The J Rockett Melody EQ/Overdrive is a signature stompbox built with Mark Lettieri, the Snarky Puppy guitarist, and released by J. Rockett Audio Designs into its Q Series line in February 2018. It marries an overdrive with a six-band graphic equalizer, so a player can shape the drive tone band by band rather than working from a single tone knob12.
What it does
The Melody combines two functions in one enclosure: an overdrive circuit and a six-band graphic EQ. Guitar.com describes it as a pedal that "marries an overdrive with a six-band graphic equalizer," doing exactly what its name suggests2. The EQ covers six bands ranging from 100 Hz to 3.2 kHz, and each band lets you boost or cut the frequency by 18 dB, which is a wide enough swing to reshape the character of the drive or to use the pedal as a tone-shaping tool on its own2.
J Rockett describes the overdrive side as having a "huge gain range able to handle every style from R&B to heavier rock tones," and says the pedal keeps a "warm and expressive feel no matter the settings"1. For a player covering multiple genres in one night, that range is the point: Lettieri, per Guitar.com, prizes gear versatile enough for multiple genres, and the Melody was built around that need2.
The six-band graphic EQ
The EQ is the Melody's distinguishing feature. J Rockett describes it as allowing very "tweakable" voicings across its range1.
Because the bands sit between the low end and the upper presence range, the EQ covers the frequencies that matter most for setting where an overdrive sits in a mix, from tightening the low end to adding bite21.
Where it came from
The Melody was announced in late February 2018 as the Mark Lettieri signature pedal. Premier Guitar reported the release, quoting J. Rockett Audio Designs: "J Audio Designs, after much anticipation, has released the Mark Lettieri signature Melody EQ/Overdrive into their Q Series Line"1. According to the announcement, "Mark and J Rockett worked together to create a circuit that allows limitless tonal variations with a simple and intuitive" control layout1.
The pedal is not a clean-slate design. J Rockett describes it as "sharing traits of the J Rockett Majestic, Blue Note and Dude," three overdrives already in the company's catalog, with the Melody's feature set built on that foundation1. At release, it was available for online purchase or from dealers1.
How it compares
Within J Rockett's own range, the Melody sits alongside the Majestic, Blue Note and Dude as an overdrive, but it is the one that adds a full six-band graphic EQ1. For players comparing it against other EQ-forward pedals, it belongs to the family of equalization pedals that combine tone shaping with gain, and it can also be read next to dedicated overdrive pedals that use simpler tone controls. J Rockett's catalog also includes other artist signature designs, such as the Steve Stevens Rockaway Archer.
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Questions
Who designed the J Rockett Melody?
The Melody is a signature pedal developed with Mark Lettieri, the guitarist known for his work with Snarky Puppy. According to the announcement, Mark and J Rockett worked together to create a circuit that allows limitless tonal variations with a simple and intuitive control layout. It was released into J Rockett's Q Series line in February 2018.
How much can each EQ band boost or cut?
Each of the Melody's six EQ bands lets you boost or cut the frequency by 18 dB, according to Guitar.com's coverage of the release. The six bands themselves run from 100 hertz to 3.2 kilohertz, giving a wide but guitar-focused sweep across the low end, mids and upper presence.
How much does the J Rockett Melody cost?
The Melody EQ/Overdrive lists for $199. Both Premier Guitar's press release coverage and Guitar.com's news item from February 2018 give the same figure, and Premier Guitar reported it was available at that time for online purchase or from dealers.
Which other J Rockett pedals is the Melody related to?
J Rockett describes the Melody as sharing traits of the J Rockett Majestic, Blue Note and Dude, three overdrive pedals from the company's catalog. The Melody sits in the Q Series line and carries the same family character while adding the six-band graphic EQ.
How much gain does the Melody have?
J Rockett describes the overdrive as having a huge gain range, able to handle every style from R&B to heavier rock tones. The company also says it keeps a warm and expressive feel no matter the settings, so it can be set low for cleaner styles or pushed for heavier material.
Sources (2)
- Mark Lettieri Signature Overdrive by J. Rockett Audio, Premier Guitar, 2018-02-26
- Snarky Puppy's Mark Lettieri has a signature drive pedal, Guitar.com, 2018-02-27
