The Gear Ant YellowJacket is a dual distortion circuit that stacks two voicings in one enclosure, loosely based on the 1978 MXR Distortion plus and the 1977 DOD 250 gray box1. The builder at Gear Ant explained the idea simply: "I have always stacked two distortion plus pedals, so i decided to make one pedal with both." The point is to free up pedalboard space while keeping the two-circuit stacking that players of the originals know, with the builder's own twist added1.
Two sides, two diode types
The two sides differ mainly in their clipping diodes, which shape the character of each distortion1:
| Side | Based on | Diodes | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yellow | 1978 MXR Distortion plus | Germanium | Warmer tone1 |
| Gray (left, gray/red) | 1977 DOD 250 gray box | Silicon | More crunch1 |
The circuit has 4 gain stages and, according to Delicious Audio's Paolo De Gregorio, plenty of output to push your amp1. For more on where this pedal sits, see the site's pages on Distortion Pedals and Overdrive Pedals.
Simple by design
Gear Ant deliberately kept the pedal free of extra switching. "I could have included different toggles, or order switching… but i wanted something simple," the builder told Delicious Audio1. The signal path is fixed: the DOD-style side sits on the left and the Distortion plus-style side on the right, with no way to swap their order.
Stacking and the master volume
When both sides are on, the DOD side's volume control acts as a master volume for the whole pedal. That control does double duty: cranking it lets you increase the yellow side's gain further, so the master volume becomes an extra gain tool when the two circuits are stacked1.
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Questions
What is the Gear Ant YellowJacket based on?
The YellowJacket is a dual distortion circuit with voicings loosely based on two vintage pedals: the 1978 MXR Distortion plus on the right side and the 1977 DOD 250 grey box on the left. Gear Ant's builder said he had always stacked two Distortion plus pedals, so he decided to make one pedal containing both, with his own twist.
Which side of the YellowJacket uses germanium diodes?
The yellow side uses germanium diodes, which give a warmer tone. The gray side, marked gray and red, uses silicon diodes and delivers more crunch. Each side can be used on its own or stacked with the other.
Can you change the order of the two sides on the YellowJacket?
No. The builder said he could have included toggles or order switching but wanted something simple, so the pedal has no toggles or order switching. The signal path is fixed, with the DOD-style side on the left and the Distortion plus-style side on the right.
What do the internal trim pots do on the YellowJacket?
There are two trim pots inside the pedal, one for each side. They act as clean boosts of up to 20db per side. Out of the box they are set at unity, so they make no difference until you turn them up.
How does the volume control work when both sides are on?
When both sides are on, the DOD side's volume control, the left gray side, acts as a master volume for the whole pedal. Cranking it also lets you push the yellow side's gain further, so it doubles as an extra gain control when stacking.
Sources (1)
- Gear Ant YellowJacket Dual Distortion, Delicious Audio, 2022-04-08
