Tech 21 Liverpool Character Series

This is a pretty easy box to dial in. The controls are sensitive and small tweaks make very noticable changes. It operates pretty much like a preamp with full eq control.

This is where it gets a bit interesting. I have a pretty advanced rig which include a Mesa Boogie Triaxis, Marshall JMP-1, TC GMajor a ton of various foot pedals but my main boxes are a Keeley Comp, TS808, EH POG and Electric Mistress, BBE Stomp. These are mounted on sliding drawers in my rack. I also have a Fulltone DejaVibe, Zakk Wah, Blues Driver and a Voodoo Proctavia on the floor. All of the rack stuff and the preamps are controlled using a Voodoo GCX and Ground Control. Ok..so you might be thinking, why would even have an interest in this pedal. Quite honestly none of the above allows me to get that sort of Tom Petty Vox vibe. I have tried eq's, boosts etc but never really nailed it. When I heard of this box coming out a few months before it was released I was interested to give it a try. So here is the report......The unit sounds pretty much like hammered crap running through the front end. I then tried it through the loop of my Marshall JMP-1 just to see and it improved some but still no good. I supsected that it might be active pickups cuz many of my guitars a fitted with them. The Les Paul, V and my Zion all have the EMG 81/85's. My Strat has the EMG DG Customs. So..here is what worked....I run it just like a 3rd preamp into my Boogie 2:90 direct and BAM!!!! WOW!!! it sounds like a charm. Literally nailing the tone I was looking for. It also responds pretty well to effects in front of it and behind it. So the key to this unit is DIRECT. I am not sure why I had such bad luck running this on the front end of my rig but it simply did not sound right at all. No life, clippy, toneless dead....Its not exactly a one trick pony either but I really did buy it for one purpose and it's the closest I have come yet to what I have looked for..think the guitar lines to Refugee or I need to Know etc....My Tele with Vintage noisless and my Strat with the DG's were particularly nice sounding. It has a very smooth tube like sound with that real amp feel..sort of spongy, responds to attack very well, when I back off on volume it cleans up nicely basically it acts like an amp would. I have never owned an AC 30 so I can't do a side by side but it does match what I was after in terms of a medium distortion with a nice clean top end that is not spikey..it really does do a great job. I will be mounting it into my rack tomorrow evening. Nothing gets a 10 but my Boogie 2:90 comes close as far as a power head. Can't wait to try it out on the gig.

Don't know yet but it feels a bit light. Glad I will be racking it cuz I don't think I would want to stomp on it all night long.

No idea at this point.

I play in a casino/cover band and need a number of tones all night long. This is the thing that are lost on many bands. Many guitarists pull from 2 or 3 of the same tones all night long. For authenticity and the fact that I am completely GUITARded, I like to have a big pallet of sounds in front of me. The rig that I use is deep with different sounds and textures. As mentioned we play 4 or 5 Tom Petty tunes and really wanted that particular tone replicated. The Boogie Triaxis along with my Blues Driver comes sort of close in the Lead2 Yellow mode but its still did not have that top end sort of jangle it always wound up more spikey and I simply hate that! This little box really found the spot. I had lowered expecations too especially after hearing what it sounded like on the front end of the rig. This is not a box for making metal. The band I am in plays rock tunes all night and I can see this being incorporated in on varioud medium rock tunes that require that "something between distorted and clean" setting. It is surprisingly effective and projects, acts, interacts and reacts much like a real amp does. Very surprised...and excited about this pedal. I am curious about the Blonde pedal now...might pick one up and play around with in the coming weeks. Still trying to nail that old school Nugent vibe ala Hey Baby or Stranglehold...I come close but can't seem to get the warmth...we shall see!!

Extremely easy to use. A few hyper-sensitive knobs (trademark of sansamp), to allow for fine, delicate tweaking. Start with the provided settings though, makes things faster.

