The Pettyjohn GOLD3 is an analog overdrive pedal handmade by Pettyjohn Electronics in the Pacific Northwest, USA, and sold from $399.00 as of October 20261. It is the fully redesigned third generation of the GOLD, a pedal that began as the third of Pettyjohn's trifecta of "amp in a box" style overdrives, and it now sits in the company's Cubed Series1. What sets it apart from most drives is the combination of three selectable clipping circuits, a semi-parametric midrange EQ built around a Fasel inductor, an iron core output transformer, and 36 volts of internal power generated from an ordinary 9V to 15V adapter1.
The controls
The GOLD3 front panel follows a console-style layout: GAIN, LEVEL, LOWS, MIDS and HIGHS, with mini toggles for clipping selection and midrange frequency. Pettyjohn describes the GAIN control as covering a low to high gain range, the widest gain range of any pedal they have made, and positions it as suitable for first, second or even third stage stacking in a gain chain1.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| GAIN | Low to high gain range, Pettyjohn's widest; suited to first, second or third stage stacking1 |
| LEVEL | Active level control for what the maker calls sonic purity at any level; does not reach complete silence, with a large gain range1 |
| LOWS | Sweeps at 6 dB per octave from sub-frequencies up to 1 kHz; the low cut sits before the overdrive stage1 |
| MIDS | Semi-parametric bell filter powered by a Fasel Yellow Inductor; boost or cut up to 8 dB at 450 Hz, 750 Hz or 1.5 kHz1 |
| HIGHS | Sweep from 20 kHz down to 1 kHz; ships with a WIMA MKP10 tone cap1 |
Because the LOWS cut happens before the overdrive stage, tightening the low end changes how hard the clipping stage is pushed, not just how much bass reaches the output. The MIDS control is the unusual one: rather than a fixed mid hump, it is a sweepable bell filter with three center frequencies, and Pettyjohn says the Fasel inductor, made in Italy, gives a clean, focused midrange that can be aggressive if pushed, nearly reaching wah-like vocal tones at the extremes1.
The HIGHS control's stock WIMA MKP10 capacitor can be changed through the Magic Mojo mod, which updates it to an Emerson Custom oil-in-paper cap1. A separate MAX MOJO mod upgrades key resistors in the circuit path to NOS Allen-Bradley and PRP parts for the audio path, alongside the Highs cap upgrade1. The stock pedal ships with a high quality Burr-Brown opamp handling input and output buffering1.
Clipping modes: GOLD, MYTH and LED
The right mini toggle selects between three clipping circuits: GOLD, MYTH and LED1.
- GOLD: Pettyjohn's original Marshall-style germanium clipping circuit, aimed at Plexi and JCM tones1.
- MYTH: A modified Klon-style clipping circuit with authentic, hand-matched D9E diodes, using four instead of the original two for twice the headroom and better low end extension1.
- LED: Bypasses the germanium clippers and activates a second clipping circuit using LEDs, with a resulting high volume boost1.
The LED mode has its own internal options: UV, BLUE and WHITE LED clipping, giving subtly different tones from three LED colors with different forward voltages1. There is also an internal PREAMP mode switch that bypasses the UV LEDs in LED mode, allowing the pedal to run without any clipping at all1.
On the question players most often ask, MYTH is best described as Klon-inspired rather than a clone. Pettyjohn's own framing is that the pedal carries "the MYTH (RARE) clipping inspired by the Klon and the original GOLD germanium clipping for classic recorded Marshall tones"1. The circuit uses the same hand-matched D9E diodes as the original Klon, but the four-diode arrangement and the surrounding EQ and transformer stages are Pettyjohn's own design.
The iron core transformer and clean preamp use
The GOLD3 includes a USA-made IRON core transformer in its signal path1. Pettyjohn describes it as non-linear, saturating lightly, "rounding over spikey pick attach and adding amp like sag, like glue smoothing out the edges while adding weight and power with the feel of a power amp pushed to the edge of breakup"1.
"This is particularly valuable when using direct amp solutions as it adds back both the feel and tone of playing through a real amp."
That points to the pedal's second life as a preamp. With the internal PREAMP switch engaged, the UV LEDs are bypassed and the pedal runs clean, which Pettyjohn calls an amazing clean boost with powerful tone shaping1. Combined with the sweepable LOWS, MIDS and HIGHS controls and the transformer, the GOLD3 can serve as a full tone-shaping front end for direct recording or ampless rigs.
Where the GOLD3 came from
Options and finish
The GOLD3 is offered with custom wood tops in several hardwoods. Pettyjohn notes that Cherry is the wood they find best looking and easiest to read, and warns that labels may not be easy to read on darker woods1.
The GOLD3 draws 250 to 300 mA from a 9V to 15V supply to generate its 36 volts of internal power1. That is far more current than a typical compact analog overdrive, so it should be planned for when choosing a power supply.
Questions
Is the Pettyjohn GOLD3 true bypass?
Yes. Pettyjohn specifies a hardwire true bypass switch, so with the pedal disengaged the signal passes through without active buffering. The stock pedal uses a Burr-Brown opamp for input and output buffering when the effect is on.
What power supply does the Pettyjohn GOLD3 need?
It runs from a standard 9V to 15V adapter, drawing 250 to 300 mA. Internally the pedal generates 36 volts of high-voltage power from that supply. The current draw is well above what a typical compact drive pedal uses, so it needs a supply with adequate headroom.
Is the GOLD3 MYTH mode a Klon clone?
Not exactly. Pettyjohn describes MYTH as a modified Klon-style clipping circuit rather than a clone, using authentic hand-matched D9E diodes like the original Klon but four of them instead of two. The company says this doubles the headroom and improves low end extension compared with the stock two-diode arrangement.
What does the Dual 990 opamp mod change on the GOLD3?
The stock GOLD3 ships with a high quality Burr-Brown opamp handling input and output buffering. The Dual 990 mod replaces that opamp stage. Pettyjohn also offers the MAX MOJO mod, which upgrades key resistors in the audio path to NOS Allen-Bradley and PRP parts and swaps the Highs capacitor for an Emerson oil-in-paper cap.
Why was the Pettyjohn GOLD V3 limited to 30 units?
In mid 2023 Pettyjohn lost its custom metal enclosure supplier, which limited the GOLD V3 release to a single run of just 30 units. The fully redesigned GOLD3 that followed is part of the new Cubed Series and now ships as a standard product with an estimated build time of 5 to 15 business days.
Can the GOLD3 be used as a clean preamp?
Yes. An internal PREAMP mode switch bypasses the UV LEDs in LED mode, letting the pedal run without any clipping. Pettyjohn calls this an amazing clean boost with powerful tone shaping, and says the iron core transformer is particularly valuable with direct amp solutions, adding back the feel and tone of a real amp.
Sources (1)
- GOLD3 | Pettyjohn Elec, Pettyjohn Electronics
