I have to laugh when a new Marshall-inspired pedal comes out and it makes the rounds on YouTube – someone makes a great demo, someone else makes a decent demo, people review it and call it one of the best Marshall-in-a-box pedals out there, and none of them come right out and speak of the elephant in the room: These people are making COMMERCIALS. You’re not watching a “pedal demo,” you’re watching an advertisement. It’s funny how we lose sight of that. It also follows that the second biggest elephant in the room is that the pedal market has been beyond saturated for years now. We don’t need another Marshall in a box that sounds like other Marshall in a box pedals. Or even one that sounds different. There are easily over 100 Marshall in a box pedals. Small builders come and go every week. NOT a good market to get into.
There IS room in the modelling arena, though. We have about 5 companies that are big names. But that’s a lot harder to get into, due it its technical nature.
Who is watching pedal demos at this point? Lots of people. But why? Let’s say you want to get a Marshall in a box pedal. Have you explored modelling? Do you already own an amp? Does the distortion in your amp suck (in other words, do you own any Fender except the BluesBreaker or Supersonic?). Doesn’t it make sense to get an amp that sounds like what you want it to sound like? The market for Marshall in a box pedals are people who dislike their amps. It’s amazing how good these pedals can sound, but ultimately, it’s a cheap way to get the sound your amp should already have.
There are exceptions. Say you have a Marshall DSL 40. Neat amp. Does the Marshall thing already. Suppose you’re in a cover band and you want to sound like Brian May for one song. Well, you could get a Vox in a box pedal, and that might make sense. You know what would make even more sense? Modelling. There’s a reason so many pros are using modellers. Your Marshall will be on a noisy stage with an old SM57 on it, probably pointed at your ankles, and the sound through the PA will be that SM57 on that noisy stage. You’re competing with guys who are sending the PA a far, far better sounding modelled signal. Bands with low stage volume have massive advantages over bands with cranked amps. I’d say it’s the future, but it’s the present.
Dirt pedals will always be there. They can sound fantastic. I’ve owned several good ones. But the future is modelling. Perhaps the next big Marshall in a box will be a pedal with modelled dirt amps in it. With two outputs – one for the amp and one for the front of house. And maybe if you’ve gone that far, you could include some models of other pedals, too. And then you’ve invented the HX Stomp.
