The Carl Martin Greg Howe Lick Box is a Carl Martin overdrive pedal, currently around $218.04. Close alternatives include the JHS PG-14 Paul Gilbert Signature Distortion and the Diezel Herbert Overdrive/Distortion/Preamp. It pairs well with the Engl Savage 120 Mark II E610II 120 Watt 4 Channel Tube and the Marshall JCM900 2100.

Carl Martin Greg Howe Lick Box

Carl Martin · pedal

The Carl Martin Greg Howe Lick Box is a signature overdrive and preamp pedal created in collaboration with fusion guitarist Greg Howe, designed to deliver the high-gain, articulate preamp character needed for Greg Howe's fast, technique-driven fusion guitar style. Provides high-headroom, clarity-preserving overdrive character that maintains note definition and pick attack at high gain settings. Designed for players demanding studio-quality clarity and harmonic precision alongside significant gain. Made in Denmark by Carl Martin.

What stands out

  • “Works well into or directly into a recording interface where the preamp character provides the full voicing”

    — from the community notes

  • “Used for fusion, progressive rock, and high-technique guitar styles where single-note clarity at high gain is the primary requirement”

    — from the community notes

  • “articulate preamp character needed for greg howe”

    — from the listing

  • “the carl martin greg howe lick box is a signature overdrive and preamp pedal created in collaboration with fusion guitarist greg howe”

    — from the listing

  • “clarity-preserving overdrive character that maintains note definition and pick attack at high gain settings”

    — from the listing

Trade-offs

  • “The preamp circuit character maintains pick attack and individual note clarity even at full gain settings, which most sacrifice for maximum sustain and compression”

    — from the reviews

  • “players focused on rhythm playing or chord-based styles will find the lick box voicing more focused on lead articulation than rhythm density”

    — from the community notes

  • high gain
  • articulate
  • fusion
  • pick attack
  • note definition
  • note clarity
  • articulation
$218.04View on Reverb

Price updated Oct 23, 2026

Genres the Carl Martin Greg Howe Lick Box is commonly used in

  • Progressive Rock
  • Jazz Fusion
    citedInferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
  • Metal
    citedInferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
  • Jazz
    citedInferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
  • Djent
    citedInferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
  • Hard Rock
    citedInferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.

Amps that pair well with the Carl Martin Greg Howe Lick Box

Engl Savage 120 Mark II E610II 120 Watt 4 Channel Tube

Engl

24% match
$3169.99via Reverb

What Engl Savage 120 Mark II E610II 120 Watt 4 Channel Tube brings here leans toward mid-forward — that's worth building a pairing around

Comes later in the signal chain

Marshall JCM900 2100

Marshall

24% match
$799.95via Reverb

Marshall JCM900 2100's own aggressive character is the real reason this is worth trying

Comes later in the signal chain

Engl 120 E610 MK II

Engl

tonal match

Comes later in the signal chain

Put Engl 120 E610 MK II after Carl Martin Greg Howe Lick Box

ENGL E610II Savage 120 MkII Head

Engl

tonal match
$3169.99via Reverb

Comes later in the signal chain

Put ENGL E610II Savage 120 MkII Head after Carl Martin Greg Howe Lick Box

Engl Savage 60 MK II

Engl

tonal match
$1723.42via Reverb

Comes later in the signal chain

Put Engl Savage 60 MK II after Carl Martin Greg Howe Lick Box

ENGL Special Edition E670

Engl

tonal match

Comes later in the signal chain

ENGL Special Edition E670 goes after Carl Martin Greg Howe Lick Box in the chain

Friedman Small Box 50 Head with 1x12 Cabinet

Friedman

tonal match

Comes later in the signal chain

Put Friedman Small Box 50 Head with 1x12 Cabinet after Carl Martin Greg Howe Lick Box

Engl Savage 60 Mark II

Engl

tonal match
$1723.42via Reverb

Comes later in the signal chain

Engl Savage 60 Mark II goes after Carl Martin Greg Howe Lick Box in the chain

Pedals that stack with the Carl Martin Greg Howe Lick Box

Electro-Harmonix 1973 Violet Ram's Head Big Muff Pi V2

Electro-Harmonix

22% match
$114.30via Reverb

What Electro-Harmonix 1973 Violet Ram's Head Big Muff Pi V2 brings here leans toward fuzzy — that's worth building a pairing around

Comes later in the signal chain

JHS MoonShine Overdrive

JHS Pedals

22% match

What JHS MoonShine Overdrive brings here leans toward saturated — that's worth building a pairing around

Maestro Orbit

Maestro

17% match
$57.99via Reverb

sits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.

