How Great Are The Marshall Drive Pedals? Blues Breaker and The Guv'nor

In today's video, Paul Drew and James Ivey test the new Marshall Blues breaker pedal and compare it to an original The guvnor and a mid 90's Guvnor Plus pedal.
The Studio Rats are core band members Paul Drew on guitar/production/mixing, drummer James Ivey and Dan Hawkins on bass. They collaborate with singers and musicians to produce radio-ready songs.
#marshall #marshallbluesbreaker #marshalltheguv'nor

[@erikr968]

When demoing the bypassed tone - DON'T PLAY SOFT! Attack the strings just as hard as you do with the pedal on! I want to hear how much breakup there is in the bypassed tone. That has a huge impact on what the end result is when the pedal is on.

[@IamMusicNerd]

The Bluesbreaker is an all time classic for a reason. It’s awesome. But there is also a reason so many pedal builders made modifications to it rather than cloning it exactly. It lacked a little punch in certain areas. Which is why I still prefer some alternatives such as the KoT and Protein. But it is the OG, and it’s great.

[@jeffdubuque3755]

the vick audio mount plesent is great also

[@Joeman7890]

That’s an interesting philosophy about vintage gear. 🤔

[@sroelit]

The BluesBreaker is my favorite circuit-with single coils it’s the way I want a guitar to sound.

[@Sixstringer666]

Guys you need to set the Guv 2 as per Dave Simpson reccomended settings. Turn bass off, turn up sub bass, lower treble and raise mids ( its a freq sweep ) then boost it a little. Its based on their JCM 800. The Jack hammer is absed on a JCM900, see Dave's settings for that too.

[@JasonWharton82]

I got both recently too, really love the bluesbreaker.

[@Mcqlfc]

I had an original Guv'nor in the very early 90s. Some scumbag stole it and then I found another but a few components had had it so I replaced them with original spec parts and my Gary Moore box is back! Great pedal. Glad they have reissued these iconic pedals.

[@benharris5210]

I told myself i wouldn't buy anymore drive pedals for ages. I made the mistake of trying the Guvnor after seeing my local music shop only had a couple left, needless too say i tried it and ending up walking out with it and don't regret it at all, definitely lives up to the legend that surrounds it.

[@jcugnoni]

Maybe a bit late but always great ! Your videos are always such good representations of the products you test, the playing is great and the sound quality is top notch.

[@circleoftreesmusic]

So grateful for ALL the videos, they afford insights and access to gear some may never get the opportunity to touch. Having watched so many of them, it truly drives home the point that players sound like themselves regardless of the gear… and that many of us are so infinitely (and ridiculously) persnickety about things that 99.9999999% of the audience would never hear in a show or a recording :). I am super guilty, having wasted years in pursuit of a fraction of a percent , and I have the tinnitus to prove it!!! :) Seems to me, what we are really after is gear that inspires us, and if you watch Paul’s reactions, you can see immediately when something doesn’t hit the mark. When they go to the second pedal, watch his facial expression… and yet, sit was a o hard to hear thru a pair of ear buds, what exactly he reacts to, just that it isn’t right to him. So great to see in real time! But here again… same licks, same attack, same killer hands, same approach to getting a familiar tone, directed 100% by Paul’s ears and senses right back to himself and his tone… I can recognize his sound anywhere!!!! (Kudos, by the way, for having achieved that… truly!!!) So here’s a heap of gratitude for all you guys do, seriously fantastic… And forgive, but I cannot waltz past the making of serious and thunderous rock tones in moccasin slippers?!?! um… :).

[@circleoftreesmusic]

typo correction at end of 2nd pgh... "it was so heard to hear"... Siri is drunk :).

[@jimsimmons2674]

Bluesbreaker was my favorite,I just loved that tone!The Guvnor was ok but there was an overload in the gain that sounded like audio clipping to me,the Guvnor 2 was not as bright sounding but still sounded ok.

