Ugly Guitar Truth: EHX Op-Amp Big Muff Reissue

Here we are, just weeks away from NAMM 2018. EHX decided to beat the rush and unveil another Big Muff Reissue, just in time for the holidays. (Well, probably not really in time for the holidays. You might be able to pre-order them for your loved ones.) Seem to be a theme emerging. Hot on the heels of the Green Russian reissue, this pedal seems strangely fitting. Why? Let's look.

The Market


Vintage versions on the Big Muff Pi have always been sought after. It's almost as if once a particular version goes out of production, then it become much more sought after. A quick search for "OP Amp Big Muff" will yield tons of results for vintage pedals going somewhere north of $300. Clones sell for over $100. So, an $80 EHX reissue is probably a welcome sight for all those that can't pony up big bills for vintage gear.


Dizzying Variants


If you happen to be like me, you might be a little confused by all the variations of the Muff. While I'm aware of most of them, I'll admit that I never really viewed the Op-Amp version to be very sought after. However, as I look around, I find that they are favored by many. Overlooking the Op-Amp isn't hard to do. There are 9 version of the circuit out there and the lion share are based on four transistors instead of the three Op-Amps in the V4/V5 Muffs. For those that speak Muff, Russian, Triangle, Civil War, Ram's Head all have very specific meanings. But to the uninformed it can be dizzying.


Fatigue


Can you keep all the Big Muff Straight. I mean all the big muffs. There are tons of these things. Most fans of the Muff are familiar with a handful, but there are still many in production that may fly under many's radar. The Little Big Muff, Tone Wicker, Deluxe and Germanium versions are rarely mentioned in the same breath with the vintage ones. They all have at least one thing in common though. They all wear the Big Muff Pi badge. They range from overdrives, to metal distortion, to fuzz, but they are all Big Muffs. Electro Harmonix gets a lot of mileage out of their Muff. Honestly, it could be the worst thing to say about this pedal. It's just another is a long line of others.


Conclusion


I had to read a little bit about this particular pedal before I really excited about it. I didn't know much about the Op-Amp Big Muffs. Now, knowing slightly more, I see that it's release make a lot of sense. Although, it may be a black sheep in the Muff family, it's sound is unique and distinct. A nasty, gungy pedal that has spawned many clones, finally has a well deserved reissue.

Ugly Guitar Truth: TC Electronic Iron Curtain Noise Gate

Alright, I guess I'm going to to do all of these things. By now, we know that TC is putting out a huge number of pedals that should look familiar to anyone that has been around BOSS or Behringer effect pedals. When I first heard of the people, I thought it was something different. I'll get into that in a second, but now we will take a closer look.

Not A Clone

So Behringer put out direct BOSS clones for a long time. They are still producing cost-effective stomp boxes that are nearly identical to their BOSS brethren. Here come TC and they look like they are upping the ante. They are pretty much taking some of the most successful circuits and stilling them in rugged boxes. Basically taking Behringer's game and raising the bar... kinda. Like we saw with the 3rd Dimension, TC pedals aren't always direct copies. I'm not saying that they aren't up to par, but some of the features don't make to the final product. The same thing has happened here. The BOSS and Behringer pedals both feature an effects loop. This isn't necessary, but it is a noted loss when comparing these very related pedals.

The Competition

Looking at budget noise gate pedals, you won't find many. Most start out well north of the advertised price of the Iron Curtain-$50. The Behringer has a spotted reputation, and the BOSS is twice the price. It's pretty much between EHX and TC at this price point. If you need anything more substantial than what those two pedal can give you, then you should probably take a look at the TC Sentry and stop messing around with bargain bin pedals. Personally, I've never really had any need for noise gate on my board. Not to say that I haven't used them. My experience with the BOSS NS-2 and MXR Smart Gate is enough for me not to recommend them. Even with the limited features, if TC made a solid noise gate at $50, then this is a huge win for guitarists in general.

So Close

They had the name and the look, but if they just could have made this a Russian Big Muff clone I think I could have forgiven the lack of green. I know this is on the heels of EHX releasing their Green Russian, but imagine for a second a world that had a choice of Russian Fuzz clones. Maybe this one goes for more of a Black Russian feel? What makes it worse is that they put out a Muff Clone in the line. The demo did sound pretty low-gain, so maybe it's going for a Russian feel... but that just makes it worse. You were so close TC!

Conclusion

I'm actually pretty surprised that I have so many feelings about a Noise Gate. But honestly, this pedal does seem to feel a bit of a gap in the market. The lack of features does give me a little bit of pause. If I were to find myself in need of a noise gate and had the option of the Iron Curtain and the Silencer, then I might just get the Silencer on the features alone. I mean, seven dollars buy quite a bit more. Then again, noise gates are a hard thing to get right, and I haven' really see TC drop the ball on any of these pedals, so it might come down to a dual.

Did I Cause Wampler To Make A Deluxe Tumnus

Today, I am a proud papa, metaphorically, I've been a father for several years now... But what I am talking today is the Wampler Tumnus Deluxe. You see, All the way back in October of 2015 I predicted this day will come. Yes, it was a stab in the dark, but it makes it no less true. Check it out if you don't believe me. The date of that post is from over two years ago. The Deluxe Tumnus features a three-band EQ, bypassable buffer, and switchable gain boost. This is a humble blog, so I don't think that I really influenced Brian Wampler to develop a new Tumnus pedal, but then again...

He Has Read My Blog

No really, He has even commented on posts before. Brian is very engaged with his audience. He is active on YouTube, social media, and forums. This is the formula that has made Wampler the brand that we know and love. Either he is a builder that wants connect to the users of his product, or he is an egomaniac that can't help Googling his own name. Given his demeanor on his YouTube channel, I believe it's the former.

He Basically Told Us He'd Do It

Back when the Tumnus was released, Brian told us that if he had put the Tumnus in a larger enclosure, then he would have been too tempted to mess with the circuit. So many people asked him to make a faithful reproduction of the Klon Centar that he didn't want to go modding the original just yet. Now that the Tumnus has become a respected pedal in its own right, a deluxe version is more sensible.

