Manticore

I have demo'd the sounds with a Fender Jeff Beck Stratocaster and a Gibson Les Paul Studio SD Whole lotta love pickups and routed parallel and phase controls.

The comparison of V1 to my J Rockett Archer provides an extra drive control to boost more and the gain is more of a drive control. The Archer does maintain the EQ more like the original tone of the guitar which is obvious on the strat and my pacifica with Suhr V70/SSV pickups, not so much on the Gibson, but that is all it does. You would be missing out if you solely used the Manticore as just a boost which is what many people use the Archer for. The Manticore V2 introduces the Savage control which introduces pushing the low end and provides even more flexibility in the use of the Manticore. The V2 has more options and you would set this up to suit the kind of guitar you are using. For me, when using the Les Paul the V2 provided a very high amount of gain and drive into the 'fuzz" sound, but very controllable. I have purchased the V1 and I run an equalizer after it and can introduce the low end more using that, however, it is not the same as what you can do with the V2. Because I tend to use a stereo or wet dry wet rig, having outside control of the eq using different amps provides better stereo, but each to their own in this area. I have used boss and mooer eq but as this essential for tone sculpting I have now moved to Empress ParaEq. Now I have seen Shaun Tubbs' video I can get more out of the V2 and in the long term will probably switch to one. For the price these to me are the paradigm to compare all overdrive and boost pedals of the "Klon Centaur" type and provide so much more than the original.