Carl Martin Greg Howe Lick Box Overdrive Boost Guitar Pedal

When Carl Martin started working with Greg Howe on what would become the Lick Box, the brief was clear: create a pedal that could cover his core tones, but also allow them to be combined, layered, and pushed in ways that feel musical rather than complicated. At a glance, the layout feels familiar. There’s a High Gain channel with extended low end and clear highs, a Crunch channel focused on the midrange with very little compression, and a clean Boost capable of adding up to 12 dB. Each gain channel has its own Level, Gain, and Tone controls, allowing them to be shaped independently. But the real idea behind Lick Box isn’t just the individual sounds — it’s how they work together. You can run High Gain or Crunch on their own, add clean Boost to either, or engage all three sections at once. With High Gain placed first in the internal signal path, engaging Crunch afterwards reshapes the response: some lows and highs fall away, the mids come forward, and the sound tightens up in a way that cuts through a mix without feeling forced. Add Boost on top, and the result is a focused, articulate lead tone with increased sustain and presence. It’s not about stacking gain for the sake of it. It’s about control, balance, and understanding how different voices interact when you play. Under the hood, Lick Box uses Carls DC/DC converter circuitry, allowing the pedal to run from a standard regulated 9V supply while operating internally at ±12V. That extra headroom is essential here — it keeps the pedal articulate and stable, even when multiple sections are engaged at higher levels. This is a signature pedal in the truest sense: built around how one player actually uses gain, but flexible enough to become part of many different rigs. Key Features Three-channel overdrive and boost pedal Greg Howe signature tones Independent level and gain for each section High-gain and crunch versatility Road-ready enclosure with true bypass Dimensions: 186 x 120 x 55 / 7.32″ x 4.72″ x 2.17″ Weight: 0.82 kg / 1.81 lbs Specifi cations Input: 1M Ohm Output: 200 Ohm S/N Ratio: 54 dB Gain Max Crunch: +60 dB Gain Max: +89 dB Boost Max: +12 dB Power consumption: max. 100 mA Power supply: 9 V DC (regulated), 150 mA minimum, 2.1 mm female plug, center negative (-)