Today the company is under the control of Bud's grandson, Cameron Ross, who announced the brand's return in December 2025 with the Era 6 series of five rebuilt pedals1.
The JHS revival and why it ended
Before Cameron Ross took over, the brand spent a stretch under JHS Pedals, which revived the Ross line in 2023. The revival started strongly, then faded fast185:
- 2023: the JHS-built Ross line launches, and by the end of the year 5,400 units have sold1
- January to November 2024: only 334 sales are notched1
- The revival ends about a year after it began, having failed to meet expectations1
The JHS-built Ross pedals are no longer in production. JHS Pedals is headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri, and says each of its pedals is made there in-house, using high-quality parts, quality control, and attention to every detail7. The current Era 6 pedals come from Ross Electronics itself under Cameron Ross1.
The Era 6 series
The December 2025 relaunch centers on the Era 6 series: five pedals comprising a chorus, a distortion, a fuzz, a compressor and a phaser1. Ross describes the line as starting with the core line players know, with each pedal rebuilt with player-driven improvements, refined circuits, rugged builds, and updated features1. The pedals retain their classic colors and simple aesthetics1.
| Era 6 pedal | Effect type |
|---|---|
| Chorus | Chorus |
| Distortion | Distortion |
| Fuzz | Fuzz |
| Compressor | Compressor |
| Phaser | Phaser |
All five announced at the December 2025 relaunch1.
The circuits Ross is known for
The Ross Compressor
The vintage gray Ross Compressor is the brand's most storied circuit. Its influence runs through modern gear: the Retro-Sonic Compressor, a compressor pedal from retro-sonic.com, is based on the famous gray Ross Compressor9.
"This compressor is one of the all time "classic" compressors and has a great sound."
The Ross Distortion and the MXR question
The Ross Distortion is often compared to MXR's Distortion Plus. General Guitar Gadgets, which sells a clone kit of the circuit, describes the Ross Distortion pedal as very similar to the MXR Distortion Plus pedal10. The two also share a market history: both were discontinued at one point and reissued after several years of absence from the new pedal market10. So the Ross circuits were close cousins of MXR's rather than straight copies, at least as far as the distortion goes.
| Pedal | Circuit relationship | Shared market history |
|---|---|---|
| Ross Distortion | Very similar to the MXR Distortion Plus10 | Both discontinued at one point, both reissued after several years away from the new pedal market10 |
Bud Ross and Cameron Ross
Charles "Bud" Ross founded the firm in the 1970s after finding success in the amplifier market with Kustom the previous decade1. He has since died, and the company is now under the control of his grandson, Cameron Ross1. Cameron's Era 6 relaunch is positioned as the brand's next chapter rather than a repeat of the JHS revival, with the company rebuilding its core line rather than simply reissuing it11.
- Charles "Bud" Ross: founder; succeeded in amplifiers with Kustom in the decade before starting Ross; now deceased1
- Cameron Ross: Bud's grandson; current owner; led the December 2025 Era 6 relaunch1
The range (6)
| Type | Pedals |
|---|---|
| Chorus | ROSS Chorus |
| Compressor | Ross Compressor Replica Kit |
| Delay | Ross Stereo Analog Delay |
| Distortion | Ross Distortion |
| Flanger | Ross R-60 Flanger |
| Phaser | Ross Phaser (new JHS Ross range) |
News
Questions
Who owns Ross Electronics now?
Ross Electronics is under the control of Cameron Ross, the grandson of founder Charles "Bud" Ross. Cameron took charge ahead of the Era 6 relaunch announced in December 2025, which introduced five rebuilt pedals: chorus, distortion, fuzz, compressor and phaser.
Did JHS stop making Ross pedals?
Yes. JHS Pedals revived the Ross line, and 5,400 units sold by the end of 2023, but the return failed to meet expectations. Between January and November 2024 only 334 sales were notched, and the plug was pulled on the revival a year after it began.
Were Ross pedals copies of MXR pedals?
Not copies, but some circuits were very close. General Guitar Gadgets describes the Ross Distortion as very similar to the MXR Distortion Plus, and notes both pedals were discontinued at one point and later reissued after years away from the new pedal market.
Why is the vintage Ross Compressor so collectible?
General Guitar Gadgets calls it one of the all-time classic compressors with a great sound, and its reputation has carried into modern gear: the Retro-Sonic Compressor is based on the famous gray Ross Compressor, and new compact compressors still cite it as an inspiration.
Where were the JHS Ross pedals made?
JHS Pedals is headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri, and builds its pedals there in-house. The company says each of its pedals is made in Kansas City using high-quality parts, with quality control and attention to every detail.
What pedals are in the Ross Era 6 series?
The Era 6 series comprises five pedals: a chorus, a distortion, a fuzz, a compressor and a phaser. Ross describes them as rebuilt with player-driven improvements, refined circuits, rugged builds and updated features, while retaining their classic colors and simple aesthetics.
Sources (11)
- Ross Electronics returns after JHS Pedals' ill-fated revival, Guitar World, 2025-12-03
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2023-08-24
- Aurora Compressor / Sustainer, Aion FX, 2018-06-30
- Ross™ Compressor Clone: DIY Kit, PCB & Schematic, generalguitargadgets.com, 2014-05-12
- Guitar Journal: Jeff Beck, Ross, and Martin JoBo, gearnews.com, 2024-11-19
- JHS ends production of Ross effects just 18 months after reviving the iconic brand, guitar.com, 2024-11-13
- 3 SERIES HARMONIC TREM, JHS Pedals
- Ross Effects (via JHS) | Delicious Audio, Delicious Audio, 2024-11-14
- COMPRESSOR, retro-sonic.com
- Ross™ Distortion Clone: DIY Kit, PCB & Schematic, General Guitar Gadgets, 2014-05-12
- “Legends never die”: Ross revived under Bud Ross’s grandson with new Era 6 pedals after failed JHS relaunch, Guitar.com, 2025-12-02