Satchurator Review

This powerful pedal is as simple as can be. There's an input jack, and output jack, and 9v charger outlet on the sides. On top it has 3 controls: "Gain" "Tone" and "Volume."

Ease of Use:	9.8
Sound:	9.5
Reliability:	10
Impression:	10
Overall rating:	9.8
Users rating:	9.8
Comments:	2

overall: 9.8

Featured review by: k2pblcnme, on january 22, 2009

Price paid: $ 110

Purchased from: eBay

Ease of Use: This powerful pedal is as simple as can be. There's an input jack, and output jack, and 9v charger outlet on the sides. On top it has 3 controls: "Gain" "Tone" and "Volume." In addition to the "On" footswitch, there is a "Pad" Switch, which enables you to put high-gain pedals before the Satchurator, and a "More" footswitch, which basically overdoses the amount of distortion. There is a manual, but it's not really necessary, since the pedal is so straight forward. // 10

Sound: I'm running this pedal from my Schecter Omen 6 (which I replaced with a DiMarzio Air Norton in the neck and a DiMarzio Evo 2 in the bridge) into a stock Fender Super Champ XD (tube amp). This thing sounds fantastic. The tone is pure as can be, and the distortion is pretty darn smooth. The "More" Switch really makes a difference, for the distortion gets more crunchy, but sounds just as good. With a little delay, you'll be all set! My only gripe is there is some humming coming from the amp, especially when the "Gain" is turned all the way up. I'm sure fiddling around with the EQ could get rid of most of it... // 9

Reliability & Durability: This thing is built like a tank, and probably weighs as much as one, too. Every piece is really high quality, from the chicken-head knobs to the footswitches. You could rest assured that you don't need to bring a backup to the gig, as I do not see this thing breaking down in the future. The metal casing can probably take a beating (don't feel like throwing my pedal against a wall right now). // 10

Impression: I play all sorts of things for about 3 or 4 years. This pedal is definitely for someone looking for some sweet, smooth distortion, a la Joe Satriani(duh). It's a bit crunchy, but not overwhelmingly so, and the pedal features a pretty wide range of distortion. From this pedal, it's easy to get his tone, probably since I've heard he uses this pedal on stage. Using a tube amp really makes a difference. I was looking for a effects upgrade from my DigiTech RP250 (quantity of effects over quality), and it came down to the Vox Satchurator, Ibanez Jemini, or the T-Rex MAB pedal. The Satchurator won because it had more options than the T-Rex, and the sound was way more, I guess, "pure" than the Jemini. Plus, it was cheaper. I love the fact that it has true bypass, and when you do use it, it doesn't suck the life out of your guitar's tone. It sounds great on every setting, and my amp's onboard Delay makes it that much sweeter. My only gripe is the hum I mentioned before.

If it were stolen, I'd replace it right away. Thanks to this pedal, I'm eager to see what Vox and Satch will do in the future, especially with the Vox Time Machine coming out. // 10

Reviewed by: unregistered, on march 20, 2009

Price paid: $ 129.99

Purchased from: Tom's River Music Center

Ease of Use: This pedal is by far the single best distortion unit of all time. it's ease of use coupled with it's perfect tone create a fusion that will please both beginners and tone pros. Getting a good sound, any good sound, is a breeze with this pedal. The distortion ranges from a smooth bluesy Overdrive to a thick, creamy, huge sounding distortion. This is the first in a line of pedals by Vox designed by Joe Satriani, and the Satchurator and the time Machine both have far surpassed the expectations that come with their respective archetypes and predecessors. // 10

Sound: this pedal works extremely well with any guitar. I usually play my favorite guitar, my alpine white strat, through this pedal, but I also play my early nineties Washburn and my Epiphone les paul through this pedal. I've played it with a range of amps, from a fifteen watt Line 6 to a half stack, and through every amp I've used it sounds beautiful. It surprisingly feeds back very little, definitely the quietest distortion pedal I've ever heard (and I've tried them all), and on a clean sound this pedal creates a perfect rhythm and lead sound through use of the "more Switch", but more on that later. I use this pedal to emulate my favorite guitarists (the guitar masters Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, and Yngwie Malmsteen), and it works perfectly with their sounds and also works very well for the signature sound that I've created for myself. My favorite feature is the more Switch, which essentially acts as a second distortion pedal and boosts the gain to a perfect solo sound. Amazing. // 10

Reliability & Durability: this is definitely the most dependable and versatile distortion pedal in existence. Every component is the highest possible quality, from the rugged metal chassis to the internal circuitry, and I would most certainly gig without a backup with this pedal, the only other pedal I need is my Dunlop Slash crybaby. // 10

