The Tone Box Skull Crusher is an overdrive pedal from Tone Box, Inc. built into a skull-shaped metal enclosure, with the jacks and controls worked into the sculpture itself. Premier Guitar's reviewer rated it 5 out of 5 and named it a Premier Gear award winner1.
The skull enclosure
The Skull Crusher does not look like a pedal. The ins and outs sit on either side of the skull, where the ears would be, and the controls are on the back of the skull. An AC adapter input is on the right bottom of the face1.
The stomp switch is at the top of the skull. When engaged, it lights a blue LED by the switch and makes the eyes glow red at the same time1.
At 3 lbs, the reviewer called it remarkably heavy1. It is a large, dense metal housing rather than a standard stompbox, so plan your board's real estate and weight accordingly.
Controls and voicings
The pedal has three controls plus a boost mode1:
- Voicing: a 4-way knob selecting among Clear, Ice, Chains and Body voicings
- Tone: standard tone control
- Gain: gain knob
- Turbo Boost mode: an additional mode alongside the four voicings
Who built it and what reviewers said
Premier Guitar's review credits the pedal to John Kasha, described as being of Rockmod and Quickmod fame1. The reviewer's overall verdict was that the Skull Crusher is a 5 out of 5 and a Premier Gear award winner1.
Videos
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Questions
Who designed the Tone Box Skull Crusher?
Premier Guitar's review credits the pedal to John Kasha, described as being of Rockmod and Quickmod fame. The pedal is sold under the Tone Box, Inc. name, and the review presents Kasha as the builder behind the Skull Crusher overdrive.
How much does the Skull Crusher pedal weigh?
Premier Guitar's reviewer describes the Skull Crusher as remarkably heavy, weighing 3 lbs. That weight comes from its metal skull enclosure, which is far larger and denser than a standard stompbox housing, so it is worth factoring into a pedalboard's load.
Where are the inputs on the Skull Crusher pedal?
The input and output jacks sit on either side of the skull, where the ears would be, and the controls are on the back of the skull. The AC adapter input is on the right bottom of the face, and the stomp switch is at the top.
How much does the Tone Box Skull Crusher cost?
Premier Guitar lists the Skull Crusher at an MSRP of $399. The pedal is offered in four finishes: Stainless Steel, Gun Metal, Aged and Ancient.
Sources (1)
- Tone Box Skull Crusher Overdrive Pedal Review, Premier Guitar, 2010-02-11