Sweetwater Welcomes JHS Pedals

[midwayfair]

Do you think the lost relationship and bad taste he has gave in the mouths of the DIY community that helped him start out effects his sales?

No. Forums are a small percentage of his buying crowd, and people will buy pedals that they think are worth something. I do think that the forums forced him to clean up his act on some things -- note that his website tells you most of the time what's a clone and what isn't, the gut shots look like professional pedals, he only uses his own layouts, etc. etc. As the company has gotten bigger, they have to their credit become more responsible and haven't buckled under the pressure. So maybe instead of dredging up the past it's best to just react to things as they happen and see if they continue to improve things whenever there's an inevitable hate storm (even when undeserved).

JHS irks me, but a lot of it's (an understandable) knee jerk reaction to what USED to happen ... look at the Superbolt stuff. Everyone -- including me -- took one look at the gutshot and assumed it was a Supreaux Deux clone with some different biasing and the "bottom" cap in. It turns out that he actually hybridized the SD and the Supreaux designs, which is why no one could get their SD to sound EXACTLY like the Superbolt.

If the company were to emerge exactly as their are right now, with no prior history, my only complaints would be that I think they're a little overpriced and their lack of original circuit percentage among such a large number of choices. They're a bit crass with jumping on modding a brand new pedal right out of the gate (the Soul Food), and there are some questionable choices about how they go about their mods that I don't personally think are well thought out. But they clearly have a reputation for providing good customer service, and their current construction at least also has a reputation for reliability (though I think they're stingy on the warranty compared to others in their price range, too). They have NEVER that I can find had a thread with people wondering where their pedals were months after ordering.

Would any of their things be the first or even fifth pedal of their type that I recommend? Probably not, except that I'd probably mention the morning glory for someone who wants a bluesbreaker with less treble. Am I annoyed that they didn't give ROG credit for the Supreaux Deux on which it's clearly based? Absolutely 100% and I will mention the SD (with clarification about the changes) whenever the topic comes up and offer an alternative to get the Supreaux Deux instead  (e.g. Codtone or VFE).

If I'm being really clear-headed about it, I'd probably just ignore them if they were brand new. It's not like they ever would have gotten my business in the past, so really aren't there other things we can expend our energy on than disliking someone who doesn't care what we think? They aren't going anywhere.

[culturejam]

I just get a weird vibe of JHS in general. I'm not 100% sure what it is, but something just seems a bit off kilter about the way they operate.

[jtn191]

I admire JHS's idea of the Colour box, but am skeptical of how it's actually made. It runs on 18 volts (DC presumably) but Neve Pre's require 24v AC. And who runs their guitar into a Neve channel strip into an amp? They go on to list bands who used Neve preamps as if they're endorsing the JHS Neve-like pedal.

[lincolnic]

I admire JHS's idea of the Colour box, but am skeptical of how it's actually made. It runs on 18 volts (DC presumably) but Neve Pre's require 24v AC. And who runs their guitar into a Neve channel strip into an amp? They go on to list bands who used Neve preamps as if they're endorsing the JHS Neve-like pedal.

Not only this, but they're implying that all of those songs they list were recorded on Neve consoles. A lot of them weren't. The Beatles, for instance, were working with Abbey Road's REDD tube consoles. Dylan's Highway 61 Revisted was done at Columbia's 30th Street studio, which had its own custom consoles (designed and built in-house) in every room.

Personally, I find the idea of using a pedal that you're plugging into an amp to emulate the sound of a DI'd guitar a bit ridiculous. The whole point of that sound is that you're not using an amp. Yes, I see that this thing has an XLR output, but if you're going to use it to plug straight into the console, why not just do that in the first place?

[Clayford]

I'm exceptionally biased, so all I am willing to say is that I hope that Josh is no longer running customer service or answering emails.

And to compare JHS with Analogman....

[jtn191]

I'm entitled to my opinion and my opinion based on demos I've heard: I'm not really interested in buying JHS or AM products. Catalinbread is more interesting to me

[peAk]

So I am a little late to the game here.....

Did JHS used to be a member here?

[jtn191]

Did JHS used to be a member here?

No, but he was a member at FSB. People got angry at him because he wouldn't tell people that he was selling clones, circuits based on other people's IP, misleading marketing info, he had messy wiring. Thing is so many companies (of varying reputability) have been selling clones..."This is the next great OD pedal for $200!! (pst...it's a tube screamer)...that this is no new story, but one that repeats itself. 

[selfdestroyer]

Did JHS used to be a member here?

No, but he was a member at FSB. People got angry at him because he wouldn't tell people that he was selling clones, circuits based on other people's IP, misleading marketing info, he had messy wiring. Thing is so many companies (of various reputability) have been selling clones..."This is the next great OD pedal for $200!! (pst...it's a tube screamer)...that this is no new story, but one that repeats itself.

But it was not just clones but actual PCB etches/layouts from other members at FSB and DIYSB.

Its one thing to take a schematic and make your own layout and call it your own but to take a PCB layout and call it your own is just wrong. In my mind that is.

Cody

[irmcdermott]

Did JHS used to be a member here?

No, but he was a member at FSB. People got angry at him because he wouldn't tell people that he was selling clones, circuits based on other people's IP, misleading marketing info, he had messy wiring. Thing is so many companies (of various reputability) have been selling clones..."This is the next great OD pedal for $200!! (pst...it's a tube screamer)...that this is no new story, but one that repeats itself.

But it was not just clones but actual PCB etches/layouts from other members at FSB and DIYSB.

Its one thing to take a schematic and make your own layout and call it your own but to take a PCB layout and call it your own is just wrong. In my mind that is.

Cody

This was my problem with him. There are pictures of his early Sweet Teas that were etched boards for the Tonepad El Griton for the TS side and Brian's Krunkee (MI Audio CrunchBox) for the other side.

He's obviously way past that now, but that whole thing never sat right with me. But more power to him for being successful at what he's doing.

[jtn191]

But it was not just clones but actual PCB etches/layouts from other members at FSB and DIYSB.

That's what I meant by "other people's IP". Other people's Intellectual Property.

[selfdestroyer]

But it was not just clones but actual PCB etches/layouts from other members at FSB and DIYSB.

That's what I meant by "other people's IP". Other people's Intellectual Property.

The acronym did not register with me at the time sorry. We seem to be on the same page.

Cody

[Clayford]

I'm entitled to my opinion and my opinion based on demos I've heard: I'm not really interested in buying JHS or AM products. Catalinbread is more interesting to me

If I have made you feel in anyway un-entitled to your opinion I'm sorry. I was solely stating mine in agreeance with Jon(Midwayfair) I'm glad to hear that your opinion is based solely on demos you've heard, as I can now understand your point of view. Having had to deal with both on a professional level, I prefer to never deal with JHS again, and that AnalogMike and his entire crew are an absolute treat to deal with.

And I COMPLETELY agree Catalinbread is an amazing company. Plus any company that introduces a F*ck it, You build it line.. Awesome.

Edit: Catalinbread stuff.

[atreidesheir]

I just get a weird vibe of JHS in general. I'm not 100% sure what it is, but something just seems a bit off kilter about the way they operate.

I cannot say it better. strong +1.

[culturejam]

I just get a weird vibe of JHS in general. I'm not 100% sure what it is, but something just seems a bit off kilter about the way they operate.

I cannot say it better. strong +1.

I think there is some "cray-cray" bleeding through. I've heard interwebz rumors that Mr. JHS is a member of an allegedly "fringe" faction of Christianity that allegedly has some "unconventional" views.