Vox V810 Valve-Tone

EZ..

at one time i had a vox v837 distortion and it just didn't work out for me at that time w/that rig (no disrespect) but becuz of that i was a little aprehensive about buying this V810 pedal but i got a deal, & based on some of the reviews i read here... i say what the heck
This time i was NOT disappointed and also I'd say thet the reviews i read here were pretty right on the money .. i was REALLY surprised at how good it was , i A/B'd w a Ibanez TS-10 a Boss SD-1 and it held it's own and then some... i agree w / a reviewer below about how well it handles chord work ... of course i'm keeping all the above pedals but the point is the V810 valve tone is not 2nd to any of them - i was mainley switching back and forth between a 88 USA Fender Tele and another dual PAF tele but also a 84 jap strat - it was outstanding all around - the funny thing is that earlier.. i was already planning on selling it before i even got it home, i wasn't expecting much from it at all , but it won me over right away - now i'm giving it a 9.6 but i'm rounding up

one note here.... mine does not pop when i switch it off & on - i didn't notice anything sub standard about it at all...

cmon man, you know your on your own...

the v810 valve tone (imho) is kinda between the Boss SD-1 and the Ibanez TS-10 but it has it's own flavor too - you can also tell they're all from the TS family - the sd-1 can be so smooth (w/strat) and the TS-10 can be smooth too but REALLY shines when it screams (w/tele) while the V810 covers almost the same territory as the other two but i think i like it BEST w/ pafs - don't get me wrong i LOVE it w/ strat & tele too ! and also these are not being made any more so grab one while you can for not too much money ... even better that way... OH ONE MORE THING before i got this i tried to listen to sound samples on you-tube but the ones i heard sounded like the V837 distortion (which wasn't my fav) so don't trust that... TRY IT YOURSELF !!!

The Vox is extremely easy to use, I bought it used, so I dont have a manual, but it functions pretty much exactly like any other overdrive. With a bit of tweaking, it functions as a dirty boost, distortion, etc. Its my favourite overdrive, and i've found it comparable to my Hot Cake overdrive. Almost any setting will deliver a great tone. I personally favour a 10 o'clock volume with tone and gain at 12.

I normally run this overdrive with an Eric Johnson Strat and a 1962 Vibrolux, and it sounds great. Its not noisy, theres no hum, and it works exceptionally well with my Sovtek Mig60, as well as my les paul/Starfire IV

Now, this is unfortunate, as this is where this pedal takes a turn for the worse. Now, granted, i bought this used, but frankly, broken pedals arent terribly useful, and ive been having a constant struggle with this pedal to get it to function properly. My gain knob died, the volume cuts in and out unexpectedly, and the tone knob occasionally ceases to function as well. If this pedal didnt sound so damn good, i would have tossed it by now.

No contact.

As an eclectic musician(blues/jazz/country/rock/etc), i have never been let down by the sound of this pedal. The only thing that is not worthy of a ten is the build quality, which is highly suspect, as I read reviews from others having the same problems. If you can find and or afford this pedal, and you dont mind having it fixed once in a while, its amazing. Otherwise, find a Hot Cake or similar pedal.

no brainer... gain, tone, level

After all these years, it's still my favorite low-gain OD pedal. I use it to push the front end of my tube amps. Tried just about everything & always come back to the VT.

This pedal has a nice "Voxy" mid freq that puts a punch to the mids on a clean amp, or pushes a clippy amp into full OD. I like to use it with the gain almost off... typically 9 o'clock & the level at 3 o'clock.

Sounds great with all guitars & all amps. (I typically use a Matchless lightning, Bad Cat Cub II, Vox AC30, & a 60's Fender Vibrolux Reverb. Guitars are strats, teles, LPs with P90s, & sometimes a Gretsch)

It has it's shortcomings. I suggest... 1) Replace the bypass switch with a good one & wire for true bypass. Add 1Meg bleed resistors to prevent "pop" 2) some early version pedals had a little yellow cap & resistor on the output jack to ground... I remove it if it is present. 3) Replace jacks with high quality switchcraft. 4) Replace LED with high brightness RED or BLUE. Do these mods & the pedal will work flawlessly for years.

Does not exist...

With all the hype surrounding OD pedals, I am surprised the Valve-Tone doesn't get more attention... I own TS9s like everybody else, but still favor the VT for lower gain OD. I own several of these & haven't paid more than $50 for any of them. Great value, grab one if you can. If you don't like it, email me & I'll buy it from you. :)

Bought mine used, no manual, no problem.

