super crunchbox mi audio

Hootsmon

the SCB and the original version (which I had) how do they differ folks?

Dave_Mc

I haven't tried it (but I've been looking into one, sort of, for a while) but the SCB has the presence control on the outside, a few different clipping options, a low/high gain switch and internally bumps the voltage up to 18V (whereas the CB doesn't but can be run up to 24V I think (don't quote me on that).

EDIT: I think monquixote had one maybe?

monquixote

Indeed I've had both. (why are you not surprised)

When I get a mo I'll do a brief review

Dave_Mc

^ That'd be helpful for me too (though I have a vague feeling you wrote a review of the Super version before which I read ) ). I have the cheapo joyo clone but if the super version would cover both hotrodded and more vintage marshally tones that'd be very handy.

Hootsmon

I was really lookin' for somethin' that would give me all those harmonic squeals...kinda like that Joe Satch cat...sorta thing 

I have had LOADS of ODs but not too many distortions...was also lookin' at the Wampler Pinnacle........

whaddyas think? 

John_P

hootsmon said:

I was really lookin' for somethin' that would give me all those harmonic squeals...kinda like that Joe Satch cat...sorta thing 

I have had LOADS of ODs but not too many distortions...was also lookin' at the Wampler Pinnacle........

whaddyas think? 

I haven't tried the super crunch yet but I did own a mk2 crunchbox and a pinnacle - I thought the cb got some good 80's rock tones but the pinnacle is a lot better and more versatile, more 3d and has a more amplike feel.  I've been through a lot of distortion pedals over the last few years and still have the pinnacle so it's worth trying.  I'd still like to try the super crunchbox though.

monquixote

The Crunchbox is one of the long list of modified Guvnor circuits.

I had the original Crunchbox which I bought because I needed to go with one click from a very spanky clean to a full on saturated solo sound in one click.

It was extremely good at doing that, but when I used it at gig volume it created a very Slash/JDB type sound which was rather incongruous in the band I was playing in at the time so I sold it.

I was intrigued by the "Super" variant which seemed to offer lots of useful enhancements. 

Running 18v seems to make it a bit more amp like, but makes the output level stupidly high. 

The Comp 1 mode is exactly the same as the Mk1 Crunchbox and the low gain variant is useful as it makes it a bit more easily tweakable as the standard one has way more gain than anyone would sensibly use. 

Comp 2 I didn't really like. It was too compressed. 

Comp 0 the "Plexi" mode was very nice indeed, but the output is just insane. It has so much level it's just getting silly. I think they should have stuck something in circuit to tame it a bit in this mode 

All in all a great pedal, but I sold it because I found the twin tone controls a bit counter intuitive and I couldn't get enough low end out of my prefered comp 0 mode. I replaced it with a shredmaster which was chunktastic. 

I've had a Pinnacle as well (again why aren't you surprised) and that again is an excellent pedal probably better than the Crunchbox, especially at the Van Halen harmonics pinging everywhere type thing. It is however very compressed and is better at lower volumes than at gig levels. Don't buy the Deluxe as I don't think the mode warrants being footswitchable. 

Even better than either of those IMO is the Suhr Riot which is my favorite compact high gain pedal.

The Bogner Red is the best of all, but it's massive and complicated.

John_P

It's always interesting how we use and hear them slightly differently I think the pinnacle really comes to life through the fender twin at gig volume - the CB does exactly what you described (although I sometime ran it at full gain!)  it just seemed a bit lacking in character compared to the pinnacle.  The riot is also very good but I've had 3 and prefer the pinnacle - it just seems more versatile with the contour control compared to just a tone.   I agree with the lack of need for the extra footswitch but I would always prefer a single pedal and something else to boost if needed.

Hootsmon

thanks MonQ and the rest of the guys for your input.....

I'm curious, sometimes the Pinnacle gets a bad press because it is said to be noisy....you find it any noisier that the Riot for example?

monquixote

I didn't notice it being insanely noisy. 

You always kind of expect there will be a bit of noise with a high gain pedal and generally I used the one I had in the vintage mode with the gain boost off so I doubt I was experiencing the worst of it. I didn't' keep it very long as at the time I was using a Supersonic 22 and the drive channel on the amp and the pedal were both quite similar.

Dave_Mc

Thanks for the review monquixote

I wonder is comp mode 0 just diode lift? That'd explain the extra output. Then again there are other things you could do which also would )