MXR's Rockman X100 Recreates Legendary '80s Studio Guitar Tone in Pedal Form | NAMM 2025

[@Reverb]

Be sure to check out Mike's Gear Bazaar Reverb Shop for all of your vintage Rockman needs! Visit his shop here: reverb.com/shop/mikes-gear-bazaar-677

[@delefo]

Anyone know who services old Rockman`s ? My X100 will not power up from batteries and I do not have a ac adapter to try it that way.

[@misterdetail]

@@delefo see link above to Mike's Gear Bazaar Reverb shop. He also does refurbs.

[@stonebcb1]

Opening up with “Rough Boy”! Excellent choice

[@AndyDemos]

Thank you! Hadn’t thought about that tune in years (maybe last heard on my Walkman) but it turned out alright! 😎🤘

[@almostliterally593]

Tough song to play well

[@tonyvardy2399]

What a tune​@@AndyDemos

[@BobbyGeneric145]

Favorite zz song!

[@begooode380]

Good call. The song turns 40 years old this year! Pretty sure there will be an unexpected bump in streams over the next week. Short slow jam dripping with nostalgia and that ZZ Top 'tude while also managing to bridge their 80s boogie beat with their deep Texas blues roots

[@masterofreality230]

It might only do a few specific sounds, but they are unique and nostalgia inducing for someone who grew up in the 80s.

[@BillDerBerg]

Beautiful analog goodness

[@JeanLeite-d1e]

Been waiting for this in pedal format for 50 years!

[@jamesduescher3462]

You mean 40 years right?

[@JeanLeite-d1e]

@jamesduescher3462 Well, the original was built in 1984, so in that sense, yes. But that original tone and sound was a part of my teenage years, which was 50 yrs ago on the first album.

[@PeterSokol-bl5vz]

Who wants to sound like another band…get your own sound…now grow up and act accordingly.

[@JeanLeite-d1e]

@PeterSokol-bl5vz You must be a blast at a party with your miserable self. 🤣🤣🤣

[@BobbyGeneric145]

They're going to sell a million.

[@BigMateo24]

Ordered one at midnight last night. Fortunate enough to get one while the still had stock. My Sweetwater rep said they are already selling like hot cakes, with an emphasis on HOT.

[@jszymanski106]

Got a text yesterday that said mine was shipped. I can't wait. It'll replace my original rockman live.

[@CharizardHunter1997]

Man everyone must be working their butts off to crank out these videos all at the same time today haha, I missed seeing Andy play it’s been a while for myself personally.

[@ObscuraDeCapra]

They were probably done weeks ago. This is how marketing works. Get the product into the hands of all of your shills, embargo their "reviews" that are thinly veiled press releases until the same time, and you get an instant information saturation when the embargo is up.

[@CharizardHunter1997]

@@ObscuraDeCapra2 hours ago seems kinda late for a video if they recorded it weeks ago been watching videos of it all morning after buying my own this morning haha. But I understand what you’re saying.

[@ObscuraDeCapra]

@@CharizardHunter1997 Wait until you find out how long ago most movies were filmed when you're watching it on opening day...

[@CharizardHunter1997]

@ buddy an hour long movie with tons of editing is not the same as a 10 minute long video about a guitar pedal lol but nice try

[@thestuffmikedoes2309]

@@ObscuraDeCaprathinly veiled? There’s nobody denying that these are promos

[@DrVinnieBoombots]

Have one on order...can't wait to try it out Clean with the Chorus...on a Squire 12 String Jazzmaster, some Reverb and a Delay Pedals as icing on the Cake into my Interface and Studio One. Then add in "THE DIRT" with a TC Electronic Quintessence Harmony Effects Pedal for LEAD...BOTH IN STEREO of course. OH LORDY! :)

[@misterdetail]

Thank you for using a guitar amp on this! Lots of Rockman purists on FB saying it won't sound good with an amp and requires full range speakers like the original Rockmans are proven wrong here. Using it with a guitar amp is the main reason I bought the new Rockman pedal.

