Mesa Boogie Throttle Box Pedal Review!!

In this video I review the Mesa Boogie Throttle Box overdrive/distortion pedal. Front knobs and gain toggle. A/B comparison for the internal boost switch. I created short backing tracks with drums and bass of well-known songs so we can compare the tones we get with this pedal with the ones on the original songs. I did that for:
Low Setting: Shine, Collective Soul
Medium Setting: My Hero, Foo Fighters
High gain Setting: Higher, Creed
High Gain Boosted with overdrive setting: Last Resort, Papa Roach
High Gain with EQ pedal: Battery, Metallica
Signal flow: Epiphone Les Paul Tribute 60, Seymour Duncan Alnico II pros, Modded Jet City JCA2212, Celestion V30, Sennheiser e609, Focusrite Scarlett 2i2, Reaper
Drums: EZ Drummer2 Mixed by DAN MENDEZ, thanks brother!!!!!
Bass: Ample Sound AMR2

[@bogeaqYT]

Congratulations, you have the best demo of this pedal on KZbin. Bonus points for Half Life shirt. Thanks a lot!

[@alverduratonejunkiealveram1017]

Thanks man I appreciate it. Half Life was THE GAME, I didn't play it, I lived it 🤣🤣🤣

[@redseadiver43]

Agree 💯%

[@EerieBetrayal]

loved the song choices! great review too

[@alverduratonejunkiealveram1017]

Thanks buddy!!!!

[@JonnyLynn]

Best review I saw!!!! Loved it man

[@alverduratonejunkiealveram1017]

The Rock Train thanks brother I appreciate it. Ive been busy with work but there is more to come

[@ericchng6102]

Appreciate your effort for a very indepth review on this pedal.

[@alverduratonejunkiealveram1017]

Eric Chng Thanks man! I'm glad you enjoy the review

[@ericchng6102]

Al Verdura Tone Junkie, I bought a used Throttle Box and use it like a preamp with the Throttle Box output connected to the return of the effects loop of my 1982 Mesa Boogie Mark II bypassing the preamp section of the Mark II. Try it you may like it.

[@alverduratonejunkiealveram1017]

Eric Chng Man I've never done that but I'm going to try it!!!!!!!. Thanks bro!!!

[@bcm1621]

Excellent demo, thank you!

[@alverduratonejunkiealveram1017]

You're welcome!!!

[@kingear519]

Hell. Yes. You had me at animals by nickelback. Amazing demo. Subscribing immediately!

[@alverduratonejunkiealveram1017]

Thanks my friend 😊

[@raulgonzalez4432]

I don't think I need to see another video after this one. I'm convinced and I'm buying it...

[@adanhessen3326]

Awesome review my friend! Thank you!

[@alverduratonejunkiealveram1017]

You're welcome buddy!

[@rogerwarde1131]

definatly best utube vid ,im on the fence about this pedalonly because of the price ,but i am tempted ,nice job al

[@alverduratonejunkiealveram1017]

Thanks man!!! I bought it used for 125$

[@danramblesrawk]

I bought this pedal because of this video and then had a crazy time trying to re-find the video to nail the Metallica sound. My cover band thanks you!

[@alverduratonejunkiealveram1017]

LOL no problem my friend. I´m glad that it was helpful!!!!!!

[@harllenalves9086]

Very nice video. So useful. Thanks !!

[@alverduratonejunkiealveram1017]

It's a pleasure, you're welcome

[@davidwalker41]

Great review!

[@alverduratonejunkiealveram1017]

Thanks!!!

[@TheAlbiCollier]

Bloody best reveiw brilliant~

[@alverduratonejunkiealveram1017]

Thanks man!

[@michaelbrookins2720]

Nailed it on battery great playing man

[@alverduratonejunkiealveram1017]

Thanks man!!

[@shelbyrawlins314]

Great video! Can’t wait to hear how this sounds on my new Hotrod Deluxe?

[@alverduratonejunkiealveram1017]

Mostlikely it's going to sound awesome!

[@arkavagoswami3068]

Best review yet..Plz demo mooer micro preamp 008 Cali mk3

[@alverduratonejunkiealveram1017]

Arkava Goswami thank you very much! I've been looking forward to trying those mooer pedals. When I get the chance to test one I will!

[@MK-oz2lf]

you could try a noise gate pedal with an overdrive

[@Mrwonson3]

Hey great videos brother. But how did you come up with back tracks to include other instrument minus guitar to jam with it?

[@alverduratonejunkiealveram1017]

Thanks J!! I made the tracks myself using midi drums. It is a lot of fun 🤣

[@johnvarcoe1821]

Wicked pedal I use the flux drive in front of it, designed to work together I believe

[@alverduratonejunkiealveram1017]

I have never tried that one but I've always heard good opinions about it

[@Thematchma69]

Great demo!, nice animals cover btw 😂❤

[@alverduratonejunkiealveram1017]

Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it

[@alga1309]

Nivel vídeo! What are you achieving putting that eq after the pedal?

[@alverduratonejunkiealveram1017]

Well, you know mesa boogie mark amps have an extra 5 band Eq. This extra EQ is active, which allows you to cut those frequencies but also boost them!! Obviosly this gives you more control. That is how you can get the trash metal sound but it is not a commom feature in amps so an EQ will do the trick. For this particular case I was trying to see if combining the throttle box with te eq pedal I could get a less rectifier sound and more mark sound instead.

[@oldguyjammin9732]

The mid cut and tone knob aren’t very responsive it seems...? Well wait, on the high gain side they seem to have more range... interesting. Love my Flux Drive and am wondering if I’d like this. Think I need on :)

[@alverduratonejunkiealveram1017]

Yeah that pedal doesn't shine on the lower gain mode

[@woodward_alan]

What does it sound like to run the throttle box through a Mark v? I think this option provides the most options but haven't tried it.

