Electric Guitars   Bass Guitars   Acoustic Guitars   Guitar Amps   Effects Pedals   Keyboards   Microphones   PA Systems   Mixing Desks   Studio   Software   Accessories   Books & DVDs   Home Contact Us FAQ Forums

Digitech Clapton Crossroads

 

Digitech Clapton Crossroads reviewed by The Man in the Jar

I used a Strat - what else?

Features of the Digitech Clapton Crossroads

Construction - Good and solid metal construction with very tough-looking knobs.

Ins and Outs - Two outputs are provided, one to the amplifier and one to the mixer. Single input for your guitar.

Power - The unit comes with its own AC adaptor - very handy.

Controls - There's an overall level control on the extreme left and a model selector on the extreme right (which selects one of the seven sounds presented). The other two controls have varying functions dependent upon the model selected.

 

Sound of the Digitech Clapton Crossroads

Model 1 - "Sunshine of your Love"
This was the first model I tried and it seemed that the Strat had instantly become a different animal in my hands. I was running the Line 6 on its "Clean" channel to avoid polluting the Crossroad's tones. For this model Control 1 handles the Distortion Gain and Control 2 adjusts the Tone. Beyond 12 o'clock the distortion really rages and the tone is extremely bright when maxed out. I soon found myself loitering in or very close to the 12 o'clock positions for it was here that I found that classic Cream sound. A quick peruse of the manual and I discovered that the two control knobs deliver the exact Clapton endorsed sound at the 12 o'clock position - nuff said.

Model 2 - "Crossroads"
The secondary control knobs are the same as Model 1 and you can use them to take this lovely, mellow tone into darker, dirtier realms. But again I chose to stay where Eric had notched it.

Model 3 - "Badge"
Here the controls change to Overdrive Gain and Rotary Speaker Speed. This makes for a lot of fun! The overdrive works really well with the basic sound of the model and really "chunks up" at around 2 o'clock. The rotary speaker effect goes from a subtle surge to a full-on wobble.

Model 4 - "Layla"
This is a beautiful tone that invites you to experiment with the pickup configuration on the Strat. Again the Distortion Gain and Tone give you the ability to strike out from the beaten path.

Model 5 - "Lay Down Sally"
I love this tone, possibly because the song itself invokes good memories (remember me, Sally?). Distortion Gain and Tone controls are on hand to do the usual.

Model 6 - "Layla Acoustic"
This is a really nice acoustic guitar emulator. The excellent natural sound is further enhanced by the functions assigned to the control knobs - Body and Reverb. I found that setting the Strat on neck and middle pickup gave me a very satisfying noise.

Model 7 - "Reptile"
This model is based on Clapton's Gibson L5 Jazz guitar. The controls become Overdrive and Reverb, the latter being the best to tweak these mellow tones.  

Overall Impressions of the Digitech Clapton Crossroads

The manual makes no rule of using a particular guitar model, although I expect single coils will help the overall authenticity of the sound. Used with a Strat the Crossroads effortlessly produced some classic well-proven guitar sounds that are a joy to use. Many people will buy this pedal because they play "Sunshine of your Love" or "Layla" in their set and want to sound like Clapton. They will be well pleased with the results. But I think the application of these sounds goes further than simple emulation for one or two cover songs. This pedal represents the "National Collection" of Clapton's hard won experience and expertise. The best results will be achieved when you cross-pollinate these sounds with your own technique, equipment and creativity.    

Buy the Digitech Clapton Crossroads

What our customers say

Resources

Track TNT Parcel   Reviews of Electric Guitars   Other Equipment Reviews   Learning Resources 
Other Shopping   Bands to See   Studios to Use  

Resource and Learning 

Copyright Musik Produktiv MMV - Home of Electric Guitars Online