American Series Strat (ES335/Carvin DC200)->CMAT Mods Compressor->Vox Crybaby->Vox Valve-Tone->EHx Holier Grail->t.c. Nova 1 Delay->BBE Sonic Stomp->Hot Rod DeVille 4x10.

Great, smooth sound for blues, rock, jazz. I keep the tone set at "0" for most applications.

Zero problems so far. Heavy chromed case, appears to be well-made internally.

Discontinued; mfg support n/a.

Purchased used, with a BRIGHT blue LED and a Fulltone switch already installed. No popping, on/off status easy to see day or night. It's a permanent part of my signal chain (as much as anything ever is). If lost or stolen, I'd try to find another.

As easy as it gets. Three knobs, and it's actually hard not to get a nice sound out of it.

A very nice vintage-sounding overdrive, and the added noise is very reasonable. I like it better with my Les Paul Special, and it sounds kind of thin to me with my Strat. Plays all the 60's stuff you want - the Kinks, the Small Faces, the Who, the Beatles - you name it.

Seems solid enough to me. I'm not too hard on my pedals though. The slanted footswitch problem that someone her had mentioned - well, I've never found the footswitch to be particularly vulnerable. All the glossy chrome requires a lot of wiping though.

no idea

This is the way to go if you want something different from a generic tubescreamer. I wouldn't exactly call it 'versatile', it's more of a one-trick pedal and does not do more than overdrive. But it's definitely a great-sounding overdrive.
These used to sell fo under 50 bucks at Guitar Center back in 1998, I wish I was smarter and bought one then. They get increasingly hard to find and the average price for a used pedal is about $90 now. I got lucky to get a new one for a hundred, and hell, I'll make sure it doesn't get stolen, becasue I'd hate to go looking for another one.

Simple as 1-2-3.

This is a follow up to a review I did three years ago for this pedal. The footswitch broke after a while and I tried to replace it with a switch from Maplin (big mistake) but that didn't last. I then replaced it with a heavy duty switch from an amp manufacturer (local) and it has been trouble fre ever since. In fact it has been very well used for gigging and recording.

Fantastic quality overdrive, nice and smooth. Has the sound and looks of a much more expensive valve powered pedal.

Since I replaced the switch, no problems and no audible popping sound when switched.

Never tried to use them.

A wonderful pedal at a bargain price. I have yet to compare it to a true valve overdrive, but I have a fender deluxe with inbuilt valve drive channel. I often prefer the VOX sound to the amp's own overdirve.

I can see this VOX on my pedal board for a very long time indeed.

I plugged it in, stepped on it, played for a while and got some great sounds from it; Beatles-taxman and Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, to the who-my generation, love that the 9v input is on the side(saves space on my pedalboard). Manual is ok and has all the information you need.

This is the best overdrive i have ever tried. Rock'n'Roll all the way! I just fell in love with it. Perfect for BritPop (Oasis, Blur, Verve..). I use a fender japan tele, TU-2, CS-2, V810, TS9, Muff, Maxon CS-550, DD-6, PN-2 throug a fender Princeton and a Hot Rod Deville 212.

Have had no problems yet, and dont belive I'll ever have. Buildt in a beautiful stealbox with quality rubber on top and feet, matches perfectly with the v-847 wah. I don't have backups for any of my gear. Just pray before gigs, has worked 140 times so far.

Have played for ten years, mainly british rock. If it were stolen or lost, I would buy a new one and keep it in my underwear to protect it. Vox should reissue this one, but on the other side I like that people ask what it is when they see it.

I first reviewed this pedal four years ago. It hasnt' went anywhere since.
That should tell you plenty in this overdrive of the week market we're in.
Very easy to use. 3 chickenheads. No muss, no fuss. The only problem I've
encountered is the dim, amber colored LED. None too easy to see. So I'll give it
a 9 here.

I go from Peterson Strobostomp tuner > Crybaby Classic wah > Vox Valve Tone >
Fulltone OCD > Maxon AD999 delay > Fender 65 Deluxe Reverb

The key to my tone remains the Vox. Harmonic content, perfect low end, definition,
musicality. A truly stellar pedal, better than any tubescreamer or variant I've tried.
Again, this comes after four years of consistant use, so this is no honeymoon. It's a
marriage. This pedal goes to 11 in terms of quality tone, but HCs max rating is 10.
10 it is for tone.

