3 Review(s)

While chatting over a...um 'coffee' one day a while back, guitar ace Greg Howe asked Carl whether he could develop a pedal that would re-create his signature sound. A pedal that would combine Greg's unique High Gain and Crunch tones, but allow him to manipulate these sounds and layer them for even more guitar fun. A little unorthodox yes, but Carl was never one to back down from a challenge, nor one to think inside the box. The result is the Greg Howe Signature Lick Box, and not only does it fulfill Greg's requirements, but it adds even more great tones to Greg's palette!So what is this crazy pedal? Well, at first glance it looks like many other Carl Martin pedals...there is a High Gain channel which has loads of bottom end and nice crisp highs, a very dynamic Crunch channel which emphasises the mids with very little compression, and of course that famous 12db Boost channel that we are all so familiar with. So that's it? Ok, so the High Gain and Crunch channels were voiced to Greg's spec's, but it's still just a pedal based on Greg Howe's own signature tones? Nope....underneath the simple cosmetics is a rethinking ofhow these channels work together. Yes, you can use either the High Gain or Crunch channels on their own (and they are awesome!), and you can adjust the tone for each with it's dedicated Tone control, and yes, you can also add up to 12 db of crystal clean Boost to either of those channels....but you can also turn on both gain channelstogether! By placing the High Gain first in the chain, you allow the Crunch voicing to overrule the High Gain while adding a few db to your volume. You lose some of the lows and highs, but this results in a focused and controlled mid-range that cuts through the mix. Of course you can add up to 12 db of clean Boost as well for meatier leadsdripping with tone and sustain!The Greg Howe Lick Box features the usual cast metal casing, the high quality switches with 'on' indicating LED's, and the new Carl Martin DC/DC converter circuitry. This new power circuit allows you to use a 9V Power Supply while still maintaining the +-12V circuitry that is crucial for component quality and extra headroom above most 9V pedals. Of course we recommend the Carl Martin ProPower Version 2 as the power supply of choice.Power consumption is a surprising 100 mA.Crunch: Activate the Crunch Channel by pressing the dedicated footswitch (the LED will light up) and then adjust the Gain to about 11 oclock to start out (later you can play around with this setting to your preference). Now, bring the Level knob up to a volume that matches your amplifier’s volume, and adjust the Tone knob to your own preference. At any time you can activate the Boost channel for even more level and punch, by pressing the dedicated footswitch (the LED will light up indicating the Channel is in use).High Gain: Activate the High Gain Channel by pressing the dedicated footswitch (the LED will light up) and thendjust the Gain to about 2 or 3 o'clock to start out (later you can play around with this setting to your preference). Now, bring the Level knob up to a volume that matches your amplifier’s volume, and adjust the Tone knob to yourown preference. At any time you can activate the Boost channel for even more level and punch, by pressing the dedicated footswitch (the LED will light up indicating the Channel is in use).Lead: Activate both the Crunch and High Gain channels by pressing both the dedicated footswitches. Both Crunch and High gain LED’s will light up. Leave the Level and Gain settings at your preference and experience a third sound that is uniquely controlled, has the ability to cut through any mix and supplies loads of sustain. Experiment with different amounts of Crunch and High Gain for an entirely new palette of sounds. Of course you can activate the Boost channel at anytime to add one more dimension to your sound for leads or that very specific tone that only the Carl Martin Lick Box can supply!