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Marshall BB2 Bluesbreaker II Overdrive Pedal

The Marshall Bluesbreaker II is just like 2 pedals in 1, a hot boost to give your solos that extra lift, or a truly valve-like overdrive, so rich in 2nd order harmonics that it'll make you weep and wail. Having a completely passive bypass means that you don't lose a single drop of your real guitar tone too! Learn More...

    • New $69.95
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Overall User Ratings

Overall:
* * * * * * * . . . 7 out of 10
Features:
* * * * * * * * . . 8 out of 10
Quality:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10
Value:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10
I Want It:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10
Sound:
* * * * * * * * . . 8 out of 10
Ease of Use:
* * * * * . . . . . 5 out of 10
Support:
* * * * * * * * . . 8 out of 10

Individual User Ratings

Overall:
* * * * . . . . . . 4 out of 10
Features:
* * * * * * * * . . 8 out of 10
Quality:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
Value:
* * * * * * * * . . 8 out of 10
I Want It:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
Ease of Use:
* . . . . . . . . . 1 out of 10

Feature:
4 Knobs is OK...Little EQ range...

Quality:
One of the more robust pedal i've seen in 30+ years...Nice but not logical design (you have to go real near to see the little markers,pots are too close from each other.etcetera...

Value:
The value it's fine... You get a pedal for a life and maybe you are lucky to find how to ilk its best...

Desirability:
I already said it is very appealing... Nothing to compare with BD-2 and such (DOD)... Just the Bad Monkey is as strong and a better OD... The BBE might the the best of those three but it is ugly looking...

Sound:
This BB-2 is not even the shadow of the original black cased "blues breaker pedal" (if you can get one, stop reading and go get it!!!... Nevertheless is a good fighter in its own league... It is waaay better than, lets say, a BOSS BD-2 (nicer design, more control, boost function intended to push valve amps, etc.)'cause it delivers clearer & more defined chords, and... well...not much more... This pedal goes crazy and just can´t give you a mild blues sound with a humbucker p/upin front of it... Anyway, it works for great for heavier sounds... You - youngsters-have to realize that a pedal like VoodooLab or Barber "will be twice the price", but they give you much more than,let's say, a BOSS BD-2 which is a ridicuosly overrated unit... It's like everyone is hypnotized and do not realize about how much it sucks... In the economic league there are alternatives like Digitech (yep,Digitech) Bad Monkey (40 bucks) or BBR "Green Screamer" (99 bucks)... They both are great,and years ahead of ibanez and BOSS...

Ease of Use:
It goes wild with the drive control at 2...It should be called "The Jimy Hendrix Blues Pedal"...

Support:
I do not have any experience...

Overall:
I'm always buying pedals... I'll keep this and maybe one day give away to a good young player who likes it and needs it...

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Overall:
* * * * * * * * . . 8 out of 10
Features:
* * * * * * * . . . 7 out of 10
Quality:
* * * * * * * . . . 7 out of 10
Value:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10
I Want It:
* * * * * * * . . . 7 out of 10
Sound:
* * * * * * * * . . 8 out of 10
Ease of Use:
* * * * * * * * . . 8 out of 10
Support:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10

Feature:
You can use the clean boost setting to drive your pedals a little more, especially if you have a few in the chain. It would be much better with two switches, so you don't have to reach down and flip it over manually.

Quality:
Seems very tough, solid metal casing. I would rely on it, very little that could go wrong.

Value:
Value is highly subjective, but it is a very good price. They're cheap. If you like its characteristic tone, then it is good value.

Desirability:
It's not a particularly appealing product in itself. I don't especially like the way it looks. Kinda retro, but not in a cool way. It's just a tool, not a fashion accessory.

Sound:
I use this pedal in conjunction with a Voodoo Lab Sparkle Drive, which is a more versatile unit. The Marshall gives me fuller, dirtier, higher-gain with that characteristic rough-textured tone. I use it for a straight-out rock sound. A Marshall sound! It is not the same as having a 'Marshall Stack in a pedal', but it does give an approximation of it, if you don't use Marshall amps - I use Fenders and Boogies. It colours your tone, even on the 'Clean Boost' setting, but that's the whole point. It's not particularly subtle and if you don't like a Marshall tone, then you won't like this pedal.

Ease of Use:
Very easy - see above comments.

Support:
Never dealt with the company on this particular product, but if you live in the UK, Marshall after-sales is second to none. You can make an appointment to take your amp to their HQ in Bletchley and they will fix and rebuild it for you, for the price of the parts only.

Overall:
I have had this pedal a while, and it has been in and out of my rig over that time. I would not use it as my exclusive overdrive pedal, cos it's not very versatile. I use it at the moment specifically for a growly, classic rock sound.

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Overall:
* * * * * * * * . . 8 out of 10
Features:
* * * * * * . . . . 6 out of 10
Quality:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
Value:
* * * * * * * . . . 7 out of 10
I Want It:
* * * * * * * . . . 7 out of 10
Sound:
* * * * * * * . . . 7 out of 10
Support:
* * * * * . . . . . 5 out of 10

Feature:
It's got the esencial, that is why I dont give a 10. Besides, it is above the average, so,... Well, the boost option, which is the one I really use, and the Blues option... Tone control, gain control an volume...

Quality:
The best made pedals ever... Marshall... I have not tryed a ElectroHarmonix yet, but the marshall affects are well built and their appeal is nice.

Value:
a little bit over priced.

Desirability:
I could've waited to try something different, but I'm happy with it.

Sound:
Well, this is a subjective point. I like it, but I use a Mahogany Stratocaster and a Bassman. So, what can I say, maybe it is not the same for those who got a Gorila 10" amp... What I mean is that the sound depends on the gear you use.

Support:
Have not dealt with Marshall...

Overall:
Buy a Guv'nor. You can get the same sounds and heavy stuff also. I mean, The BluesBraker was made just to give money to those who invented it. The Guv'nor Can do the same thing easyly and it is much more pedal than the BluesBraker... I play Blues, and I rather the Guv'nor...Happy??

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