Ok, here's the only place where I have to scold my little Vox. The exterior is rock solid.
The components, particularly the chip, are top notch. However, the switch has always
popped a little on the first engagement. It's now popping pretty much everytime.
These discontinuned gems orginally sold for 60 clams. (Now fetching 100 clams due
to its reputation.) So what do you want? Give her a 9 here.

Discontinued pedal, so this doesn't really apply. I plan on sending my little buddy
to analogman, or some other pro to install a new switch and a bright blue LED.
Then she will be the puuuuuurfect OD pedal. They better not damage it, or change
its tone in any way, or they're cruisin for a brusin. Still a fantastic pedal after four years.
Think I might hunt down another for a backup.

Not much left to say. If you're looking for a transparent overdrive that doesn't
sound like all the others, this is the prime ticket. Works great for the Blooze, everything
from Chicago to electric Delta. Slappy and fun for funk, particularly with some wah.
Will do Beatles chimeydirt. Will put a grin on your face.

It's just as easy as a tube screamer or any other overdrive pedal, just three knobs and a switch.

This is really the important part. I come from a background of blues, so I'm going for the traditional sound of an overdriven tube amp. I have a TS-9 modded by Analogman, and I also have an original TS-10 with the JRC4558 chip, both sound just right for that blues sound (SRV). I've put this Valvetone side by side with the Tube Screamers and I can hear NO difference. It's just as nice!!! Actually, I like it more just because it has slightly more overdrive when the gain is cranked. But it's nice and smooth with the gain down. It has the usual midrange hump like the tube screamers. All-in-all, it's a boutique quality pedal, for a really low price! I'll give it a 9 only because there's a slight pop when you engage the switch, but that's not uncommon for a 3pdt switch.

It's been very dependable. I would definately use it without a backup. It's extremely solid and heavy, with that chrome cover and solid housing, you can't go wrong.

Never dealt with the company.

These were discontinued by Vox after only a couple years of production I think. I got a first year pedal because as soon as I heard it I knew it was a bargain. You can find them on Ebay once in a while for cheap. Not only do they sound fantastic, they are BEAUTIFUL pedals, and they are built like a tank. Another plus, if you have one of these, not many people do, so they get noticed, it's like having a rare boutique pedal. I use it every gig. The only problem is the LED which is a very dim yellow color. I had it modified by a local tech with a bright blue led, but it's really just a cosmetic thing.

my son of three knows what to do with it.....

very good, crunchy, I used it a lot for rithme and when playing leads I pushed it up with a Boss SD-1 to get a very rich tone.
If you want to play solo on this thing my guess is that it's to dusty or muddy sort of speak, but for chords it's very good

No f****** chance, the layout of the pedal is wrong, the surface where the switch is on is angled to much. Maybe it's just me, but I had to replace it twice already, ok , in 6 years. I do gig with it, but I only use it when I need to break out of the mix now as it is in front of my Mesa V-Twin. I replaced the switch myself, even that is childs play. ;-)
The nuts drive you nuts as well..... ;-)

never dealt with them as I repair my own stuff.

good nifty little thing, but if you don't use it a pedal case or something (so I mean a loose pedal that you pack in a softbag every night ;-) you will have to buy ten of them not to have a problem.

Simple as can be. The tine knob does make a difference and Gain and Level are self explanitory.

Great sounding overdrive, similar to Tubescreamer or Tubeblower. Certainly got its own character and I alternate it with my Tubeblower to vary my sound during a gig. It has a nice fat sound and gets really dirty at full gain. I really like it.

Okay for 12 months, then the foor switch broke. I tried to replace it myself, but it seems to have problems cutting out intermitently. Maybe that's my fault and I shouild have it fixed by an expert. Otherwise the pedal is solid and the knobs are big and chunky.

N/A

If it hadn't broke I would probably never bought another overdrive pedal. It has a great sound and is way better than my old Boss SD-1. It compliments my fender hotrod amp very well. Overall a great sound, shame about the build quality.

It couldn't be easyer!!!! Just plug and play. Volume, Gain and Tone!

