Official Joyo Club Part 2: Beyond Thunderclone

[jj4001]

Hey fellas, I haven't checked in here for a while...

Anyway, I got a Dr. J Sparrow right before leaving for a quick two week tour and I gotta say I am so in love with this thing. It's far and away my favorite pedal I've ever had. I'm no expert on pedals, but this thing makes my vintage Acoustic Control Corp. rig sound surprisingly similar to a '73 SVT paired up with a Heritage 8x10 cab I used on a gig last summer. Maybe I'm crazy, but this is the first pedal I've tried that actually does make a solid state amp sound tube-like. I played an old Fender Bassman 100 on the last gig of the tour and this only confirmed my feelings about the Sparrow.

I had several opportunities to use it as a DI box as well. All the FOH guys seemed as pleased with it as I am. One of them loved it so much, he wrote down what it was in his note pad so he could go get one for himself.

I can't recommend this thing enough if your looking for a subtle, low gain overdrive or a cheap alternative to a Sansamp.

 

[kleinenenten]

Well, I finally did it. I got enough pedals to make a secondary pedal board. 2 of the 5 on it are Joyo. They're a UD and an American. They sound great! The only thing keeping them off my main board is that they're just ever so slightly not as good as the pedals I'm using. But they also cost only 20% or so of most of those pedals, so I have no complaints! Now I have the practice space board, and a board that approximates that tone 95% for solo practice. It's awesome!

I'll likely be picking up a Joyo Flanger mentioned earlier on in the thread for my main board, so I don't think it'll be Joyo-less for long. I can't believe how great these sound for the price!

 

[kleinenenten]

Well, I finally did it. I got enough pedals to make a secondary pedal board. 2 of the 5 on it are Joyo. They're a UD and an American. They sound great! The only thing keeping them off my main board is that they're just ever so slightly not as good as the pedals I'm using. But they also cost only 20% or so of most of those pedals, so I have no complaints! Now I have the practice space board, and a board that approximates that tone 95% for solo practice. It's awesome!

I'll likely be picking up a Joyo Flanger mentioned earlier on in the thread for my main board, so I don't think it'll be Joyo-less for long. I can't believe how great these sound for the price!

We can now officially change the "likely be picking up" to waiting for my order to ship...

 

[triviani]

Well, I have had an American for a week and I'm liking it!

I need more time to EQ it, I'm not used to have 6 knobs to tweak on pedals. Buy I was recording it direct today and I'm liking what I hear. It sounds really fat once you turn the gain up a bit.

It's going to be a keeper.

 

[kleinenenten]

Well, I have had an American for a week and I'm liking it!

I need more time to EQ it, I'm not used to have 6 knobs to tweak on pedals. Buy I was recording it direct today and I'm liking what I hear. It sounds really fat once you turn the gain up a bit.

It's going to be a keeper.

Pretty much the same here. Takes some EQ'ing, but I'm getting there.

 

[ColinB]

Well, I have had an American for a week and I'm liking it!

I need more time to EQ it, I'm not used to have 6 knobs to tweak on pedals. Buy I was recording it direct today and I'm liking what I hear. It sounds really fat once you turn the gain up a bit.

It's going to be a keeper.

Pretty much the same here. Takes some EQ'ing, but I'm getting there.

I agree. I've built a blend into mine and keep it as an always on - I think it sounds fantastic. At this very moment I'm working on an external switch to kick in a couple of pre-set blend positions. This means I can get more (or less) drive, but without any change in volume.

 

[kleinenenten]

Anyone wanna PM me with the "mod-podge" instructions or other ways to refinish my Joyos? Thinking of customizing them in the near future. Thanks!

 

[ColinB]

I've now built a pedal to allow me to choose two other blend settings on the American Sound pedal a couple of posts up.

I chopped into the split'n'blend in the Amercan Sound at the orange and blue wires:

....and took them to the tip and ring connections of a stereo jack. (The sleeve connection is earthed through the aluminium encloseure so that can't be used.)

I took this photo before I realised that I needed a stereo jack - but you get the idea....

Then, in a separate enclosure with a stereo jack, mounted a momentary switch with a 10k resister in series with it and put that in parallel across the tip&ring.
Then I mounted a DPDT latching switch in series with a 250k log pot and also put that in parallel across the tip and ring. I put in a battery powered LED using the other side of the DPDT.

I made a stereo patch lead to connect the new box to the American Sound pedal.

