The Joyo Baatsin (R-11) is a multi-mode overdrive and distortion pedal from Joyo, announced in March 2020 as another entry in the company's R-series1. It squeezes eight different drive sounds into one enclosure, selected rather than stacked, so a single pedal can cover several gain characters without filling a pedalboard23.
Joyo's own description of the concept:
"We picked 8 classic Overdrive and Distortion sounds after we studied a great many guitarists'..."4
The eight modes
The eight drive sounds are selected with a rotary mode control, and each is named after the circuit it evokes2. Guitar World called the names "highly suggestive"2.
| Mode | Notes |
|---|---|
| T.OD | Based on the Timmy Overdrive, per Delicious Audio3 |
| Sweety | One of the eight modes2 |
| B.Boost | One of the eight modes2 |
| T808 | One of the eight modes2 |
| Overdrive I | One of the eight modes2 |
| Crunchy | One of the eight modes2 |
| Rioter | One of the eight modes2 |
| O.C. Drive | One of the eight modes2 |
Of the eight, only the T.OD mode has a documented circuit link: Delicious Audio identifies it with the Timmy Overdrive3. The other names point at well-known drive circuits by implication, but the coverage does not confirm specific circuits behind them.
The controls
The Baatsin keeps its control set simple. Joyo lists four controls: Vol, Tone, Drive and OD Mod, the last being the mode selector5. Guitar World described it as volume, tone and gain knobs plus true bypass switching2. Delicious Audio's take on the layout:
"Three controls for Volume, Tone and Gain are all you need to adjust the amount of saturation and presence."3
Because the same three knobs are shared across all eight modes, a setting that works for one drive character will need revisiting when you switch to another. That is the trade-off the single-enclosure, eight-circuit design asks for.
Analog or digital
Joyo claims the circuit is fully analog2, and Gearnews reported the eight sounds were achieved "by pure analogue circuit"6. RockBoard's PedalPedia also lists the R-11 as an analog pedal4. Delicious Audio's writeup, however, framed it differently, saying the pedal works "as long as you can digest the idea of a digital overdrive"3. The maker's claim and most press coverage say analog; one source says digital, so the two accounts disagree.
Size, price and where it sits in the range
The Baatsin sits in Joyo's R-series of compact pedals, though Guitar.com noted it has a slightly larger footprint than most of the series, which is what you would expect from a pedal carrying eight circuits and a mode selector1. Delicious Audio still called it "a remarkably small enclosure" for eight overdrive tones3.
At launch it listed at $59 in the US2 and £64 in the UK1. Guitar World called that "cheap even by Joyo standards"2.
The $59 and £64 figures are launch list prices from March 2020 press coverage21. Joyo's current product page does not state a price, so treat these as historical.
Where it came from
Joyo announced the Baatsin overdrive in 2020, and the press picked it up quickly, with Guitar World reporting the $59 price and the full mode list2. The name, according to Guitar.com, comes from a Chinese legend about eight immortal Taoist warrior gods1.
For players comparing Joyo drives, the Baatsin is the company's multi-mode take on the format, alongside single-circuit R-series pedals like the R-01 Tauren, the R-02 TaiChi and the dual-channel R-20 King of Kings, and older JF-series drives like the JF-01 Vintage Overdrive and the JF-02 Ultimate Drive.
Videos
JOYO AUDIO
intheblues
John Nathan Cordy
News
Questions
Is the Joyo Baatsin analog or digital?
Joyo describes the circuit as fully analog, and press coverage from Guitar World, Gearnews and RockBoard's PedalPedia all list it as an analog pedal. Delicious Audio's writeup framed it as a digital overdrive, but the maker's claim and most coverage say analog.
Is the Joyo Baatsin true bypass?
Yes. Joyo's own product page lists true bypass for the R-11 Baatsin, and Guitar World's 2020 coverage also reported true bypass switching.
What pedals are the Baatsin's eight modes based on?
The eight modes are named T.OD, Sweety, B.Boost, T808, Overdrive I, Crunchy, Rioter and O.C. Drive. Delicious Audio identifies the T.OD mode as based on the Timmy Overdrive. The other names suggest classics, but only the Timmy link is documented.
What does the name Baatsin mean?
According to Guitar.com, the name comes from a Chinese legend about eight immortal Taoist warrior gods, matching the pedal's eight drive circuits.
Sources (6)
- Joyo Launches the Baatsin, collecting eight overdrives in one enclosure, Guitar.com, 2020-03-09
- Joyo Audio's Baatsin packs 8 analog overdrives into one $59 pedal, Guitar World, 2020-03-26
- Joyo BAATSIN Multi-Overdrive, Delicious Audio, 2020-07-21
- R-11 Baatsin by JOYO, RockBoard PedalPedia (rockboard.de), 2026
- R-11 BAATSIN_JOYO, JOYO
- 8 overdrive pedals in 1: Joyo Baatsin R-11, gearnews.com, 2020-03-06