I use a Big Muff > Ernie Ball Volume > Dunlop Rotovibe > Dunlop Crybaby > Ibanez PUE7 (Tube Screamer + Tube Drive + Digital Delay + Chorus Rotary) > DOD Envelope Filter > MXR Dyna Comp > Boss Octave 2 > Boss OD3 > Vox Valve Tone. I use a Boss TR-2 > Boss DD3 > Boss Super Shifter > Electro harmonix Deluxe Memory man plugged into de PUE7 Fx Loop.
I use a fender '52 telecaster butterscotch blonde, a fender strat 60 player w/texas special pu's a Gibson Les paul Calssic 1960 Goldtop and other axes, all run mainly into a Fender Twin Reverb. I also use a Fender Blues Junior and a MESA BOOGIE DC5. I play with a lot of bands and in very different palces, so many times i have to play with other amps like marshalls, h&K etc.
I never play without my VOX VALVETONE. I leave it on all the time, for the extra fatness and the soft crunch. It gets any amp play right, specially the Twin Reverb wich is to clean for me (except when i play jazz or bossa nova). I use with the volume at max the gain at minimum and the tone at minimum or 9 o'clock.
It makes a litle noise when you turn it on or off, but since i leave it on all the time...
i'm think about getting another one.
It makes other overdrive pedals sound great. The Big Muff sounds full and rich.

Never had a problem and i own it for 10 years

never needed it

It's my main thing. I never play without it. It's allways on.

It has the same bloody controls as a tube screamer. Unless you're retarded, you should have no problems.

I use les pauls into marshalls. My review is split into 2 sections 1) Pre-mod: sounded just like a tube screamer(TS) but with the highs slightly attenuated so it was less harsh. Not much low end. Mid-hump like all TS's. Tone knob was not useable after 2 o'clock. Drive knob delivers good sounds throughout its entire sweep, which is rare enogh for any pedal, much less one that costs so little.Basically a medium-lite gain one-trick pony 2) post-mod: tried to clone a keeley-style TS mod for the valvetone. Now its a lot better, there is MUCH more low end, more drive, more gain and less of the mid-hump. Basically this pedal is for those of you who want a TS style drive pedal but don't want to be seen with one of those green beasts. It really sounds similar to a TS, and any mod available for TS's is also applicable to this pedal(look insde, it's virtually identical to a TS)and will improve its tone in the same way. good pedal for a good price, but only after a mod. If you mod it properly, its a real gem. Oh, the LED is bloody useless, especially if you are playing in the daytime, in the open, then you won't be able to see shit, it's GOT to be changed. It's also really pretty...

Have owned this pedal for over 10 yrs. was reliable as hell before i modded it, is still reliable as hell now. the switch is over 10 years old and has been used and abused at countless jams and gigs and is still working fine!!(i guess i've jinxed it now). Would definitely gig without a backup.

never dealt with the company.
As for repairing it or modding it, if you can mod a TS, you can mod or repair this, its exactly the same! Not a complex pedal at all component count is very low.

I play blues/funk/rock. This pedal is a good match for what i play. Have ben playing for 15 yrs have owned almost every drive/TS style pedal/clone under the sun (ebay is addictive and dangerous!)This is not the best clone avalable(Barber Direct Drive gets my vote for that)but if you want an attractive, cheap TS style pedal to mod this is perfect for you and it will really SING once you mod it properly. It was decent when it was original, it is GREAT now its been modded. Yes i would buy it again, if it were stolen it would really hurt cos i've owned/used it for so long that its got a fair amount of sentimental value attached. So...if you like TS's, buy it, its a great little pedal.

It's only got three knobs: Volume, Tone and Gain. Very straightforward... Completely stock... Didn't come with a manual, but you shouldn't need a manual to dictate your sound...

I've tried several overdrive pedals and this one seems the most transparent and doesn't color my guitar tone at all. I'm using a Gibson SG w/ P-90's and a stock American Telecaster into a Fender Concert amp. The only other pedals I use are a ProCo Rat and sometimes a Boss delay (but only rarely, 'cause it sucks the tone). I set it with Volume at 2 o'clock, Tone at 3 o'clock and Gain at 11 o'clock. Anything above that on the gain and it starts to sound the same. Also, I find the tone doesn't have enough variety (i.e. it sounds warm up until around 2 o'clock. Anything above that is too harsh - I end up using the tone turned up high on the pedal and adjust the tone with the tone knob on my guitars.

