Marshall Blues Breaker Style Overdrive Pedals: The Current Faves – That Pedal Show

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Life too short for long videos? Key timings below in ‘Interesting bits and go-to sections’


In this episode we revisit the venerable Marshall Blues Breaker overdrive pedal of the early 1990s. This one was very kindly loaned to us by our good friend Chris Buck (honk). Thank you Chris!
The pedal was designed to sound somewhat like the even more venerable Marshall 1962 model 2x12 combo, used most famously by Eric Clapton on the 1966 album ’Blues Breakers With Eric Clapton’… by John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers. Needless to say, that’s where the amp picked up its new name. Phew. That’s a lot of Blues Breakers and Bluesbreakers, but I think it’s right. Mick here.
We start by listening to the original, then stomp through a bunch of modern pedals that take the Blues Breaker pedal, combo, or the head version JTM45 – as their principle inspiration.

Couple of things to note. First, there’s hefty low end in this mix. Maybe it was the bigger cabs. If it’s too much for you, just notch down your graphic EQ a few dB from about 120Hz down. My mixing headphones (Beyer DT880 Pro) are very balanced... a lot of modern 'listening' headphones accentuate bass and I should remember to check that. Apols.

Second, we were remiss in not getting a modern Marshall BB-2 Blues Breaker pedal. Maybe we can revisit that at some point soon.

Yes, that is a real 1965 JTM45 at the end. It’s on next week’s show…

Meantime, please enjoy the episode…


Pedals in this episode…

• TheGigRig Three2One
https://www.thegigrig.com/three2one

• D’Addario Pedal Tuner
UK & Europe: http://bit.ly/2tIN4lD
USA: https://bit.ly/3s4r8Cx
Australia: http://bit.ly/2tfHqHN

• Original Marshall Blues Breaker
No longer made

• JHS Morning Glory V4
UK & Europe: http://bit.ly/2REVhDE
USA: https://bit.ly/3s5tkd2
Australia: http://bit.ly/2REPZb0

• Keeley 1962x
UK & Europe: http://bit.ly/2Qdu12l
Australia: http://bit.ly/2SyT2ls

• Z Vex Box Of Rock
Australia: http://bit.ly/2JbC5JS

• Snouse Electric Company Black Box 2
https://www.snouse.com/index.html

• Analog Man King Of Tone
http://www.analogman.com/kingtone.htm

• Wampler Pantheon
UK & Europe: http://bit.ly/2POI0eU
USA: https://bit.ly/3DW0hea
Australia: http://bit.ly/2zwyfFn

• Dunlop EP-103 Echoplex
UK & Europe: http://bit.ly/2cQsuNc
USA: https://bit.ly/31ZWbVv

• TheGigRig G2
https://www.thegigrig.com/g2

Why do we have preferred retailer links? Find out here: http://www.thatpedalshow.com/partners


Interesting bits and go-to sections…
Intro playing: 0:00
Grumpy? 1:00
What are we doing today? 1:25
Bluesbreaker. Eh? 1:50
What does it mean? 2:45
And the pedal? 5:00
…that has spawned many others: 7:15
Simon’s Clapton knowledge: 8:19
The ‘listening objectively impossibility’ tangent: 10:20
Today’s amps: Victory prototype: 12:20
Blue is back! 13:50
Sovtek Mig50: 15:03
Red is back! 16:10
Why are we doing this… and the Pantheon 16:42
Questions: and today’s pedals: 17:15
The original Blues Breaker and Dan’s Tele: 18:15
…and with humbuckers in Mick’s ES-335: 19:30
Gain range in the Blues Breaker: 20:45
…and with the Strat: 22:43
JHS Morning Glory V4: 25:21
Keeley 1962x: 28:32
KT66 and KT88? 32:10
ZVex Box Of Rock: 33:38
ZZ Topless and the tribute band tangent: 35:25
Box Of Rock with the Tele: 37:44
Snouse Electric Company Black Box Overdrive 2: 40:18
OD pedals making amps sound small? 43:20
Analog Man King Of Tone: 44:30
Is the KOT a BB clone? 46:25
KOT with humbuckers: 47:40
Wampler Pantheon: 51:09
Our faves? Dan 58:05, Mick 1:00:50
And ooh, it’s only a real 1965 JTM45… 1:06:45


Guitars in this episode:
• Gibson Memphis 1958 ES-335 (2017 model) No video yet
• Fender American Vintage ’62 Stratocaster – Mick’s video at http://bit.ly/2cQv3yT
• Fender Custom Shop ’63 Telecaster – Dan’s video at http://bit.ly/2dlZJ6K
• Gibson Custom 1958 Les Paul Standard – Dan’s video at http://bit.ly/2dbwbvS


Amps in this episode
• Victory V140 Deluxe prototype and V212VC cabinet (Celestion G12M Creamback 65)
UK & Europe: http://bit.ly/2XuHmDR
• Sovtek MIG50 and Marshall 1960AX cabinet (Celestion G12M Greenback speakers?

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