Tech 21 SansAmp Character Series British

no bells and whistles like a multi-function digital effects unit, you plug guitar in and hook up output to whatever, set the level knob to what you need...done.
I was hooked up to my PC's sound card input, I set knobs to one of the default settings from the manual and was getting good tone...in two minutes flat !
The knobs for sound shaping need only small movements to make big tonal changes, may need some getting used to for those unfamiliar with Tech 21 kit.

I play my USA strat (YJM di-marzio) into this and run the output to headphones or PC. Sound is convincingly Marshall-like, but at the end of the day it just produces a sound I love, no matter how accurate it is to the original plexi..or whatever.

Really responsive to touch, it feels like an amp.

I recognise the tone from my much-missed trademark 60 amp. I have played hundreds of gigs with 800 and 900 series Marshall head /cabs, so I know a good Marshall tone when I hear it.

I tried out the excellent Digitech RP500 before this, a great bit of kit. But I always go back to the Marshall tone, so I began to think whats the point of all the other models and effects I wont really use.
So I got this - because it nails that tone better than anything digital (just forget Line 6 here, not even in the ball park).

Just got to be careful not to overcook it, make small changes with those knobs.

I used a trademark 60 amp for years and the reliability and build quiality of that amp gave me confidence to buy another Tech 21 product.
I dont gig anymore, but I wouldn't have any worries about using this if I did.

Years ago I had some e-mail exchanges from a guy called Lloyd who was very helpful. I dont expect to have a need to contact them about this pedal but I feel they would be just as helpful again if I did.

I have been playing for 25 years. Its a great experience to stand in front of a Marshall Stack, but its a bad experience to carry the damn things from pub to pub. Its back breaking !
If I were to gig now I would use this with no worries, would be great with something like an active PA cab as backline and feed into main PA as well.
If it were lost or stolen I would get another.
To get such a range of great sounds from this little box that cost me ??140 quid (delivered) - absolute bargain !

Six knobs, nice documentation, easy to use.

I purchased this pedal exclusively for direct recording for my home studio. This is a very versatile pedal, covering the sounds of the early Marshall thru Van Halen era "brown sound" and beyond. This pedal will do a great clean tone, an excellent classic rock tone, and a nice VH distorted tone. However, an audio clip is worth a thousand words so here it is:

http://chris-manning.com/audio/tech21_british_gin.mp3

Too early to tell since I just bought it, but I have owned other Tech 21 pedals in the past and never had a problem.

I contacted Tech 21 to let them know about my satisfaction with the pedal and also direct their attention to the audio clip I had recorded. I received a response measured in a few hours and the product manager has since communicated with me several times, as I have been trying to locate a Tech 21 Character Series Blonde pedal. Seems like a great company and I can't complain about the customer service.

It's hard not to give this pedal a 10. I purchased this pedal exclusively for recording because of its simplicity and great direct recording tone and it did not disappoint. Recently, I tried it in front of my tube amp and it sounds pretty awesome with the amp too. I am so sold on this pedal that I have ordered the California pedal and will order the Blonde pedal very soon.