[@JoaoMarcelo_1]

I remember asking you guys on a live stream, back in 2022, why Marshall doesn't bring back the Blues Breaker pedal since each brand has their own version. Well, I think Marshall watches The Studio Rats!

[@marshallamps]

You're not wrong 👀👀👀

[@PhreddCrintt]

Excellent guys. I have one of the Reissue Guv'nors and love it. I need to get the Reissue Blues breaker now.

[@pstreetblues]

I agree with Paul. The Gov'nor 2 is rubbish. Bought one 20 years ago. Just bought the Bluesbreaker reissue and love it.

[@tonystartup3817]

The guv'nor 2 is basically the same circuit as the guv'nor with the added deep circuit - there's just some component values that are like 10x off of the original. Whether this was accidental or intentional is anyone's guess

[@aquilarossa5191]

Underdrive? Underdrive, overdrive, dumbling free, the Dumbles of... etc, etc (you might need to be English and over 40 to get the joke). P.S. What's with putting on the funny voice when saying what folks in Milton Keynes might think? I am one of them. How dare you! I am in NZ for yonks now. No concrete cows here and guitar stuff costs way more, e.g., a Les Paul Standard is 45% more.

[@alanwilson1724]

The compressor in the "tank" series is the ED-1 Edward the Compressor.

[@DBroce]

Great video. I’ve been eyeing used Gov’s for years. Is there some magic crystals in the original compared to the new version?

[@danjudson5661]

I don’t have the originals to compare but the gov 2 booklet has all the settings and played into the fender bass breaker 007 with low gain and low vol settings it sounds good. The BB2 pedal is not so good the jack hammer is ok. The regenerator pedal is good too.

[@brandonnelson7489]

Where can I get the gov’nor booster pedal for the katana I have seen you use in other videos.

[@garyslash7552]

You guys are so funny! And you absolutely know what you're doing. I guess you could make almost every piece of gear sound great

[@giulioluzzardi7632]

The new version is brill, it boosts the Fender tone without getting too fuzzy like an amp doez when you turn it up...the "Blues Breaker".

[@donharrison295]

I changed out the led's in the Gov'nor II for clipping diodes and everything fell into place.

[@MrMalq]

Ohhhh that tele is a machine!

[@denbodg9311]

I have the BB-2, the GV-2, and now, the Bluesbreaker reissue. The re-issue is much better than the BB-2 in my opinion. I missed out on the Guv’nor reissue, but I have one on order. From what I’ve seen &heard it’s superb & easier to dial in than the GV-2.

[@ggguitarra]

The GV-1 is better than the GV-2?

[@denbodg9311]

@@ggguitarra Sorry but I don’t know, I waited so long I cancelled the order.

[@mitchbray-ft9df]

Great video! Can you do a comparison to see how close the GT-1000 core algorithms get to the reissued pedals?!

[@Place_to_keep_videos]

Is the JHS Channel on the Boss Angry Driver not a Guv'nor in a Boss enclosure? Is it a derivative circuit? Thinking over getting the Guv'nor but I have the Angry Driver already. I love collecting, but I'm trying to be smart about my collection. Thanks!

[@mightymikeamps9317]

I just received the Shredmaster… I sounds great in front of a Marshall too.

[@mantashaft]

looking forward to this one

[@neatspy]

Hey apologies if you have already but would love to see you publish a video about your Esquire. It’s sounds phenomenal in every video.

[@TheStudioRats]

I think i might of done some time ago, if not ill do one.

[@neatspy]

@@TheStudioRats legend thanks.

[@neatspy]

@@TheStudioRats and btw, I’ve just ordered a Bluesbreaker. Your fault. :)

[@garthwick19]

Had an original uk gunvor in the early 00's. Sold it for comparative peanuts to what i would get now😢😢😢

[@James-kj9hw]

I think you should try the shredmaster again. Last time you turned the contour knob the wrong way and scooped all the mids out.