It's Still Pretty Risky

Sure, it sounds good in theory. First, give a Klon, then give us a Klon Deluxe. Deluxe must be better right? Well, we have to look at why we like the Klon in the first place. It's a simple transparent overdrive. Personally, I use my Klone to hit the front end of my amp (or another dirt pedal) to get it a little bit of crunch. I use the Treble knob to make everything just pokey enough. Season to taste using the Gain and you're done. However, a three band EQ on a Klon circuit might just be too much for some people. I know what you might be thinking, "More knobs = more better". The original only asked us how much treble we wanted. Too much? Turn it down. Not Enough? Turn it up. Now we can boost or cut Bass and Mids. In doing this, Wampler has given us the freedom to find a wide range of tones. Some of those tones are going to be crap. Now we have more rope, we can find a way to hang ourselves.

Conclusion

I'm excited about this. I mean, I did call it. Totally called it. Other than that, this is the first kind of progression. We've seen Klon circuit paired with other circuits. We've also seen transparent overdrives with fun little mods. But, to my knowledge, this is the first direct clone to get an update like this. I look forward to posting a full review soon. I wonder if other builders will follow suit. Will there be a Soul Food Deluxe, or an Archer Deluxe?

Ugly Guitar Truth: TC Electron Honey Pot Fuzz

In the ever-expanding line of TC Electronics value based effect, the Honey Pot Fuzz is just one of the latest offerings. Currently available for pre-order from most major online retailers, not much is known about the fuzz. Most of the information currently know is based upon the demo TC posted directly after the announcement of their release. So what do we know about this pedal, and should we be looking forward to its release?

Don't We Already Have One Of These

Yes. The Initial release of these pedal included the Rusty Fuzz. However this was a silicon fuzz based on the Fuzz Face. For those unfamiliar with fuzzes, there are just as many fuzzes to have as there are overdrives. Does that mean that they are all different? I'll answer that question with another question. Are all overdrives different? Let's just think about how many "different" Tube Screamers there are. Sure, there may be some slight differences for one manufacturer from another, but for the most part a Tube Screamer is a Tube Screamer. But a Tube Screamer isn't a Blues Driver. 

Ruby Fuzz is to Fuzz Face as Honey Pot Fuzz is to...

Big Muff. Yes, the Honey Pot seems to be a clone of the EHX Big Muff Pi. It's also been suggested that even the name may be a reference to same anatomical location as the Muff. The largest hint as to what the circuit is based upon are the label given to the knobs. Volume and Tone are pretty basic stuff, but Sustain on a fuzz usually point in one direction, Big Muff.

Which Muff Is This Muff?

This is where it get a little trickier. The Big Muff Pi has several versions to choose from when cloning. From the Triangle to the modern USA version, there are at least a handful of circuits and sounds that we could expect from this pedal. If I had to take a guess, I'd say that we might be getting a Russian variant of the pedal. This may be wishful thinking on my part, or it may be due to the fact that another pedal announced along side this one is call the Iron Curtain (far better name if this is a Russian version). The main reason I think this is that it sounds rather tame. The Russian Big Muff is one of the lower gain version of the pedal. In any case, we probably aren't looking at a clone of the modern Big Muff Pi.

Conclusion

Yes, these pedals are bulky little tanks, but given their relationship with Behringer I'd rather have these than those. Personally, I have never been a huge fan of TC's dirt pedals. The Mojo and Dark Matter were both rather underwhelming But with the new line of "inspired" pedals, TC might just have my attention. A $50 Muff clone has my attention. But if this really is a Russian Big Muff, then it could possibly take the wind of the resent EHX Green Russian release. But for the love of Pete, they should have name this one the Iron Curtain... Such a better name!

Ugly Guitar Truth: TC Electronic El Mocambo Overdrive

Upon the announcement of the new El Mocambo, Tore himself practically called the new pedal a Tube Screamer. Uncertain whether this is a TS-9 or TS-808 clone, the allusion to "the most ledgendary overdrive circuit ever designed" almost assures it is one of the two.

Why Do We Need Another TS Pedal?


Short answer is that we don't. But, when you are cranking out pedal after pedal for your corporate overlords, a tube screamer is a sure-fire win. It's a simple circuit, so all you have to do is give it a cool name and mount it in a decommission soviet tank and call it a day.


Who really Needs To Buy A Pedal


I own two tube screamers (a TS-9 and TS-808) but I have many more that give me that same feel. Honestly, I prefer an OCD to either of my TS pedals. But, I can't deny the fact that I have a morbid curiosity when it comes to this pedal. I want to know what it sounds like compared to my other mid-humped overdrive. I know it's going to sound the same... but the marketing it too strong.


Conclusion


If you are trying to move to all your pedal having top jacks, or if you need a pedal that you could break a car window or fight out an attacker with, then you might want to check out this pedal. However, if you already have a TS type people, maybe try before you buy. If you've never used a TS or you want a TS but want to spend a little less, then maybe this pedal is for you.

Ugly Guitar Truth: TC Electronic Crescendo Auto Swell

If you think like me, and let's be honest who wouldn't., then you think that volume swells in guitar-based music is just the bee's knees. No better way to make you guitar sound spooky, seductive, and whale-ish (welsh?) than to add some volume swells. In fact, volume swells are so prevalent in you guitar work that you don't have time to work a knob, and a volume pedal doesn't fit on your board because you added yet another transparent overdrive that you absolutely need for "that" tone. (That last klone totally makes your amp sound just like a modded Fender Dumble.)

Hot Take

This pedal is just a reheat BOSS SG-1. Behringer made a clone and this is that in a TC electronic box. All these things are probably true and that is complete fine. I'm ok with TC electronic doing this. I mean, it's not like this is the first straight copy of the Slow Gear. There have been clones and DIY kits for ages. My Line6 M5 has an auto swell effect among the five thousand other ones. Did I buy it for that one effect? No. Do I use it consistently? Also, no. I mean, I do have a volume pedal...


Same Old Problem


So, I have story about how the SG-1 came about. Disclaimer: I have no idea if this is in any way true. It's just something that I heard once. It sounds like a think that might be kinda true. As it goes, The guys at BOSS were putting out pedals left and right and making a ton of money because pedal just love the guitar pedal things. There was only one problem. The line of BOSS pedals had been pretty fleshed out and there wasn't a huge outcry for anything more. BOSS had to come up with a new idea. You see, BOSS wasn't always a huge company that followed trends only five years too late. They were once a young, innovating company with ideas. At this particular time, they were having a lot of trouble coming up with anything. That is until someone had the idea to make a pedal that was basically the inverse of a Noise Suppressor which they already made. So, the SG-1 Slow Gear was born. It worked, but it's a little crude. VFE make a similar pedal that fine tunes the idea. The Slow Gear was never supposed to be the end-all be-all of swell pedals, but the limited run made it rare and so it can fetch a high price. This, incorrectly, gives some the impression that it somehow superior to other auto swell pedals. So, if this is a faithful copy of the original, then we are getting a pedal that someone at BOSS pulled out of their butts when they couldn't think of anything better.


