In-Depth & Hands-On
REVIEW: Marshall’s Guv’nor Distortion Pedal Cary Mar 15th
FROM SUBTLE TO SCREAMIN’
Big Distortion In A Little Package
About ten years back I came this close to purchasing a very expensive Marshall pre-amp due to the fact that I was in bad need of some badass distortion, and well…the stomp boxes I’d tried just couldn’t cut it –that is, until I decided on a last-minute whim to test out one of Marshall’s own offerings.
And I’m damned glad I did, too, because that tiny little gadget–known as the Guv’nor–made my jaw drop… seriously, it came so close to recreating the distortion of that incredible pre-amp that I swiped the pedal up pronto, immediately saving myself around $650.
Is It Really That Good?
Yes it is…I haven’t found anything like it since, though to be fair, I haven’t really had much reason to try anything else because I simply love this pedal. As I’ve mentioned before, playing on stage a lot has made me very fond of small set-ups, and being able to throw this pedal into my guitar case instead of hauling around a fat pre-amp is my idea of pure heaven.
But where the Guv’nor really shines is in its ability to create incredible overdrive, no matter what style of music you’re playing. Set way down low, the Guv’nor produces a mellow, almost clipped crunch–just perfect for blues and old-school R&B. But with the gain turned up high you get a soaring distortion with truly amazing harmonic overtones and sustain.
It’s even got Bass & Treble settings, allowing you to further sculpt the sound to your own unique needs.
Final Analysis
In a word, this thing just rocks. And IMHO, if you can get even 75% of the quality of a Marshall pre-amp for just %10 of the price (and maybe 2% of the weight!) then you’re getting one helluva’ deal.
Of course, we all have our own opinion on what a guitar should sound like, but if you’re looking for big distortion in a small package I highly recommend you take the Marshall Guv’nor for a test drive–I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.
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