Marshall JTM45 in a Box Shootout - Wampler Plexi Drive vs JHS Charlie Brown vs ZVex Box of Rock 

The Plexi drive is designed to sound like a plexi, where the Charlie Brown is patterned after a JTM45, which most of these comparisons fail to mention. It's a much warmer and cleaner tone but people expect plexi so they're like well that doesn't get me a Marshall sound. I do think the plexi drive does a better job at what it's supposed to do (but it might be the best amp in the box pedal too) but the Charlie Brown is still a very good pedal in its own right.

Awesome, I love these shootouts you do. There’s no way for me to make a decision otherwise!

The Plexi Drive and the Ramble FX Marvel Drive are my two favorite Marshall style OD boxes ever!

Brian Wampler pedal here Sounds the Most Marshall-like to me.

That Wampler Plexi-Drive just has that Marshall GROWL… I don’t think I’ve ever heard a bad Wampler… they do pedals right… nice demo of all three! They each sound really good IMHO. But the Wampler just stands out above the other two. Edit: I just subbed your channel… the advice you gave on boosting the mids is spot on. Too many really scoop out the mids way too harshly. I don’t know where that all started but it’s true that guitar is primarily a mid tone instrument and sounds best with a decent chunk of mids left in. Now obviously there is also “too much mids” as well where it starts to sound muddy, but I think you nailed the proper amount of mids in this vid. Well done mate! Add: At the end where you sampled the two channels on the Box of Rock, that “cleaner overdrive” section (or boost, whichever it was) sounds like a tube screamer-ish type sound… man this is a tough call… all three sound great. I have to give it to Wampler Plexi for the overall win 🏆

Very good review, thank you kind sir

Great demo! Got a plexi drive and zvex distortron on order.

Box of rock (with the boost always on) is my always on base tone, it's a great pedal. Got a KHDK ghoul screamer in front of it and they work great together.

You guys need to do more of these shootouts

Great vid!

Wampler sounds best to me. Thanks for the demo.

I have the Box of Rock and couldn’t be happier, but the others sounds good too.

Sounds like there’s a moving blanket covering the mic or the cabinet. Where’s all the high end??? Sounds like everything over 2k was shelved off. Unfortunate sound on this vid :-(

Nice test!

Due to all respect , I don't think you treated JHS fairly in this shootout. First comes first, this pedal is not aimed to sound like plexy but JTM. Second, if you want to mach really bright sound of Wampler why didn't turn highs and mids all the way up and turn bass off. Instead you kept them around noon and wondered why this JTM doesn't cuts like plexy.

Zvex and Wampler sound great. I noticed JHS drive pedals sound with too cut highs and lows almost like tubescreamer.

I watched a ton of shoot outs today and I got to say yours was by far the best that I saw for the zvex. Well done. I've ordered a zvex pedal but now thanks to you I want the Wampler pedal also. See what you made me do.

They all sound great! I think I like the Charlie Brown the most though. Great vid!

Good playing man, for me the wampler sound best.the hot rod plexi is great also, it sounds a little fuller and more button compare to the other two but the wampler still stand up.

hi! when you use this type of pedal, the equalization of the amplifier must be all to 0 for better?

Is there a point to making different pedals sound alike? Better to find out what each pedal does best, no?

Hi, did you ever try a Marshall Gov´nor "Made in England"? For my taste the old, big, black Gov´nor is one of the best Marshalls in a box I ever played.

Zvex box of rock

Jetter Red Squared. The best. Helium Boost, Plexi, Dumble - all in one pedal. It's the only one I've played that beat the Box of Rock as a Plexi/Boost dual pedal. Tapestry Audio Fab Suisse will do AC/DC tones to perfection. The Wampler is good, I like it.

maestro el gordo!!!

The Plexi Drive is emulating a Plexi and the other two are going for the JTM45 sound which is not a plexi. The box of Rock sounds great, but has more hair than the JTM45 they are emulating probably did. That’s not bad though. The Charlie Brown is probably the most accurate of the JTM45 amp though, Blues Breaker Clapton, Angus Young, Hendrix. I prefer it and I can stack drive before it like you would with an amp to give it more if I need it. The Wampler is going more for like a Super Lead or JCM800. More like a Brown Sound/Van Halen thing. JHS’s Angry Charlie does the same and you probably could get them closer in sound if you used the Angry Charlie. I honestly always found the Box of Rock to be more like one of those amps versus the JTM45 despite them claiming that was the target myself. JTM nails that Bluesbreaker Clapton, Hendrix and AC/DC sound though I think. Plexi Drive for the more Van Halen stuff. Box of Rock is fantastic and has that amazing boost circuit. I just prefer to stack for it and enjoy the more tweakable eq of the JHS.

W

If you want make a comparaison of MIAB , start with solos, and then chords.

BTW Bluesbraker is JTM45. It exists as 18 watt as well but BB is known from JTM-45 2x12 combo with Greenbacks. So......

Wrong chords on Zep tune?

zvex wins this one but the jhs would sound the best with other pedals

8:56 9:10 9:42

you test pedals playing only power chords,,,how about a solo on the high strings, how about double stops and other ways to play...I apreciate your dedication to make a video but it´s not the way I think

Charlie Brown ftw

the wampler sounds most like how i think a marshall sounds.

Good demo but please , kill the reverb! It seems to be a common oversight on overdrive/distortion reviews. It detracts from the raw bite of a good rhythm guitar sound. Thanks

Becuase of you and your riff around 4:20 I spent the last 20 minutes with this video on pause and watching the Tony Hawk Pro Skater 4 opening on repeat.

Did you eat all the pies? I can't find any pies :(

Meh

Thanks...... now not buying any of them ! Just more distortion pedals to me.

No thanks... I will stick with my Xotic SL drive.

For me they all sound the same...and there is too much reverb! Remember never, NEVER EVER play AC/DC using reverb!!!

Dude, nearly 4 min of yapping in the beginning. Ain't nobody got time for that!

Wampler more mid bump

so much talking.......zzzzzz zzzzzzz zzzzzzzzz

If you're going to demo pedals, you need to get better audio equipment, or learn to e.q. your amp. You're making these pedals sounds horrible.

Too much talking