In terms of sound, it's great for blues and brit-rock type sounds. Think the Beatles "Revolver", or with the gain around 9 o'clock, early Who recordings. In terms of response, it cleans up nicely when you lessen your attack or lower the volume on the guitar. It's one of the few OD pedals I've tried that doesn't seem to color my guitar sound at all. However, I do feel like it thins out the bass sound a little bit - I'm starting to look at boutique pedals, but this pedal just sounds great. It's a pretty quiet pedal compared to other OD pedals, but as with others, it will give a bit of a hiss at higher volumes - especially since my sg w/ p-90's and teles are single-coil guitars. It does have a nasty pop the first time you turn it on, so make sure you click it on and off before cranking your volume. It's true bypass as well, unlike tubescreamers and boss pedals. For the price, I think it's a better value than a lot of pedals out there without forking for boutique pedals.... Make sure you always have fresh batteries or an adapter in it though as once the battery starts going, the tone is horrible and it really squashes the signal...

I've gigged with this for about a year and a half without a back-up and it's held up pretty well. However, the construction looks a little shoddy. In fact, I think the footswitch is about to go. Sometimes I stomp on it and the OD only sometimes kicks in.... So, I bought a Boss SD-1 for a backup for our last gig and sure enough, the Vox pedal died during sound check..... Not sure who to send it to in order to get it fixed as they don't make these pedals anymore...

n/a. Have not dealt with them. Will probably try and get my pedal fixed locally. Hopefully, someone can fix it....

For the style of music I play, it's perfect. I've got a ProCo rat for heavier distortion sounds, but this is an excellent overdrive pedal and, for the price, it's very transparent and it's true bypass... Only complaint is lack of tone variety and the bass sound seems to be a bit diminished when the effect is on. Just wish it was built a little sturdier, but I guess I got a year and a half's use out of it...

it easy one button three knobs the light is a b*tch to read sometimes

im using a parker p 38 standard into a v830 booster(much better pedal) a fender blues deville (4 X 10)
and i can get some good blues tones but nothing else do not expect this to give you and kind of scream

noisy when running both the v830 and the v810

no trouble yet... but bring a spare battery to a gig its hard to tell when it getting low

never delt with them

great for svr tone blues and nothing else if you looking for the more classic rock solo distortion go for the v830 its better (cheaper too!!)

Stomp on switch, twist a few chicken head knobs and you're cookin'!

My setup goes: Fender Strat(kinman woodstock pickups)Fulltone Clyde deluxe wah-Fulltone deja vibe-Custom made Fuzz (used a a boost with the fuzz down slightly) vox V810-Danelectro echo-Akai tuner-Fender 63'Blackface bassman head into Marshall 4x12" with celestion greenbacks. I find the pedal does not color my sound and is not noisy, it's a great pedal for light rock/ blues, and with humbuckers will give you some great vintage lead sounds, but as I use a strat with single coils, I need to boost the signal going into it for some superb solo sounds, note ,this is a players pedal, it wont mask your sloppy playing like a "supermetaldeathslayingturbobooster" but if you love the tone of your guitar and amp but wish you had a little more drive and sustain,track one of these down!I have been playin over 32 years and in the past couple of years had and disgarded various pedals including: Voodoolab sparkledrive/Jaques tubeblower/Fulltone 69/more Roger Mayer pedals than I care to remember/Barber dd/Barber dd ss/Boss BD2/Boss SD1 and Keely modded TS9, now I am not saying these pedals don't cut the mustard, but I was looking for something else, and by chance came across the Vox V810...It looks like I can stop looking!!!Also i have had a look inside and see that it has the same rare chip TL4558P inside that my Keeley modded TS9 had....can't be bad.

Only had it a while ,no problems so far, but anything will break down eventually! Its a few years old already, and still workin fine.

This pedal is discontinued,but if I have any probs. I have a good tech. who will sort it.

This pedal is a little gem, if I find another I will buy it.It can be used as a almost clean boost, and anything else from Jazz to rock.
I recomend as with any pedal try it out with your own gear in a live band situation, thats when you will find a pedals faults,I looked on this site for comments about it and by and large they are spot on! It has not got the best tone sweep that ive heard, but I have tone controls on my guitar and amp!!It also gets along fine with my other pedals.

2 knobs not complicated at all, s

ive tried it with a fender super 60 rackmount head into a marshall cabinet , with a musicman custom with empg pickups, I am able to get a crunchy but light rock guitar sound.
also with a fender bassman reissue strat guitar I can get a open chord playing type of sound , kind of like guns & roses type of sound, very cool sound.
I will not do a gig or even rehearse with my band if I do not have this pedal, If you see one at a store please email so I can buy it!

new batteries do make a difference ive had it for about 4 years no problems

never dealt with them

this pedal is awsome, I play from funk to reggae to punk hardcore latin rock, if you have a overdrive pedal already add this one and it will sound better warmer, if you want to play blues this is it, whatelse can I say , after 4 or more years with it I want another one

Pretty easy to use: gain, tone and volume knobs. The yellow led makes it hard to see when the pedal is on. Eats batteries easily (so I recommend using the AC Jack).