[@dnadna9317]

That's a load there were plenty of people who used Rockmans as preamps back in the day. One that comes to mind is Springsteen in the late 80s and through the 90s used a Sustainor in front of a Mark 2 feeding 4x12s

[@RollerCoasterFenatic]

Same with me. I bought mine as well to use with my amp.

[@edadpops1709]

Love that you’re playing some covers again

[@andyracer20]

Absolutely amazing! Nice intro with ZZ!

[@rockhouse90]

Bought mine today and I am absolutely blown away!

[@Skiman13M]

Mine shipped today and I am psyched! 80’s style….LOL

[@RoyceTeal]

I'm jealous!!! Congratulations have fun!

[@brianrollins7275]

Give me just a minute and I’ll tell you why, I’m a rough boy! That was spot on Andy, the nostalgia blew my mind. You are the best. Thanks

[@patzguitarz]

My God, I've been waiting on this. I hunted for years to find the Holy Grail Rockman chorus tone and never found it. I now feel complete!

[@mjklein]

I bought the Made in Japan GOAT Blue Series pedals a few months ago, and I'm going to replace them with this!

[@1977raider]

I'm sold! Sounds fantastic 💥

[@johnduval482]

I had an original Rockman with that special rack mount housing unit that made it so much more convenient. This is an amazing addition to the arsenal. I can tell MXR nailed that unreal chorus effect. Impressive.

[@NuclearDeathWalk]

I had the Rockman II.

[@stockholm1752]

Yeah, I had one of these. It made every guitar I had sound exactly the same.

[@themodernguitarist]

I mean it's got a really powerful compressor in the input, so it's not shocking.

[@Mickie-Mouse666]

Rough boy ! Great song

[@danmartin1200]

Bod Cedro who works for Dunlop was engineer for Tom Scholz at Rockman back in the day so I knew it was only a matter of time before they released something like this! Hopefully more Rockman stuff to come.

[@bob_kazamakis]

Fingers crossed we get a mass produced version of Cedro's rev 20 Sustainor

[@fredmanteghian5913]

What an awesome opening beginning Randy!

[@neilpatrickhairless]

Daaaamn the OG Rockman headphone amps went up in price 😵 I remember 20 years ago or so you couldn't give them away

[@IGrocker]

Right? I remember trying to decide between an X100 or the then brand new Boss/Fender FDR-1 pedal, as both were right around $120 at the time. I went with the Boss, but sometimes I wish I grabbed the X100!

[@Frettedchaos]

Andy just killed that intro. Good lord son!

[@mlem567]

Mom where the heck did you put my old Rockman?! 😃

[@JeffreyWalker-fs8no]

I have to have one of these for sure. I wanna rock!!!

[@FrankSarnie]

Killer intro, Andy!

[@patrickspicer9644]

Learned about the original Rockman listening to Mkgee. He has a track literally called Rockman. Apparently uses an original unit to achieve his signature throwback 80s guitar tone. Worth checking out!

[@GarHoover]

Great Song, I figured the track was inspired by the Rockman but I didn’t know it was part of his setup!

[@jspartacus]

That's not HIS tone. That's Tom Scholz's signature tone.

[@neilpatrickhairless]

Buckethead also records with a Rockman headphone amp and he has a Rockman combo amp as well

[@misterdetail]

@@neilpatrickhairless can you share what album/songs as an example? He has so many recordings. Thanks.

[@OD_green7]

Picking one up this afternoon!!

[@markhammer643]

A trip down memory lane!

[@lzrosenbaum64]

Andy is the GOAT of demos!!

[@michael_caz_nyc]

I've wanted one-of-these since Forever. Sadly, I (Sold) my original 1/3 Rack Units. I had em with a Lexicon Rack. This sounds really good. Andy always does a phenomenal-job = fantastic guitar-player. oNe LovE from NYC

[@skatertrev7]

Asked Wampler to make a compact vers of the rockman sound for years. Glad someone finally did it!