Conclusion


I'm only human. Even though I explained that the Slow Gear is nothing special, and despite the fact that I own Two pedals that can reproduce this effect, I still want one. I wouldn't mind owning an actual SG-1, but I probably wouldn't put the Behringer pedal on my board because I'm vain like that. So yeah, this is a compromise that spares my ego and lets me not spend $500 on vintage pedal I'd hate to take out of the house.

Ugly Guitar Truth: TC Electronic 3rd Dimension Chorus

TC Electronic showed us the next line of their smorgasbord line of effects. There were several interesting things to note. Probably the most noted was the chorus. We are so used to looking pedals with some arrangement of knob that when we see something the 3rd Dimension it is quite striking. A pedal with the non-familiar shape and size of the new TC boxes with four push buttons instead of our trusty knobs. Is this a better way to do chorus? Maybe, maybe not, but let's take a look at it.

Reboxed Behringer?


At first glance, this pedal looks to be a direct reboxing of a Behringer Chorus Space-C with one glaring exception that we'll talk about later. TC is now owned by Behringer's parent company, so they have been put to task taking care of the most repeated complaint of the Behringer effects, their plastic boxes. So now these pedals have a case that, along with a poster a Raquel Welch, could easily aid your escape from prison. To me, the new box seems to be a serious upgrade to the Behringer. Maybe "upgrade" it too strong a word...

Where's the Stereo?


Both the Space-C and the BOSS DC-2 it was based off of took a single input and provided two outputs. However, the 3rd Dimension doesn't provide the 2nd output. Personally, I don't run a stereo rig or stereo effects, so it doesn't really effect me much, but many people do, and those people would benefit from a faithful reproduction of the classic chorus. However, let me remind you that TC teased a Juno-106 type chorus, and people lost their minds. That pedal was also mono.

Limited


The first question I asked when I saw a push button pedal was, "But, how do I dial-in my tone?". Watching the video the TC put out, Tore talks about spending hours fine tuning a chorus sound. Help me out here, but has anyone spent hours doing this? Most of chorus experience has been CE-2 based, so there wasn't much to mess with. I'd think that four buttons lacking any label, other than being numbered, would be harder to tune than clearly labeled knobs, but that would be an unforgivable deviation from the classic... shm.


Conclusion


To the average player who is not worried about the heritage of there chorus, this is a very interesting pedal. The demo that TC did sounded fine. I'm not a huge chorus user, but it can add a little complexity to your sound when needed. I probably won't pick one of these up. Not because I don't like the 3rd Dimension, but because my Lyon (by Washburn) chorus is meeting my chorus needs. Plus... it's Stereo.

Ugly Guitar Truth: JHS Russion Big Muff Moscow Mod

The JHS Chernobyl Moscow Mod for the EHX Russian Big Muff Overdrive was announced on the official JHS Instagram. And yes, the original name for the mod was Chernobyl, as in the massive nuclear disaster at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. At first glance I thought that the name was metal AF, but then I thought about naming a product after a horrible tragedy and profiting off it. So I support the name change. Other than the name, there are some interesting things about the pedal. Why don't we take a look are what in the mod.


All The Hardware

Two switches and a knob are added in this mod. If you like your new Russian Big Muff, but want it a little bit heavier, then boy does JHS have a deal for you. All joking aside, reading the description of the mod of the JHS website, I'm not exactly impressed. Straight from the JHS site description: "Experiment with all the knobs to see what kind of sound you get." Wow, I'm surprised that they didn't include the detail, "This pedal makes sounds!" or just the word "GREEN". The description is just senselessly lazy.

It Does... Something

So, the description does mention "lower gain synth style gated fuzz sounds". Which makes me wonder what a lower gain-gated fuzz sound would sound like. Perhaps a "dying battery" effect, or a super saturated, compressed clipping section. IDK, sure wish the description could clear that up. Anyways, After my personal experience with a JHS modded Soul Food (I could hardly tell that there was any change in tone when changing the mod's 3 different modes) I'm not waiting in line to get this one done.

Is It Better?

There once was  a time with adding switches and knobs would make me believe that the modded pedal with new and improved. But I've come to learn that just because it is different/altered/modded doesn't mean that it is better. I like the Green Russian Big Muff. Do I really think that it needs a mod? No. Does the description tempt me into wanting it? Not even close. Are people going to get this mod even though it had barely been described in any way? Sure, just look at the comment section on their facebook or Instagram. I think I'll hold off.


Conclusion

I think I end my last paragraph with my conclusion. I don't think I want this mod in any shape or form. Maybe I'm wrong, I haven't heard the pedal in question, but it was just announced so lets wait and see what it actually does. But we can all agree (probably) that their description needs some what...

Ugly Guitar Truth: TC Electronic Eyemaster Metal Distortion

So, today TC Electronics let us see what they were teasing us about recently. They gave us a full frontal view of 8 new pedals they are releasing. For the most part, these are very interesting. There is a push button chorus, fuzz, tremolo, auto swell, and noise gate. I've checked out all the available information about these pedals and they seem much like the affordable pedal that they released a few months ago. Where TC has done a great job so far, there seems to be a rotten egg in the bunch. If you read the title of the post you already know what I'm going to say. Let's take a look at the Eyemaster Metal Distortion.

Just... Wow

Ok, if there is one thing that I've learned about the state of big pedal developers releasing their pedal via social media, it is that they have everything optimized before launch. They show us glamour shots on Instagram and they post well produced demo videos on YouTube. That is what TC Electronic did for each one of their new pedals. Each pedal had a video that did no less that convince me to buy every single one. I probably won't, but when I watch those videos, I absolute knew that I needed to buy whatever it was. The final video that I watched was for the Eyemaster. Why did I watch it last? Because that was the order that YouTube gave it to me. Ok?! Just like the other videos we have "Pedal Jesus" tell us just how great this pedal is, and we have an impressive guitarist giving us a demo. Only, I'm not really understanding what I'm hearing. Everything sounds awful. There is a chugging riff and some talk about brutal death-metal. I enjoy a nice chuggy metal riff, but do not dig the sounds on this video. I checked out the comment section to make sure I wasn't crazy. What had been a sea of praise for the other pedal release along side this one, was now a list of complaints.

