An Entire Pedalboard’s Worth of Fuzzy Distorted Tones
The JHS Cheese Ball recalls a legendary 1990s-era distortion/fuzz pedal that was used by U2, Jimmy Page, Radiohead, My Bloody Valentine, and Wilco, among others. Versatile doesn’t even begin to describe this pedal. From violin-like sustain to red-hot buzz to spitty grind, it will achieve just about any fuzz tone you can imagine. Volume, Gain, and Tone knobs give you plenty of tone-sculpting power, while a 4-position control unlocks all of the Cheese Ball’s schizophrenic personalities. The Cheese Ball is a faithful and accurate re-creation of the original pedal’s circuit — it’s a tribute to one of the most fascinating fuzz pedals of all time. If you only have room for one distortion/fuzz pedal, this is the one to get.
Four modes yield an endless variety of tones
Besides your standard Volume, Gain, and Tone controls, the Cheese Ball also includes a 4-position mode selector knob. In the Off position, the pedal’s Tone knob is disengaged for a bright, trashy fuzz. Position 1 serves up a mid-scooped, Muff-style sound. Position 2 conjures a cutting, mid-boosted sound. Position 3 delivers a spitty, gated fuzz sound — if this fuzz pedal is cheese, then position 3 is of the Swiss variety. The guitarists at Sweetwater appreciate the endless variety of tones that can be coaxed out of the Cheese Ball.
Re-creation of a cult favorite
The JHS Cheese Ball is a spot-on re-creation of a British fuzz circuit that was all the rage in the 1990s (hint: check out the B-side of Nirvana’s “Love Buzz” — you’ll love the tone). You can find sonic examples of this circuit everywhere — U2’s the Edge used one, as did Radiohead’s Colin Greenwood, Pavement’s Stephen Malkmus, My Bloody Valentine’s Kevin Shields, Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy, and Tool’s Justin Chancellor. And that’s just for starters. Buying one of the originals on the used vintage market could cost in excess of $800. That’s why JHS built the Cheese Ball — it’s a faithful re-creation of one of the most excellent fuzz pedals ever created.
JHS Cheese Ball Distortion/Fuzz Pedal Features:
- Fuzz/distortion stompbox based on a legendary 1990s-era pedal
- Volume, Gain, and Tone knobs give you plenty of tone-sculpting power
- 4-position mode selector unlocks a myriad of fuzz tones
- Off position creates a bright, trashy fuzz
- Position 1 serves up a mid-scooped, Muff-style sound
- Position 2 conjures a cutting, mid-boosted sound
- Position 3 delivers a spitty, gated fuzz sound