[@hayabusa1300100]

There will be plenty of Replicas now once it’s out you make’em they all can be copied no more secret . Chorus sounds good 👍

[@notanotherjamesmurphy5574]

sounds great Andy

[@tubularbill]

I have been saying for years that either Boss or JHS should come out with a rock man pedal instead of 1 million reverb pedals. Well, God bless you MXR!

[@eqz666]

Dad rock in a box!

[@RoyceTeal]

Yeah but I had the original waaaaay before I was a dad. 😂!

[@misterdetail]

More like Granddad rock, as the original came out 44 years ago!

[@JDB1184]

@@misterdetailHey , now ! I resemble that remark ! 😅👍

[@BillHertzing]

I KNEW you would have a demo!

[@timnotbrianmay]

You can't forget the miced 4x12 cabinet simulator!!!!!!!!!! That was ABSOLUTELY CRUCIAL to the sound!!!!!!!!! And yes, the original needed a 1/8 in stereo jack/plugged (?) to connect it to ANYTHING!

[@StanHarris-GooglePlus]

Came for the Boston vibe but got added boost with Pink Floyd vibes!

[@dcdno_one2393]

David Gilmour used a Rockman X100 I think on a solo album.

[@prithvirajtarafdar1245]

Aah 80s Again 😎💕

[@user-et2fj8xm5l]

Nails that Rough Boy tone..

[@pclindholm]

80s Andy rules

[@maxmenius9839]

Sounds awesome.

[@AmiGuitar]

i would have loved to get the echo circuit too

[@Shadoweclipse1386]

I know a bit of the history of this sound and all that, but with a Strat it sounds like it could almost do Gilmour's PULSE live tones too...

[@TuckOfIron]

Yep, getting one. Sold.

[@MarkTurner-vs7uc]

The old ones are incredible.

[@onewiththings]

This man has ruled KZbin for 15 or 20 years!

[@shorerocks]

I am going to get one the minute available in Europe. I am so excited.

[@dakota-sessions]

That clean tone was instant Def Leppard!

[@mantashaft]

Billy Gibbons is responsible for me wanting to cop these tones a few years ago. I feel I can come close with my current gear, but I have to admit I feel like it's a must have. At the same time, I can think of other things I need more. Quite the quandry.

[@TK421HighFidelity]

nailed it, all I need is a one armed drummer and I can be selling out arenas all over the world!

[@jhneilson]

😂

[@BillyBlaze7]

Good luck finding a store that actually has these in stock, it took me a full day and a couple cancelled orders til I found a place that actually some in stock.

[@pjstamm2112]

I must have one of those!

[@BillDerBerg]

Best song to demo a Rockman tone

[@mwrable]

Used one for recording in the 80s and it was so identifiable for that time. Still have my original not sure where or how I would use it today. I guess if you are a Boston, Def Leppard or Eliminator era ZZ Top tribute band.

[@N0B0DY_SP3C14L]

I think I need one.

[@MarkTurner-vs7uc]

Sold.

[@firesgt911]

Perfect for the aging rockstar in your life! I can see all the grandmas dancing up to the stage now.

[@WyattScott]

Hmm, you didn’t grow up in the golden age of RnR, no need to be a bitterman.

[@firesgt911]

@@WyattScottI’m not bitter and I’m not wrong! This thing is going to get a lot of cover bands laid again! I support that.

[@gdawgs101]

Nah 80s throwback sounds have been in vogue for years now

[@TheAhmedAlshamy]

Whoever thought of this is brilliant cause I really wanted one.

