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The EXAR is a Polish made TS-style pedal that has a slightly different drive character with a little more gain than the classic screamers as well as a slightly more transparent feel. Made famous by John Mayer, this model is a slight upgrade from the TS9 for the late ’80s. Bluesy, crisp, more low end roll off and low gain. The interesting thing about the Bonsai is that it doesn’t just strictly replicate Ibanez Tube Screamers. OD-1 mode is based on Boss’ 1977 OD-1, the overdrive that inspired the Tube Screamer. Like the original OD-1, the Bonsai OD-1 mode takes the tone control out of the signal path. It’s predictably more open and brash. There’s a sense of breathless excitement and wonder surrounding a confirmed sighting of John Mayer’s pedalboard that’s akin to waking up one morning and opening your bedroom curtains to find the yeti doing burpees on your lawn. Again, it is his tone, beauty of it, the mystery - it’s like the Mona Lisa’s smile rendered in sound.
JHS's own mod (since 2008) is much cleaner and overall more powerful. The mode has more pronounced higher nd low end drop offs. With the JHS Pedals' Bonsai you can get the classic sounds of nine Tubescreamers in one pedal. Let the Bonsai help you find your overdrive zen.The JHS Bonsai is 9 tube screamers in one pedal. JHS founder Josh Scott looked at multiple versions of the iconic tube screamer and spent 3 years developing replicas of their circuits, using an Audio Precision analyser to make sure he was getting the exact same sound that the originals produced. This is an all-analogue pedal, staying true to the original tube screamer signal path, are the circuits are replicas, not emulations. This is a great way to explore the history of tube screamers without needing to buy a separate pedal to hear each sound, and also for Tube Screamer fans that need more options than a single pedal usually offers. An overall brighter and slightly higher gain mode that does not utilize the Tone knob. This mode also inverts signal just like the original and has asymmetrical clipping. The OD-1 is magical at boosting other drives or amps into singing saturation. JHS made waves in 2015 with its Muffuletta, which offered five analog recreations of various Big Muff circuits in a single stomp. Their latest pedal, the Bonsai, applies this circuit consolidation strategy to the many variations of the Tube Screamer—and even some of the pedals that inspired the little green machine. JHS owner Josh Scott used favorites from his personal collection as reference for the Bonsai’s circuits and used software analysis to hone the subtle differences between versions. The sonic results—and the versatility—are impressive.
A few years ago we tried to figure out which were the best-selling overdrive pedals on the market by looking at several online music stores’ listings organized by “most popular.” The answer we got from the data was unequivocal: the Ibanez Tube Screamer TS9 and its mini sibling won first and second place. In all likelihood, those two pedals are still topping that list to date, and it’s very likely that the Tube Screamer also tops the list of the best-selling pedals of all time. Following in the steps of our Muffuletta (released 2015), the Bonsai utilizes a simple rotary knob to switch through nine classic, vintage, rare, or hard to find variations of the Screamer. Creating the Bonsai became an archeological dig of sorts that sent us deep into the history of this circuit by examining dozens of versions, variations and replications. At the end of it all, Josh chose nine of his personal and favorite units and we painstakingly replicated every nuance and aspect of each pedal. One of the most challenging parts of this project was accounting for component drift as many of these pedals were decades old and the internal components had strayed from their original values. Each pedal was individually replicated using our Audio Precision analyzer and various other methods that allowed us to perfectly replicate every aspect of the sound and feel of the unit. It's important to know that the Bonsai is not a "box of mods," it is exact replications of these nine units all housed in one box! The Bonsai is exact replication, not emulation. When you choose a mode on the Bonsai rotary, you are actually activating components specific to each mode and playing the unit that Josh chose along with all the quirks, drift, vintage mojo, and individuality that a vintage pedal has. This pedal inspired the Ibanez Tube Screamer. This mode has a brighter and slightly higher gain tone and takes the Tone control out of the signal path, so it’s more open and brash. Let’s be clear from the outset – the Bonsai isn’t nine distinct overdrives in a single box. It’s more like three overdrives plus six variations on a theme. The OD-1 is a rough diamond and we compare it to a DIY build OD-1 with an added tone control. Despite the authentic absence of a tone control on the Bonsai version, it’s unmistakably the same circuit with symmetrical clipping diodes and a rougher but clearer sound than a regular Tube Screamer.
That Sound
NEW products: 4% of the current new selling price to double the warranty from 1 year to 2 years. 4% for each additional year. There is a litheness to Mayer’s sound so we want an amp that has that sort of response, that abundant clarity and then just the right amount of juicy breakup when the moment calls for it. There has to be a dynamic range so wide you could drive cattle through it.