I can get great overdriven tones using it with my Fender Deluxe Reverb RI and Gibson ES 335. It gives me an amazing tone like The Who's Live at Leeds with this setup. I've tried a lot of overdrives before I go for the Valve Tone (Ibanez TS 9, Marshall Drivemaster, Dano Daddy O, Boss ODs and Rats are some of these), but this was the only one which gave the sound I was looking for.
The bad points: it only sounds good with new batteries, so it's better use the AC adapter for a nice tone. It's a bit noisy too (probably due to cheap construction).

It doesn't seem very trusty. Seems to be made of cheap components, but in fact never had a problem with it.

I've been playing for 11 years and I play mostly pop, classic and alternative rock with this setup. If it was stolen, I'd ask an electronics expert to make a copy of it using 1st quality parts (in fact I'm considering doing this and keep this one for selling it for big bucks when it becomes a "classic", like the tubescreamer). It has a very nice tone by itself and it's well worth an upgrade.

Easy to use. All controls do what they are supposed to do, in a linear and predictable way.

I play jazz, modern type (funk and rock).
Gibson 335 or Gibson SG -> (Several effects) -> ValveTone -> (Several effects) -> Digitech 2120 (rack) -> Fender Twin Reverb
I wanted the ValveTone to help me in keeping the Twin at a low volume and still get warmth, boost and a little character in my sound. I use a lot of the tone control to help me cut thru the mix. You could leave it on all the time it would not hurt your sound (for blues and rock I leave it use on almost full time).
It has true bypass, which is a necessity for all kind of rigs. It has a little compression that makes you feel like you are playing a loaded tube. Voicings are not wide, but it gives nice power to chords and leads without sucking bass.
I compared it to almost every other pedal available, and it was second to none. Even pedals with a tube inside could not get the fantastic sound the ValveTone has. Plus it looks good and has a functional design (except for battery changing (by the way, make sure to have a fresh battery; it makes aaall the difference)). The switch makes you feel when it has "clicked" and you can easily see the "on" light.

I gigged with it 3 nights a week for months, in some really bad places. Had a few problems with jacks getting loose, but I was able to fix it on the spot. It does make an extremely annoying and dangerous POP the first time you turn it on, so I recommed turning it on and off before turning up the amp volume.

I'm from Argentina... we basically dont have customer support for anything.

Great, great pedal. You can get a lot of good sounds out of it: distortion, overdrive, booster; warmth, bite, creamy, sustain, etc., etc. You only have to be careful not to mistake "warmth" for "mud".

Strongly recommended. Any questions please email me at: dropelin@hotmail.com

Plug in, twist the three chicken head knobs and GO CAT GO!

Excellent sounding low to medium gain overdrive pedal. Smooth overdrive tones abound throughout the entire ( yes, entire ) knob sweep...except the tone control that is...I have to leave it all the way down (off) as it is a bit bright ( for my taste ) anywhere but 0. Using a homebrew USACG chambered mahogany tele with a Duncan Seth Lover humbucker ( excellent pickup by the way ) in the neck and a Duncan Lil' 59 in the bridge. I like to roll the tone control back to 1/2 - 3/4 when the valve tone is engaged. Doing this results in some of the finest, creamiest, smoothest overdrive tones this side of midnight....especailly with the Seth. This pedal seems to like tube or solid state amps equally and shines while playing crunchy chords or single note flurries. I usually have the gain anywhere from 12:00 to 4:00. I've tried to replace ( or add to the tonal spectrum of ) this fine pedal with an Ibanez Tube King, Butler Real Tube, Boss Blues Driver, Reverend Drivetrain and a few others. The Drivetrain
( first issue ) came the closest, but still did not have the pleasing tone of the VT. The Boss Blues Driver is still in use as a clean - semi / clean boost. Anything other than 9:00 on the BD and it becomes a bit fizzy / splattery. A mod by Keeley, Analogman or Doob-Tone is in order for the BD and that will be happening soon. The 8 rating in no way makes this a bad pedal. I just ordered a barber direct drive and I'm hoping that will bring a 9 - 10 rating. We shall see. Suffice to say, this is fine sounding unit. I guess it's based on a tube screamer. I vowed in the early 80's to never play a tube screamer. I played with my buddys 808 he bought in 79 - 80 and I was never that impressed with it. Of course at that time, I was running it into a clean amp and using it as a distortion pedal. It did not have near the gain or tone as my Washburn Stack-in-a-box! If it is indeed based on a TS, I guess my tastes have changed. Don Butler ( "The Tone-Man" ) will be getting this little gem in the mail soon to work his magic on it. From the reviews I've read here on Don's mod, and the kind people who have responded to my queries, it's worth the $45.00 he charges. The consencious is it makes the VT more "open" sounding, increases the range of the tone control, ( that alone would be worth it for me! ) and makes it sound more "transparent". I'm trying to figure out what transparent sounds like...if you have a clue, please let me know! One fella told me Dons mod makes it sound more like a tube amp rather than a pedal. The final result is slight, but all say it's worth it. Anything that would take this fine pedal to the next level is OK by me. I should just concentrate on my playing and leave the pedal tweaks alone.....but you know what? Damn it Jim, I'm a guitar player not a drummer! We gotta tweak, get new gear and change pickups every other week or we'll shrivel up and die!