[@GearSmackMusic]

MXR taking a page from Catalinbread here (Catalinbread specializes recreating console and rack preamps)

[@holliefitzzz]

i just want someone to stick a Neve 542 in a pedal cuz that's my studio bass sound :/

[@lorenmorgan1931]

Rough boy is a great choice to show of the amps. I had one of the x100 in the late 90s. I got it for like $25. Too noisy and not practical for a covers gig, so for playing Rough Boy, Love Bites, and Hysteria I programmed a VG88 with some small solid state Amp it had in the list and used comp and chorus on it and it using the poly distortion on the VG88 I could nail the sound of the Rockman. Sadly lost the x100 in a house fire and assumed it was worthless in the early 2k market when 80s were still looked at funny and instead everyone wore douchey clothing and tribal tats/tramp stamps. My how times have changed. Think I'll Be ordering this pedal and break out the old VG88 in the meantime. Thanks for the awesome demo :)

[@petersonnet7675]

There is no delay like in the original?

[@MikeSmith-vo2yt]

The original rock man soloist had a funky brick of a power transformer

[@zklip]

Andy Martin is a national treasure.

[@wally-001]

So when you integrated the Rockman into your own pedalboard, were you running it through an amp?

[@felicecosentino7546]

perfect performance i dont remerber the song and the band could you tell me who were they please

[@ChrisJohnsonChannel]

The most 80s guitar 🎸 tone

[@ajb625]

Out of The Gate with Rough Boy!

[@ageshero]

Freakin finally.. jeeeeeze

[@stratorarious]

Andy!😉

[@mariobuttino6095]

Are you using any other effects.

[@KevinPrice]

Is it the exact same circuit? It doesn’t have delay, so that is a difference. Is it as noisy as the original circuit was?

[@SeattleGenXDude]

Hearing a little Boston in the tone...Wonder if they used it...

[@SeattleGenXDude]

ahahah I guess they invented it lol

[@theouterplanet]

I was hoping to hear Satriani’s Crushing Day solo

[@dirkbrom3948]

Would the output work for headphones in stereo mode?

[@gdawgs101]

Don't see why not, you can go DI with it

[@AndyDemos]

That’s a good question: yes it “works” in stereo but it’s not meant to be a headphone amp- the volume is pretty low in that setup. Ideally, go into a cab sim pedal with a headphone out or direct to interface if not plugging into an amp.

[@dirkbrom3948]

@@AndyDemos thanks for the clarification. This seems like an odd, niche unit. It sounds great but for how it actually works in my opinion they missed the boat. Why not offer a slightly larger unit with better switching between modes? This is at best a studio unit (nothing wrong with that) but live would be really tough to use. If it had a more usable headphone jack I could see this as a great practice unit. In that regard it misses the spirit of the original unit in my opinion.

[@notanotherjamesmurphy5574]

I would think that a pedal before the Rockman would be good

[@aaronfrazier524]

Rad!

[@TheSpaceGuitar]

Wow the ultrarare Yamaha SAS

[@colinchristensen6603]

No echo on the pedal?

[@ernestfoss1968]

The little knob on the back of the original???

[@BopKitBill]

...and people are actually going for this stomach churning CheezWhiz processor? Had full distain for it then, and now it's just plain hilarious! Good stuff, thanks for the laughs!

[@Edwardneff]

Isn't the output a line level signal?

[@leftofzeroofficial]

to me it isn't properly demo'd until i watch Andy do a demo

[@mjklein]

It says "Rockman X100" on the pedal but the user manual calls it the "XM100." Just so you know, that's the name of the manual.

[@notanotherjamesmurphy5574]

did Billy Gibbons use the Rockman?

[@AndyDemos]

@@notanotherjamesmurphy5574 Thats the word on the street!

[@JTB--]

Eliminator Album Edit* Afterburner album... Not Eliminator

[@MarkTurner-vs7uc]

Everyone did.

[@christopherkamer3262]

​@@JTB--Afterburner has Rockman as well

[@notanotherjamesmurphy5574]

it’s known that he used a BK Butler pedal. I wonder if he used the BK Butler and the Rockman together

[@Amsterdaams]

I have an SPX50D - Can do this and more

[@rangerc310]

I honestly Thought you were playing the ZZ Top Album.

