The Box It Later is a JHS pedal that most players will never see for sale: a specialized utility buffer and boost pedal developed as a custom piece for John Mayer, based on the circuit of the rare Dumble A-Box-Later. RockBoard's PedalPedia describes it as a high-headroom clean boost that provides clarity and punch while maintaining the instrument's natural character, with a transparent signal path designed to push an amplifier into its "sweet spot" without unwanted coloration1.
Can you buy one?
No. RockBoard's PedalPedia states plainly that "This specific unit was never released as a standard commercial product, remaining a rare 'secret weapon' for specific" artist rigs1. It exists because JHS cloned the A-Box-Later preamp boost from John Mayer's touring rig. As JHS put it, "We cloned it, named it the Box It Later"2.
The pedal itself is built around a transparent signal path designed to push an amplifier into its "sweet spot" without unwanted coloration1. It runs on 9V DC, center negative, drawing 10mA2.
Where it came from: the Dumble A-Box-Later
The original was built by Howard Alexander Dumble, the founder of Dumble. GuitarPlayer described the A Box Later as "a one-of-a-kind creation from the mind of Dumble founder Howard Alexander Dumble," and quoted its very clear send/return as a defining feature3. BLAMMO! Electronics, which makes its own take on the design, credits it as "designed by Alex Dumble"4. RockBoard's PedalPedia describes the original as a device traditionally used in an amplifier's effects loop to manage signal levels and impedance1, and JHS's own page for the Fumble calls the "A Box Later" a buffered effects loop device that Howard Dumble built sometime in the 1980s5.
"The A Box Later has a very clear send/return"
The John Mayer connection
John Mayer is the player at the center of the story. JHS's own page says "John has used it in several situations over the years," and notes that he received replicas of both Dumble units from JHS in 20192. When JHS discontinued the Notadümblë pedal in 2025, guitar.com's Crystal Koe reported that "others expecting the Box It Later that Mayer uses may be disappointed," underlining how closely the pedal is tied to his rig6.
Buffer or boost?
Both, and that dual role is the point of the design. RockBoard's PedalPedia classifies it as a specialized utility buffer and boost pedal, with an analog circuit type1. In practice that means it can sit in an amp's effects loop or on a board, keeping the signal intact while offering a clean level lift with plenty of headroom. Players comparing it with other options in the category will find it sits alongside JHS's other boost designs, from the Fumble Mini Boost to the Solo Boost, though none of those carry the A-Box-Later circuit. For more on the category, see Boost Pedals and Buffer Pedals.
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Justin Jeske
Justin Jeske
Questions
Can you buy the JHS The Box It Later?
No. The Box It Later was never released as a standard commercial product. RockBoard's PedalPedia describes it as a rare secret weapon kept for specific artist rigs, and it was developed as a custom piece for John Mayer. The circuit does appear in JHS's DIY Notadümblë Dual Channel V2, which carries a Box Later boost stage, so that kit is the closest widely available route to the same circuit.
Is The Box It Later analog?
Yes. RockBoard's PedalPedia lists the circuit type as analog. It is a high-headroom clean boost with a transparent signal path, designed to push an amplifier into its sweet spot without unwanted coloration.
What power does The Box It Later need?
It runs on 9V DC, center negative, and draws 10mA, according to RockBoard's PedalPedia. That is a modest draw by pedal standards, so it sits comfortably on a shared power supply alongside typical 9V pedals.
What is the Dumble A-Box-Later?
The A-Box-Later is a one-of-a-kind device that Dumble founder Howard Alexander Dumble designed, traditionally used in an amplifier's effects loop to manage signal levels and impedance. GuitarPlayer described it as a one-of-a-kind creation with a very clear send/return. JHS reverse engineered it and named its version the Box It Later.
Is The Box It Later a buffer or a boost?
Both. RockBoard's PedalPedia calls it a specialized utility buffer and boost pedal, functioning as a high-headroom clean boost. The original Dumble unit it is based on was a buffered effects loop device, so the design combines buffering with a clean level lift.
Sources (6)
- The Box It Later by JHS, RockBoard PedalPedia, 2026
- NOTADÜMBLË V2, JHS Pedals
- “Two weeks after the release, I realized I made a huge mistake.” The JHS Notadümblë pedal was meant to mimic John Mayer's one-of-a-kind Dumble stompbox. It used the circuit from something even rarer, GuitarPlayer (www.guitarplayer.com), 2025-05-27
- Box o' Later, BLAMMO! Electronics
- FUMBLE - JHS Pedals, JHS Pedals
- JHS discontinues NOTADÜMBLË pedal after less than a month, guitar.com, 2025-05-23
John Mayer
