The Metal Pedals JH-3 is a distortion pedal created for guitarist Johnny Hiland, described at its announcement as a blues and country legend, and later made available to the public1. Delicious Audio's Paolo De Gregorio called it "a distortion pedal that delivers flexible amp tone complete with deep EQ tone shaping features"2. Metal Pedals also makes the Raw Hide and Hard Core XXX pedals.
Controls: gain and three-band EQ
The JH-3 carries five knobs: Gain, Bass, Mid, Treble, and Volume1. The three-band EQ is where the pedal's tone shaping lives, with the Bass, Mid, and Treble knobs providing what De Gregorio described as deep EQ tone shaping2. Metal Pedals describes the JH-3 as bringing "real amp tone with powerful active EQ for amazing tone shaping and unlimited possibilities"1.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Gain | Sets the amount of distortion, from low to high-gain1 |
| Bass | Low EQ for tone shaping2 |
| Mid | Midrange EQ for tone shaping2 |
| Treble | High EQ for tone shaping2 |
| Volume | Sets the pedal's output level1 |
The gain control ranges from low to high-gain, and at the top of its range the pedal engages Metal Pedals' high-gain noise reduction, which the company aimed at "the face melting loud players"1.
Power and bypass
The JH-3 runs on 9-volt operation with a standard DC input, and a battery is included1. A true bypass on/off switch takes the circuit out of the signal path when the pedal is off1.
Design and build
The pedal sits in a die-cast aluminum case that Metal Pedals says offers protection and durability1.
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Questions
Does the Metal Pedals JH-3 come with a battery?
Yes. The pedal runs on 9-volt operation with a standard DC input, and a battery is included, according to the press release announcing the pedal. That means it can be powered either from a 9V DC supply or from the supplied battery.
Is the JH-3 true bypass?
Yes. The JH-3 has a true bypass on/off switch, so when the pedal is off, your guitar's signal passes through without the circuit loading it.
Who is the JH-3 designed for?
The JH-3 is a signature distortion created for Johnny Hiland, described in the announcement as a blues and country legend. Metal Pedals built it for Hiland and then made it available to the public.
Does the JH-3 have noise reduction?
Yes. The gain ranges from low to high-gain, and the pedal features Metal Pedals' high-gain noise reduction, aimed at loud players.
What does the JH-3 cost?
The street price given at the pedal's announcement was $235 USD.
Sources (2)
- JH-3 Johnny Hiland Signature OD/Distortion Launch, Premier Guitar, 2014-09-29
- Metal Pedals Unveils The Johnny Hiland Signature Stompbox JH-3, Delicious Audio, 2014-10-07
