History of
MARSHALL PEDALS
PART 3
Posted: 13th December 2022
Marshall pedals have dominated the market for many decades. In this article, we will be looking at the more modern pedals Marshall has made Mark II series and the DRP-1.
Read time: 3 mins
Posted: 13th December 2022
Marshall pedals have dominated the market for many decades. In this article, we will be looking at the more modern pedals Marshall has made Mark II series and the DRP-1.
Read time: 3 mins
The Mark I series aimed to recreate the sound of Marshall amps in pedals, but their success actually came from offering something different that wasn’t available elsewhere. The DRP-1, however, was a pre-amp that effectively recreated the tone of the JCM800 2203. The DRP-1 used micro-electronic techniques to emulate the tone and feel of a typical Marshall, so when placed in front of an amp, it provided plenty of tonal options. It also allowed players to have that Marshall sound without having to carry their full rig around, as it could be plugged straight into a PA or could be played silently thanks to its headphone socket.
Opinions were mixed, with some players loving the DRP-1, whilst others claimed its sound was disappointing. Sales were also uninspiring, but the DRP-1 allowed us to introduce new technology and offer players exciting alternatives to what had come before.
The late 90s saw pedal use and demand from guitarists increase and players wanted to have complete control over their sound. The Mark II pedals allowed just that.
Six pedals were initially released in 1998. Amongst the first releases were the ‘Guv’nor II’ and the ‘Bluesbreaker II’, which were re-imaginings of the original versions of those pedals. Also forming part of the initial release were the heavy distortion ‘Jackhammer’, the switchable vibrato/tremolo ‘Vibratrem’, the dreamy ‘Supervibe’ chorus and fully flexible ‘Compressor’. Later additions were ‘Echohead’ delay, ‘Reflector’ reverb and ‘Regenerator’, which combined a chorus, phased and flanger into one handy package.
The Mark II range of pedals were affordable, reliable and wide-ranging. Demand meant that these were consistently produced for 20 years, since first being introduced, and will undoubtedly be on plenty of pedalboards for many years to come.
And that's the story of the Marshall pedals, from the 1960s all the way up to the 2010s.