MODERN DISTORTION
The JHS Hard Drive is our first attempt in fifteen years of history to design a modern, high-performance, and respectable distortion pedal that does not rely on an existing circuit or a classic topology. In 2016, Josh had the idea to develop a circuit capable of reproducing the best high-gain distortion sounds of the 90s and 2000s, a sound embodying the post-grunge alternative rock movement. We started by studying pedals, then amps, and after exploring classic circuits, we took a radical turn and started from scratch. Eight years later, the pedal is ready to propel you to the next level. The Hard Drive goes further and deeper than any gain or distortion sound we have released to date.
A NEW APPROACH
An innovative approach to achieving high-gain distortion in a pedal format. The Hard Drive features cascading gain stages and a hard clipping circuit, followed by a Class AB amplifier section that drives a "sweepable mids" EQ and Baxandall bass and treble controls. Thanks to its numerous external controls, the Hard Drive allows you to dial in everything from the crunch of a tube amp to a true distortion capable of cutting through any mix on stage or in the studio.
HONORED BY CLIFF SMITH
The Hard Drive holds a special place in JHS history, as it is the result of the final design by our former chief engineer, Cliff Smith. The prototype and design were finalized just weeks before his passing in 2021.
"I don't think there has ever been a JHS circuit where we experimented this much. We always had a relaxed and nonchalant approach to achieving it. I knew something extraordinary would come out of it, so we let it simmer... Cliff called the Hard Drive circuit a 'bastard,' and I agree. This circuit is not a clone of anything in particular, but rather an original iteration born from a multitude of different inspirations and ideas, much like the Colour Box he and I developed years earlier. I remember very well Cliff spending entire weekends and nights tinkering and experimenting with this circuit. He would send me messages on the weekend when he was excited about something he discovered by chance. This pedal was his hobby for a long time. He loved big, complex gain stages and the challenge of making transistor circuits react like a tube amp. This passion project, made a reality through Cliff's constant work, is, in my opinion, the most appropriate final achievement from us as a design. The team was better than the hard drive. Cliff loved learning and this was his final masterclass. It is an honor to finally be able to offer it and allow the public to enjoy the idea he brought to life." - Josh Scott
CONTROLS
Volume - Controls the overall volume of the pedal. Left: lower volume, right: higher volume.
Mid Freq - Controls the mid frequencies boosted or cut by the Mid control.
Drive - Controls the level of distortion. Left: lower gain, right: higher gain.
Bass - Controls the level of low frequencies. Noon: flat, left: cut, right: boost.
Middle - Controls the level of mid frequencies. Noon: flat, left: cut, right: boost. The frequency range is set by the Mid Freq control.
Treble - Controls the level of high frequencies. Noon: flat, left: cut, right: boost.
Quiet, soft-touch switching with buffered bypass.
THIS PEDAL REQUIRES STANDARD 9V DC NEGATIVE CENTER POWER, CONSUMES 78MA, AND MEASURES 2.6" X 4.8" X 1.6".