Built like a Shrick hit brouse. You could use it open a pound of macadamia nuts, raise a welt on your forehead, frame a mini-bar, plug it in and play a White Room, Badge, Sleepy Time Time medly and not miss a beat. On top of that, it's very well constructed!

In 30 + years of playing, buying gear and managing music stores, I have NEVER sent a piece of gear back or contacted the customer service department of a company. I've been very lucky ( and blessed ) with my gear. Of course, I take excellent care of my stuff so that may have a bit to do with it.

I play the blues, worship music, gospel, old style R&B, motown soul, a bit of country, some faux jazz, ( I can fake it, but I ain't no jazz player...damn ) altered tuning original stuff and I help my friends out on their original tunes. My first love ( as it has been for over 30 years ) is the blues. With the USACG chambered Tele I just built, ( one of, if not the finest guitars I've ever played ) sweet, fat, woody, corpulent, plump, fereal and fecund tones spew forth like the creamy head on a well poured Guiness. The syncronicity of the guitar and the Valve Tone make it easy to not overplay. Like the fine Vox amp I once had the pleasue to plug in to....with touch senstivity, it becomes near effortless to play from your heart. You can say what you need to with several well chosen notes instead of fighting for tone and over playing. Anything that enhances your playing gets high marks from me.

please, I won't answer this item...

Well, Washburn Wi-64, two humbuckers, and the excellent Behringer GX210, which is the best emulation of a fender twin ever!!! The pedal is not noisy at all. I use it alone or mixed with the amp's overdrive. Despite its simplicity, you can get a really wide sort of tones, but allways with the same quality. Good sustain, creamy... don't know how to explain it, but it's very similiar to an AC-30, with that mid honk. I've have a lot of different pedals and This is my favorite one. In the store I compared with others like boss ds-1, ds-2, Ov-1, some ibanes boxes, and none of them could deffeat the vox.

well, is a vox pedal... I'm not sure if this unit can resist a nuclear assault, but for using in normal conditions I gess It'll be a god parter for a long time.

never dealt with the company.

Nothing more to say, read the guys bellow, all we agree about the incredible quality of this pedal. Great sound, great tone. I play almost everything but in the last time I've been a lot with Radiohead and the last album of Nick Cave, and this beauty do the job. It's so close to a real ac-30, that even at low gain it rings stronger than many other pedals. Maybe someday I'll buy a Big muf or a pro-co rat, just for curiosity, but the vox is my pedal.

you don't deserve to hit a stage if you're unable to use it.

this is the fifth OD/dist pedal I've owned, and search has come to an end. guys at Vox know what a tube simulation pedal has to sound like.
absolutely perfect for creamy overdriven rhythms, clearly responsive to dynamics, both w/ single coil and humbuckers.
set the gain at 0 and you'll get a clean tube channel sound, or at 3/4 to get some brit-sounding smooth grits.
as for me I guess I'll never ever switch it off.
no noise at all.

bought it four days ago.