Simpler Than-Thou

So, I copy-pasted that from the TC website. This pedal has two knobs. That is completely fine. However, the sounds that were coming out of this pedal is not fine. I know that TC can produce a video with great sounding metal riffs (just check out the Mimiq Doubler pedal they have). So it leads me to believe that this pedal just isn't holding up. It sounds like the intro of a song that uses a lofi filter before restoring the low end frequencies and becoming something worth listening to. The sounds aren't brutal. They are thin, scooped, and fizzy. They are a number of HM-2 comparisons being made, but to me it sounds more like a MXR Prime Distortion. Whatever the actually heritage of this pedal, the video does not do much to make me want the thing. After doing some digging, there is a "sound" that the pedal seems to go for, but it "sounds" like a MT-2 at a horrific setting to me.

Who's To Blame?

Here's the deal. Tore (I think that's the guy's name) is kind of an odd dude. Odd in this case refers to the fact that he doesn't agree with me all the time. I don't particularly like most of the distortion/overdrives from TC. So I think there might be some ideological differences between me and the people making decisions at TC. This is all totally fine, but I don't seem to be the only one finding the Eyemaster a little hard to handle. Why does this pedal sound like this? Seems like the TC guys have a thing for distortions with this particular palate. Or, It could be Behringer/Music Group to blame. Many people accuse TC of reboxing Behringer pedals. So maybe it's due to the designs being out of TC's control and not up to their standards. TC makes top notch pedal in nearly every category. There are even fans of the drive pedals... go figure. Or possibly, The amps they were using just didn't like working with that particular pedal. If Tore is to be believed, it may have been too metal for that poor Bugera amp. According to the videos in this series of demos, the amps used were Bugera. In the video is question, there was a close up of a Marshal Plexi, but that amp wasn't even turned on (note the unilluminated status light). This may indicate the use of the Bugera Plexi clone. 

Conclusion

Does this pedal dish out brutal and raw metal tones inspired by classic Swedish death metal? honestly, it might, I'm not up on my classic Swedish death metal. However, I can really recommend this pedal. Very few people have had a chance to play this pedal since it has only just been announced, but for what I can tell, this one is a swing and a miss. TC Electronics does such a great job on nearly everything it sets out to do, but issuing a two knob metal distortion just seems... limited. Here's hoping that this pedal has some internal controls to tweak.

Ugly Guitar Truth: JHS Haunted Mids Mid-Boost Pedal

If, and only if, you are as cool as me, and you were on your phone looking at Instagram instead of doing anything better with your life, then you might have seen that JHS is taking pre-orders for a new pedal. The Haunting Mids is, according to JHS, a frightfully effective Sweepable-Mids boost/cut pedal that can turn any amp or pedal into a ghastly monster. Let's break out the pitchforks...


Let's Talk About The Puns

They are stupid. I thought the entire pedal was a joke... kinda like their April fools pedal they posted a while back. Evidently this thing is real and they are taking pre-orders. Hopefully the pre-orders are just to see if there is anyone out there willing to put out money for this thing. Does your spine tingle when you think about pedals that do next to nothing? Do you have nightmares about muddy tone, then you must not know to turn an EQ knob. The description for this pedal is so campy, it belongs in a Bruce Campbell movie. But don't worry, if you don't like puns then you won't like this pedal either.


What Are They Going For

Let's take a look at the controls. Volume, Mids, Sweep, and a Hi/Low switch. Volume is self explanatory, it make it louder or not louder. Mids and Sweep work together. The Mids either boosts or cuts the selected frequency. The Sweep knob sets the frequency that is boosted or cut. The Hi/Lo switch effects the width of the range of frequencies effected. Hi is a more prominent and focused range, where Lo is wider and softer. So, this a boost pedal with shapeable mids... cool. But I have bad news for JHS


There Are Way Better Pedal That Do Everything (and more) That This Pedal Does

Literally every graphic equalizer pedal out there beats this pedal hands down. JHS tried really hard to make it cute, but every pun in the world can't save you from the fact that this pedal is stupidly limited. It's just slightly more refined than Spectrum pedal (one of the very first pedals that BOSS put out). The MXR 10 band eq is capable of doing everything the Haunting Mids does, but better. Plus, it's cheaper. Is it too big for your pedal board. Get the 6 band eq. Not enough bands? The BOSS GE-7 has got you covered. Mids? Lows? Highs? Cuts? Boosts? These pedal do it all. That's why I have 2 GE-7s on my board. Is the GE-7 noisy? Not that I've ever had a problem with, but there are mods that quiet the pedal.


Conclusion


This pedal is probably a simple, well designed pedal that does what it promises. However, I can't really recommend that you buy (or pre-order) it without pointing out how pointless a pedal like this is. If you want to shape your mids with a pedal, then get a graphic EQ. Save some money and get a much more flexible pedal. Do you want a pedal with cute ghost on it? Then paint a ghost of an EQ pedal because this pedal is nearly worthless... Just when JHS was impressing me with their new reverb....

Ugly Guitar Truth: JHS Sping Tank Reverb

According to the JHS website, the Spring Tank Reverb will be able to provide the washed out layers that only true amp style spring reverb can give you. The pedal brings you an arsenal of settings to tweak with an utilitarian simplicity and usability. The pedal features controls for Depth, Length, Highs, Boost (to control your overall volume) and Two independent and switchable reverb mixes called Tank 1 and Tank 2. Seems like a solid feature set from here, but lets take a closer look.

Springs

No, there aren't any springs in this pedal, but there is a lot more to this pedal than just simple reverb. The pedal sounds convincing. That right there makes this pedal a contender in the simple spring reverb 'boutique' market, but it has a few more tricks up it's sleeve. When running "regular" reverb, I do like the spring type. Plate, Hall, Room, and other types have their use, but the sound of springs just feels right to the ear for me. Real spring units are expensive and fragile. At this price point and quality, the Spring Tank is already a tempting option


Tanks


Why not just use the reverb on your amp? Well, if you are using an amp without a quality spring unit on board, then you're already out of luck. But the Spring Tank has the one-up on your amp's reverb. Tank 2 can be used as a second setting to be used on the fly. Set Tank 1 to your base level and then use Tank 2 for a huge, exaggerated sound, or anything else for that matter. What, your pedal only has one sound?


Boost


Yeah, this reverb has a boost in it. Any questions?


Other Features


Sure, this pedal has Depth and Length just like any other reverb, but you can set the brightness of your reverb so that it can sit in the back ground, or pop out in front. That not enough for you? Well, good. Because this pedal also has an effects loop that allows you to add addition effects just the reverb trails. You can even choose to only engage the effects loop when Tanks 2 in on. What more do you want?


