The Harley Benton Crunch Distortion is a compact distortion pedal aimed at players who want a lot of gain in a small box. Harley Benton describes it as "a true rocker that feels right at home in any style from classic rock to metal," and says it has "enormous gain reserves, while the tone control does more than just cut or boost high frequencies." It sits in the maker's distortion line alongside pedals like the Extreme Metal and Rodent, and the wider family of distortion pedals.1
Controls and sound
The pedal keeps things simple with three controls: Drive, Tone and Volume, used to dial in the sound.1 Harley Benton's own description points to two things a player will notice: the amount of gain on tap, and a tone control that the maker says does more than a simple treble cut or boost.1
Power and what is in the box
The Crunch Distortion runs on either a 9V battery or a 9V mains adapter. Neither is included with the pedal, so you will need to supply your own power.1
No battery and no power adapter come with the pedal. If you plan to run it on a pedalboard supply, make sure you have a 9V output available.
Size and build
The pedal measures 38 x 64 x 118 mm, height by width by depth, and Harley Benton describes it as rugged-built with a metal enclosure.1
What owners say
On Harley Benton's own product page, the pedal is rated 4.3 out of 5 from 312 reviews, with 4.3 out of 5 for features and 4.4 out of 5 for handling. The breakdown runs to 148 five-star, 121 four-star, 37 three-star, 6 two-star and 0 one-star reviews.1
Videos
EytschPi42
Andrea Maria Corrado
HarryAndAGuitar
Questions
Is the Harley Benton Crunch Distortion true bypass?
Yes. Harley Benton lists the Crunch Distortion as true bypass, meaning the pedal takes itself out of the signal path entirely when switched off, so your guitar's signal reaches the amp unaltered.
Does the Harley Benton Crunch Distortion run on a battery?
It can. Harley Benton specifies operation with a 9V battery or a 9V mains adapter, but neither is included with the pedal, so you will need to supply one or the other yourself.
Does the Crunch Distortion come with a power adapter?
No. The pedal runs on a 9V mains adapter or a 9V battery, and Harley Benton states that both are not included, so plan to add a power supply if you do not already have one.
How big is the Harley Benton Crunch Distortion pedal?
Harley Benton gives the dimensions as 38 x 64 x 118 mm, measured height by width by depth, so it is a compact stompbox that fits easily on a pedalboard.
Is the Harley Benton Crunch Distortion pedal made of metal?
Yes. Harley Benton describes the pedal as rugged-built with a metal enclosure.
Sources (1)
- Crunch Distortion, Harley Benton (harleybenton.com)
