product crunch drive, carl martin guitar effects, guitar amplifiers, strings and accessories

Reviews

GUITAR WORLD (USA) January 2000. Crunch Drive - Rock Drive
Heavy Drive & Noise Terminator
The problem with many distortion pedals is their attitude. Most expect to be used as the main source of your gain-enhanced tone and show little respect for the characteristics of your amp. These Carl Martin pedals don't assume you want to transform your beloved, saggy AC30 into a spandex-ripping Triple Rectifier. Instead, they simply give you another slice of what you already like.

GUITARIST (UK) May 1999. Crunch Drive-Rock Drive & Heavy Drive
There's hardly anything to complain about with these pedals. The Danish designer these are created by Holm Malmquist - certainly knows a thing or two about tone and how to cram it into a little black boxes, so anyone looking to augment or upgrade their pedalboard would do well to take a look.

Product: Carl Martin Crunch Drive
Price Paid: 100 (GBP)
Submitted 07/14/2005 at 07:27pm by DaveNees
Email: rufoidbaby at aol<dot>com

Ease of Use : 10

Really easy to use - just play around with it til you get the sound you want - lots of really usable tones are hidden within this pedal. Its not the most complex of pedals and it does exactly what it says on the tin - crunch! Great for blues, stones, 60s rock etc. Dead easy, put it on the floor stamp on when you want to crunch, stamp off to clean up again.

Sound Quality : 9

I'm using this with a Fender Deluxe Reverb and either a Fender Strat or Warmoth Tele. As stated before, I can nail Stones rhythms and chunky blues riffs with it. Heavy overdrive it isn't but then again, you wouldn't buy it for that!

The pedal isn't particularly noisy (I think sombody has stated earlier that when the gain is up there is some noise - but nothing you wouldn't expect from a pedal of this nature) and being true bypass, your guitar's sound doesn't suffer whilst the effect is off.

In a word, this pedal is... GREAT! (and not many pedals are) - I won't give it a 10 because I am still looking at other pedals and I believe there are a lot of pedals to check out before dishing out 10s here there and everywhere!

Reliability : 10

The pedal is of a solid construction... no risk of breaking battery covers although having said that, it is a right pain searching for a screwdriver ever time you want to swap the battery. (I must admit, BOSS got that bit nailed!)

I would like a chunkier switch on it though... it just seems a bit too small to me but then again, if it doesn't break then is it a problem?

I would have no problems going to a gig without a backup. Hell, you could probably spill beer on it and it would still work (although I wouldn't test it...)

Customer Support : No Opinion

I've never had to use them so I can't really comment. But if they are anything like their pedals... In the nicest possible way, I hope I never have to speak to them.

Overall Rating : 9

For the songs I play, this is a good addition to my pedal collection. I have been playing nearly 18 years and have become a self confessed gear freak. No, Carl Martin aren't the most boutique brand out, but to be honest, I have boutique pedals that to be frank, really are not worth the hype.

Its a good pedal - it compliments and Boss SD-1 or Tubescreamer wannabe - in fact, the two (CD+TS) in series make for a good lead sound. I think it is different enough not to be classed as a TS with the gain down... they are much two different beasts.

I would definately keep hold of this pedal and would have no problems going out and buying it again. Just wish I had found it earlier - there seems to be very few Carl Martin dealers around... and those who are stockists don't always carry a comprehensive stock. A real shame really as I feel Carl Martin are an untapped gem.

I won't go on, but generally, this is a good no frills pedal which does the job. I like it, you might not so I suggest just give it a whirl and see what it does for you. For the money, I think its great.

Product: Carl Martin Crunch Drive
Price Paid: N/A
Submitted 06/24/2005 at 11:48am by fenderman

Ease of Use : 10

Well its just a pedal with 4 knobs, no big deal to dial in a sound you like and play...

I like the fact that the whole pedal is optimised for dialing in lower gain distortion sounds rather than trying to cover all the bases - makes fine adjustment a lot easier.

Sound Quality : 10

I use this with various Fender amps and guitars. it allows me to get an 'inbetween' sound at any level. This is not a high gain distortion pedal and so you have to judge it based on what it is designed to do - which it does very well indeed. there is crunch galore available, and plenty of EQ options.

I have owned more distortion, overdrive, fuzz, metal and whatever pedals than is probably healthy over the years. This one is a keeper because it does great, natural sounding inbetween sounds without any effort. Its easy to dial in a sound to taste. It cuts a bit of bass compared to the clean signal but that seems to work especially well with my Telecaster for a raunchy crunch sound.

To be picky there is there is slight noise from the pedal, which increases as the gain and EQ knobs are cranked, but even flat out it isn't really relevant when playing so I'm not going to knock a mark off.

I usually set it with gain at 12 o'clock, attack at 9'oclock and edge at 3 o'clock - attck is really mid EQ and edge is high EQ - I find I don't need too much 'attack'.

With that kind of setting, the guitar's character is preserved - it works great on neck or bridge, chords and lead work. What's not to like?

Reliability : 10

It is well made, in a die cast box with a metal footswitch - I don't expect problems.

Customer Support : 7

Never dealt with them although their web site is distinctly average. They really ought to have more sound clips! I bought this pedal mail order without ever hearing it - fortunately no regrets but Carl Martin really should have demos - I can't understand a pedal manufacturer puts all that work into designing a pedal and then doesn't show it off with some neat mp3's.

Overall Rating : 9

You need to know what you are buying here - I also have a Boss DS-1 for example - that also calls itself a distortion effect but they are chalk and cheese, the boss has far more gain available, but it can't get the same matrual transparency of inbetween tones as the Crunch Drive

The Crunch Drive does exacly what is says on the box, no less, no more. I'd suggest try before you buy if you can - you may find it lacking in gain if it is your only distortion pedal depending on your music style - but otherwise I can recommend it wholeheartedly.

OK it is not as good value as a Boss so I'll knock a mark off for price but the main thing is I can find all sorts of sounds whan I engage this pedal - all of them good. Stones, SRV, Springsteen...

Crunch Drive

The Carl Martin Crunch Drive is a 9V-battery-powered pedal designed to emulate that "hard to get" crunchy blues tone from a good tube amp. The Attack (mid) and Edge (treble) controls give access to a variety of flavors within this type of distortion style without compromising sonic quality. If subtle crunch is your thing, you'll find plenty of cool chord and light solo options here which - regardless of EQ - always sound crisp and lively perfect for jangly chords and light blues soloing. The Carl Martin Crunch Drive is true bypass and features an AC adapter jack.