Conclusion


Can you guess what I think about this pedal. I know this the Ugly Truth, but it's looking rather pretty from here. The Topanga, Dewdrop and Spring Thing are all in the same class as this pedal, but lets be honest. The feature set only makes this unit stand out. This pedal is well thought out and well executed. Personally, I get by with a digital reverb (gotta have my shimmer) but I have to hand it to JHS on this one. They put out a impressive pedal.

Why I Still Use A BOSS DD-20 Delay

For nearly ten years, I've used the BOSS DD-20 as my main delay. I've had several others come and go, but I've always stuck by the BOSS Twin Pedal. When I bought it, it was one of the best delays you could buy. As the years have gone by, I've seen many impressive delays come to market. There are a few reasons why I haven't upgraded.

It's Simple

If you can use a any of the BOSS digital delays, then you can use the DD-20. With just a few turns of a knob, you can dial in just about any delay sound you want. That's not to say that it's lacking features, but the interface is very easy to understand and use. There are no menus. There is a screen to give you all the information you need. It's all right there in front of your face. So simple, it's almost dumb. Just the way I like it.

It's Deep

This pedal does a little bit of everything. It's not perfect by any means. However, there are plenty of options to choose from. Not only that, but there is feature that you don't see often on a delay. Not only do you get Tape, Analog, Ping Pong, Looping and other modes, but you get a Tone knob. I know that's not super exciting, but it let's you dial in how dark or bright you want your repeats. I'm sure that some of these uber delays can do the same thing or similar, but when this was new on the market, it was very unique.





It's A Value





I paid top dollar back when I bought mine, but now you can regularly find this pedal for under $100. I've done a lot of looking recently, and $100 doesn't buy you a lot in regards to delay. In this case, You can get tons of delay for your money.




Conclusion




If I had the 200-250 dollars it would take to buy a DD-20 at its original price, I'd do one of two things. I'd save up for the DD-500 or I'd get the Carbon Copy Deluxe. The DD-500 might be a little overkill, but it won't leave you wanting. The Carbon Copy Deluxe is a great delay made even better. I'm running analog type delay sounds most the time anyways, and the Carbon Copy is just about the best deal going for one of those. If I had to put together a full feature pedal board for the least amount of money, then the DD-20 is my pick. For about a hundred dollars, the DD-20 is very hard to beat.

Ugly Guitar Truth: MXR Carbon Copy Deluxe

Whether you love the Carbon Copy or you passed on it. Nearly everyone's ears perked up when MXR/Dunlop announced the Carbon Copy Deluxe. Nearly everyone agrees that's the original Carbon Copy sounds great (or it is too dark). Whatever you think about the original, the Deluxe fixes some problems about the original and gives us everything that you could want, right? Let's take a look.


There's More To Love

So those that love the Carbon Copy have a lot more to happy about. A larger format allows for additions like Tap Tempo and moves the Width and Speed of the Mod to the outside of the pedal this time. We also get the bright mod added to the Deluxe. I glad they added this, that way we avoid the predictable Carbon Copy Deluxe (Bright). All this in addition to the neat add-ons like expression and instrument/line level options make this a well thought out pedal. So is it all roses?


It's Not All Roses

Yeah, The Carbon Copy is loved by many players, but is it really live up to all the hype? It's not an all-around type delay. Coming from the point of do-it-all digital delay, analog delays have a big gap to make up in way of value. There are no fancy tricks (well, not many) or dizzying specs. One could argue that an analog delay with 1.2 seconds of delay is a pretty good trick. Others would say that a mono delay just doesn't cut it anymore. With the addition of sub-divides, tap-tempo, and expression, one would difficult not to admit that the Deluxe is a serious step up for the Carbon Copy

It All Adds Up

Given the popularity of the Carbon Copy and the current trend of analog delays, the Carbon Copy Deluxe gives players looking for that sound even more. The sound that many of us love is still there, but now there is so much more to love. It is even in a top-jack format, which is more-and-more becoming my favorite format. The price of the original, to me, seems a little steep. Then again, I'm a penny-pinching, old so-and-so. The Deluxe, on the other hand, seems to fit well in the market for modern analog delays.

Conclusion

The worse new in this entire post might be for the original Carbon Copy (including the Cabon Copy Bright). There just isn't enough reason to buy the original anymore. There is so much more in the Deluxe that it would just make sense to make the leap. Does it do everything? Of course not. What it does do, it does very well.

Happy World Guitar Day

Today marks the first World Guitar Day. It's about time that we guitar players had a day. I'm not sure about the origins of World Guitar Day, but it's nice to have a day to make us stop and reflect on the fact that there are guitar slingers all across the world. We may not speak the same langue or have much in common, but the thing that unifies us is a love for a wonder instrument know as the guitar. I am reminded of the global reach of the six-string when I look into my traffic analytics. I can see that I receive traffic from nearly every country in the world.

I fell in love with guitar as a young lad. I found a beat up old classical in my sisters closet and begged to be taught how to use it. Even at its best, that guitar was barely playable, but play it I did. It's what I learned my first chords on. I learned how to strum and keep time. I have a special place in my heart and closet for that guitar. So today, I remember it and everyone that supported my musical journey. Thank you.

Best Delay Under $50

A delay pedal is one of the most intimidating pedal-decision that a guitarist can make. There are endless features, staggering costs and tons of options. Despite this, a delay is a core effect on the pedalboard of most guitarist. The first time I bought a delay, I just asked the guy working at the guitar shop what the best one was. I bought it. And that was it. I spent over 200 dollars and luckily ended up with a great pedal that I enjoy, but I easily could have ended up with a turd. So here is a list of pedals that are cost-effective and useful.  If you are in the market for a "cheap" delay, then here is my list of the top eight pedals to take a careful look at.


Behringer DD600

This pedal is inspired by the BOSS DD6. Behringer has done a decent job of copying BOSS pedals. The feature list is nearly unheard of on a pedal in this price bracket. The availability of tap tempo and tons of different delay modes make this pedal a tempting pick. I'd encourage you to test one out. There are reports of noise with this pedal, so be sure to test drive before you buy.


Behringer EM600

This pedal is a long time favorite. This is based off the Line6 Echo Park. The Echo Park is still loved by a loyal set of fans. The Swell effect only made this pedal very desirable. Besides that, you have analog and tape filters included in this digital delay. Tap tempo and available Mod filters on your delay tails add a cherry on top. As of a few weeks ago, this pedal was difficult to get a hold of, so prices might top $50 on the used market, but keep an eye out for one of these.


