Mr Black ThunderClaw review

Doom-y distortion and high gain-heroics

  • £139
  • $179
Reviews
By ( Total Guitar ) published
The active EQ circuit gives you plenty of versatility
The active EQ circuit gives you plenty of versatility

MusicRadar Verdict

For alt, stoner and doom, we urge you to plug in.

Pros

  • +

    Easy to use, with a versatile selection of great stoner tones.

Cons

  • -

    Not ideal for classic metal.

MusicRadar's got your back Our team of expert musicians and producers spends hours testing products to help you choose the best music-making gear for you. Find out more about how we test.

The most conventional of the Mr Black pedals on recent test, the ThunderClaw shoots for big, amp-like high-gain distortion, and boy, does it score.

"It's ace for Mastodon with a bridge humbucker, while flicking over to the neck is instant Kyuss"

A silicon fuzz-like palm-muting response means it's not our first pick for classic metal, but there's an alt/stoner vibe here that's ace for Mastodon with a bridge humbucker, while flicking over to the neck is instant Kyuss.

There's plenty of versatility, too, thanks to an active EQ circuit: pushing the bass and treble gives the TC a fuzzy RAT-like edge.

Michael Brown
Michael Brown

Mike is Editor-in-Chief of GuitarWorld.com, in addition to being an offset fiend and recovering pedal addict. He has a master's degree in journalism, and has spent the past decade writing and editing for guitar publications including MusicRadar, Total Guitar and Guitarist, as well as a decade-and-a-half performing in bands of variable genre (and quality). In his free time, you'll find him making progressive instrumental rock under the nom de plume Maebe.