Boutique vs... Zvex Box of Rock vs. Dr J Lancelot

Pitting more expensive boutique-style pedals against their cheaper cousins.

Zvex Vexter Box of Rock ($219.00)*
vs
Dr J Lancelot Distortion & Boost ($99)*

So which is better? Is the Zvex worth the extra $130 for better quality switches and more headroom on the Boost?

I don't know.

The surprise was how much the Lancelot sounds like the more expensive pedal. It's really very close. The toggles - CLIP and BOOST/DIST order - are kind of unnecessary, especially as the Boost doesn't really seem to drive the Distortion circuit any hotter.

The Box of Rock is a classic pedal with an amazing, much-loved sound. And its build quality isn't going to let you down in the middle of a gig in 3 years time. But if you want to try it out, I'd recommend getting the Lancelot, and saving yourself a lot of money.


Gear:
Fender Classic Player Jazzmaster (bridge pickup)
Ammoon Stereo Looper
Boss Katana 50w amp
mic'd with a Sennheiser e609
into a Focusrite Scarlett 2i2

Recorded in GarageBand, edited in Final Cut Pro X





*Prices as of October 2018