The J Rockett Audio Designs Tour Series .45 Caliber is an overdrive pedal with a specific target: rather than delivering generic dirt, it aims to nail the classic Marshall 1962 JTM45 tone, the amp behind a whole school of British rhythm playing1. It was announced in June 2016 as the fourth product release of the Tour Series line2.
What it does
J Rockett namechecks two touchstones as the inspiration for the pedal: Malcolm Young's rhythm crunch, and Pete Townshend's sound on The Who's Live At Leeds1. In other words, this is an overdrive aimed at big, open rhythm tones rather than singing lead gain, and it sits in the overdrive camp rather than that of distortion or fuzz.
MusicRadar's reviewer put a '67 Gibson SG Jr into it for what they called a classic Townshend vibe, and their verdict was blunt: "Superb for classic rock tones."1
Where it sits in the Tour Series
The .45 Caliber was the fourth release in the Tour Series line, announced by Premier Guitar on 14 June 201621. The line continued to grow: later in 2016, Premier Guitar reported the fifth Tour Series release3. J Rockett's wider overdrive range includes pedals such as the Archer, The Dude and El Hombre, each with its own take on drive and boost.
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Sources (3)
- J Rockett Audio Designs Tour Series .45 Caliber review, MusicRadar, 2016-07-28
- J. Rockett Launches .45 Caliber Overdrive Pedal, Premier Guitar, 2016-07-13
- J. Rockett Audio Designs Unveils the Hooligan Fuzz, Premier Guitar, 2016-08-12