With the JHS Pedals’ Bonsai you can get the classic sounds of nine Tubescreamers in one pedal. Let the Bonsai help you find your overdrive zen. Following in the steps of our Muffuletta (released 2015), the Bonsai utilizes a simple rotary knob to switch through nine classic, vintage, rare, or hard to find variations of the Screamer. Creating the Bonsai became an archeological dig of sorts that sent us deep into the history of this circuit by examining dozens of versions, variations and replications. At the end of it all, Josh chose nine of his personal and favorite units and we painstakingly replicated every nuance and aspect of each pedal. One of the most challenging parts of this project was accounting for component drift as many of these pedals were decades old and the internal components had strayed from their original values. Each pedal was individually replicated using our Audio Precision analyzer and various other methods that allowed us to perfectly replicate every aspect of the sound and feel of the unit. It's important to know that the Bonsai is not a "box of mods," it is exact replications of these nine units all housed in one box! The Bonsai is exact replication, not emulation. When you choose a mode on the Bonsai rotary, you are actually activating components specific to each mode and playing the unit that Josh chose along with all the quirks, drift, vintage mojo, and individuality that a vintage pedal has. You could argue that every guitarist should have a Tube Screamer. But if you’ve ever wondered which variation is right for you, dread that voyage to the snarky pedal forums no more. JHS has put nine very solid-sounding versions right at your fingertips. In the late 1970's the overdrive pedal was arguably perfected when Japanese engineers designed the sound that we now know as the heart and soul of so many of our favorite artists, recordings and sounds. Players ranging from The Edge, Trey Anastasio, Buddy Guy, Kirk Hammett, John Mayer, SRV, Carlos Santana and thousands more from every possible genre have utilized and depended on this classic iconic green box. If a single effect pedal was chosen to board a Voyager 3 mission and be solely responsible for showing the universe the sound of overdrive, it would undoubtably be Tube Screamer. It is probably the most produced and sold pedal in the history of guitar pedals! The Bonsai is our tribute to one of the greatest pedals ever created.This sounds very similar to the TS-808 but has a slightly more pushed low-mid range, but with a brighter, SRV-style sound Though metal is in the name, this sound doesn't quite inspire the modern metal djent we think of. Still it has a higher gain sound with a more low end and an overall more gooey feel. There’s quite a story and a lot of history, both fact and conjecture, around the little, green overdrive pedal designed by Susumu Tamura of the Maxon company in the late 1970s. Originally intended to compete with the Boss OD-1 and the MXR Distortion +, Mr. Tamura’s unique circuit design clearly took on a life of its own. There have been countless clones and mods of the Tube Screamer, making it the root of a large family tree. This, in turn, begs the question, “How do I know which one is right for me?” Hopefully some history, context, and comparison will help you to make the right choice. History
Robert Keeley’s classic mod tightens up the tone on the original giving you smoother mid range and high frequencies, and increased bass response. With the gain at zero, it seemed like the Bonsai was slightly cleaner and a touch more transparent than my TS-9. Following in the steps of our Muffuletta (released 2015), the Bonsai utilizes a simple rotary knob to switch through nine classic, vintage, rare, or hard to find variations of the Screamer. Creating the Bonsai became an archeological dig of sorts that sent us deep into the history of this circuit by examining dozens of versions, variations and replications. At the end of it all, Josh chose nine of his personal and favorite units and we painstakingly replicated every nuance and aspect of each pedal. One of the most challenging parts of this project was accounting for component drift as many of these pedals were decades old and the internal components had strayed from their original values. Each pedal was individually replicated using our Audio Precision analyzer and various other methods that allowed us to perfectly replicate every aspect of the sound and feel of the unit. It’s important to know that the Bonsai is not a “box of mods,” it is exact replications of these nine units all housed in one box! The Bonsai is exact replication, not emulation. When you choose a mode on the Bonsai rotary, you are actually activating components specific to each mode and playing the unit that Josh chose along with all the quirks, drift, vintage mojo, and individuality that a vintage pedal has. Sweeping through the TS modes, each offers subtle changes in gain and frequency emphasis. MSL gives a throatier low-mid bark while TS10 lowers the gain and applies a more extreme low-end roll off that takes a bigger bite out of the low mids. Mayer has gone through an abundance of guitar amps in his time. He has played a number of Fender amplifiers. There have been Vibroverbs, Vibro-King Customs, Band-Masters, Super Reverbs and more. The Dumble Steel String Singer has been a favorite of his but you’d sooner find a tin of tartan paint down Home Depot than one of those.With that in mind we’ve got to play the percentages and see which would give us the most archetypical Mayer tone. As the top of the piece we mentioned creamy blues and candied funk, but let’s at to that elasticity. The hot mode on this version gives you the highest gain sound in the Bonsai. More low end and dirt fill out the tone to have you shredding away. Accessory Coverage: Any peripheral devices or accessories that come with your product (i.e. foot pedal, case) are also covered. If you are interested in receiving this coverage for longer than one year, you have the option of purchasing additional years of the Performance Warranty. The pricing is as follows:
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