Its range covers more than controllers: preamp and DI pedals such as the CAPO and SARTO, the Domino series of pedalboard power supplies, and accessories like the Patch 4, alongside custom work built entirely to a customer's specifications1.
The story: a maker from the province of Brescia
Jad Freer Audio began in 2008, founded by Mauro and Giada in the province of Brescia in northern Italy1. From the start the aim was an artisan approach: unique boutique products at affordable prices, built by hand rather than mass-produced1. That hand-built, one-at-a-time approach still runs through the company's product pages today, from the MIDI-Meno controller to the Edison and the Patch 4234.
Alongside its standard catalog, the company positions itself as one of the developers of custom products, built "entirely on the customer's specifications"1. For a player with an unusual rig or a specific switching problem, that custom side is a core part of what the brand offers.
MIDI controllers, amps and custom builds
The company's best-known products are its MIDI controllers. The MIDI-Meno is its smallest controller, with one pedal expression port, while the larger MIDI-Lungo offers four expression pedal ports52. Both handle four MIDI channels simultaneously via Program Change and Control Change, both are mappable, and both are compatible with all MIDI devices on the market, including the Kemper Profiling Amplifier and Ableton Live52.
| Controller | Expression ports | MIDI channels | Compatibility |
|---|---|---|---|
| MIDI-Meno | 1 pedal expression port | 4, PC and CC simultaneously | All MIDI devices, incl. Kemper Profiler and Ableton Live5 |
| MIDI-Lungo | 4 expression pedal ports | 4, PC and CC simultaneously | All MIDI devices, incl. Kemper Profiler and Ableton Live2 |
Jad Freer Audio does not list guitar amps among its products, but it builds the amp-adjacent pieces of a rig. The CAPO pedal puts four different preamps in a single pedalboard-friendly box, which the maker describes as "more than just a pedal, a real studio-in-a-box"6. Its B Side is a linear response FET preamp with dedicated volume and gain controls, reminiscent of some classic tube preamps, with a dynamic range from clean to various saturation stages6. A PRE / POST switch lets the B Side work as a simple volume boost at your feet or as a preamp base to build your own sound6.
The CAPO also carries two outputs: DIRECT OUT, which provides the natural sound of your instrument without any preamp stage, and PREAMP OUT, a balanced signal after all the pedal's preamps, EQ and loops6. The LUCE is a transformer-based tube DI, and the Domino DUAL is a pedalboard power supply based on proprietary switching technology, shaped so it can even serve as a ramp for a row of pedals78.
Founders Mauro and Giada
The company is owned and run by its founders, Mauro and Giada, who started it in 2008 in the province of Brescia with the goal of an artisan boutique brand at affordable prices1. The pair's names appear on the company's own about page as the founders, and no change of ownership is recorded there1.
Artists
The brand's most visible player is the bassist Rob Mullarkey, whose pedalboard for Jacob Collier ends with a Jad Freer Audio CAPO. In his own words on the company's artist page9:
"The Capo is currently the final stop on my pedalboard for Jacob Collier."
The SARTO product page also carries the names of bassists Tim Lefebvre, Logan Kane, Billy Mohler and Panagiotis Andreou in connection with the pedal1011.
The range (6)
| Type | Pedals |
|---|---|
| MIDI | Jad Freer Audio MIDI-Lungo, Jad Freer Audio MIDI-Meno |
| Overdrive | Jad Freer Audio Klone |
| Preamp | Jad Freer Audio CAPO, Jad Freer Audio Sisma, Jad Freer SARTO |
News
Questions
Where are Jad Freer Audio products made?
Every product is built and hand-assembled one by one in Italy. The company was founded in 2008 in the province of Brescia, in northern Italy, and its product pages for the MIDI-Meno, MIDI-Lungo, Domino DUAL, Edison and Patch 4 all state the same hand-assembly in Italy.
Does Jad Freer Audio build custom MIDI controllers?
Yes. Jad Freer Audio describes itself as a developer of custom products built entirely on the customer's specifications, and MIDI controllers are a core part of its range, including the MIDI-Meno and the larger MIDI-Lungo. Both offer mappable program change and control change across four MIDI channels.
What is the Jad Freer SARTO pedal?
SARTO is a studio-quality preamp and DI pedal designed for any instrument that needs precise clean tone shaping. It is based on the clean preamp circuit of the company's CAPO pedal, and its product page carries endorsements from bassists including Tim Lefebvre, Logan Kane, Billy Mohler and Panagiotis Andreou.
Does Jad Freer Audio make guitar amps?
The company does not list guitar amps among its products. Its amp-adjacent offerings are pedals: the CAPO combines four preamps in one box, and the LUCE is a transformer-based tube DI. Its range also includes MIDI controllers and the Domino series of pedalboard power supplies.
Which bass players use Jad Freer Audio gear?
Rob Mullarkey uses the Jad Freer Audio CAPO, which he describes as the final stop on his pedalboard for Jacob Collier. The SARTO product page also names Tim Lefebvre, Logan Kane, Billy Mohler and Panagiotis Andreou in connection with the pedal.
Who owns Jad Freer Audio?
Jad Freer Audio was founded and is run by Mauro and Giada, who started the company in 2008 in the province of Brescia, Italy, with the aim of creating an artisan brand offering unique boutique musical products at affordable prices.
Sources (11)
- About us, Jad Freer Audio
- MIDI-Lungo, Jad Freer Audio
- Edison (DC converter), Jad Freer Audio
- Patch 4 | Jad Freer Audio, Jad Freer Audio
- MIDI-Meno, Jad Freer Audio
- CAPO - Multiple Preamp | Jad Freer Audio, Jad Freer Audio
- SARTO - Clean Preamp / Eq | Jad Freer Audio, Jad Freer Audio
- Domino DUAL, Jad Freer Audio
- Rob Mullarkey, Jad Freer Audio
- CAPO - Tim Lefebvre Edition | Jad Freer Audio, Jad Freer Audio
- Review: Jad Freer Audio Sisma Head & Capo Multi-Preamp Pedal, Bass Magazine, 2024-09-04