Build Quality: | |
Hardware: | |
Electronics: | |
Sound: | |
Value: | |
Average: |
Pros:
- Sweet overtones
- Extremely affordable
- Easy to use
Cons:
- Questionable quality
- A bit unreliable
Everybody (including me) raves about boutique and high-end pedals. We all love and appreciate their scrupulous nature that is displayed through various details. However, not everyone can afford that luxury, which is completely normal. Trust me, we have all been there. But due to modern development, more and more clones and dupes are being made and those wonderful tones are becoming accessible even to the budget players. Some of them sound like crap, but there are some that are hard to tell apart from the original. Joyo is definitely the brand that captures amazing quality in inexpensive pedals. They somehow manage to deliver decent tones at a very affordable price. Do we care how they manage that? No, we do not. JF-02 Ultimate Overdrive will make all your overdrive dreams come true if you are just starting out or simply do not want to break the bank. Keep on reading as I give you comprehensive information about its features and tell you which pedal it comes closest to.
Features
Joyo JF-02 Ultimate Overdrive is one of those cheaper models that does not compromise the quality or versatility to the price. When you see how much it costs, you become quite skeptical about its capabilities. However, if we are completely honest, it resembles Fulltone OCD to the extent where only professionals and purists can tell the difference. They both pack the same feature package and can deliver the same end results. If you do not trust me, you can just hop on YouTube and watch numerous comparisons and they will speak for themselves. Now, when it comes to the actual properties of JF-02 Ultimate Overdrive, you get the three-knob layout that is topped with a toggle switch. This way you can darken everything a bit by accentuating the lows or vice versa, brighten it all up with the upper harmonics. More importantly, this pedal has a true bypass circuit, which means that the sonic characteristics of your original signal will not be compromised. There is a LED light mounted on the surface, so that you know whether the pedal is operating or not. It can be supplied with batteries or AC adapter depending on what you prefer. And one last thing, when we are talking about such affordable pedals, you have to take everything with a grain of salt. The build quality is not the best here, so do not expect anything spectacular (this does not necessarily mean that it is comprised with crappy material, it is just not the best). But it is durable enough for most players and musicians.
Controls
Joyo JF-02 Ultimate Overdrive resembles the renowned Fulltone OCD in terms of controls as well. Some of the names are different, but they basically do the same thing. The thing that is true for both is that they offer flexibility and convenient utilization. JF-02 Ultimate Overdrive, in particular, can be tweaked in little to no time and offers accuracy and precision. As you mess around with the knobs, you are left with different feels and results each time. This once again proves that the capabilities of this inexpensive fella are versatile and should not be overlooked no matter what.
The package of encoders is pretty standard. We get Gain, Level and Tone controls here. The first one alters the strength of your signal and saturates your sound with mediocre girth. The second sets the volume of the effect and matches it with the rest of your rig. It can even intensify the overdrive depending on how you set it. The third one acts as a single equalizer and provides you with the ability to accentuate higher frequencies while taming the basses. This way you can get as bright as you want. But if that is not enough, you can enhance the shimmer even further with the help of High/Low toggle. It emits either higher frequencies or emphasizes the bass response.
Sound
Before we jump into the detailed description of the sound Joyo JF-02 Ultimate Overdrive can create, I want to mention that you should have right expectations from the very beginning. Otherwise, I doubt that you will enjoy this pedal. What I mean is that its tonal quality is outstanding for the price and many of its characters are reminiscent of the Fulltone OCD. However, there are differences and it goes without saying that higher-end models do sound better. Keeping that in mind, Joyo JF-02 Ultimate Overdrive has very rich and steeped flavor. You will hear its gain and drive even at lower settings. You will also notice the overtones that shine through the whole mix. The overall feel of it is more mid-range and bass oriented, but you can easily add some trebles as well. The High/Low switch alters your sound quite a bit and offers a slightly different touch to the overdrive. If we were to judge the heaviness of the pedal, I would say it falls somewhere between distortion and overdrive, since it can get quite gnarly at higher settings. Things can get a bit muddy if you do not choose the proper settings (i.e. the ones that suit your music the best). Once again, when you pay so little for such a great sonic quality, there is not much you can complain about. You simply have to understand what you are purchasing and if you do that, you will not have any problems with this one.
Conclusion
If you told younger me that such amazing results could be achieved with a bit more than a pocket money, I would laugh in your face and tell you to shut up. But luckily, things change and so does the musical equipment. Joyo JF-02 Ultimate Overdrive is undoubtedly one of the best overdrive pedals at its price range. It succeeds at creating versatile sounds, thus its performance will shock even the pickiest musicians. Do a good research, make sure that it is exactly what you are looking for and decide accordingly. This way you will avoid a lot of trouble and headache. Good luck!
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