The Whitey Tighty is a mini FET compressor from JHS Pedals, with three simple controls over Compression, Volume, and Blend1. It was designed to be used as an "always on" device, and JHS describes its character as "a pleasing squash that's perfect for country, blues, pop, and rock"2. The clean blend lets you mix compressed signal with your untouched tone, which JHS says lets you "dial in the perfect sound"2.
Controls and how it works
The Whitey Tighty keeps compression simple with three knobs3:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Compression | Sets the amount of compression applied to your signal1 |
| Volume | Sets your output at unity gain or slightly boosted, making up for any perceived loss from the compression2 |
| Blend | Mixes the compressed signal with your clean signal2 |
The blend control is the feature that separates it from simpler two-knob compressors. Instead of committing your whole signal to the squash, you keep part of your original dynamics and layer compression on top. JHS's own compression writeup sums up the design philosophy: "You have a clean blend, three knobs, and not a bad sound in it"3.
Size and power
The pedal measures 3.6" x 1.5" x 1", a genuinely small box that Gearnews described as "a FET compressor in a miniature housing" when JHS showed it at NAMM 20194. It requires standard 9V DC negative power2.
JHS states the pedal requires standard 9V DC negative power2. Players running multiple pedals should make sure their supply matches this polarity.
Where it came from
JHS lists the Whitey Tighty at $1352. It is a FET compressor in a miniature housing4, with three controls over Compression, Volume, and Blend1, and the ability to blend in compression and clean signal2. JHS describes it as producing "a pleasing squash that's perfect for country, blues, pop, and rock"2.
What the maker and press say
JHS leans into the pedal's always-on role with its own tagline:
"When it's off, you feel like your pants are down"
Delicious Audio characterized it as a mini FET compressor with "3 simple controls over Compression, Volume, and Blend," designed to stay on permanently1.
Videos
A77.STUDIO
R.J. Ronquillo
Mike Hermans
Questions
How big is the JHS Whitey Tighty?
It measures 3.6 by 1.5 by 1 inches, a miniature housing that takes up very little pedalboard space. That small footprint is one of its main selling points alongside its three controls.
What power does the Whitey Tighty need?
It requires standard 9V DC negative power, the same supply most pedalboards already use. JHS states this requirement on its product page, so it matches typical center-negative pedal power supplies.
Is the Whitey Tighty meant to be always on?
Yes. Delicious Audio reported that JHS designed it to be used as an always-on device, sitting at the front of your signal chain full time rather than being switched in and out for specific parts.
When did JHS release the Whitey Tighty?
JHS showed the Whitey Tighty at NAMM in January 2019 with a listed price of $135. Delicious Audio's writeup of the pedal followed in February 2019.
Sources (4)
- JHS Pedals Whitey Tighty Compressor, Delicious Audio, 2019-02-13
- WHITEY TIGHTY, JHS Pedals
- COMPRESSION 101, JHS Pedals
- NAMM 2019: JHS Clover and Whitey Tighty preamp and compressor pedals, gearnews.com, 2019-01-25
