The JHS Fumble Mini Boost is a small standalone boost pedal from JHS that carries the BBC-1 Boost circuit taken from the JHS NOTADÜMBLË Drive. Guitar Pedal X reported in June 2026 that JHS extracted that boost side and released it on its own as the Fumble Mini Boost, "by popular demand"1. It is the mini-format sibling of the full-size JHS Fumble, which carries the same circuit in a standard enclosure.
Where the BBC-1 circuit came from
The BBC-1 is a Dumble circuit, and its story inside the JHS lineup is an unusual one. The original two-channel NOTADÜMBLË combined a Dumble Drive on one channel and the BBC-1 Boost on the other2. But according to Guitar Pedal X, the BBC-1 ended up there by mistake: the schematics for the rare BBC-1 Dumble Boost got mixed up with the better known "A Box Later" boost that JHS had intended to build2.
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The BBC-1 itself is a JFET preamp. JHS describes it on the Fumble's product page as "a JFET preamp lifted almost part for part from a Barcus Berry acoustic preamp made in the 1970s"3. Guitar World's coverage of the Fumble gives the same account of the circuit's origins4.
"It's a JFET preamp lifted almost part-for-part from a Barcus Berry acoustic preamp made in the 1970s"
How the Mini relates to the Fumble and the NOTADÜMBLË
The family tree, in order:
- NOTADÜMBLË V1 (discontinued): a two-channel DIY pedal whose clean channel was a boost plus buffer, built with the BBC-1 circuit by mistake25.
- JHS Fumble (June 2026): the full-size pedal JHS released so the BBC-1 circuit V1 owners loved didn't disappear67. Priced at $898.
- Fumble Mini Boost: the same BBC-1 boost extracted from the NOTADÜMBLË Drive into a standalone mini edition, also at a stated price of $891.
- NOTADÜMBLË V2 (June to July 2026): the corrected dual-channel DIY kit, with the "A Box Later" boost in place of the BBC-195.
Guitar World describes the Fumble as the pedal that separates the wrongly copied Dumble boost from the V1 into its own unit9. The Mini Boost then takes that same boost and shrinks it. On the NOTADÜMBLË's clean channel, the BBC-1 stage functioned as a boost plus buffer23, and JHS suggests the same circuit can be used four ways on the Fumble: as a permanent buffer and clean boost, to slam the front of overdrives, to slam the front of a dirty amp, or as a solo boost at the end of the chain3.
| Pedal | Circuit | Format | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| NOTADÜMBLË V1 | Dumble Drive + BBC-1 Boost (by mistake) | DIY kit | Discontinued2 |
| JHS Fumble | BBC-1 Boost | Full-size pedal | Available, $8985 |
| Fumble Mini Boost | BBC-1 Boost | Mini pedal | Stated price $891 |
| NOTADÜMBLË V2 | Dumble Drive + "A Box Later" Boost | DIY kit | Released June to July 20262 |
What reviewers made of it
Guitar Pedal X's Stefan Karlsson, reviewing the Mini's announcement, was lukewarm on the need for it even while liking the circuit itself1:
"I actually quite like the BBC-1 boost, but I have other boosts that I much prefer in stand-alone editions. I'm not sure"
His fuller verdict on the NOTADÜMBLË's two sides, from an earlier review, was that "The BBC-1 Boost is pretty cool and distinct. And while the Dumble Drive / ODS side is not quite has hi-fidelity as on so" other Dumble drives, it remained highly usable52. Pedal of the Day, reviewing the full-size Fumble in July 2026, called it a JFET Clean Boost and a faithful production version of the circuit10.
The PedalPCB version
For builders, PedalPCB sells a DIY PCB called the Fumble Boost, listed to compare to the Dumble BBC-1 and the JHS Fumble Boost, priced at $1011. PedalPCB states plainly that the product is not manufactured or distributed by Dumble or JHS Pedals, and that PedalPCB is in no way affiliated with either company11. It is a bare circuit board for home builders rather than a finished pedal.
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Questions
What is the JHS Fumble Mini Boost?
It is a standalone boost pedal from JHS that puts the BBC-1 Boost circuit from the JHS NOTADÜMBLË Drive into its own small enclosure. The BBC-1 is a Dumble circuit, a JFET preamp that JHS says was lifted almost part for part from a 1970s Barcus Berry acoustic preamp. It works as a clean boost in front of overdrives, a dirty amp, or as a solo boost at the end of a chain.
How much does the JHS Fumble Mini Boost cost?
The stated price is $89, as reported by Guitar Pedal X in June 2026. That matches the $89 list price of the full-size JHS Fumble on JHS Pedals' own product page, so the Mini edition carries the same price as its larger sibling.
Is the Fumble Mini Boost the same as the JHS Fumble?
Both pedals carry the same BBC-1 boost circuit. The Fumble is the full-size pedal JHS released in June 2026 to keep the circuit alive after the NOTADÜMBLË V1 mix-up, while the Fumble Mini Boost is the standalone mini edition of the same boost extracted from the NOTADÜMBLË Drive. JHS has not published a control-by-control comparison.
Is there a PedalPCB version of the Fumble?
Yes. PedalPCB sells a DIY PCB called the Fumble Boost, listed to compare to the Dumble BBC-1 and the JHS Fumble Boost, priced at $10. PedalPCB states clearly that it is not manufactured or distributed by Dumble or JHS Pedals and is not affiliated with either company.
Sources (11)
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2026-06-03
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2025-08-11
- FUMBLE - JHS Pedals, JHS Pedals
- JHS Pedals drops $89 boost inspired by John Mayer's Dumble pedal, Guitar World (www.guitarworld.com), 2026-06-03
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2026-08-10
- NOTADÜMBLË V2, JHS Pedals
- Notadümble V2: JHS Pedals DIY kit fixes their mistake, gearnews.com, 2026-07-17
- JHS Pedals' Fumble is an $89 boost with a complicated history, MusicRadar, 2026-06-03
- JHS Pedals Notadümble V2, Guitar World, 2026-06-29
- JHS Pedals Fumble JFET Clean Boost, Pedal of the Day, 2026-07-16
- Fumble Boost, PedalPCB.com
