Marshall Guvnor - any cop ?

[Chris1974]

Question for you pedal tone hounds out there -

I'm currently lookin for a distortion type pedal, and after lookin around at whats out there both old and new and checking out reviews i'm seriously considering the original marshall Guvnor pedal (not the new re-issue).

I'm mad into Rory Gallagher, and Hendrix and bands such as AC/DC, Chilli peppers, led Zep, Queens of the stone age, Pearl Jam, Sound Garden, Smashing Pumpkins, Charlatans, Reef.  I like classic blues sounds and more comtemporary guitar tones.

However, despite my influences I don't want to sound specifically like them, I want a pedal that will give big fat jaw dropping distortion/tone (not heavy metal territory though) suitable for varied rock tones, as a platform to work from, but will allow me to find my own tone.

I play a Fender Jap - 57 re-issue with rosewood neck & BK Irish tour pups, into a Fender Super 60 valve amp.

Has anyone got any views on the Marshall Guvnor pedal ?

Anyone got any othed recommendations ?

[_tom_]

I have the GV2 reissue one and even this sounds pretty good. I've heard the original is much better, so this makes me think it must sound pretty good. Never tried one though  :(

[blue]

i've got an original guvnor, had it about 14-15 years.  it's a great pedal, on it's own into a clean amp you can get a pretty wide range of good overdrive sounds, though not flat out metal.  into an already cooking amp it's fantastic!   i've put it through a jcm800 with the amp flat out and just a little gain from the pedal and gotten a huge rhythm sound and a screaming lead sound!  i also use it into the blues mode of my mesa v-twin for a great aggressive rhythm chug.  it can probably do creamy bluesy sounds too, but since i get those fine without it, i've never tried.  i've never tried the gv-2, but i'm on the lookout for another original as mine could do with a service and i'm afraid of losing it

[Dakine]

I know I know this is'nt the question and isn't gonna help....but.
The Guvnr is the MOST used dist. on my GT-8, I love it :)

[The amazing Phil]

I know a guy who used one with a Peavey Delta Blues amp, and it got a really good rock tone, he uses a Yamaha single cut with it and it sounds rather mean when he needs it to, although he's more into his sax these days.

[monkeywalker]

my friend paul bought one recently (guvnor2 that is) and i tried it out, it sounds pretty good in my opinion. there seemed to be a pretty good range of sound available. he uses it througha laney vc30.

if i was to get a dist pedal i think it would be the guvnor.

[indysmith]

i've got an original guvnor, had it about 14-15 years.  it's a great pedal, on it's own into a clean amp you can get a pretty wide range of good overdrive sounds, though not flat out metal.  into an already cooking amp it's fantastic!   i've put it through a jcm800 with the amp flat out and just a little gain from the pedal and gotten a huge rhythm sound and a screaming lead sound!  i also use it into the blues mode of my mesa v-twin for a great aggressive rhythm chug.  it can probably do creamy bluesy sounds too, but since i get those fine without it, i've never tried.  i've never tried the gv-2, but i'm on the lookout for another original as mine could do with a service and i'm afraid of losing it

You seem to have a VERY similar amp set-up to me. You say about using the guv'nor with the v-twin's blues channel to get some aggressive chug? is this still thru the jcm800? The way you put it makes it seem exactly what i need for my jcm800 and my v-twin.

[blue]

i don't actually have the jcm800 anymore, i'm "between" amps at the moment.  the v-twin into a clean amp with the guvnor on gives a great aggressive sound.  i'd liken it to metallica's mid eighties sound except i have a lot more mids.  i got the v-twin after the marshall amp was gone, so i've never actually heard the two together.

[indysmith]

ah thanks anyways - been looking at guv'nors on ebay and they're pretty damn cheap - might just try one of those out...

[Chris1974]

Cheers for the advice chaps, your comments have made up my mind for me that the mighty guvnor pedal is the one for me.

It would be good to try out every pedal under the sun, but not many shops stock that bigger range and I'm very nervous about playing in a guitar shop ........... especially when I'd really need to try the pedal out in anger to see what it is capable of !!!