How different is the JHS Angry Charlie to the MI Audio Super Crunch Box??

[BluesHarp]

Looking to hear some comparisons on these two pedals from some people who have directly compared them in person.

I know the AC is a modded copy of the plain Crunch Box, but with the Super where does it put these two pedals?? ( AC vs Super )

 

[BluesHarp]

No one?

 

[cmog]

The Super Crunch Box has the following features that other Crunch Box clones do not and was the reason in moving to the new design:

- a Lo/Hi gain switch to provide another palette of lower gain tones
- a three-way compression switch from the classic clipping, to completely open to super-compressed and saturated.
- internal voltage multiplication from your 9V DC supply providing more headroom, clarity and response.

FYI, AC=CB so why not support the original manufacturer?

 

[BluesHarp]

I found out that it was a copy of the CB long after I bought it.

FWIW, I owned a crunchbox years ago and hated it. Could have been the one I had, or possibly the guitar, pickups, or amps I had at the time.
In fact, I would never had bought the AC if I had known that.. but im glad I didnt.. awesome high gain brown sound. Herman's clips sold me.

The AC is different than the CB, so they are not exactly identical. Presence knob is good enough reason to buy one over the other imho.

Id like to have more flexibility with this exact circuit and if the Super is better in this regard over the AC, then I will be "supporting the original manufacturer".

Best pedal wins kind of thing. Loyalty has NOTHING to do with it.

Just look at the people playing through the Jan Ray.. they just want the pedal, and loyalty falls off when the tone comes into play for 95% of all musicians.

 

[Luke V]

I found out that it was a copy of the CB long after I bought it.

FWIW, I owned a crunchbox years ago and hated it. Could have been the one I had, or possibly the guitar, pickups, or amps I had at the time.
In fact, I would never had bought the AC if I had known that.. but im glad I didnt.. awesome high gain brown sound. Herman's clips sold me.

The AC is different than the CB, so they are not exactly identical. Presence knob is good enough reason to buy one over the other imho.

Id like to have more flexibility with this exact circuit and if the Super is better in this regard over the AC, then I will be "supporting the original manufacturer".

Best pedal wins kind of thing. Loyalty has NOTHING to do with it.

Just look at the people playing through the Jan Ray.. they just want the pedal, and loyalty falls off when the tone comes into play for 95% of all musicians.

If everyone keeps buying clones, there will be no incentive for people like cmog, Paul C or other innovators to put the time and money into new designs. At that point there will be nothing new to clone. Just my opinion.

 

[BluesHarp]

Nothing we can do about it though.. this happens in a thousand different places and is part of the whole shebang. Double edge sword and there is a creative flip side that fuels the progression of technology as a whole. That said, I dont LIKE the idea that the innovators take a hit.. I for one would HATE the idea that someone is ripping my great ideas off.. but even builders will learn how to expect this and milk it for what its worth. Its been happening from the 1st pedal/amp forward if you look back. Some of the incentive is the pure enjoyment of the creating process.. not the covering your ass down the line part. Anyways.. this is all off subject if you dont mind.

 

[Luke V]

Nothing we can do about it though.. this happens in a thousand different places and is part of the whole shebang. Double edge sword and there is a creative flip side that fuels the progression of technology as a whole. That said, I dont LIKE the idea that the innovators take a hit.. I for one would HATE the idea that someone is ripping my great ideas off.. but even builders will learn how to expect this and milk it for what its worth. Its been happening from the 1st pedal/amp forward if you look back. Some of the incentive is the pure enjoyment of the creating process.. not the covering your ass down the line part. Anyways.. this is all off subject if you dont mind.

You are correct, I was off topic. Didn't mean to derail thread. I should not have posted that here. I will delete it if you wish.

 

[BluesHarp]

No its cool! Its good for me, as it bumps the thread to the top and I may get more feedback. ( which was the point, lol )

Just wouldn't like another pissing match and a thread locked because someone else hasn't had their coffe or medication yet.

 

[BluesHarp]

UP!

 

[BluesHarp]

Very surprised nobody has had these two pedals to comment..

 

[westarttodrift]

I've had to fix both... without going on a tirade on the questionable business practices of a certain company, go with the MI Crunch Box. They designed the damn thing.

 

[Rockerduck]

All overdrive and distortions pedals are clones of something else nowadays. The Crunch box is not original, they copied someone else.

 

[BluesHarp]

I've had to fix both... without going on a tirade on the questionable business practices of a certain company, go with the MI Crunch Box. They designed the damn thing.

So you can't compare the two pedals but you make time for a smartass post?

I don't care who made the "damn thing". Take your tirade and piss off.

 

[BluesHarp]

All overdrive and distortions pedals are clones of something else nowadays. The Crunch box is not original, they copied someone else.

Exactly. It's a modified version of something else.

Reminder to self. Don't feed the trolls. Check.

 

[Veritas]

I've had both the regular Crunch Box and the Angry Charlie. Honestly, I wouldn't have guessed they were supposed to be the same. I much preferred the Angry Charlie. I've never played the Super Crunch Box, I can't comment on that specific version.

 

[BluesHarp]

Right, thats why Im interested. Im very happy with the AC, but if the Super takes it a step further or is more flexible then Im interested. I will probably buy one since nobody has ever had both it seems. Even Burgs and proguitarshop couldnt comment.. but thats probably because they cant for business reasons.

 

[tbhuey]

I had a super crunch box for only a week, and now have an AC. I didn't have them both at the same time. The SC sounded great. It did rob a little low end in my setup. The power supply input was mounted crooked, and it would cut out, so I returned it. To me the AC has more gain, and it comes earlier in the sweep of the drive knob. The SC cleans up better with the guitar volume knob than the AC. I think the SC is better if you want lower gain options. I prefer the AC for higher gain, especially with humbuckers. They are definitely not the same.

 

[BluesHarp]

Which had the better overall tone at low gain, or do you remember? How in the eq were they different? Or how in mojo were they different?

"they are definitely not the same" makes me think there were some significant differences.

Also.. how much "less" bass did the super have do you think? Low low mids, or bass?

I use the AC with gain from noon to about 3 oclock. So, high gain is my goal but not too congested or with too much background hiss.

I learned that the AC likes humbuckers best.. but it still rocks with singles. Humbuckers in bridge position are just better suited for high gain.

 

[caiokiss]

I had both at the same time, sold the Super crunchbox and still use the Angry Charlie. I can't exlain why with words, but it just sounds better to my ears.

 

[tbhuey]

I wish I had them at the same time to compare. Bothe EQ's worked well as they both had presence and tone controls. To me the SC just sounded a bit thinner, and cut a little of the bass. For lower gain or cleanup, go for the SC though, the AC doesn't do that very well. Honestly, when I sent back my SC, I thought they were going to send me a replacement. They ended up just crediting my card and so I just moved on to try something else. It did concern me regarding the power jack issue though, enough to make me leery about buying used. If you want balls out JCM800, get the AC. If you want more flexibility, go SC.