The Wampler Plexi-Drive British Overdrive is an overdrive pedal designed to replicate the sound of a vintage Marshall JTM45, the amp whose "Plexi" era gave the pedal its name. It is aimed at players who want that classic British amp voicing from a pedal, whether pushing an already-crunchy amp or adding grit to a clean one.1
Controls
The pedal is deliberately simple. Vintage Guitar's 2013 review described it as easy to dial in, with just three controls and a toggle1:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Gain | Sets the amount of overdrive; the reviewer found it very dynamic, with a very good clean-to-crunch range at lower gain settings1 |
| Tone | Shapes the treble response |
| Volume | Sets output level |
| Bass Boost toggle | Adds low-end girth in a big way, in the manner of a 4x12 stack1 |
The Bass Boost toggle is the pedal's answer to a common complaint about amp-in-a-box overdrives: that they can sound thin through a smaller or cleaner rig. Engaging it adds low-end in a way the reviewer compared to running a big 4x12 cabinet.1
What reviewers said
Vintage Guitar magazine reviewed the pedal in June 2013 and came away favorably. On the overall voicing, the reviewer wrote1:
"certainly, this pedal offers classic Marshall voicing that was very useful and musical with every guitar and amp combination thrown at it"1
The Plexi-Drive British Overdrive lists at $199.97 USD1. Wampler describes it as easy to dial in, with just three controls, Gain, Tone, and Volume, along with a toggle for Bass Boost, which the maker says adds low-end girth in a big, 4x12-stack way1.
The same review singled out the Gain control as very dynamic, with a very good clean-to-crunch range at lower gain settings, which matters for players who ride their guitar's volume knob or want the pedal to work as a boost into an already-driven amp.1
Where it sits in Wampler's range
The Plexi-Drive British Overdrive is part of Wampler's broader line of overdrives, which includes the Wampler Plexi-Drive and the compact Wampler Plexi-Drive Mini carrying the same British amp inspiration, alongside pedals aimed at other voicings such as the Wampler Clarksdale, Wampler Euphoria and Wampler Pantheon. For a wider view of the category, see the site's guide to Overdrive Pedals.1
Videos
Sweetwater
Wampler Pedals
N Stuff Music
Sources (1)
- Wampler Effects Pedals, Vintage Guitar magazine, 2016-08-10
