The first thing we did when the JHS Gain Stage landed at the studio was line it up against our beloved Tascam 414 mk2. Why? Because so much of Josh Scott’s design philosophy is rooted in how gear behaves when it’s pushed and nothing illustrates that better than an old four-track cassette machine.
We hit record, ran a guitar through both, and honestly the resemblance was uncanny. The Gain Stage captured the same sweet saturation, the same headroom blooming into crunch, the same touch-responsive magic you normally only get when you’re clipping circuits on tape. It was like trading reels of cassette for a stompbox. That’s when it clicked this pedal is about translating studio tricks into live and portable form.
A quick history of JHS ⚡
Josh Scott started JHS Pedals back in the early 2000s, tinkering with mods in his basement before becoming one of the most influential builders in the world. Over the years JHS has developed a reputation for balancing respect for vintage circuits with bold new ideas.
The Morning Glory became a modern classic, known as one of the finest transparent drives. The Muffuletta squeezed six Big Muff flavours into one box. The Bonsai recreated nine different Tube Screamers at the flick of a switch. And alongside the pedals, Josh became a cultural voice through The JHS Show, turning deep circuit nerdery and history into bingeable YouTube content.
So when a pedal called the Gain Stage comes along, it’s not just another overdrive. It’s a continuation of JHS’s obsession with education and innovation.
What the Gain Stage is all about 🎚️
At its heart, the Gain Stage is built to replicate what engineers have done in studios for decades layering amplification and driving circuits in stages to shape tone.
The controls are simple but effective:
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Level lets you push your amp or pedal chain harder, whether as a clean boost or a signal-thickener.
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Drive dials in everything from subtle grit to full-bodied crunch.
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EQ keeps the response balanced across different pickups, amps and rigs.
Unlike pedals that impose a strong sonic fingerprint, the Gain Stage aims to be transparent enough to preserve your guitar’s voice while giving you the feel of real gain stacking. It doesn’t force a mid-hump, it doesn’t scoop everything out it just breathes with your playing.
Tone and versatility 🎵
This pedal is dynamic in the truest sense. Roll back your guitar’s volume and it cleans up effortlessly. Push it harder and you get a gritty, harmonically rich drive that feels natural under the fingers.
At lower settings, it excels as a clean boost, thickening single-coils or adding presence to humbuckers. As you crank it, you move into edge-of-breakup and crunchy rock tones that suit everything from jangly indie rhythms to blues leads.
Stack it and the real fun begins. Put it before a fuzz to tighten and control the low end. Put it after and it boosts your solos into the stratosphere. The “gain stage” name is literal this pedal is built to integrate into a chain, working as a piece of the whole rather than a standalone gimmick.
Real-world applications 🎤🎶
The Gain Stage isn’t locked to a single role. It’s flexible enough to adapt to your setup:
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Bedroom practice: You get character and responsiveness even at quiet levels.
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Studio recording: It’s like adding an extra amp channel without lugging another head or cab.
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Live shows: It slices through the mix when you need to stand out, without overpowering the band.
It’s one of those pedals that earns its place by being useful across multiple contexts.
Comparisons and references 🎛️
Every guitarist will ask the obvious question: where does it sit compared to the legends?
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Unlike a Tube Screamer, it doesn’t lean on a heavy mid-hump.
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Unlike a Klon Centaur, it’s not chasing mythical sheen.
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Unlike a Timmy, it’s not purely about glassy transparency.
Instead, the Gain Stage lives in the sweet spot between all three, offering the clarity and headroom of modern boutique designs with just enough warmth to keep things musical. It’s more about utility and flexibility than about chasing one specific “grail” tone.
Cultural angle 🌍
Part of what makes JHS different is that they don’t just sell pedals they tell stories, teach history and demystify gear. Josh Scott’s YouTube series has made terms like “op-amp,” “clipping diode,” and “gain stage” part of the everyday guitarist’s vocabulary.
The Gain Stage fits that educational role perfectly. It shows players how gain staging works not by explaining it but by letting you hear and feel it. That’s what makes this pedal unique it’s both a tool and a lesson.
Verdict 🎯
The JHS Gain Stage is not just another overdrive. It’s a Swiss army knife for your tone, a pedal that can sit quietly as a boost, roar as a crunch machine, or glue together a whole board of effects. It adapts, it responds, and it teaches.
Our side-by-side with the Tascam 414 mk2 showed just how close it gets to that classic clipped headroom vibe, proving JHS nailed their concept. For guitarists who want to understand the art of gain staging without investing in racks of studio gear, this is an instant win.
Once again JHS has proven why they’re not only building pedals but shaping the culture around them. The Gain Stage is equal parts gear, philosophy and fun. 🚀
