The Big Joe B-404 Vintage II, also seen as the Vintage Tube B-404, is an overdrive pedal made by Big Joe1. It is built around four tube amp profiles, which the demo channel gearmanndude described as offering "different combinations of warmth, bark, bite and attack"2. The pedal is a variant of the B-403, and like that box it is aimed at players who want pick attack and vintage tone2.
What it does
The B-404 Vintage II shapes your overdriven tone around four modeled tube amp profiles, each with its own balance of warmth, bark, bite and attack2. In gearmanndude's demo, the range runs from smooth to cutting:
"You can move from buttery smooth to razor sharp, but like the B-403, this box is still all about pick attack and vintage tone."
gearmanndude, demo video2
The pedal carries three knobs along the top plus a fourth control, the Character knob, at the bottom1. In the earlier Vintage Tube B-404 demo, gearmanndude described that Character control as being "like four different miked cabinet simulations"1, and the Presence knob as "very nice, nice and loud"1.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Output | Sets the pedal's output level2 |
| Presence | Adjusts the high-end presence; described in demo as nice and loud12 |
| Character | Selects among four different miked cabinet simulations1 |
| 4-position amp contour rotary switch | Chooses among the four amp profiles2 |
The pedal switches in and out with a true bypass footswitch, so it leaves your clean signal untouched when it is off2.
Demo video
gearmanndude's 2013 demo of the B-404 Vintage Tube 2 walks through the four amp profiles and the Output, Presence and contour switch, showing how the pedal moves between smooth and sharp voicings while keeping the emphasis on pick attack and vintage tone2.
Videos
gearmanndude
gearmanndude
Sources (2)
- Big Joe Stompboxes Vintage Tube B-404 overdrive guitar effects pedal demo, youtube.com, 2012-11-10
- Big Joe Stompbox Company B-404 Vintage Tube 2 demo with Tele, YouTube (channel: gearmanndude), 2013-11-22
