The J Rockett Archer Select is a Klon-style overdrive pedal from J Rockett, launched in March 2023 as the latest version of the company's Archer line12. Where a standard Archer gives you one clipping voice, the Select puts seven selectable clipping diodes in one box, combining the diode setups of the previous Archer, iKon and Jeff Mod Archer with four additional diodes31. MusicRadar described it at launch as "a deluxe K-style boost and overdrive with 7 selectable clipping options"4.
It is also the first Archer with a dedicated DI output on the side, carrying a speaker simulation based on a British 4x12 cabinet, for monitoring or direct recording35. Guitar.com's Rachel Roberts quoted the maker's pitch that players can "create endless combinations of K-style tone from boosts to stacked drives and beyond"1.
A Klon-style overdrive with seven clipping diodes
The seven voices break down like this. The stock sound, engaged by the right footswitch, is the Archer-style overdrive built on Mullard OA10 diodes5. Pressing the left Clipping footswitch swaps in whichever of six diodes you have chosen on the rotary knob: five germanium diodes, a 1N270, a 1N695, a 1N34A (the same diode Bill Finnegan used in the original Centaur), a D9B and a D9E, plus a red LED option for maximum clean boost97. Delicious Audio described the result as "7 total voices utilizing 6 different diodes, five new old stock Germanium ones, and an LED option for maximum clean boost"7. If the Clipping footswitch is bypassed, the pedal defaults to the standard diode option3.
The controls
The top panel keeps the familiar Archer layout of Gain, Output and Treble, plus a clipping rotary and a ground lift toggle for the DI37. Instrument jacks sit on the top of the unit, with the 1/4-inch DI output on the side6.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Gain | Controls the amount of gain7 |
| Output | Controls overall volume output7 |
| Treble | Controls the high end7 |
| Clipping rotary | Selects one of six clipping diodes, arranged from lowest to highest output95 |
| Ground switch | Ground lift for the DI7 |
| Right footswitch | Engages the Archer-style overdrive with OA10 diodes5 |
| Left (Clipping) footswitch | Swaps in the diode selected on the rotary; a red LED above it lights when active56 |
The dual-footswitch design is what makes the pedal quick to use live: as Sweetwater's Don Carr put it in the launch demo, "you activate them by pressing the left foot switch so you have two foot switchable sounds readily available"10.
DI output with speaker simulation
The DI output carries a speaker simulation based on a British 4x12 cabinet35. Pedal of the Day noted it is there "for those who like to be able to monitor their OD sound direct or have the option for direct recordings"2, and Guitar.com's reviewer described it as a "DI out with emulated 4×12 speaker cab for monitoring/direct recording"9. The ground lift toggle in the middle of the controls deals with ground-loop noise on that connection3. Used through the standard output, the pedal simply operates as a regular overdrive3.
History and versions, including the KTR Red edition
The Archer, in all its iterations, "has steadily been one of the go-to clone units since its release," in Pedal of the Day's words, and the Select is the line's latest version2. Delicious Audio called it "an evolution of what has been an extraordinarily popular line" for the Nashville-based maker, aiming to take the line to the next level with a range of tonal and clipping options7.
The Select comes in two finishes: the standard gold and a deluxe, limited KTR Red1. The KTR Red edition was made in partnership with Reverb and sold exclusively there, limited to 250 units and priced at £281.45 on Reverb at launch14. MusicRadar's Jonathan Horsley saw it as having "all the potential to become a collector's item in the years to come"4.
What reviewers said
Reviews were positive about the sound, with the price the main reservation. Guitar.com's Josh Gardner found the pedal "differs from the norm by incorporating a second footswitch to engage one of six different clipping diodes," but noted the cost, "certainly not when it's nearly double the price of the standard Archer"9. Premier Guitar's reviewer concluded that "there are delectable Klon-style voices here if you pony up the cash"11.
"This is the wine-taster's / cork-sniffer's Klon for sure. ... Really sounds amazing to me - and definitely top tier!"
Karlsson's favorite clipping options were "the Mullard OA10, followed by the 1N270 and 1N34A"12. Delicious Audio went as far as calling it "truly the most versatile K style overdrive yet"7, and MusicRadar included it in its roundup of must-have pedals for 20237.
In Sweetwater's launch demo, Don Carr said "the J rocket Archer series of pedals are some of the best sounding k-style overdrive pedals out there," before walking through the Select's clipping options and DI output10.
Videos
Reverb
R.J. Ronquillo
Questions
Which diodes are in the J Rockett Archer Select?
The stock voice uses Mullard OA10 diodes. Engaging the clipping footswitch gives six more choices on the rotary: five germanium diodes (1N270, 1N695, 1N34A, D9B and D9E) plus a red LED for maximum clean boost. The 1N34A is the same diode Bill Finnegan used in the original Klon Centaur59.
What does the second footswitch on the Archer Select do?
The right footswitch is a standard on/off bypass. The left, marked Clipping, engages whichever alternative diode is selected on the rotary, giving two footswitchable sounds instantly available, with a red LED showing when the section is active. Left disengaged, the pedal defaults to the stock diode356.
How is the Archer Select different from the original Archer and the iKon?
It combines the diode setups of the previous Archer, iKon and Jeff Mod Archer in one enclosure and adds four more diodes, for seven clipping options in total. It is also the first Archer with a dedicated DI output on the side, carrying a British 4x12 speaker simulation. Guitar.com's reviewer noted it costs nearly double the price of the standard Archer39.
How many KTR Red Archer Selects were made?
The KTR Red edition, made with Reverb and sold exclusively there, was limited to 250 units, priced at £281.45 on Reverb at launch. The standard finish is gold14.
Can the Archer Select be used straight into a mixing desk or interface?
Yes. The 1/4-inch DI output on the side carries a speaker simulation based on a British 4x12 cabinet, for monitoring the overdrive sound direct or making direct recordings, with a ground lift switch for the DI connection375.
Sources (12)
- J Rockett launches the Archer Select pedal with limited edition finish on Reverb, Guitar.com, 2023-03-28
- J. Rockett Audio Designs Archer Select, Pedal of the Day, 2023-03-28
- J Rockett Audio Archer Select overdrive offers 7 clipping diodes, gearnews.com, 2023-03-28
- J Rockett Audio Designs launches the Archer Select, a deluxe K-style boost and overdrive with 7 selectable clipping options, MusicRadar, 2023-03-28
- J. Rockett Audio Designs Releases the Ultimate Archer, Premier Guitar, 2023-03-29
- The must-have new guitar effects pedals of 2023, MusicRadar, 2023-05-04
- J. Rockett Archer Select Klon-style Drive, Delicious Audio, 2023-05-09
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2025-09-03
- J. Rockett Archer Select, Guitar.com, 2023-06-12
- J. Rockett Audio Designs Archer Select Pedal Demo, Sweetwater, 2023-03-30
- Discover the Power of J. Rockett Archer Select: Review, Premier Guitar, 2023-11-18
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2026-09-28
