JHS Kilt v2 clone

[jhaneyzz]

I've only done a cursory bit of surfing so far but thought I'd tap the local brain trust.

Any impressions on the JHS Kilt v2?

Any cicruits/PCBs anyone would recommend.

Any, "why bother, just build XXX?" statements?

 

[Cvoxdog]

Pandora's box

 

[Joben Magooch]

Kilt is "based on" an Expandora (though I have never specifically seen a comparison of the schematics and/or a trace of either version of the Kilt)

As I also understand it the Expandora is itself from the Rat "family tree".

All that to say that to get in that Rat, Expandora sort of ballpark or to cover those "Kilt" sounds I have found my favorite to be the PPCB Informant (1981 DRV)

 

[jhaneyzz]

I’ve heard a lot of folks rave about the 1981

 

[eh là bas ma]

A stompbox able to do classic OD, Distortion and Fuzz ? Without any obvious character singularities ?

Among the few circuits I know, I can think about the Carcossa, the Pacifier, Corduroy with a boost cut mod to get Plexi sounds... These three have surely a bit more character originalities, though.

Also the GCI Baracus can successfully go through all the gain spectrum, in a very pleasing way.

I listened to the audio samples from Thomann, and it sounds good, but very neutral. I guess it's useful if you want to preserve the amp's tone.

www.thomann.de/fr/jhs_pedals_kilt_v2.htm

 

[bhcarpenter]

I dropped it on the Wish List a while back, but there didn’t seem to be much interest. To quote one forum member: “I thought the kilt was stupid when JHS released it and it hasn't aged well since”

 

[jhaneyzz]

As usual, I did my research after I posted the question, It's basically a RAT with some "improvements". and that's kinda been done.

The demos I watched didn't sound like anything I couldn't get with plenty of other pedals I've already built.

 

[eh là bas ma]

Almost 300 euros a piece for a modded Rat... I wonder what is the net profit margin for JHS ? My Vero Rat cost me 20/30 euros and 4 or 5 hours max... without a real pcb.

 

[bhcarpenter]

FWIW I don’t see how anyone can make a business out of selling pedals unless the raw materials to wholesale margin is really high. Even using pick and place and reflow ovens, it seems like quite a bit of overhead to produce a pedal. Include quality control, customer support, repairs, marketing (it ain’t cheap), new product R&D, NAMM trips, employee salary and benefits, cringey Youtube video production…

 

[bhcarpenter]

When my friends hear that I make pedals their first reaction is “what a cool side hustle!”

I mean yeah. If I wanted to pay myself $5/hr.

 

[eh là bas ma]

I always dreamed to meet some rich guitarits friends, disconnected from realities, who would fight each other and pay handsomely to get my poor humble overmodded clones with acrylic paint...

So far, my guitarits friends are broke, and they don't like to spend time tweaking controls... a bunch of beautiful and weird outsiders, all of them. Spending their little money at the bar...

 

[Joben Magooch]

When my friends hear that I make pedals their first reaction is “what a cool side hustle!”

I mean yeah. If I wanted to pay myself $5/hr.

I mess around with woodworking a bit and it reminds me a little of a saying I hear from other woodworkers. Something along the lines of… it’s easy to become a millionaire as a woodworker. Just have to be a billionaire to start!

 

[jesuscrisp]

I always dreamed to meet some rich guitarits friends, disconnected from realities, who would fight each other and pay handsomely to get my poor humble overmodded clones with acrylic paint...

So far, my guitarits friends are broke, and they don't like to spend time tweaking controls... a bunch of weird outsiders, all of them. Spending their little money at the bar...

Majority of guitar players buys the hype, not the tone. If they have money to begin with as you say. For DIY/small boutique they expect to pay less than for Boss pedals. Which is a good segue to this:

When my friends hear that I make pedals their first reaction is “what a cool side hustle!”

I mean yeah. If I wanted to pay myself $5/hr.

JHS can sell a Treble Booster for 249$ and people will buy up all of them in 7 minutes. If you build them one, they want it to be 50-80$ max and be customised to their liking.

It would be an OK side hustle if people understood that building pedals costs not only material money but first and foremost time. If you want a Rat clone as cheap as possible, go buy a Joyo/Mooer/Caline.

On the other hand so often I see really shoddy DIY work that better shouldn't be sold at all (but tbf there's plenty of shoddy work in the actual boutique pedal business too).

 

[Barry]

I always dreamed to meet some rich guitarits friends, disconnected from realities, who would fight each other and pay handsomely to get my poor humble overmodded clones with acrylic paint...

So far, my guitarits friends are broke, and they don't like to spend time tweaking controls... a bunch of weird outsiders, all of them. Spending their little money at the bar...

My guitarist friends borrow my pedals and never bring them back!

 

[rgoodman]

Would love to see a JHS Kilt V2 become available as a PCB! It's one of the most widely used ODs in P&W music. Probably in the top 5.

 

[Robert]

I'll grab one and we'll see what's up.

 

[Feral Feline]

Love your new avatar, @Robert !

 

[Fuzzmax]

Id grab one too

 

[Joben Magooch]

For whatever reason the V1’s (BB sized, boost foot switch) are way hyped up too. Maybe it’s just that it’s the discontinued version and people always seem to tend to think that a discontinued version of XYZ is better than a current production one but… they’re like $400 second hand nowadays and sometimes see them going higher

 

[Laundryroom David]

For whatever reason the V1’s (BB sized, boost foot switch) are way hyped up too. Maybe it’s just that it’s the discontinued version and people always seem to tend to think that a discontinued version of XYZ is better than a current production one but… they’re like $400 second hand nowadays and sometimes see them going higher

An enterprising person could likely get an original Expandora for not much more than that.