This fabulous gadget is extremely quiet. I needed something to go direct to my DAW via E-MU 0404USB and get a decent sound. Hooked up my G&L Comanche, plugged the cords and started from cleans. I set the knobs as per manufacturer's recommended scheme - it helps a lot to get started! I've got a niiiice, clean ringing tone with articulated well-balanced strings and a lot of tube-like feel! Same with the crunch & 'Brian May' tones (clean is my preference). When you hit the string hard, the tone just jumps and gets saturated. I'm not exaggerating, it does feel very realistic! It also lays beautifully in a track with the full band. I don't know if the pedal emulates the VOX as advertised - I was never even a huge VOX fan. I don't really care though! I'm able to create the sound I like on this thing - the one I look for every time I play on 'real' amps.

Some of my gear:

- G&L Comanche
- Gretsch 6120-1960 Nashville
- Fender acoustic/electric
- OLP stingray bass

- Fender Blues Junior
- Crybaby
- Fuzzface
- Sovtek Big muff P
- DD-6
- Verbzilla

etc???

The pedal is built solid - as any other Sansamp is. I played my GT2 in many occasions, never failed on me. Unless a happy drunken dude from audience spills a gallon of beer over it, I doubt I would have any problems with the 'Liverpool'. A nine just in case...

Contacted them before purchase, got a respond in less then 2 hours! I assume they would stay as efficient in case of other issues.

Still keep pinching myself after a week of having this pedal, playing it and recording with it! As someone said, Tech 21 went galaxies beyond any of their previous amp sim's with the 'character' series! I took the 'Liverpool' and the 'Blonde' for a trial, A-B-C-d with my GT2 and spent a whole night just enjoying playing & recording! I've had to be picky and return the 'Blonde', otherwise I would love to have all of the 'Character' series. The GT2 is up for sale - no doubt. After about 25 years of live gigs, studio recording, producing and lots of published music I have to say that this pedal seems like a closest to best solution for direct recording so far. Trust me, I've owned and/or tried out in REAL situations a lot of known and unknown gear! I've played many styles but kinda leaned toward country-rock/blues, funk, even new-rockabilly back in the days. All of these are in great demand of a big, clean sounds. I almost ordered one of those 'AXE-FX' devices when I picked up a couple of the 'Character' pedals just out of curiosity, not expecting a miracle. But now, after some (very critical) time spent with the 'Liverpool', I've got a serious device, I didn't spend $$$$ and I'm completely happy with it!

This pedal is very easy to use with the understanding that you will have to spend some time doing some tweaking. The manual has preset settings that in my opinion, are very close to the style they are telling you it is. It sounds good if you start from the preset setting first, and then go from there

Well I use a Fender deluxe Tele, into a Fender hot rod deluxe and to me, it sounds like I am playing right thru the real deal...Vox Ac 30!
You can dial in any sound from the cleanest of cleans, to the dirtiest of dirty. I do not know how they do it, but it models the amplifier to a tee. I have noticed that it is a noisy little sucker, but that is typical of all pedals at some point in your chain gang! If you can get over the noise in between songs, you have nothing to fear. This thing sounds the same into whatever you are playing it thru...(amp, mixer, direct...)

I can for now, but am going to buy a second because it seems to be built like a toy. Not trying to discourage anyone, but just being honest. I still love the pedal, and would not trade it for anything.
The switch seems to be real sensative, and the housing seems to be made of real thin metal. Other than that I think that this pedal will last for years, given proper care, and not being thrown around.

Don't have a clue, but it is rare that I have ever had to send in a pedal, or get info on it. These things are pretty straight forward, and as I mentioned earlier, just take care of it and it will take care of you.

I play in a worship band at church, and this pedal is a real treat for the style we play. I have been playing for about 10 years, and have had alot of other gear. By far, so far this pedal as an overdrive/distortion/amp modeler is my favorite. I would for sure buy another one, in fact I think I am going to get another soon, to run one as clean, and the other as overdrive. All in all this pedal sounds amazing, and can truly give your tone an exact replica of the Vox AC 30. Get one, you will not regret it!