The RAT has been pretty much an overdrive/distortion mainstay on some of the most popular guitarists’ pedalboards for decades, including Jeff Beck, Andy Summers, Mike Campbell and John Scofield, and for good reason. JHS Pedals decided to try and take the basic blueprint of the RAT and make a few tweaks, twists and improvements, resulting in the fantastic All American Overdrive.
This overdrive ranges in tone from clean with a little dirt on it all the way up to crunchy, gritty fuzz, and everywhere you can think of in between. Volume, Tone and Drive control knobs do what they do on every overdrive pedal, but the Sweep knob is what really makes this guy stand out. It controls the FEEL of the gain stage, unusual for any pedal, really, but somehow it works, allowing the user to precisely dial in the tone they need for their specific setup. The addition of a 3-way toggle switch opens up the possibilities of this pedal even further, providing LED, Silicon and Open clipping modes for a variety of tones and sounds, especially when mixed with the Sweep and Drive knobs. All of these options together form the core of a pedal that backs down from nothing, and will allow you, your guitar and amplifier to do exactly the same.
Unfortunately discontinued, the All American has become a sought-after pedal, and one that seems to be harder and harder to find. Maybe JHS will bring this one back someday, but for now, you’ll have to keep your eyes and ears peeled for one. As always, go see JHS and their vast array of pedals, I’m sure you’ll find something you can use!
Submitted by Mike B, Website
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