or create your own sound. I just love how this pedal screams, as it really makes people pay attention to your solos, and that warmth.. it just feels so big. And lets face it, no one wants a thin-sounding guitar solo. At the end of the day, I can’t believe the Angry Jeff Fuzz is only $155. A steal for a boutique pedal, I must say. Kudos to TSVG.

Pro Co RAT Distortion Review

pro co rat distortion reviewThis is a Guest Post by Tom Jenkinson

Over 40 years since the Rat’s inception in the basement of a Michigan factory, the Rat still reigns supreme and it is dirtier than ever.

ProCo’s affordable Rat distortion has become an icon for fuzzy grunge and alternative rock thanks to the likes of Thom Yorke, Matt Bellamy, Joe Walsh and Jeff Beck.

The filter control is a really powerful tool; it controls the tightness of the bass response. This gives you complete control over the fatness of your drive.

Turn the filter knob clock-wise and the distortion thickens up, reminiscent of Neil Young’s “Hey Hey, My My”. Bringing the filter back anti-clockwise reduces bass, vital for users with higher output pickups looking for a tasty lead tone.

Make no doubts over the versatility of this pedal: lower output single-coils will benefit from thick, luscious drive. Think Blur’s infamous “Song 2”.

What sets this pedal apart from the countless other distortion pedals out there is that the Rat aims to produce a “musical distortion” much rather than the haphazard, nasal tone of its counter parts. It’s true, what the Rat has achieved is a rich balance between analogue warmth and dirty drive.

The Rat has remained at the core of ProCo’s product line for a number of years now and has gained the respect of professionals and bedroom guitarists alike.

The Rat is a truly dirty, filthy, sewer-dwelling creature though it is far from being an unwanted vermin. The Rat is an essential tool in any guitar player’s arsenal. If you are looking for fat, overdriven filth the Rat should be your first port of call.

Maxon OD808 Review

maxon od808 reviewThis is a Guest Post by Tom Jenkinson

The most imitated pedal of all time: the Ibanez Tubescreamer. Maxon, who produced the original Tubescreamers for Ibanez continued production with the original circuitry after Ibanez and Maxon parted ways in 2002. Ibanez has produced countless re-issue pedals since. Re-issues which, unlike the Maxon OD808, do not truly capture that creamy, overdriven magic.

The OD808 provides thick, luscious tones straight out of the box. With only three knobs, the pedal is simple to use. Dialling in crunch or cream can be achieved with the most minimal of knowledge. The ‘Overdrive’ knob controls the amount of gain. ‘Balance’ provides control over the level of effect in comparison to guitar signal. Lastly, the ‘Tone’ knob makes the difference between ‘Bluesbreaker’-esque smoothness or Townshend mid-range punch.

The pedal is lightweight (260g) and the size of this beast means you’d barely notice it on your pedal board. But what really sets this pedal apart from countless competitors, is its true-to-vintage construction. Unlike similar overdrives, and even Ibanez’s own-brand reissues, the OD808 captures real vintage tones, instead of mimicking them.

Plug in a telecaster and expect a rockabilly twang; roll up the overdrive and the pedal really thickens up. Even for single coils, the OD808 really packs a punch. Think Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin or Cream to name a few. However, swap the single coils for high output humbuckers and this pedal is lethal. Played through a Marshall JVM205, the OD808 really pushes the tubes into a natural overdrive. Metal tones such as Ozzy Osbourne and Metallica are well within its capability and sound astonishing.

A truly remarkable piece of equipment, it is almost unbelievable that so much tonal Nirvana can be found in such a compact box. Powered by either 9V battery or DC power supply the OD808 is the most versatile pedal around. The proof is in the pudding: used by an endless list of artists from all spectrums of music the Maxon OD808 is an absolute-must for tone addicts and music enthusiast alike.

View the Maxon OD808 on Amazon.

Best Octavia Clones on the Market

From the time Jimi Hendrix used the octavia pedal on ‘Purple Haze’, there was something magical about the sound that he achieved with it. Of course we are talking about Jimi here, so he is always going to sound magical. But through the use of this pedal, he was able to reach new levels with his sound. Today, pedal makers are trying to recreate that sound with their own octave pedal. This article will focus on the best octavia clones available today.

Roger Mayer OctaviaRoger Mayer Octavia

If it is the Hendrix tone you are after, Roger Mayer is a good choice as he was there in the ’60s with Hendrix making pedals for him such as the axis fuzz. While this pedal can get that classic octavia sound from yesteryear, it is important to note that it is a very picky pedal. For one, it need a lot of push to get going, preferably from a fuzz pedal. Also a lead amp helps avoid it sounding thin. A good setting for the Roger Mayer Octavia is to set the drive to just a hair from being off, and the volume to taste. Going any higher than this will make the octave effect less noticeable.

Chicago Iron Octavian

While expensive, the Chicago Iron Octavian is probably the most faithful chicago iron octaviarecreation of the tycobrahe original. What makes this pedal great is that it works well with most setups. While some octave pedals will sound thin, the Chicago Iron always has a nice full sound that really gets the searing lead tone. If you have the dough and are looking to go the boutique route, this is your best bet.

FoxRox Electronic Octron

foxrox octronNot exactly a recreation of the classic octavia since you can also go an octave down, but can still do the octave up in spades. If you want the classic sound, but with versatility to do more, the Octron is a great sounding pedal from an excellent pedal maker.

Well there you have it.. These are our three favorite octavia clones. What is your favorite?

The Best Tube Screamer Pedals on the Market

Ah, the legendary Tube Screamer, first created by Ibanez was a benchmark pedal that really gave electric guitars great tone. They were designed to push your amp, and as the name suggests, it’ll make your notes scream out. This pedal was a big part of Stevie Ray Vaughan’s tone, which is a big reason why this pedal gained so much popularity. Today, there are many clones on the market, so this article will showcase the best tubescreamers out there.

Ibanez TS808 Vintage Tube Screamer Reissue

ibanez tubescreamer ts808

Of course the reissue of the famous Ibanez pedal needs to be on this list. But at the end of the day, it is not exactly like the original. That being said, it is still a very good rendition that many are very happy with. If you don’t know where to start, and don’t want to shell out a lot of money on boutique versions of the tube screamer, the Ibanez Reissue is a good middle ground. Ibanez also had a limited hand-wired run which I reckon would be even closer to the original sound. View the Ibanez TS808 on Amazon.

Maxon OD808 Overdrive

maxon od808 tubescreamer

Maxon did an excellent job of their rendition of the tube screamer. Some say that Maxon’s is closest to that of the original pedal. At a good price point, and vintage styling, it is a great pick. The Maxon is also true-bypass, which preserves your tone when the pedal is off. View the Maxon OD808 on Amazon.

MJM Phantom Overdrive

mjm phantom overdrive

Probably the best 808 replica on this list. The Phantom OD sounds very organic and maintain that vintage tone close to the original. MJM Electronics is widely know as a maker of vintage sounding effects, and this pedal is no different.  MJM used to have another tube scream style pedal called the Blues Devil, which was great, but it looks to be discontinued.

Conclusion

At the end of the day, if you want to get even closer to the original vintage pedal, Analogman offers a good mod kit that helps achieve this with modern day tube screamers. Definitely worth looking into.