MusicRadar Verdict
At this price point, you have a right to expect excellence, and with the PXO, that’s what you get. A brilliant overdrive boasting its own voice within a familiar feel
Pros
- +
Built like a tank.
- +
Easy to use.
- +
Sounds a little different from anything else.
Cons
- -
Expensive.
- -
Pre/Post switch should arguably refer to the boost side.
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What is it?
In a world saturated with overdrive pedals, do we really need more? Yes. Always yes. With so many available, artist collaborations are a good way to get a new entry noticed in the densely populated pedal cabinet. Phil-X as a candidate for such a collaboration is an exciting prospect given his penchant for good tone demonstrated in his early Fretted Americana YouTube videos and his band Phil-X and the Drills. Oh, and he also plays for a little band named Bon Jovi.
Teaming up with respected US pedal brand J Rockett of Archer fame, what we have on paper is a dual Boost/Overdrive circuit with a lot of potential to be outstanding. But does it live up to it? Or will it go down in a 'Blaze Of Glory'?
The pedal appears not to be based too heavily on any of its predecessors. In Phil-X’s own words, the drive side is based on “Holy shit” and the boost side is based on “What the fuck?” so I think we are safe to assume JRockett and Phil-X are going for something of an original sound here. Both sides of the pedal work independently, with the ability to choose which comes first in the chain, plus EQ options for each side resulting in a genuinely versatile proposition.
Specs
- Launch price: $349/£359
- Type: Dual overdrive/boost
- Made: USA
- Controls: Drive side - Volume, Treble, Bass, Gain, Boost Side - Tilt EQ, Level
- Connectivity: 1/4" input , 1/4" output, 9v DC power supply input
- Weight: 660g/1.5lbs
- Dimensions: 4.1"x3.7"x1.1"
- Power: 9X, 30mA
- Contact: J Rockett
Build quality
Build quality rating: ★★★★★
Upon picking up the pedal the thing that immediately jumps out is its weight. At a little under 1.5lbs (660g) with a steel chassis, it feels as if it will easily outlive most of its users.
Built in California, this ruggedness is carried through to the controls, of which there is Volume, Treble, Bass, and Gain for the Drive side, a Tilt EQ and Level for the Boost side, and a slider switch to choose which side comes first. These and the two footswitches are all built solidly, keeping up with the tank-like chassis.
This is a straight-up, true bypass analog overdrive. No gimmicks, just rock and roll. The benefit of analog means a tiny current draw of 28ma, and we of course have the usual 9v center negative DC power input and ¼ inch jacks. Straightforward too is the PXO’s finish, with a matte black coat and a tough guy aesthetic.
With so many budget overdrive pedal options, a price tag of £350 needs to deliver quality, and the build of the PXO meets it.
Usability
Usability rating: ★★★★½
A pedal that, generally, couldn't be any easier to use
A benefit of a good old-fashioned, no-frills overdrive? No manual is needed. The controls just do as they are labeled with the Tilt EQ being the only term that may be unfamiliar to some. The Tilt EQ works in an interesting way (more on that later), but in operation, it is easily figured out.
The Pre/Post slider caught me slightly off guard, as it refers to the position of the Drive rather than the boost, which is the opposite of what most would expect. It is a simple adjustment to get my head around though, and a comparatively small gripe in a pedal that, generally, couldn't be any easier to use.
Sounds
Sounds rating: ★★★★½
Blasting through old Bon Jovi riffs and reliving my previous life as part of a Bon Jovi tribute band (true story – we played three-hour sets) the PXO does a great job of that classic '80s guitar-driven pop-rock sound. A sound that sometimes requires a good amount of gain, the pedal has more than enough of that to keep up.
Given who the pedal is built for, anyone familiar with Phil-X’s catalog of hard rock riffs, as well as his work with Bon Jovi, will not be surprised by this. What is interesting is how the PXO approaches this sound as the drive side has a warm mid-range character that can be summed up in one word - smooth.
The bass is kept tight while the highs are very present with a bell-like quality that keeps clear of ice-pick territory. It’s reminiscent of classic sounds without being close enough to be considered derivative. Meaning the PXO is that rarest of things - an overdrive that is a little bit different.
It was genuinely hard to stop playing with the pedal in order to sit down and write about it
What is particularly pleasing about that high-end is how it retains detail as the gain is dialed in. No hiding from mistakes here! The EQ goes a long way in achieving this, with a powerful treble control voiced perfectly to allow the user to retain that clarity and a Bass control that keeps things flub-free.
Such a powerful EQ is a double-edged sword as it can easily lead to some bad sounds if misused, but I found it an invaluable tool in allowing the PXO to play nicely with other drives, (tested with a Blues Driver and Tube Screamer) as well as both clean and driven amplifiers (tested with my trusty Hot Rod Deluxe, as well as JCM 800 and Matchless DC30 tone models).
Moving to the boost side, it has a more subtle mid bump that is voiced a little higher. The level control gives us plenty of volume to do the boosting with - the only slight criticism being that the first half of the level pot's travel does very little.
The Tilt EQ is interesting as it works differently from a tone control, creating a very powerful means of tone shaping and again demonstrating trust in the player to take the time to learn to use it correctly. Dialled all the way to the right boosts highs whilst cutting lows and left cuts highs whilst boosting lows.
This makes for quite an extreme change from one end of the control to the other, but one that allows for a wide array of sounds, particularly when combined with the ability to place it before or after the drive side of the PXO. It also lends yet further credence to the pedal's suitability for use with other drives and amplifiers.
A surprising highlight for me was boosting into the drive side with the Tilt EQ dialed to boost lows, bringing the pedal into fuzz-esque territory. Alternatively, using the boost more traditionally by adding a little treble with the tilt eq and gunning the level into a medium gain sound on the drive side produced a screaming, sustain-inducing overdrive that I completely fell in love with. Particularly impressive was that this was achieved with a Telecaster ('51 Custom Shop) into a squeaky clean Hot Rod Deluxe, and done with a very low noise floor to boot.
An addicting experience, there are so many options here with what is such a simple array of controls, it was genuinely hard to stop playing the pedal in order to sit down and write about it.
Verdict
It manages to carve out its own sound within a path well trodden which is no mean feat in such a saturated market
So, does the PXO live up to the potential inherent in combining a well-renowned pedal company and an otherworldly player with a penchant for tone? Absolutely. It manages to carve out its own sound within a path well trodden which is no mean feat in such a saturated market. In perhaps the ultimate compliment from a reviewer, I was having so much fun with it, that I forgot I was working.
MusicRadar verdict: At this price point, you have a right to expect excellence, and with the PXO, that’s what you get. A brilliant overdrive with its own voice within a familiar feel.
Test | Results | Score |
|---|---|---|
Build quality | Sturdy and battle-ready steal construction. | ★★★★★ |
Usability | No fancy extras meaning a straight forward, easy to use pedal. | ★★★★½ |
Sounds | Sounds great, with lots of gain on tap and a tone that is a little different from the norm. | ★★★★½ |
Overall | An expensive unit, but one that I think lives up to its lofty price. | ★★★★½ |
Also try
Hands-on videos
Phil-X
Guitar World at NAMM
Kris Barcosi
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