The LAA-Custom Fuck Jazz Overdrive, usually shortened to FJOD, is a single-channel, all-analog overdrive pedal designed by Italy's LAA-Custom in collaboration with guitarist Phil X, the YouTube star turned Bon Jovi player. It was officially released at NAMM in January 2018, and the first batch of 100 units was hand-signed by Phil X himself12. The pedal promises enough gain to get a big crunch sound on any clean amp, with a custom two-band EQ circuit that LAA-Custom says fine-tunes the overall response without altering the mids or cutting the low end1.
What it does and how it works
The FJOD is an overdrive in the boost-into-amp sense: MusicPlayers.com's reviewer used it solely for lead boosts and found it gave lead work a particular edge, with more depth to the sound than the overdrives typically used for that job. He described a fuzz-like depth and feel, though noting it does not sound like fuzz3.
Under the hood, LAA-Custom developed a circuit the company has coined True Coil Technology, which pairs a custom-designed output transformer with a class A driver3. The two-band EQ is a claimed feature of the design: LAA-Custom says it lets you tweak the drive tone without altering the mids or cutting the low end2. For context on where this sits among dirt pedals, see Overdrive Pedals, Distortion Pedals and Fuzz Pedals.
Controls
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Drive | Sets the amount of drive3 |
| Bottom | Low-band EQ3 |
| Top | High-band EQ3 |
| Volume | Output level3 |
| Shitty/Great Amps switch | Two-position selector switch2 |
The four knobs are described as retro-looking, old school-style controls on the pedal's face3. The Shitty/Great Amps selector switch is named in gearnews.com's launch coverage, which does not describe a separate voicing for each position2.
Both 1/4-inch input and output jacks sit on the rear of the pedal, not the sides3.
Who makes it and where it came from
LAA-Custom is spearheaded by designer and builder Carlo Sorasio, who designed the FJOD in collaboration with Phil X3. The pedal was shown in an extremely limited presentation at NAMM 2018, where Phil X demoed it personally3. MusicRadar's NAMM report announced the official release at the show, with availability from January at EUR 239 / $2691, and gearnews.com's report of the launch listed the same RRP of EUR 239 / USD 269 as of the end of 20172.
The first batch was limited to 100 signed units2, with MusicRadar reporting that the first 100 units would be hand-signed by Phil X1.
What reviewers said
MusicPlayers.com's review by Bruce Sokolovic, published in April 2018, is the main published verdict. His reviewer used the pedal solely for lead boosts and found it gave lead work a particular edge, in an un uniform way, with more depth to the sound than the typical overdrives usually reached for that job, describing a fuzz-like depth and feel while noting it does not sound like fuzz3.
On price, the same review gives the MSRP as $294.93 with a street price of approximately $2693, which matches gearnews.com's listed USD 2692.
Videos
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Questions
How much does the LAA-Custom Fuck Jazz Overdrive cost?
At launch, the pedal carried an MSRP of $294.93 and sold for approximately $269, according to MusicPlayers.com's April 2018 review. gearnews.com listed it at the end of 2017 with an RRP of EUR 239 / USD 269, so roughly $269 in the United States is the figure to expect.
What does the Shitty/Great Amps switch do?
The pedal has a two-position selector switch labeled Shitty Amps and Great Amps. Published coverage of the pedal, including gearnews.com's launch report, names the switch as part of the control layout but does not describe a separate voicing for each position, so players should treat it as part of the pedal's tone-shaping controls alongside the Drive, Bottom, Top and Volume knobs.
Is the Fuck Jazz Overdrive signed by Phil X?
The first 100 units were hand-signed by Phil X himself, according to MusicRadar. gearnews.com likewise reported that the first batch of the FJ Overdrive was limited to 100 signed units. Beyond that first batch, the pedal was not described as signed.
Where are the jacks on the FJOD pedal?
Both the 1/4-inch input and output jacks are placed on the rear of the pedal, per MusicPlayers.com's review. That keeps the top surface clear for the four knobs and the Shitty/Great Amps switch.
Sources (3)
- NAMM 2018: Phil X pulls no punches with LAA-Custom F**k Jazz Overdrive pedal, MusicRadar, 2017-12-21
- LAA-Custom and Phil X team up on signature Fuck Jazz Overdrive pedal, gearnews.com, 2017-12-31
- Laa-Custom Phil X Fuck Jazz Overdrive Pedal, MusicPlayers.com, 2018-04-20