I think I've found the only one left in my whole hometown, so I paid for it a little more than I was supposed to. but this thing is worth every single cent. I compared it with my danelectro daddy o (see my review) and the voodoo lab sparkle drive, which is a little more versatile than the v810 but almost twice the price, and I couldn't afford it. the valvetone has a honor membership in the overdrive family in my opinion, think of a ts-9 with a little more low ends (that's what I need, as I'm a natural rhythm).
brilliant, with a great personality, get one and you won't regret it.

It's real easy to use....3 knobs.

I use an LP classic with Seth Lovers through a Goldtone. It sounds pretty good, but it just didn't wow my world. I personally think it thins out my sound a little. It does the low gain to moderate overdrive ok...I prefer it to my ts-9 reissue, but it just doesn't have have enough tonal variability for me.

Seems sturdy enough.

N/A

My setup is LP->ernie ball volume->budda wah->direct drive->brotech fatpipe pro->bosss dd-5->goldtone, powered by a pedal power 2.The Vox is a respectable overdrive unit, better than a lot of others in its price range. I just got a Barber Direct Drive and I personally feel like it has a lot more tones to it than the Vox. Still, it can do a good tube sounding crunch. Check it out if you ever find it used at a pawn shop, see if it's your cup of tea.

The most difficult pedal I've ever used. You have to actually pick up your foot and press it down on a little button to turn it on, and then ( if you can believe this! ) repeat the process in order to turn it off!! Why they can't make this easier to operate is beyond me!!

I've had this solid chrome gem for 3 years now. I've tried to replace it with an Ibanez Tube King, a Danelectro Daddy-Uh Oh, a Dano Flab Tone, and a Reverend Drivetrain. The Drivetrain is the only thing that came close! The valve tone excells at mild to moderate overdrive tones. The tone control is a bit useless ( at least to me ) as I have to keep in all the way off in order to keep the warmth I like. Other than that, the tones it produces are stellar. I use an assortment of teles, a strat, a 335, a dano 12 string, a 40's Kay lap steel, a 50's Gibson lap steel, a....ah....you get the idea. The current favorite is my USACG Chambered tele with a seth lover pups. I run it into the Drivetrain + Valve tone + Diaz Tremodillo + Ibanez Chourus + Arion Stereo Delay + Ibanez Stereo Vol Pedal. I have a Digitech DigiDelay after the vol pedal run stereo into a Roland Blues Cube 60 and an old Dean Markley RD40. Just using the Valve Tone into the Vol pedal and the DigiDealy set to the Tape Echo or Solo setting is a very, very beautiful sound. I'm giving this a rating of 8..not because it's bad, but because I've yet to hear a 10 and I'm still searching! Maybe a Barber, Fulltone, et all..but for the money, this Valve Tone can't be beat! Even if I find a ten, it will still have a place of honor on my pedal board as it has a specail tone I can't get with any other pedal. Oh, what the hell...I'm giving it a 10!

I take very good care of my equiptment, so I usually have no problems. The swith does make a big ass "POP" the first time you engage the unit...then it goes away. So, the first thing I do when I set up, ( before turning up the volume ) is switch it on and off. Then, no more "POPS" during switching it on or off. Bought it new as a closeout. Last one they had and it was stuck away under the counter. I happened to see it when they were looking for something else and uncovered it. Had a $120.00 price tag on it. I offered $50.00, they said, "How about $60.00"? I said, "O.K."

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Excellent pedal. Why they discontinued it is beyond me. If I find another in the price range I paid, I'll buy it and use both of em. The Reverend Drivetrain I use in conjuntion with it is a similar excellent sounding unit. The Drivetrain has a bit more gain and more tonal variation, but the valve tone just has a sweetness I can't get out of any other pedal I've tried. It's a rich, smooth, creamy sounding pedal. I love using it with the front pickup while backing the tone control down. It also produces Rev Bill G approved pinch harmonics while using the bridge pickup. All in all, a stellar overdrive.

Great Sound! Easy to use. Three knobs. Quite self explanatory!

Sounds Great! I use ,it believe it or not, with an AC-30. It gives that extra umph! when I can't turn up the AC-30. I also use a tele, strat, and LP Standard. The Gibson is ok, but the single coil strat and tele sound amazing!

Never had a moments trouble. Great product. Heavy construction.

I e-mailed Vox about some nos mullard tubes for my AC-30, and they never e-mailed me back. Maybe they're busy!

I play Christian Rock and this pedal was one of the best investments I've made. Next to the AC-30 of course! No matter what, this pedal doesn't replace the real thing, but it still sounds great. I would replace it if it were stolen or lost. I own other overdrive pedals and they don't come close.