Ibanez DE7

The Tonelok series from Ibanez was unfairly overlooked. Fortunately, you can still find these pedals relatively easy and for $50 or less. 2600ms with an available 'echo filter' give you plenty to play with. Solid metal enclosures are a plus over the plastic Behringer boxes, but the feature list takes a bit of a hit. Overall this pedal is a solid choice with few drawbacks. Not to mention the key feature of these pedals: the set-it and forget-it knobs. If you have a core sound you can lock it in and not worry about it getting knocked around.


Danelectric D-8 FAB Delay

This is one of the cheapest options for a standard type delay. At $25 this pedal is tempting to pick up just because. Obviously, there are limited features on this pedal, but it's a solid choice for bargain-ben prices. It has about 600ms of delay which is decent for half of some of the other pedals on this list. It's another plastic pedal, so it's not one to beat around. If you don't ask much from your delay and want to save some money this one might be one to consider.


DigiTech Digidelay

This is another full-featured delay that has come and gone. Although you can't pick one up new from the store, there are plenty out there to be had. Up to 4 seconds of delay and handful of useful modes, including looping, make this a top contender for best delay under $50. The used market goes up and down, but you can find these hanging around $50 fairly common. All this and tap tempo make this a must watch.


TC Electronic Prophet

Fair new to the market is the TC Prophet. This is a simple digital delay. The most impressive features of this pedal are structural. Top jacks and super-solid construction make this pedal impressive just to hold. Features wise, this pedal doesn't really impress. There are three modes, but they aren't extremely useful. For being one of the most impressive on this list, the features of the actual delay doesn't seem impressive, but this pedal probably has the best "feel" on the list. Street price on these pedals is $60, but I've caught them on sale for well under $50.


Behringer VD400

Another bargain is the Vintage delay from Behringer. Plastic? Check. But you get the feel of an analog delay for under $30. Your delay time is limited, but if you don't like the D-8 but want to find a bottom dollar delay, then give this pedal a try. This is another one you want to test drive. Find a local dealer is see if it's right for you.


TC Electronic Echobrain

Everything that you can say for the Prophet you can say for the Echobrain. The delay time is limited, but it's built like a tank and the delay sounds great. This is probably the best/interesting sounding delay on the list. While the digital delays do their best to sound like analog, this pedal delivers on the authentic analog sound. It's a little on the dark side, but that's what the appeal of these pedals is. Dark, dirty delays are what this pedal does. Again, the list price is over the limit, but if you want to check one out, then wait until they go on sale and snap one up.

WHAT NOT TO BUY:

JOYO Digital Delay

This pedal did not make the list, but I thought that I'd put it on this post in case you were looking at inexpensive delays. This pedal has an issue with passing signal while in bypass. Don't buy this pedal. There are better options. In my opinion, every pedal is a better choice than this one. This pedal also goes by the name "Time Space" but I'm pretty sure it is the same pedal. Check out the full review of this pedal here.



Conclusion

These pedals aren't in any kind of order. All of these pedals are worth a look if you want to spend minimal dough. I've played all these pedal personally and tried to share some useful information to help you make your delay decision. There are several from Behringer. I don't particularly like their pedals, but they have a large list of inexpensive pedals. So, what do think? Did I miss any pedal that should have been on the list? Leave it in the comments below!

Hands On Review On MXR Carbon Copy Analog Delay

For a long time, the Carbon Copy analog delay has been the darling of many analog delay users. It wasn't until recently that I was able to sit down and fully review one of this pedal. I've been going through tons of delay pedals recently and I was looking forward to really get to know this pedal. So with that in mind, let's get into it.


Solid

This pedal is compact. Messing around with the new line of TC Electronic's economy line has gotten my used to a bit larger format. Even a BOSS pedal make this pedal seem slender. It also has a lot of heft. The enclosure is thick. In fact, I took the screws out of the bottom and fit of the bottom plate was so solid, I almost had to pry it off. When you hold this pedal next to something like the JOYO digital delay, the differences are huge. Quality is evident even before you plug it in. MXR did an awesome job at building a super solid pedal.


It Does What It Does

There isn't a lot of extras with this pedal. Mono in, mono out, but what is cool is that it includes a mod buttons, so that's fun. There are three controls, but you do have internal controls to control the mod. That is good, because when I first engaged the mod button it was too present. Other than Tap Tempo and longer delay times (both are almost always limited on analog delays. Also, the carbon copy has longer times than the Echobrain analog delay.) This isn't a feature pack pedal, but what it does it does quite well.


The Sounds

I did want to compare the Carbon Copy to the other delays that I had laying around. I was excited to compare the Carbon Copy to the Echobrain. The Carbon Copy blew the Echobrain away. Delay time (which is a big deal for me) was a lot of it. The Mod switch just made the Carbon Copy so much more of a pedal. I also put this up against the Behringer EM-600 Echo Machine. I set a good tone on the Carbon Copy and tried to copy it with Echo Machine. It got 90% there. The Carbon Copy just has a way of not coloring your dry signal. When making a big ambient swell, other pedals cover up higher frequencies, but the Carbon Copy is a champ. I could hear delicate note despite the huge amount of noise behind the playing. Impressive.


Conclusion

This pedal I lovely. There is a reason that this pedal is so popular. Yes, it was trendy, but there is something to be said for when I pedal is done well. There is very little to complain about with it as well. You might want stereo operation or tap tempo, but that is still rather uncommon is a small format, sub $200 pedal. The only thing that really detracts this pedal is the price tag. I'm not saying that this pedal isn't worth $150, but that price point puts it next to pedals like the EHX Canyon, BOSS DD-7 and TC Electronic Flashback II. Yes, they are all digital pedals, but I am Ok with running digital if it sounds good. So for the analog loyalist, this is awesome pedal, but those that play the field might want to check out their options.

Hands On Review Of Joyo Digital Delay

Those that shop thrifty pedal know the Joyo brand. It's been years since I've played my first Joyo pedal. It was an Ultimate Drive. I didn't like it very much despite the fact that it's supposed to be an OCD clone. I've tried other offerings of their to varying level of, "Meh". But I saw a Digital Delay sitting in my local music store's used bin and I bit. I've been on somewhat of a delay search, so I decided this would be the black horse. Oh boy...