[@robflewell7706]

what Yamaha model IS THAT?

[@AndyDemos]

@@robflewell7706 Late 80s SAS-II (only released in Japan). I put Total Gravy PAFs in it 👌

[@robflewell7706]

@@AndyDemos Thanks Andy! I KNEW it was probably unattainable! lol

[@kjetilalexandersaltnes8643]

Suhr certainly know how to make a 'retro-Hondo' headstock on a Strat..😅 Among other things..💸

[@cpkg.mp4]

no one has played rockman by mk.gee on this yet

[@lknez13]

I was just thinking that

[@MarsHottentot]

I don't need it - I have a few of the racks, the Soloist, Bass Rockman - I even have a bunch of the clones (getting my Nobels SST-19 "American-ized" ATM). Pre-ordered anyway. Of course I did!

[@kentvanschuyler9520]

Guitar Music Gordon Gripp 🎉🎉🎉

[@SoloSi2024]

On the pricey side, but not underestimating the tech here. Wanna hear it direct too, as the Rockman would have been played.

[@fusionfan6883]

What a missed opportunity not including the echo, bit of a deal breaker for me😡

[@Dwoed]

Gonna look for a second hand

[@NoCoverCharge]

I have zero desire to achieve that tone and I grew up in the 80’s I don’t care to hear it ever again I’ll take a jcm800 any day

[@Cpt_Adama]

Then this video is not for you.

[@shawnstoner3602]

It’s perfect except for the odd decision not to include the “ECHO”

[@HenritheHorse]

They can't source the old chips for the echo. Would be too expensive and limited.

[@dougfishback3116]

Ah, that glossy, anthemic optimism.

[@buzzcrushtrendkill]

80's tone? That's a 70's tone. Remember that band Boston and their album from 1976?

[@BillyBlaze7]

Randy? you aint posta be doing vidyas for Reverb...

[@kenichi407]

the original sounds so much better to my ears!

[@AnssiEriksson]

I thought the MXR sounds "better". Hopefully the noise level is also reduced from the original.

[@sziklafygyula4885]

I love it! It's a little overpriced for me though... I don't know if the original rockmans were cheap or not,but this is definitely not cheap or affordable!-especially for what it is when you take a really good look at it! Sure, it's special, and it sounds awesome, but it's basically a chorus-overdrive/distortion-echo-compressor combo. It's like a 4 in 1 pedal deal, which is awesome,plus the sound is great, but I can get a similar sound with like 3-4 pedals that are way cheaper even with their combined price!

[@JeanLeite-d1e]

This is cheaper than the current Rockman going price. Avg about $345.

[@sziklafygyula4885]

​@JeanLeite-d1e When I said original rockmans,I meant it as the originals released in the 80's, and comparativley were they relativley cheap at the time or not?

[@JeanLeite-d1e]

@sziklafygyula4885 I wouldn't say they were cheap but semi-affordable, yes. In comparison to most pedals in that period, though, it was expensive. Is this pricey now? Not when you compare it to the original x100 currently which a few yrs ago was averaging about $345 - $480 and are now in the $600+ range. Still, though, it is on my list given it's less than $240. Perspective, I guess lol.

[@sziklafygyula4885]

@JeanLeite-d1e Thx for the info! I didn't grow up in the west where this existed, but I assumed it wasn't that expensive-due to being"just a headphone amp".TBH I got a little used to cheap but relatively great quality gear recently, plus I live in a "poor" country. So anything beyond a certain pricepoint is far too expensive for me-especially when you can get pedals for really low prices these days!

[@JeanLeite-d1e]

@sziklafygyula4885 Completely understand. For me it's just odd that Dunlop bought the technology from Tom in the 90's and took so long to make this in pedal format.

[@rareform6747]

There go's the price of my 85 X-100 ...There better in tube amps then head phones any day !