Hot of the Press - JHS-3 Screamer Pedal - $99.00

[jeffwhitfield]

Ugg...a pedal that costs like $15-$20/each to manufacture in bulk. That's why JHS made this one. A lot of guitarists say they want a TS...but they don't want an original TS per se. They want something that's like a TS on steroids or something. Or a TS that's like a TS...but not. So confusing really. But JHS seems to think that a lot of guitarist would want a straight-up representation of a classic in a more modern package. I suppose if they sell a bunch of them then it's cool.

Strangely enough, I think this is their answer to the EQD Plumes. I mean, the Plumes gets a LOT of exposure and, like this new JHS one, it's $99 and a TS-like pedal. Go figure!

 

[Coda]

Ugg...a pedal that costs like $15-$20/each to manufacture in bulk. That's why JHS made this one. A lot of guitarists say they want a TS...but they don't want an original TS per se. They want something that's like a TS on steroids or something. Or a TS that's like a TS...but not. So confusing really. But JHS seems to think that a lot of guitarist would want a straight-up representation of a classic in a more modern package. I suppose if they sell a bunch of them then it's cool.

Strangely enough, I think this is their answer to the EQD Plumes. I mean, the Plumes gets a LOT of exposure and, like this new JHS one, it's $99 and a TS-like pedal. Go figure!

The thought “I need a Tubescreamer,” has never entered my mind…though, I don’t play a Strat, nor a Fender amp “on the edge of break up”. JHS might as well sell all-while New Balance sneakers and jean shorts…

 

[jeffwhitfield]

The thought “I need a Tubescreamer,” has never entered my mind…though, I don’t play a Strat, nor a Fender amp “on the edge of break up”. JHS might as well sell all-while New Balance sneakers and jean shorts…

You must be a BK Knights kinda guy.

 

[jeffwhitfield]

But in all seriousness...I think there's a place for a TS-type pedal. I personally like using that kind of pedal as a way of driving another pedal in a stack, basically to raise the gain a bit. Works well for many applications, thus the popularity of the TS.

 

[Coda]

You must be a BK Knights kinda guy.

To add to my initial response: I don’t have a problem with the TS, nor “the” TS tone/set-up. It’s just obvious to me that JHS is selling to a safe crowd. They know that a certain market will eat this up. Same with most of their pedals. There is nothing wrong with that. But it’s not really all that exciting…

JHS’s whole thing anymore is taking a “classic” (or several versions of a classic) and presenting it in a more convenient package. Kinda like Sam Adams, 20 years ago…taking craft beer to the masses, except the “craft beer” they were selling was pretty safe…

 

[cdwillis]

I was really surprised to see a video announcing their screamer, so I did more digging. The 3 series overdrive was actually a clone of the HAO Rumble. I had assumed it was just a tweaked TS, and it is, but it's not his tweaks. I guess the silver lining is it was an out of production pedal he cloned? I am curious what the "JHS Strong Mod" is, if it's not already present in the Moonshine?

 

[jesuscrisp]

One of the other beefs going around is that this is basically the same pedal as the other 3 series drive with a few components changed.

Well that's exactly it. Having a tweaked TS and another tweaked TS in the same lineup. Next he puts out his Packrat mod and pretends the 3 Series Distortion wasn't a Rat at all.

 

[Coda]

Well that's exactly it. Having a tweaked TS and another tweaked TS in the same lineup. Next he puts out his Packrat mod and pretends the 3 Series Distortion wasn't a Rat at all.

3 Series Distortion is cheaper than the Ratpack…just as the 3 Series Screamer is cheaper than the Bonzai. I think the point of these pedals is to make particular versions (the “original” JHS takes) more affordable and easily available. I have no problems at all with this philosophy. What bugs me is that the pedals they keep redesigning are boring pedals to begin with…

 

[jesuscrisp]

3 Series Distortion is cheaper than the Ratpack…just as the 3 Series Screamer is cheaper than the Bonzai. I think the point of these pedals is to make particular versions (the “original” JHS takes) more affordable and easily available. I have no problems at all with this philosophy. What bugs me is that the pedals they keep redesigning are boring pedals to begin with…

Depending on whether or not the schematics he showed in the Q&A are correct, the 3 Series Distortion is a basic Rat clone with a clipping switch and it costs more than a Proco Rat.

 

[ICTRock]

so which is worse, what he does or how successful he is at doing it?

 

[cdwillis]

Depending on whether or not the schematics he showed in the Q&A are correct, the 3 Series Distortion is a basic Rat clone with a clipping switch and it costs more than a Proco Rat.

I do wonder if he put the wrong schematics, or at least parts values, up just to mess with people. The 3 series distortion probably costs about as much as it would cost to buy a new Rat and have someone mod it with a clipping switch, if the owner didn't know anything about electronics.

 

[Coda]

Depending on whether or not the schematics he showed in the Q&A are correct, the 3 Series Distortion is a basic Rat clone with a clipping switch and it costs more than a Proco Rat.

I don’t thi I he’s trying to compete with The Rat. I think he’s competing with himself. It’s all about being “on brand.” A lot of the smaller, independent companies aft the same way. They know each other, and they all get along. They aren’t trying to compete with each other, but with staying “on brand”…

 

[Robert]

I do wonder if he put the wrong schematics, or at least parts values, up just to mess with people.

Not on the two I traced, at least.

I want to say there was a transistor part number that was different from the posted schematic, but that was very likely simply due to component availability during fabrication.