80s gain in a box

Evo · June 2019

Ahoy there boys and girls,

What's the current go to for an EVH style distortion?

That 80s shreddy, marshall in a box, friedman style thing. Just picked up a marshall origin 20 combo and need something for when faces need melting.

I had a suhr riot a while ago which did a good job, also heard good things about a wampler pinnacle, be-od, bogner pedals and the 5150 overdrive but i'll welcome any suggestions for hidden cheap gems as well.

What's everyone else using? I've got a helix fx which I can use for a bit so no rush, I can hold out for a bargain to show up.

daveyh · June 2019

‘The’ go to for the EVH brown sound is the Pinnacle

ICBM · June 2019

Large-box Carl Martin Plexitone.

robinbowes · June 2019

Pinnacle is good, Ramble FX Marvell drive is also good.

Kebabkid · June 2019

The Pinnacle is good as is the Mad Professor One (this has the plate reverb built in to get the VH1 sound).

Alternatively, for a Marshall-in-a-box, the JHS Angry Charlie's are good and as it happens, I might be selling the modded Andy Timmons one which has a built-in separate boost, the JHS AT+. If interested, PM me (NOW SOLD)

Grunfeld · June 2019

The Pinnacle is really good -- it's a very gutsy pedal though -- you have fun with it live!

I've also got the Angry Charlie (if that side of the Angry Driver can be believed) and while it's a lot of fun, and sounds good, I wouldn't say it sounds like that classic VH1 sound. Obviously with a ton of gain you can get something similar but that Pinnacle nails it.

Oh, and slightly stuck record here, but the Boss Mega Distortion MD-2 can be had pretty cheap and is right in that territory.

sgosden · June 2019

Does the helix fx have preamps?

TTBZ · June 2019

MI Audio Crunch Box or the latest V2 Super Crunch Box would get you there for sure. Or a Marshall GV2 on a budget.

Evo · June 2019

Pinnacle seems to be the one everyone agrees is good, even if it's not the best.

The mad professor's reverb has intrigued me though, so that requires some research.

Curious nobody has sided with the BE-OD, that's given my wallet a sigh of relief!

Jonathanthomas83 · June 2019

Surprised the Marshall can't get you there on its own or possibly with a TS or SD-1?

If not, I'd stick with a Riot or Guv'nor style pedal, personally. The BE-OD is great but can get lost in the mix easily, and is probably a little more modern than the era you're looking at.

markr76 · June 2019

What about the Amptweaker tight rock pedal. I believe that pedal will get those 5150 sounds.

stonevibe · June 2019

Joyo US Dream for a 'budget' Riot.

kennedydream1980 · June 2019

ICBM said:

Large-box Carl Martin Plexitone.

This ^^

abw1989 · June 2019

The MXR EVH 5150 pedal must be worth a shot. I loved it when I had mine for high gain stuff, but got a high gain amp so it became surplus to requirements. I still wish I'd never sold it though....!

funhouse · June 2019

Buy a Marshall Drivemaster and never look back.

John_A · June 2019

Id hit the ront end of the origin 20 with a Tubescreamer or SD-1 rather than going for a Marshall in a box style pedal which is quite obviously designed to replicate a Marshall in a box. When you already have a Marshall you don't need to do that

Jonathanthomas83 · June 2019

John_A said:

Id hit the ront end of the origin 20 with a Tubescreamer or SD-1 rather than going for a Marshall in a box style pedal which is quite obviously designed to replicate a Marshall in a box. When you already have a Marshall you don't need to do that

I agree.

fretmeister · June 2019

AMT Legend M2

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8I3LTD-ldTE

Dave_Vader · June 2019

am doing it surprisingly well at the moment with a 90s squier I screwed a humbucker into EVH style going through a guv'nor 2 and a donner echo falls into an 80s solid-state Roland Cube.

I know that's not what anyone wants to hear, but those guv-nor 2s are seriously good, and cheap.

Jonathanthomas83 · June 2019

They're great.

FelineGuitars · June 2019

Evo said:

Pinnacle seems to be the one everyone agrees is good, even if it's not the best.

The mad professor's reverb has intrigued me though, so that requires some research.

Curious nobody has sided with the BE-OD, that's given my wallet a sigh of relief!

I have owned both the Pinnacle and Mad professor "1" pedal

The Mad Professor does EVH in the most amazing way - more so than the Pinnacle

Other suggestions that I favour for more all round 80s

Okko Diablo - fabulous pedal

Thorpy Gunshot - like adding another channel to your Marshall

Carl Martin Plexitone - does what it says on the box

Fulltone Secret Freq (I love this one for lead tone)

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80s gain in a box

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