Right Off The Bat

I wanted this pedal to be more. I wanted it to defy the expectations that pedal snob would have for it. I love to find a sleeper pedal. Too cheap to appeal to the cork-sniffers, but those willing to get it a shot would know it is indispensable. This pedal, well, it's not that. As soon as I power-up and plug in, there is a very audible, screeching noise (and it's not even on!). I turn it on and it's deafening. I quickly turn it back off and contemplate the mistake I made when purchasing this pedal. However, I realize that the delay is dimed and the signal bleeds through while in bypass. Not a good start.



Not Much Else

So, there are the standard features of a delay of this type. It has about 600ms of delay and standard Time, Repeats, and Level controls. The repeats are the rather standard digital type, nothing special there.



Conclusion

I know that there aren't as many points as I usually have, but there just isn't that much more to say about this pedal. That's about the worst thing you can say about this pedal. It is exactly what you might think. It's super cheap and you get what you pay for. Actually, you probably don't get what you pay for because if you have this pedal in your chain then you are going to get unwanted noise. You'd have to put it in a bypass loop. The only application I can see for this pedal is a practice rig, or a paperweight.

Hands On Review Of Behringer EM-600 Echo Machine

If you are familiar with the Behringer line of guitar effect pedals, then you know that they are mostly BOSS clones. They are basically plastic versions of our favorite BOSS pedals. So what BOSS pedal is the EM-600 Echo Machine? It's actually a facsimile of a Line6 Echo Park. You may have know that. Actually, If you are reading a review for the EM-600 then you probably already knew that.  So, is the EM-600 a decent replica of a Echo Park? Let's see...


Old School

So, just like all the other pedals in this line. It is very similar to the size and shape and function of the BOSS format. However, that format is old. If you look at the pedals of twenty years ago, you'll see that a lot of companies made pedals just like that. DOD, Digitech, Ibanez, and others made pedals just like that. However, form and formats have changed over time. BOSS is huge and doesn't have to change, but inexpensive pedals attracts younger players and younger players follow trends. Those that want trendy pedalboards will have to weigh economy against style.

Where's It At?

Just in the past few weeks, this pedal has become hard to find. Most of the main online retailers have gone from 'item backordered' to 'no longer available'. You can still find this pedal on the used market, but there are few to be had and people are already asking more than street price. It may be easier to get a hold of an actual Echo Park.

The Sounds

So, this has been a pretty solid Ugly Truth post, but we have to talk about how the pedal actually sounds. This pedal have a ton of modes, but the ones that matter to me are the Taps, (quarters, eighths, and dotted eighths) Swell, Multi 1, Multi 2, and Reverse. The taps are super basic. I'm just stoked to have a tap tempo on a $50 delay pedal. Swell is a key feature of the Echo Park. It was a big deal when the pedal came out and its still cool to play with. The Multi (pattern delay) setting are really cool. I wish they were a little more flexible. Reverse is a pretty standard feature, but when you add all the feature together, then you have a deep mode selection for minimum cash. If that wasn't enough, you have a Analog and Tape filter. And you have Mod control. There is just a stupid amount of feature packed into this pedal. I wouldn't say that all the sounds are 100% convincing, but just the fact that they are there is impressive. It's close enough to fake it in a pinch.

There Is A Problem

There is always a problem. There problem with this pedal (other than the plastic construction, old format, an unoriginal design) is that with the mix knob is at 100% the bypass signal can completely drop out. I noticed this on the Swell setting. On the swell setting the mix knob works like a mix know rather than a effects level, so when it is at 100% then you have 0% dry signal. However, even when the pedal is in bypass mode the signal is lost.  So, if you are using the Swell feature, then you can kill your entire guitar signal. Unless... you turn the tails to off. So, there is a work around. But in that particular circumstance, it is a little annoying.

Conclusion

I've tried out a few delays lately. This is the only one that I've thought about adding to my board. It does some things that I can't do with my current delay (swell) and I'd like to have a number 2. If I did add it to my board it will probably be a place holder until I get one of those uber delays, then move my number 1 into my number 2 slot. That all said, this is a solid delay. I might even recommend it higher than a DD-6. When its half the price of any pedal that objectively beats it, and it can compete with any delay under a hundred dollars its hard to put it down. Check one out, if you can.

Hands On Review Of TC Electronic's Echobrain Analog Delay

I have neglected a realm of effects. So I apologize to fans of analog delays, I haven't really delved too far into analog delays. People die on the hill of which analog delay is the best. EHX is known for their Memory Man series, MXR has the Carbon Copy, BOSS has DM-2, Ibanez has their Analog Delay. These are all beloved for their own reasons. I've used many of these pedals at one time or another, but I've never really connected with any of them. That probably explains why I settled on the DD-20. Then there is the Echobrain.

It's Chewy

The first thing I noticed about this delay is that the filter on these repeats is dark and gritty. This is an analog delay that stands up against the classic delays that we all know. The benefits of the Echobrain is that it is housed in a box that is more geared toward the trends of today. Top Jacks, True Bypass, Clickless Footswitch, Unique and attractive design. All these things make it a solid option for today's guitarists.

Money Grab?

If you love TC Electronic, you may know that they were recently acquired by Music Group (the parent company of Behringer and others). This happened only a few months before the unveiling of the Smorgasbord of affordable, simple effects. The two may be unrelated, or it could have been Behringer trying to legitimise their second phase of effects. It was smart to imitate BOSS and other industry-leading pedals of fifteen years ago, but now people are focused on form as well as function.

Season To Taste

So analog delay is a little bit of a strange subject. There are many different options for an analog delay, but they are basically the same. I don't really understand the basic differences between most of the basic analog delays. Obviously, there are some pedals that have interesting and novel features, but the basic features are the same. Their max delay time is typically very limited compared to digital delays, but there is a special character that analog delays have. Analog delays degrade with each repeat, and they all do it differently. It depends on a person's taste, but you won't know till you try.

Conclusion

I dig it. Playing this pedal is just fun. Playing with the repeats and time controls is rewarding. This pedal is done correctly. True analog delay with noiseless operation at this price point is crazy. If you are a fan of analog delay, then this is worth a try. However, it suffers in the same way that all classic analogs do. It's limited. This whole line is an update of simple effects into a format that many players are looking for. However, analog delays are now being expanded into much more sophisticated effects with tap and other controls. Even though it fits within its own line of effects, it is a little underwhelming compared to most other analog delays released lately. Lastly, you get what you pay for, but you may be left wanting more.