[@alverduratonejunkiealveram1017]

Alan Woodward I personally haven't tried it. I read once a comment somewhere about somebody that had a mark v and used the throttle box on the clean channel to get that "rectifier" flavor. Thanks for your comment buddy!

[@mathiasbjork8633]

It would be great if that pedal had a "both" switch for playing true bypass and distortion at once, blending the tones.

[@alverduratonejunkiealveram1017]

That would be interesting

[@Yam09G]

Very great review ! What was your mic setup ? Off axis? Close or away from the HP?

[@alverduratonejunkiealveram1017]

Yam09G thanks man!. Yeah I used the sennheiser e609 off axis. I tried to get the sound as close as what I was hearing in the room. I put more details on the description of the video

[@Yam09G]

Al Verdura Tone Junkie also I notice that using 9V battery I didn't have the same sound at all than with power supply, fizzy and a lot of trebble !? Did you have the same issue?

[@alverduratonejunkiealveram1017]

Yam09G yes it sounded like crap when I used the battery specially on the lower gain setting

[@Brad143]

Hi,between throttle box and Wampler dracarys which One is more better,think to buy after this thanks.

[@alverduratonejunkiealveram1017]

Man, I haven´t tried that one. I remember that when I was looking to buy this type of pedal I was also searching for the wampler dual wreck but that is an old and discontinued model so I got this one. I believe the dracarys suppose to be more modern sounding, more gain style 5150 or so. The throttle box is more rectifierish.

[@mad4669]

Where did you get that cool lil pedal stand?

[@alverduratonejunkiealveram1017]

LOL somebody left it behind, I think is like a business card holder, most likely you can find it an office supply store

[@jamesmclean6568]

Are you suggesting a real dual rectifier would sound better? I play a peavey XXL, which sounds awesome, but thought about getting a rectifier. Should I save the cash and get the pedal?

[@alverduratonejunkiealveram1017]

Well, If my main tone that I would use like 80% of the time would be the rectifier tone I would get a rectifier amplifier. If you like the rectifier sound only for certain things then this pedal could be a great tool. Keep im mind that the sound of a pedal also depends on the clean channel of your amplifier and not all clean channels make pedals sound good so there is no guarantee

[@markkromer1238]

So I have a Mesa Double Rectifier--can I still benefit from using this?

[@alverduratonejunkiealveram1017]

If you have a dual rectifier you don't need this pedal. This is for someone that plays through a Fender amp and wants some kind of "rectifier tone" but there is nothing like the real amp.

[@OEMPlus]

man, i think this might be my next pedal purchase. i have a serious problem.

[@alverduratonejunkiealveram1017]

That problem is very common I'd say LOL

[@iamnoone4046]

Me too, lol

[@tman6495]

Throttle to me needs a bit of Eq'ing....but it sounds like a "thick" sounding Mark V amp.

[@alverduratonejunkiealveram1017]

Totally agree!!!

[@brandonjohnson8635]

The Wampler Triple Wreck is alot better imo if your looking for the rectifier sound. The Throttlebox just doesn't sound quite right to me. The Wampler is fuller, more open sounding, and warmer sounding.

[@alverduratonejunkiealveram1017]

Yes actually I was looking for the wampler at the begining but they are hard to find, then this one showed up on Ebay and I pulled the trigger. There is another tech21 rectifier type of pedal but it is even harder to find

[@runnningonempty]

NO WAY!..It cant get the Rectifier clipping

[@fabiofender]

@@alverduratonejunkiealveram1017 what if you have to choose between Mesa and wampler ?

[@alverduratonejunkiealveram1017]

@@fabiofender Man I remember that the wampler was the one I was looking for but I never found it so I got this one on Ebay. Anyway I already sold it because there is nothing like a real amp overdrive

[@fabiofender]

@@alverduratonejunkiealveram1017 i bought the thottle box this week, but I did not like it. I will put my rat on board away

[@tetolicocovers7219]

Nice! I hear some old incubus on there!

[@alverduratonejunkiealveram1017]

Ernesto Gonzalez yes man, incubus rocks!! Actually I uploaded a video playing Pardon Me with my former band. Check it out in my channel

[@EerieBetrayal]

yeah that shit got me excited lol

[@kevinmusolino9409]

@@alverduratonejunkiealveram1017 I got this pedal specifically for Incubus-like sounds. How did you have it set for Pardon Me?

[@alverduratonejunkiealveram1017]

@@kevinmusolino9409 I just looked for pictures of my rig and the settings were: switch on hi, gain around 1-2, mid cut around 1 and treble around 11, volume to unity depending on the guitar. I was using a Marshall DSL at that time which was very bright. Keep in mind that pedals sound very different depending on the amp. The other thing to consider for Incubus tones is that you need to use the neck pickup and pick very close to the bridge like Mike does, otherwise it will sound too much bass

[@kevinmusolino9409]

@@alverduratonejunkiealveram1017 awesome thank you so much

[@tedcabana]

Brutally awesome sound, super tight. But noisy as F@#K! If they could only do something about all that NOISE, and howling feedback, than it would be a perfect pedal through any amp. When the gain goes above 1:00, it all goes down the shitter. Great Tone, but spoiled by all the noise!

[@runnningonempty]

do you mean it will sound like shit with the battery?

[@alverduratonejunkiealveram1017]

No, what I ment is that eats the battery really quick and sounds kind of fuzzy

[@pigbearman7136]

MXR fullbore metal. Its the best.