JOYO Taichi Overdrive Guitar Effect Pedal

Product Information

Just like with the Chinese clone pedal 10 Series by Joyo features some amp simulator/preamp pedals. So does the Ironman series. Only this time these incredible preamps/amp simulators come in the same tiny size as the rest of the Ironman pedals. Furthermore, Joyo has added a few new amp simulators to this range that aren’t featured in the 10 series. The Joyo Ironman amp simulator clone list is as follows: To lend it an even more amp-like feel, it’s based around a FET design. While obvious changes to the circuit had to be made to accommodate a smaller pedal enclosure, it gives a pleasant tone for not a whole lot of money. The Moonshine V1 is a three-knob (Gain, Tone and Volume), while V2 adds a Clean blend knob for true parallel distortion and shrinks the footprint. It’s a Dumble-inspired overdrive based on a Tubescreamer topology, offering more dirt and flexibility in tone. Placing the Proof toggle switch in the up position allows for increased headroom, while the down position enables more maximum gain.

The reason I did so is that there are quite a number of these pedals that are actually clones. However, to be fair, there are also a decent amount of Joyo ironman pedals that are originals and not copies or clones. But you can see for yourself when you get to that part. Advantages Of Joyo Pedals: An affordable replica of the now discontinued and highly sought-after Hermida Zendrive, which tops the previous list in this article although discontinued. Just like the original, the Warmdrive adds an extra perk with the Voice control, which, in combination with the Tone one, allows for extended sculpting, letting the player modify the frequency both before (voice control) and after (tone control) the clipping stages. Mosky 250X - this is a distortion pedal with a switch that goes from a DOD250 preamp to a MXR Distortion +. Both are very accurate. With an emphasis on research & development, JOYO possesses its own acoustic core technology and has applied for several utility patents. JOYO has worked in tandem with several globally recognized musical manufacturers, adhering to the spirit of constant innovation, and researching and developing high technology and advanced digital musical products. JOYO endeavors to provide customers with imaginative, attractive and practical products. Each product is individually tested and approved by professional musicians. There are many different versions of the Howie, all of which have slightly different features. V1 features a three-band EQ and Gain and Volume knobs, while later versions offer additional tone-shaping options and a boost channel. There is a special edition from Vintage King that features an additional Drive channel with Ratio (gain) and Level knobs, as well as a Presence control. The Ratio knob almost gets fuzzy in the higher end of its range.As the name implies, the FET Dream uses a FET design to get a more amp-like feel. It’s a pretty low-gain pedal, with the Girth control adjusting the lows/mids pre-distortion, and the Lean knob adjusting your tone after the distortion. It also has a variable Q for even more detail.

It features the standard Volume, Gain and Tone controls you’d expect from a drive pedal. But it adds a Voice control knob used to tweak the gain limit and bass response. Budget Dumble?

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For the purposes of this clone list, I will be discussing only the 10 and 30 series of pedals. The reason I haven’t included the Iron Man series is that these mini pedals are supposed to hold their own. And whilst they very well may be clones, I’m much more equipped to discuss the 10 and 30 series. Maybe not the best Dumble emulation, this pedal features Volume, Tone and Gain controls as well as a switch for Normal or Bright modes. The overdrive can get fairly heavy, but the girth that is characteristic to Dumble amps is missing. It’s fairly articulate for a cheap pedal but is a little smeary in the mids and fatiguing in the highs, even with the Bright setting switched off. A low gain D-style overdrive with 4 simple controls. Volume, Gain, and Tone are simple enough, but the Voice knob is where the design really gets interesting. It works in conjunction with the Gain and Tone knobs to set the total amount of gain and bass frequency response of the circuit. The pedal is housed in a solid metal enclosure with the durability of being able to handle even the toughest touring schedule. It is hard to know exactly how close the TaiChi comes close to a Dumble Overdrive Special because most of us don’t own one of the insanely overpriced amps. Howard Dumble is a bit of a recluse, making two or three amps a year. However, if it is a decent overdrive pedal then for fifty British pounds or US dollars it is a bit of a deal anyway. Suhr makes an incredible distortion pedal called the Riot. This is a very high-end pedal that in essence, gives you an extra gain stage or lead channel in the form of a pedal. The fact that this pedal is so heavily priced makes it out of reach for the guitar player on a budget. Us Dream vs Suhr Riot

The Extra Special is Mojo Hand’s beloved DMBL on steroids. It features the same control set and delivers the clarity and swampy overdrive of that pedal, but offers a lot more gain. The increased gain makes the Extra Special more useful than the DMBL, and considering they cost the same, it’s a no-brainer which to choose. Joyo is constantly adding new ranges and products to its lineup of pedals. However, they have 3 main pedal series which have been around for a while now. These three ranges (or “series”) of pedals include the:The big brother to the Big Bloom, the Double Bloom is two Big Blooms combined, allowing you to dial in two very different sounds. Amplified Nation also offers a mod for the Double Bloom that allows you to select the channels independently or toggle them. The pedal is also offered in Tolex, painted or suede enclosures. Very cool. Wired more like an amplifier’s preamp section than a pedal, the Royal Overdrive might be the most fully realized Dumble-in-a-box available. The pedal is completely solid-state, but it responds and sounds as if it’s driven by tubes. There’s a four-band EQ of Bass, Middle, Treble and Presence with a three-way Bright switch to set your color. The Gain knob has a boost switch, and there’s also a switchable Mid Boost. Built “along the lines” of the classic Dumble amps, these hand-built yet quite affordable D-Style drives offer from clean boost to mid-gain overdrive tones with a transparent, natural and woody sound. Three clipping modes allow to tailor them to varying styles and amp/guitar combinations. While the HolyGrail more closely reflects the tone of an Overdrive Special, the 335 recreates the specific nuance of Larry Carlton D-Style sound.