Guitar World Verdict
In a world where valve amps generally rule the roost, an amp‑in-a-box pedal based on a solid-state amp is a rare thing and offers the opportunity to embrace a less-travelled path of tonal colours.
Pros
- +
Resurrects the tones of vintage equipment.
- +
Practical switchable options.
- +
Flexible EQ options.
- +
Cute paint job!
Cons
- -
Not everyone will appreciate the holes for the Aclam Smart Track pedalboard mounting system.
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What is it?
Aclam has released a third in its series of pedals aimed at recreating The Beatles’ guitar sounds.
While guitar sonics on the Revolver and Sgt Pepper’s albums were the aim with its Dr Robert and Mocker pedals, the company has now moved further on in the discography to the tones of Magical Mystery Tour and ‘The White Album’ with Go Rocky Go, a pedal replica of the Vox Conqueror amp’s preamp.
The Vox Conqueror, one of a solid-state range of amps that also included the Supreme and Defiant, was used by The Beatles for recording around 1967 and ’68, and can be seen in the Hello, Goodbye video.
Aclam had an original amp and measured all its components and recreated it in the pedal, albeit with a couple of additional features/modifications that expand its versatility.
Specs
- PRICE: $351 approx / £319 / €388
- ORIGIN: Spain
- TYPE: Preamp/distortion pedal
- FEATURES: True bypass, silent switching, Smart Track fastening system-ready
- CONTROLS: Volume, Attack–Sustain, MRB selector, Treble, Bass, Distortion Volume, internal Crunch Gain, Distortion footswitch, Bypass footswitch
- CONNECTIONS: Standard input, standard output
- POWER: 9V-18V DC adaptor (not supplied) 25mA
- DIMENSIONS: 136 (w) x 87 (d) x 55mm (h)
- CONTACT: Aclam Guitars
Usability and sounds
Based on a Vox Conqueror’s Brilliant channel, the pedal gives you several building blocks for sound creation, accessing mid-to-late ’60s Beatles tones and more.
The core sound is controlled by the volume, treble and bass knobs and has two modes, Normal and Crunch, which are activated by holding the Bypass footswitch down for 1.5 seconds: Normal is the spanky clean tone, while Crunch offers a degree of extra grit that can add an aggressive edge to rhythm work. There’s also an internal Crunch Gain control for fine-tuning.
Further sonic tweaking comes courtesy of the MRB (Mid-Range Boost) switch that’s engaged by pressing the two footswitches simultaneously.
This was a feature of the original amp and was closely related to the development of the Vox wah pedal, so it’s no surprise here that the three different frequency boosts are reminiscent of the vocal resonant sound of a cocked wah.
Things can get real dirty when the fuzz-like distortion mode is footswitched in, controlled by an Attack–Sustain knob that ramps up the gain, and a dedicated volume knob to add a boost if needed. Combine the distortion with the MRB and you’ll get raucous tones that really cut through.
Verdict
Verdict: ★★★★½
There’s no denying The Beatles’ ongoing influence on music and Aclam’s Go Rocky Go can definitely zero in on some of their retro tones. But there’s more to it than that.
Guitar World verdict: In a world where valve amps generally rule the roost, an amp‑in-a-box pedal based on a solid-state amp is a rare thing and offers the opportunity to embrace a less-travelled path of tonal colours.
Hands-on videos
Aclam Guitars
Sam Popkin
Pedal of the Day
- “The Beatles connection aside, this is an excellent fuzz pedal in its own right”: Aclam The Mocker review
- This article first appeared in Guitarist. Subscribe and save.
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