The AmSound is set up as always on, with a barely detectable amount of drive, and when I step on the latching switch that effectively changes the resistance of the blend control, depending on the pot setting, and I get more drive - but no increase in volume. I didn't like using boost pedals because I didn't want the volume jump.

If I hold down the momentary switch I get almost full 'wet' blend for those few instances in our set list where I need this sound for 4 bars or so.

This doesn't change the amount of drive - it only changes the wet'n'dry blend in my signal path.

I think it sound very good and I'm really chuffed with it. (If 'chuffed' is an OK word to use in North America???)

 

[kleinenenten]

My Joyo Flange came in today... and it ROCKS! It might be the "best" pedal I've ever used. Here's what I mean by "best". Everything I've tried on it sounds good. With maybe 10 minutes of playing, I've got at least 4-5 tones that aren't just usable, but pretty darn good. And the width control is great! Really cleaned up the problem I had with my previous flange of "squealing" on higher notes. Keep in mind, I'm not using it all the time in my songs, but I wouldn't hesitate to do so if I felt it necessary. This thing isn't just a great pedal for the money, it's a great pedal! Best flange I've ever used (not that I'm an expert). If you're looking for a great, solid, tweakable flange, this one comes highly recommended from me.

Too bad they don't make an envelope filter. If they did, Joyo would definitely be getting more of my money. It's the last pedal type in my chain that I'm still looking for. Speaking of which, anyone have any input? I've narrowed it down to the MXR Bass Envelope Filter or the standard Source Audio SA126 Bass Envelope Filter (NOT the Pro or Manta, just standard). Any help is appreciated. I'd be buying either used. Thanks!

 

[SunnBass]

Nice!

 

[J Posega]

My Joyo Flange came in today... and it ROCKS! It might be the "best" pedal I've ever used. Here's what I mean by "best". Everything I've tried on it sounds good. With maybe 10 minutes of playing, I've got at least 4-5 tones that aren't just usable, but pretty darn good. And the width control is great! Really cleaned up the problem I had with my previous flange of "squealing" on higher notes. Keep in mind, I'm not using it all the time in my songs, but I wouldn't hesitate to do so if I felt it necessary. This thing isn't just a great pedal for the money, it's a great pedal! Best flange I've ever used (not that I'm an expert). If you're looking for a great, solid, tweakable flange, this one comes highly recommended from me.

Too bad they don't make an envelope filter. If they did, Joyo would definitely be getting more of my money. It's the last pedal type in my chain that I'm still looking for. Speaking of which, anyone have any input? I've narrowed it down to the MXR Bass Envelope Filter or the standard Source Audio SA126 Bass Envelope Filter (NOT the Pro or Manta, just standard). Any help is appreciated. I'd be buying either used. Thanks!

I just sold a MXR BEF in the classifieds so I could buy the same SA BEF you're talking about (non-Pro). I really liked the MXR, but with how many sounds you can get out of the SA (and also two phaser settings) it was a no brainer. I also would like to see a Joyo EF.

 

[kleinenenten]

I just sold a MXR BEF in the classifieds so I could buy the same SA BEF you're talking about (non-Pro). I really liked the MXR, but with how many sounds you can get out of the SA (and also two phaser settings) it was a no brainer. I also would like to see a Joyo EF.

Yeah, that's what I'm leaning towards as well. I'm sure I can find one (or seven) good filter tones out of the plethoral they provide. I'm mostly worried about how it plays with dirt, since I'll be running a "fuzz" (really a GK 800RB Pedal Sim) through it. I'll give in soon, I'm sure...

 

[kleinenenten]

For those of you "customizing" your Joyos via stamped dies, what size stamps did you use? I've got options here. 1/8 in, 1/4 in, or 3/8 in?

 

[SunnBass]

I think I used 1/8.
Could have been 1/4.
Definitely wasn't 3/8.

 

[D_Bag]

I gave my delay pedal a custom paint job today.

I am super mature.

 

[bassmusic17]

I laughed.

 

[kleinenenten]

I think I used 1/8.
Could have been 1/4.
Definitely wasn't 3/8.

Thanks! If I've got time today, I'll grab some. Were they in store? I've got one local.

 

[kleinenenten]

I gave my delay pedal a custom paint job today.View attachment 596006
I am super mature.

I feel like it's better. I'd rather have anal delay than not. Just think of all the terrible things that might happen if you had no anal delay! Need I say more?

 

[SunnBass]

Thanks! If I've got time today, I'll grab some. Were they in store? I've got one local.

Yeah, I got 'em at Harbor Freight.

 

[D_Bag]

It's right behind my swollen pickle.