Xvive V1 Classic Rock review

Between a rock and a hard clip

  • £46
  • €46
  • $88
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The tone control only adjusts the high frequencies, so things get abrasive quickly

MusicRadar Verdict

If you're after a value-for-money distortion, it's a worthy contender.

Pros

  • +

    Decent build. Pocket-friendly build. Works well with bridge humbuckers.

Cons

  • -

    Abrasive tone control.

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This US-designed, Chinese-built stomper from Xvive isn't quite what you'd expect - while you probably associate classic rock with bucketloads of mids, the CR scoops them out.

"There's a smooth distorted tone at mid-gain settings, up to huge, sustaining solos at higher levels"

Nevertheless, it delivers a smooth distorted tone at mid-gain settings, up to huge, sustaining solos at higher levels.

For us, it sounded better with bridge-humbucker beef than single-coil spank, but either way, you'll need to keep the tone control low: it adjusts only the extreme highs in the signal, so gets abrasive very quickly.

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.