In a world saturated with complex and costly guitar effects pedals, sometimes simplicity and affordability are exactly what musicians crave. Enter the JHS Pedals 3 Series, a groundbreaking collection that delivers exceptional sound quality without breaking the bank or requiring a PhD in pedalology to operate. It’s not just one or two, but a staggering seven brand new pedals, all designed with the gigging musician and tone-conscious player in mind. The JHS Pedals 3 Series is here to redefine what you expect from budget-friendly effects.
Several years ago, a simple yet profound question sparked the creation of the 3 Series: “Can we make a line of pedals that are under a hundred dollars and incredibly easy to use?” The answer, resoundingly, is yes. The 3 Series embodies this philosophy perfectly. Each pedal in this innovative line is priced at just $99, regardless of the effect, and features a straightforward control layout: three knobs, one toggle switch, and a single footswitch. This intuitive design ensures that players can quickly dial in their desired sounds and focus on what truly matters – the music. Inspiration for this user-friendly approach was drawn from the rich history of classic budget pedals that have shaped generations of guitarists’ tones.
The Inspiration Behind the 3 Series: A Nod to Budget Pedal History
The concept of affordable effects pedals is not new. The early 1980s saw the emergence of budget-friendly alternatives to established brands like BOSS and Ibanez, democratizing access to guitar effects. Brands like Arion Effects in 1983 gained significant traction, proving that budget didn’t have to mean bad. In fact, some Arion pedals are now highly sought after for their unique sonic character and have been used by notable musicians. Rocktek followed in 1986, pushing affordability even further.
A vintage Arion effects pedal showcasing the brand’s early entry into the budget pedal market.
Ibanez, a major player, entered the budget arena in 1989 with their Soundtank Series. For many guitarists, including myself, the Ibanez Soundtank pedals were a gateway into the world of effects, offering great sounds at accessible prices and readily available in music stores everywhere.
An Ibanez Soundtank pedal, representative of the series that provided affordable effects to many guitarists.
The 1990s continued this trend with ProCo releasing more affordable versions of their legendary Rat distortion, such as the Roadkill and Brat pedals around 1997, making iconic distortion tones available to a wider range of players.
A ProCo Roadkill pedal, a budget-friendly alternative offering classic Rat-style distortion.
A pivotal moment arrived in 1999 with the Danelectro Food Series. Beyond the quirky and memorable names like Chicken Salad Overdrive and Grilled Cheese Distortion, the Food Series was crucial. It offered players access to a wide range of effect types, many inspired by or directly emulating sought-after and often expensive vintage circuits. These pedals were ubiquitous in the mid-2000s and served as an entry point to diverse sonic textures for countless guitarists.
Danelectro Food Series pedals, known for their affordability and quirky names, democratizing access to various effect types.
Behringer later entered the market with their compact pedal line, further expanding the availability of budget-friendly effects, often drawing inspiration from classic and boutique circuits.
While acknowledging the vital role these budget pedal lines played, the 3 Series by JHS Pedals aims to address some common shortcomings often associated with affordable effects: quality and originality.
JHS Pedals 3 Series: Quality and Originality Redefined
The 3 Series is not just another line of budget pedals; it’s a deliberate effort to elevate the standard for affordable effects. Two key principles guided the development of the 3 Series:
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Uncompromising Quality: Budget pedals sometimes face scrutiny regarding their durability and build quality. JHS Pedals directly tackles this concern by utilizing the same high-quality components in the 3 Series as they do in their more premium, higher-priced lines. This commitment to quality extends to the hardware, enclosure style, footswitches, jacks, and toggle switches, ensuring that 3 Series pedals are built to withstand the rigors of touring and regular use, offering reliability that players can depend on.
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Original Sonic Identity: While many budget pedals are clones or variations of existing circuits, the 3 Series prioritizes original designs. While drawing inspiration from classic tones is inevitable and appreciated, JHS Pedals aimed to create unique pedals within the 3 Series. Even when starting with existing circuit concepts, significant modifications were implemented to create distinct and fresh-sounding pedals, giving the 3 Series its own sonic footprint.
The JHS Pedals 3 Series represents an ambitious goal: to create the greatest budget pedal line ever conceived. Proudly made in the USA and priced at $99, these pedals deliver exceptional value and performance, proving that affordability doesn’t have to compromise quality or originality.
Exploring the 3 Series Pedals: Overdrive and Delay in Focus
Let’s delve into two standout examples from the 3 Series to understand their individual character and capabilities: the Overdrive and the Delay.
3 Series Overdrive: Classic Tones, Modern Simplicity
The 3 Series Overdrive pedal is aptly named – it simply “overdrives.” This pedal embraces a classic overdrive topology, utilizing soft clipping and an op-amp design reminiscent of beloved overdrives from the 70s and 80s. The control set is straightforward and effective:
- Volume: Controls the overall output volume of the pedal.
- Body: A unique control that shapes the gain structure and tonal character. It’s not a traditional tone knob or EQ, but rather a dynamic control that influences the harmonic content and thickness of the overdrive.
- Drive: Determines the amount of saturation and clipping, ranging from subtle boost to thick overdrive.
The JHS 3 Series Overdrive pedal, featuring a simple three-knob layout and a gain toggle for versatile overdrive tones.
The Overdrive also features a Gain Toggle switch. This toggle dramatically alters the clipping style, pushing the pedal into a significantly louder and more aggressive territory. Engaging the gain toggle is ideal for pushing a tube amplifier into overdrive or for achieving a more saturated and powerful lead tone. The 3 Series Overdrive is a versatile workhorse capable of delivering a wide spectrum of overdrive tones, from subtle enhancements to amp-like breakup and beyond.
3 Series Delay: Versatile Echoes at Your Fingertips
Similarly named for its function, the 3 Series Delay is designed to provide a range of delay effects with intuitive controls. The pedal features:
- Mix: Blends the wet (delayed) signal with the dry (unprocessed) signal, allowing you to control the intensity of the delay effect.
- Time: Adjusts the delay time, ranging from short slapback echoes to longer, more spacious delays. Turning the Time knob to its maximum setting can create extended and experimental delay effects.
- Repeats: Controls the number of repeats or echoes, from a single repeat to infinite feedback for ambient washes and textural soundscapes.
The JHS 3 Series Delay pedal, offering analog and digital delay types selectable via a toggle switch, with straightforward controls for mix, time, and repeats.
The Type Toggle switch offers two distinct delay voicings:
- Analog: Emulates the warmer, darker, and often subtly modulated repeats of analog delays, providing a vintage and organic delay character.
- Digital: Offers clearer and more pristine repeats, typical of digital delays, ideal for rhythmic and articulate delay effects.
The 3 Series Delay is a versatile delay tool capable of producing a wide array of delay textures, from classic slapback to ambient echoes, catering to diverse musical styles and applications.
The JHS Pedals 3 Series is a testament to the idea that high-quality, inspiring guitar effects don’t have to be complex or expensive. With their focus on quality, originality, and user-friendliness, the 3 Series pedals are poised to become essential tools for guitarists of all levels, proving that exceptional tone can be accessible to everyone. Explore the entire 3 Series and discover your new go-to effects.
