Replacement for a MI Audio Crunchbox

[Jazz Rock]

I was having some trouble with my crunchbox as the signal got phased out and replaced by a crackling noise over a period of a few months.

I brought to a tech, after realising it was to fiddly for me to have a go and the guy came back saying there are too many failure in this pedal for the repairwork to be economically viable.  :(

I have to say I am less than impressed. I had the unit for only 2 years (maybe 3) and it never got under any abuse, staid comfy at home, being fairly lightly used. So no browny points for MI Audio on this one.

It is a shame though as I quit liked the sound of it. Albeit, I know it probably just is a bad unit, I am not keen to get a new one.

So I was wondering what you would recommend as a replacement that would provide a similar distortion, which was fairly transparent, with good light to heavy-ish gain range and that would sound good for 90's hard rock music, as in Slash's Snakepit, verging on the Alice in Chains territory?

I think I got the crunchbox for £60 at the time, so something in a similar ball park would be a must, although I realise there might not be much choice in this price bracket.

PS: No need to recommend a Marshall Jackhammer. I got one and never really managed to have it sound like I wanted to, despite the many dual concentric knobs... will probably give it another try though, now that I am distortion less!

[Twinfan]

Tonerider British Distortion.  £50 delivered.  Job done.

http://www.dangleberrymusic.co.uk/p-178-tonerider-pedals-tonerider-effects-pedal-tonerider-british-distortion-pedal-true-bypass.aspx

I've had one of these and a Crunchbox, both are excellent pedals and similar in character.

[HTH AMPS]

Tonerider British Distortion.  £50 delivered.  Job done.

http://www.dangleberrymusic.co.uk/p-178-tonerider-pedals-tonerider-effects-pedal-tonerider-british-distortion-pedal-true-bypass.aspx

I've had one of these and a Crunchbox, both are excellent pedals and similar in character.

sound clips seemed nice, can't go wrong for £50.00

[Elliot]

even cheaper - Danelectro Cool Cat Distortion 

[HTH AMPS]

even cheaper - Danelectro Cool Cat Distortion 

not when it breaks the first time you step on it  :lol:

[kittyhawk]

Tonerider British Distortion.  £50 delivered.  Job done.

http://www.dangleberrymusic.co.uk/p-178-tonerider-pedals-tonerider-effects-pedal-tonerider-british-distortion-pedal-true-bypass.aspx

I've had one of these and a Crunchbox, both are excellent pedals and similar in character.

i have to try that one!
thanks

[gwEm]

A modded Boss DS-1 is in this direction

[Mr. Air]

Probably too pricey, but an Emma Electronics reezafratzitz is a glorius distortion pedal!

[Elliot]

Well I was joking, but the Dano Cool Cats have metal cases, proper switches and the Distortion is a clone of the clone of the MI Audio Crunch Box.  I have had one since they came out and it has never given me any gip whatsoever, shame I cant say the same about HBE products.

[Jazz Rock]

Hey Twinfan,

That is a very good sounding pedal you found there. Definitely a good contender for the succession.

I never tried the cool cat, although I heard quite a few people saying good things about them, I guess I was a bit warry that it would fare like the Marshall pedal. I should give it a try, I think there is a shop near where I work that has some in stock.

My internet is very slow tonight, so I'll check out the Emma pedal later on. Thanks for the input guys.

[dave_mc]

i haven't tried the cb, but the tonerider is very nice for the money

[Telerocker]

Probably too pricey, but an Emma Electronics reezafratzitz is a glorius distortion pedal!

+1. I have this red devil and it sounds huge, dynamic and transparant. It has a biasknob to go from (simulated) class AB to class A (Vox-style). Reacts very good on the vol.knob and he tones come close to a hotrodded plexihead. Even some metaltones can be achieved. It's not cheap, but the best dist.pedal I ever had. And I had a lot.

[Elliot]

As I said, I was joking about the Dano - But playing the Cool Cat next to the Tonerider this morning, I would go with the Tonerider - it has a more 'open' and 'wider' sound if that makes sense.

[dave_mc]

^ yeah. I haven't tried the dano distortion, but i have a couple of the other (v1) dano coolcat ods, and while they're also excellent for the money, i think the tonerider is better... as you say just sounds a bit more open etc. Also feels more sturdy/durable/reliable.

[Jazz Rock]

Right! So I have now tried the coolcat distortion through an Am Tele and a Fender Frontman 212R... Can't say I was impressed by the pedal... the amp sounded really good though. First time I liked the sound of a Fender amp I have tried in a shop. It was very responsive to the pick attack. Anyway, I digress, back to the coolcat:

The worst part were the control knobs, the level and gain ones were not already great to manipulate, but come on, the dual concentric one was a joke!

Soundwise, there was something to be had at lower gain settings but when I was getting near hafway up, it got fairly undefined, lacked clarity. So that will be a no go for me.

So it leaves, for now, 2 contenders.
I have to say that Mr Air comment and the couple of clips I have briefly watched are intriguing me. The Emma electronics pedal seems indeed quite good. I was actually wondering if I wouldn't take the opportunity to get a more versatile pedal.
One thing in particular I would be intersted in, is the ability to change the timbre of the distortion, like being able to go from a conventional type distrotion into something more metallic sounding. But I am not sure it is something that can be done with an analogue pedal. I'll need to do a bit more research on that.
I don't think I am going to rush getting a replacement, but take the time to find if there is something out there that would cover more ground.