Impression: I play instrumental music, in a range of styles, from blues to funk to metal to just straight up rock, and the Satchurator shines in every genre. This pedal suit's my style (if you can call every style a style) perfectly, and if it were ever lost or stolen I would hunt whoever did it down and make them suffer (only after buying a new one of course). I love the more switch, and the pad Switch (which makes the Satchurator compatible with Vintage or otherwise incompatible pedals), and the distortion is the biggest I have ever heard. There's really nothing that can compare in caliber to this distortion pedal, but the closest sound I can say is similar is the sound in revelation off of Joe Satriani's new album, professor satchafunkalis and the musterion of rock. Everything from the sound to the red finish is perfect about this pedal, and as a player with a lot of experience I'd highly recommend it. // 10

overall: 10

Reviewed by: D1D8ING, on march 31, 2009

Price paid: $ 120

Ease of Use: The Satchurator is probably the easiest pedal ever to use. It has one gain knob (which apparently controls the gain), one tone knob (which controls the tone) and a volume knob. The pedal has lots of gain, I mean lots. It is very easy to get a nice sound out of it. The tone knob is very sensitive thou. I keep mine at about 9'o clock for the rock sound and about 11'o clock for the punkish, metalish sound. It is supereasy to use. // 10

Sound: My guitar is a Ibanez SAS36FM, I have not upgraded my pickups yet so I still have the standard Ibanez pickups. My amp is a Roland 30 watt cube x. I go guitar>satchurator>amp. Even through my shitty little transistor amp I can get a great tone, a awesome tone. It sounds almost like I would play through a tube amp and I've also done that and the sound does not differ that much. I have my amp on a clean setting so I get all my distortion through the Satchurator. I can honestly say that it is the best pedal I've ever heard, it's amazing. I can go from blues to even metal, yes even metal! If I want the metalish sound I simply turn up the tone so I get a more sharper distortion. For the more bluesy, rock tone I turn back the tone knob a bit for the more wet distortion. It is a really variable pedal!

The more Switch also really makes the sound different. If the gain is on a lower setting and I turn on the more Switch I get maximum distortion. If I already have the gain turned up all the way and I hit the more Switch I just get a little bit more, it feels like it's just adding another layer of the same distortion. // 10

Reliability & Durability: This thing is built to last. I can never imagine it breaking down, unless you start to hit it with a hammer or something and even then you would have a hard time destroying it.

I would certainly use it on a gig without backup because I'm not afraid of it breaking, I feel like it really can't do that. // 10

Impression: I play everything from blues to metal and this pedal can do everything. Sure it isn't the ultimate pedal for metal but hey, it does the job. It is easy to get the Satriani tone (which I btw love) but it is so much more then just his pedal, it's My pedal now. I have not used the pad Switch yet but it seems like a great invention.

If this pedal was stolen I would definitely buy it again and I would find the son of a b--ch who stole it beat him up with the pedal because it's super durable. This is a great pedal that I can recommended to absolutely everyone, it's the best I've ever heard! // 10

overall: 9.5

Reviewed by: aradine, on january 26, 2009

Price paid: A$ 200

Purchased from: Music Workshop

Ease of Use: I have #347 of god knows how many where made in the batch. it comes in cherry red, Basic design a Gain, Tone and Volume knob, an on/off Switch a more Switch and a pad Switch. the gain knob is great as it isn't like some other pedals that are "turn it up to half-way for a slight increase, then from 5 to 6 it is like blues crunch to metal". the tone knob takes a bit of fiddling to find where you want it and I usually leave mine at about 11 O'clock. The pad Switch is very useful, especially when I run this pedal before the Vox Tonelab. // 9

Sound: I previously used this as Guitar -> Vox v847 wah -> Satchurator -> Amp, which got me the sound I was looking for. now I go Guitar -> Satchurator -> Vox Tonelab (with Vox v847 wah in effects loop) -> Amp/Speakers/PA/whatever. my Tonelab usually emulates a Vox Ac30TB, because coupled with this pedal, plus some of the ones built into the Tonelab it gives off a great shred tone. the only thing I don't like is the fact that when the gain is set to 10 the more Switch doesn't do anything really noticeable. but with the right dialling in you can nail Satch's sound in an instant. // 9

Reliability & Durability: There is really not much I can say on this, it has a metal chasis so it is tough as a tank, I could jump on it all day and it wouldn't break, there are LED's which light up when you select on/off and more, although I wish it had the same thing as the Gemini, where the knobs light up to, so you can see what your settings are in a dark area. I would most definately use this Live, and already have once. but I would never use it Live running on batteries as I have a habit of playing right up until we go on stage, and I don't trust battery life on pedals. // 10

Impression: I play a lot of shred, but lately I have been playing a lot of classic rock and blues, turning the gain down gives a nice crunch, and the more Switch adds gain on for a nice solo sound, although I prefer having the Tube Screamer in my Tonelab for a solo gain boost. I was originally going to buy a Gemini until I A)saw the price B) realized they weren't coming out for another 4 months, so I settled on this and I am extremely happy with it, I also bought my Vox v847 wah that day as well and I got both at a combined price of $400aud with a free wall-wart and daisy chain. they have booth become regulars in my foot pedal set-up and when I finally get around to building my pedal board they will be permanent residents. // 10

Comments

[wilmearz]

for my attempt at joes wah tone with the satchurator check out my surfing with the alien cover on my profile.

[CigarKid]

I use this pedal with the Weeping Demon Wah and I swear they were made for each other. I recommend switching the "range" switch to "lo" for the best sound. (I also use a noise surpressor with my pedal setup as I recommend using a noise surpressor with any pedal setup)