Hands on Review Of TC Electronic's Prophet Digital Delay

A few months ago TC Electronic released an entire line of compact effects that seem targeted toward the economically minded (cheap) customer. While I enjoy affordable effects. I found the timing slightly dubious. Right on the heels of TC Electronic being acquired by Music Group (Behringer's parent company), we have a massive unveiling. I've already spoken about the possibility that this is the Behringer effects line 2.0. I no longer think that is the case, but it's not much better.



I Want To Love This Pedal

Out of the box, this pedal is pretty impressive. The Prophet is built like a tank. It also looks kind of like a tank. Larger than a BOSS pedal in every dimension, these pedals are a little deceiving. The large knobs give you the sense that the pedal is smaller than it is. It's like the Duplo version of the tiny micro pedals. Imagen Mooer pedals on steroids. This should be good news. One of my main complaints of the micro pedal trend is the size. I have large feet and can easily cover the entire pedal. These pedals take care of that issue easily. It also puts the jacks on top of the pedal. That lets you put those bulky boxes right next to one another. You can line all these pedals up and make a pretty little pedal board.



They Are Unique

Unlike the Behringer line of effects, these pedal have no direct 'inspiration'. Other than the regular delay controls (Time, Mix, Repeats), this pedal has a switch to control the subdivides. The soft click bypass switch is also a feature that makes this pedal stand out. Noiseless-operation is something not seen much on a budget, true-bypass pedal. In addition, the way the pedal chops up the self-oscillating noises without bending the pitch of the repeats is different to say the least.


There are limits

The biggest flaw that this pedal has is its limits. Why does a pedal with  the TC Electronic name on it have such limited features. TC is known for nearly limitless options, and yet these are extremely basic pedals. They do cost less than half of their full blooded counterparts. However they are a strong contrast to the line of sleek, features rich products.


Conclusion


This pedal delivers on everything it promises. It's very simple but it works very well. If you already have several top-jack pedals this one will fit in. Inexpensive delays can be noisy, or have signal bleed. This pedal has none of that, which leads me to believe that TC Electronic might have had something to do with the development of this pedal. The closest thing I can compare this pedal to is the JOYO Digital Delay, and man is that thing a piece of junk. That pedal barley works, but it is a large format three knob digital delay. That pedal goes for something around $30, but it barley functional. So The Prophet is like that pedal but better, actually it's everything that pedal should be. Should you buy it? Do you want a basic digital delay? This is pretty much the best one.

Ugly Guitar Truth: JHS/BOSS JB-2 Angry Driver Pedal

Ever since the announcement of this pedal, my news feed and social media have been blowing up about the new BOSS/JHS collaboration. The JB-2 Angry Driver is a step in a new direction for BOSS. JHS, however, have done this before. They've partnered with Jet City on a A/B Buffered Line Driver boost type pedal. (I have one and it is just about perfect for my AC15) According to things I've read on the internet, this is the first time that BOSS has gone outside of their considerably large house to develop a new pedal. If you want to read the marketing copy, google elsewhere. Let's get ugly...

Blues Driver

I love the BD-2. It really is a versatile and classic pedal. It's filled with great tonal possibilities. However, many have discovered that the tonal possibilities they are looking for come in the form of circuit modification. The humble Blues Driving have become the Honda Civic of the pedal world. Many well intentioned souls set out by buying a slightly used model with hopes of one day creating the ultimate machine. Only, they wake one day after hours of labor and money spent with something that is barely functioning much less better than when they started. I for one have removed buffers, replaced opamps and changed LEDs all for very little gain. Not to say that there aren't any worthy modifications. Keeley has done world a service by creating the quintessential BD-2 mod. It's like the movie where Sandra Bullock is a cop the has to be in a beauty pageant. Objectively, she accomplished and proficient, but be ready to bust out the double sided tape...

Angry Charlie

I haven't as much experience with an Angry Charlie pedal as I have with a Blues Driver, but the pedal as quite the following. The pedal is being used by anyone from novices to pros. I'm not going to tell you that the Angry Charlie is a slightly modified MI Audio Crunch Box, but there are those that believe that and they sound like they know what they're talking about. You could show me the schematics for both pedals, point out the similarities in the circuits and make a contextual demonstration of that information via puppet show and I still would struggle to grasp "how" the two pedals are similar. Honestly, most gain pedals work very similarly so saying someone is copying another is true in one way or another. But then you have the baggage the JHS carries with it. They is, very literally, hate had for JHS for associations that the founder has/had with certain religious groups. It comes up nearly in every thread involving JHS. I've also written about it. It's out there.

Angry Driver

Ok, at this time I've yet to use one of these pedals. It has just been announced so very few people have. So let's talk about what we know about it so far.

Take a breath.

They've taken the three knob tone stack from the Angry Charlie and given it a single Tone knob. This is somewhat understandable since they are squeezing two pedals into a single compact BOSS enclosure. However, imagen if they had gone with a regular medium-sized enclosure and given the Blues Drive a three band EQ (we already have one with a two band EQ. It's called a Digitech Screaming Blues"). I've spent most of my morning watching Youtube reviews of this pedal, and the only one that sounds decent to my ears is Rebea Masaad's. (The others range from eh to eww. Is it that hard to get decent tones out of this thing? Is this the new Metal Zone? Concentric knobs!!! Metal Zone confirmed!!!!!!) We get 6 modes of operation on this pedal, which is nuts, but let's not forget to mention that this pedal absolutely has a BJ mode. Just puting it out there. While we are being superficial, lets mention the fact that the pedal is probably the only BOSS pedal I'd call "hard to look at". It's not any uglier than any other BOSS pedal but that red on white color scheme is hard on the eyes. In fact, I officially recommind that you only look at it with those paper sunglasses you had to get to look at the solar eclipse. You'll with you had those glasses on when you see how much this pedal will set you back. Two hundred dollars for this bastardised Blues Driver. I think that makes this the most expensive single compact drive pedal that BOSS has put out. I get that it says "JHS" on it, but come on BOSS. We know this pedal was all you. But BOSS did the market research and found out that stamping three letters on the front would mean that they'd sell just as many at $200 as the would at $99. Thank you to all those JHS fanboys out there that pay out the nose to have you pedals put in pretty boxes. Alright, I think I'm done.

Conclusion

I'll admit. I'm excited to play one of these pedals. It's like seeing a miniature pony drive a car. Those two things don't belong together. I wouldn't believe someone if they were to tell me that it would happen, but now we have them, a unholy union that has spawn this abomination.