Run Maestro Orbit after Carl Martin Greg Howe Lick Box in the signal chain, clear of Carl Martin Greg Howe Lick Box's own gain stage

Comes later in the signal chain

Universal Audio 1176 Compressor

Universal Audio

14% match
$129via Reverb

shapes the dynamic responseShapes how the tone responds to picking dynamics rather than its frequency or gain. (high headroom → compressed)

Universal Audio 1176 Compressor's own compressed character is the real reason this is worth trying

Comes earlier in the signal chain

Fender Hammertone Reverb

Fender

10% match
$85.19via Reverb

sits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.

Keep Carl Martin Greg Howe Lick Box's high gain voice out front: Fender Hammertone Reverb goes after Carl Martin Greg Howe Lick Box in the signal chain so its lush voice doesn't muddy it — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)

Comes later in the signal chain

Strymon BigSky

Strymon

9% match
$679via Reverb

sits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor. (high gain → ambient)

Keep Strymon BigSky after Carl Martin Greg Howe Lick Box in the signal chain, clear of Carl Martin Greg Howe Lick Box's own gain stage — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)

Comes later in the signal chain

Donner Big Mouth Distortion

Donner

tonal match
$29.95via Reverb

Comes later in the signal chain

Put Donner Big Mouth Distortion after Carl Martin Greg Howe Lick Box

Dr. Scientist Frazz Dazzler V2

Dr Scientist

tonal match
$203.84via Reverb

Comes later in the signal chain

Put Dr. Scientist Frazz Dazzler V2 after Carl Martin Greg Howe Lick Box

Cheaper alternatives

Airis Effects -Nemesis Preamp

Airis Effects

59% similarity
$185.24via Reverb

Shared character: high gain settings, clarity, full

Vox Joe Satriani Satchurator

Vox

59% similarity
$47via Reverb

Shared character: high gain settings, clarity, lead

Mad Professor Stone Grey Distortion

Mad Professor

58% similarity
$119.99via Reverb

Shared character: high gain settings, clarity, full

Suhr Riot Mini Black Edition

Suhr

55% similarity
$169via Reverb

Shared character: high gain settings, sustain, full

Airis Effects 51-Filthy

Airis Effects

54% similarity
$169via Reverb

Shared character: high gain settings, studio, full

Electro-Harmonix Micro Metal Muff TOP Boost

Electro-Harmonix

51% similarity
$68.70via Reverb

Shared character: high gain settings, clarity, full

Boutique & premium upgrades

Shin's Music Dumbloid

Shins Music

56% similarity
$469via Reverb

Shared character: fusion, overdrive

Friedman IR-J Jake E. Lee Preamp

Friedman

52% similarity
$499via Reverb

Shared character: high gain settings, clarity, lead

Fortin Amplification 33

Fortin Amplification

93% similarity
$288.79via Reverb

similar tone character

Similar charactersee all similar tone character →

JHS PG-14 Paul Gilbert Signature Distortion

JHS Pedals

68% similarity

Shared character: high gain settings, definition, articulation

Diezel Herbert Overdrive/Distortion/Preamp

Diezel

61% similarity

Shared character: compression, clarity, high gain settings

Fender Pugilist

Fender

59% similarity

Shared character: high gain settings, articulation, pick attack

Wampler Dracarys

Wampler

56% similarity
$199via Reverb

Shared character: high gain settings, definition, clarity

Electronic Audio Experiments Citadel

Electronic Audio Experiments

54% similarity
$249via Reverb

Shared character: pick attack, high gain settings, lead

DOD YJM308 Preamp Overdrive

Dod

54% similarity

Shared character: high gain settings, articulation, pick attack

See all alternatives to the Carl Martin Greg Howe Lick Box (cheaper + boutique) →

Questions people ask

What are good alternatives to the Carl Martin Greg Howe Lick Box?+

The closest matches in character are the JHS PG-14 Paul Gilbert Signature Distortion, the Diezel Herbert Overdrive/Distortion/Preamp, the Fender Pugilist. Budget picks: Airis Effects -Nemesis Preamp, Vox Joe Satriani Satchurator, Mad Professor Stone Grey Distortion. Boutique upgrades: Shin's Music Dumbloid, Friedman IR-J Jake E. Lee Preamp, Fortin Amplification 33.

What pairs well with the Carl Martin Greg Howe Lick Box?+

Strong matches from rig and tone-complementarity evidence: Engl Savage 120 Mark II E610II 120 Watt 4 Channel Tube, Marshall JCM900 2100, Engl 120 E610 MK II — What Engl Savage 120 Mark II E610II 120 Watt 4 Channel Tube brings here leans toward mid-forward — that's worth building a pairing around.

How much does the Carl Martin Greg Howe Lick Box cost?+

Around $218.04 (live listing price, updated Oct 23, 2026).

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