Console preamp style drive pedals that aren't the Colour Box

[popvulture]

So...

Only JHS ped I've ever owned was the Colour Box, which I ultimately hocked after finding out more about the company's lovely ways. The problem is... though most of their other stuff is meh, that pedal is pretty tite. Who else makes a good one along those lines? The Hudson Broadcast came up in some other conversations, which I purchased and really love, but really it sounds more like a germ fuzz to me.

There's this thing, which is made here in Austin... maybe I'll track this guy down. Hard to tell in the NAMM setting, plus his playing is a little light. Still seems to have potential:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDT94fIzBO0[/youtube]

What else is out there?

[sylnau]

Not quite the same... but have you tried the Mid-Fi Demo Tape Fuzz?

[echorec]

I don't know that the Subdecay Vector can really imitate plugging directly into a console, but that's the preamp box I've been eyeballing.

[Kacey Y]

Hudson Electronics Broadcast maybe? I don't know if it's similar to the Colour Box, but it's a 60's console based preamp with a transformer.

[BetterOffShred]

Hudson Electronics Broadcast maybe? I don't know if it's similar to the Colour Box, but it's a 60's console based preamp with a transformer.

That's what I came here to say.

I built a clone and it's fab

[Kacey Y]

Hudson Electronics Broadcast maybe? I don't know if it's similar to the Colour Box, but it's a 60's console based preamp with a transformer.

That's what I came here to say.

I built a clone and it's fab

How expensive/hard to get was the transformer for that?

[repoman]

I've had both crayon/color and the Broadcast doesn't really sound anything like the blown up console fuzz that the JHS color/crayon does. The Broadcast was one of the nicest ODs I've had but it wasn't the same at all. I had the Jext Telez White pedal too trying to get flavors of this sound and that didn't sound anything like the console fuzz sound either (mine kind of sounded like a tube screamer).
I've not found a pedal that sounds like the JHS ones.

[BetterOffShred]

Hudson Electronics Broadcast maybe? I don't know if it's similar to the Colour Box, but it's a 60's console based preamp with a transformer.

That's what I came here to say.

I built a clone and it's fab

How expensive/hard to get was the transformer for that?

Like 3$ from Mouser ..

The Ge tranny is way more difficult to get right. I tried like 40.

[Chankgeez]

I've had both crayon/color and the Broadcast doesn't really sound anything like the blown up console fuzz that the JHS color/crayon does. The Broadcast was one of the nicest ODs I've had but it wasn't the same at all. I had the Jext Telez White pedal too trying to get flavors of this sound and that didn't sound anything like the console fuzz sound either (mine kind of sounded like a tube screamer).

Not quite the same… but, Lord Humungus, have you tried the Mid-Fi Demo Tape Fuzz?

[popvulture]

Yep, as I mentioned in the post, I picked up a Broadcast in the hopes of covering this turf, but it’s different. It’s FANTASTIC, can’t really say that enough, but reminds me much more of a germ Fuzz Face, with some expanded tweakability outside of the typical Guitar vol knob dialing. Most certainly keeping the Broadcast, but still looking for that console sound.

[Kacey Y]

Get someone to make you a Colour Box clone, use different knobs, change up a few component values, name it the "Chroma Drive" and throw on some art you didn't make. Game respects game.

[Muff_Diver]

API makes a pedal. Not sure how much overlap it has with the colourbox tho.

[popvulture]

Haha yes, I would greaaaaatly enjoy using JHS’s own MO against them

[popvulture]

And yeah I've been quite intrigued by that API box and really want to check it out... but it's fucking ENORMOUS. I also don't think it can get that sound I'm talking about, but I haven't heard any demos of it really maxed out.

[Kacey Y]

Haha yes, I would greaaaaatly enjoy using JHS’s own MO against them

Buying a color box, changing the knobs and putting a "POP VULTURE PEDALS" sticker on it would work too. Throw in an extra switch and a knob on the side, if you're feeling sassy.