The JHS Plugin is a fuzz pedal from JHS Pedals, built as a replica of the Jordan Boss Tone, a fuzz design from 1967. Paolo De Gregorio of Delicious Audio describes the original's "gritty, sputtery sound" as having "made its way into several legendary recordings," and the Plugin puts that circuit into a modern floor pedal12. It is part of JHS's Legends of Fuzz series, a line devoted to recreations of vintage fuzz circuits1.
Where it comes from: the Boss Tone
The Jordan Boss Tone was not a pedal in the usual sense. As gearnews.com's Jef explains, "the name comes from the design, which at the time was less like a pedal, but rather a box with the circuit directly on the jack plug," plugging straight into the guitar3. JHS had already made a limited edition Plugin recreation of the Boss Tone before adding it to the Legends of Fuzz line as a standard model1. Delicious Audio calls it "a stompbox recreation of the 1967 Boss Tone, a plugin fuzz"2, and Guitar.com's Tamzin Kraftman lists it in the series as "Plugin (a '67 Boss tone Replica)"4.
Controls and the Mode switch
The Plugin keeps the original circuit but adds one extra control. Delicious Audio notes that "this circuit features an added Mode switch which gives you two slightly different tonal flavors"1. One of those flavors is a JHS voicing: "The plugin also has a JHS mode that adds more mids and less compression at the push of a button," according to gearnews.com3. In practice, that means players can choose between the stock Boss Tone character and a version with a more prominent midrange and a looser, less compressed feel.
Power and battery
The Plugin runs on a standard 9V DC negative center supply and draws 4mA, so it sits comfortably on any pedalboard power supply1. It also accepts a battery:
JHS warns: "DO NOT USE MORE THAN 9V DC, OR YOUR WARRANTY WILL BE VOIDED." Stick to a 9V supply and do not daisy-chain it with higher-voltage outputs1.
Price and where it sits in the line
The Plugin arrived in the second wave of Legends of Fuzz pedals alongside the Mary-K and Berkeley. Its MSRP matches the first four models in the series at 179 USD, with shipping and taxes on top3. In EU stores it listed for 239 euros, while Thomann's listing showed 99.00 euros, 86.00 pounds, or 96.00 dollars3.
Other fuzzes in the wider JHS range include the Legends of Fuzz Bender, Legends of Fuzz Smiley, Legends of Fuzz Supreme, Legends of Fuzz Crimson, and the Coyote. For more on the effect type itself, see the site's guide to Fuzz Pedals.
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Questions
Does the JHS Plugin run on a battery?
Yes. The Plugin allows battery operation via a single 9V battery held by a battery clip inside the backplate. It also runs on a 9V DC negative center power supply, drawing 4mA. JHS warns not to use more than 9V DC, or the warranty will be voided.
What does the Mode switch do on the JHS Plugin?
The Mode switch gives two slightly different tonal flavors from the same circuit. One of these is a JHS mode that adds more mids and less compression at the push of a button, letting players lean the vintage circuit toward a more present, less squeezed voice.
What is the JHS Plugin based on?
The Plugin is a replica of the Jordan Boss Tone, a fuzz design from 1967. It is part of JHS's Legends of Fuzz series, which recreates vintage fuzz circuits as floor pedals.
How much does the JHS Plugin cost?
The MSRP of the Plugin, like the other Legends of Fuzz models, is 179 USD, with shipping and taxes on top. In EU stores it listed for 239 euros, and Thomann's listing showed 99.00 euros, 86.00 pounds, or 96.00 dollars.
Why is it called the Plugin?
The name comes from the original 1967 design, which was less like a pedal and more like a box with the circuit directly on the jack plug, plugging straight into the guitar.
Sources (4)
- JHS Plugin Fuzz (Legends Of Fuzz Boss Tone Replica), Delicious Audio, 2023-02-27
- JHS Legends Of Fuzz 2023, Delicious Audio, 2023-06-30
- JHS Legends of Fuzz Effect Pedals: Mary-K, Plugin and Berkeley, www.gearnews.com, 2023-02-28
- JHS gets fuzztastic with three new pedals to its Legends of Fuzz lineup, guitar.com, 2023-02-27