[@stoofbuis]

that tele sound.......divine,.....what P U's please ? mine has the tele texas specials, and no way i have that sound.......nice review AND play !

[@onefatstratcat]

Thank you Gov'ner!

[@ulfdanielsen6009]

Since I already have the Bluesbreaker II, The Guv´nor II and the Jackhammer it feels to me like I don´t really need the reissues to feel good about myself and my GAS. Maybe the Shredmaster to replicate the tones of the Shredmasters of yore,- the late 80s-early 90s supershredders that eclipsed modern guitar playing and haven´t been touched since exept for maybe people like Tosin Abasi, Tim Henson and nutcases like Matthias IA Eklund. BB II for Rootsy blues rock character, Guv´nor for 80s NWOBHM tones and The Jackhammer for replicating the glory of the scooped monster gain tones of the Marshall Mode Four. Vintage Peavey single channel tube amps as my pedal platforms. Nah,- I´m good. Don´t need another fashion statement.

[@seventwistsclockwise]

@6:50 shed seven fan?

[@Abutado]

Did you play the "bag of tricks" from crossroads?

[@jesperrodkjrpedersen7073]

Try the Joe Simon mod on the GV-2 and then compare it to the original Guv'nor. There's a video on KZbin about the mod.

[@michelvondenhoff9673]

Well if a re-issue sounds 100% identical isn't that important as long it sounds good. The middle pedal Marshall can rebadge as "Not A Guv'ner".

[@ggguitarra]

i liked the GV-2. Am I deaf?

[@markseymour8365]

I used to use a Guv'nor into a Marshall 2x12 combo back in the late 80s. Great sounding setup. The Marshall had no master volume, which was why I needed something to push it.

[@BradRocker]

That your studio James? If so I want you to build my studio. i'm liking the thickness of the Gov 2

[@LocationRecordings]

Yes that is my studio. You like it?

[@BradRocker]

@@LocationRecordings Yes, very sharp looking. super well organized.

[@LocationRecordings]

@@BradRocker thanks so much.

[@PauloVitordesigner]

What model Fender do you have?

[@karenmullins9356]

Sorry unrelated. Is boss katana artist better than the line 6 vetta? New su scriber

[@greggallo5352]

Is that govnor a reissue? Thank you

[@TheStudioRats]

It’s an original one

[@Jshortca]

seems like the guv'nor had a fair bit of noise.

[@onefatstratcat]

The Gov II if great is you have a small thin sounding amp

[@kmichaelp4508]

Ah ha! Same sweater. I know I know 😂

[@jasper221176]

Can you setup de guvnor to sound like a the Bluesbreaker?!

[@TheStudioRats]

I don’t think so, the blues breaker is soft clipping while the Guv is not.

[@jameselliano1203]

I tried and previously owned the governor. It was shit then and may sound better now but not when I owned one 15 years ago. Who knows.

[@mightymikeamps9317]

What amp did you play it into?

[@NapsterRulez]

Coach Greg intro? Weird to see if I'm honest..

[@KM-302]

I don't understand the hype. Disliked the originals. Always thought they were underwhelming pedals. Plus they were never great sellers. I remember these sitting on shelves in shops gathering dust back in the day, no-one bothered with them after the first year or two. These reissues sound just as poor to me. I'll take many other drive pedals over these. Marshall make good amps but shouldn't make pedals.

[@mikethebloodthirsty]

John Mayer pushed up the prices... And the hype. I think they'd be ok for 130, but at almost 200, not for me.

[@keithweist3879]

It's a little bright because you are using a Telecaster! Why aren't you using humbuckers when demoing high gain sounds? At least use a Strat. Heavy tone pro players are 90% humbucker users including Angus Young! Those high notes on your Telecaster through the Guv'nor are shrill and terrible

[@TheStudioRats]

I wish I was a pro.

[@user-gl1zx2rk6i]

Chinese gov sounds great

[@ILoveHellas]

The Blues Breaker sounds great !!