The Mozztronics JD-2 Thunder Drive is an amp/drive/preamp/distortion pedal, in Pedal of the Day's words "an amp/drive/preamp/distortion all wrapped into one undefinable and glorious effect"1. What sets it apart from most overdrive and distortion pedals is the clipping method: there are no diodes in the audio signal path and no diode clipping at all. Instead the circuit uses multiple JFET transistors, which the review says act in a similar way to a vacuum tube, letting the pedal "accurately simulate an entire low wattage amplifier"1.
The controls
The JD-2's control set covers gain, a full three-band EQ and a cab sim switch1:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| GAIN | Controls the amount of gain from the first stage |
| BASS | Low-end shelving EQ control |
| MID | Midrange EQ control |
| FREQ | Adjusts the midrange frequency |
| TREBLE | High-end shelving EQ control |
| CAB | Turns the inbuilt cabsim on or off (switch down is cabsim active) |
The 3-band EQ is there, in the review's words, "to help dial in your perfect tone", and the mids have a sweepable frequency so it is easy to nail the midrange you want1. The CAB switch matters depending on where the pedal feeds: cabsim on when running direct or into a flat response rig, off when an amp and speaker are already doing that work. The pedal also sits naturally among preamp and speaker simulation pedals for players building a direct-to-desk or amp-less rig.
How it behaves
Pedal of the Day frames the JD-2 as "the answer to wanting something a bit different from the diode clipping overdrives out there"1. The review describes two ways to play it: as a treble boost for a clean-ish, jangly sound when playing softly, or digging in harder to bring in the compressive JFET dirt. It also suggests the pedal adds sparkle to your tone as an always-on effect1.
The reviewer's overall verdict: "yet another powerful, eardrum-crushing machine that enhances your tone and playing in seconds flat"1.
Videos
Pedal of the Day
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Questions
Does the Mozztronics JD-2 Thunder Drive use diode clipping?
No. According to Pedal of the Day's review, there are no diodes in the audio signal path and no diode clipping in the JD-2. Instead, the pedal uses multiple JFET transistors, which the reviewer describes as acting in a similar way to a vacuum tube, producing what the review calls compressive JFET dirt. That sets it apart from the many diode clipping overdrives on the market.
Does the JD-2 have a cab simulator?
Yes. The JD-2 has an inbuilt cabsim that can be switched on or off with the CAB switch, with the switch down position activating it. Pedal of the Day describes the pedal as able to accurately simulate an entire low wattage amplifier, so it can be run into a clean amp, a power amp or a flat response setup.
Can the JD-2 Thunder Drive be used as a boost?
Yes. Pedal of the Day notes the JD-2 can be used as a treble boost for a clean-ish, jangly sound when playing softly, and digging in harder brings in the compressive JFET dirt. The review also describes the pedal as adding sparkle to your tone as an always-on effect, and lists preamp and boost uses among its roles.
What does the CAB switch do?
The CAB switch turns the JD-2's inbuilt cabsim on or off, with the switch down position being cabsim active. That lets you tailor the pedal to the rig it feeds: on when running direct or into a flat response setup, off when the pedal is feeding an amp and speaker that already supply their own speaker character.
Sources (1)
- Mozztronics JD-2 Thunder Drive, Pedal of the Day, 2022-08-01