The Bright Horse Boost Overdrive is a boost and overdrive pedal from the Japanese maker HTJ-WORKS. Pedal of the Day describes it as a modern take on the famous Klon, sitting in the same family as other boost pedals and overdrive pedals that follow that circuit's approach1.
Controls and how it works
The Bright Horse features the same Gain, Treble and Output controls players know from the Klon: Gain sets the drive amount, Treble shapes the top end, and Output sets the overall level1. Pedal of the Day describes the range as going easily from natural boost to low gain and crunchy overdrive, with added sparkle and shine1.
The key to the sound, according to the review, is the clipping diode used, which has sound characteristics close to the famous Hitachi 1N34A1.
One control sits apart from the usual three:
- A small external button on top of the pedal switches between Buffered or Thru bypass options1
That top-mounted switch is worth knowing about before you mount the pedal on a board: it changes how the pedal behaves when it is switched off, either keeping a buffer in the path or passing the signal through untouched1.
What reviewers said
Pedal of the Day reviewed the Bright Horse in November 2022 and called it another gorgeous-looking-and-sounding effect from HTJ-WORKS. On how it stacks up against other Klon-type pedals, the reviewer's verdict was direct1:
"this is one of the best ones yet"
The review closes with credit to the designer: "Cheers to Toru Kamigaito and all at HTJ-WORKS"1.
Videos
Pedal of the Day
CoverDog Studios 封面狗
Questions
Is the HTJ-WORKS Bright Horse based on the Klon?
Pedal of the Day describes the Bright Horse as a modern take on the famous Klon. It carries the same Gain, Treble and Output control layout players know from the Klon, and its clipping diode is chosen for sound characteristics close to the Hitachi 1N34A associated with that circuit. It is not a straight copy, but a Klon-type boost and overdrive design from HTJ-WORKS.
Who designed the HTJ-WORKS Bright Horse?
The Bright Horse comes from HTJ-WORKS, and Pedal of the Day credits Toru Kamigaito and the team at HTJ-WORKS in its review of the pedal.
What does the bypass button on top of the Bright Horse do?
A small external button on top of the pedal lets you switch between Buffered bypass and Thru bypass. That means you can choose whether the pedal keeps a buffer in the signal path when it is off or passes the guitar signal straight through, depending on what suits your board.
What controls does the Bright Horse Boost Overdrive have?
The Bright Horse has Gain, Treble and Output controls, the same layout as the Klon. Pedal of the Day describes it as going easily from natural boost to low gain and crunchy overdrive, with added sparkle and shine.
What kind of clipping diodes does the Bright Horse use?
Pedal of the Day says the key to the sound is the clipping diode used, which has sound characteristics close to the famous Hitachi 1N34A germanium diode.
Sources (1)
- HTJ-WORKS Bright Horse Boost Overdrive, Pedal of the Day, 2022-11-26