I’m sure many of you have used a Tube Screamer or a TS-style circuit before. Have you ever said, “Man, I wish this TS-style pedal had an adjustable knob that controlled low mid frequencies and also had a toggle switch that added more gain when engaged! And can I get it in blue?” Well, you have specific wishes. And they have been answered with the Blue Note OD from J. Rockett Audio Designs.
Let us start with the layout. It’s very intuitive in it’s simplicity. You have individual knobs for volume, gain, tone, and a “fat” knob. You also have a switch located in the middle of the pedal labeled “hot”. The volume and gain knobs are self explanatory. Without the hot switch engaged, there is not a ton of gain on tap. The tone knob is a true representation of a tone knob. When you turn it counterclockwise, the sound darkens. When you turn the knob clockwise, the sound brightens. With some tone controls, the sound goes from bright to ultra bright. Not with the Blue Note. The tone control is super usable and focused. The fat control is my favorite feature of this pedal. When turned clockwise, it adds a low mid characteristic that can really provide a smooth and beefy tone for single coils or add a nice texture to humbuckers. The final feature of this pedal is its “hot” switch. Engaging this switch adds a nice bit of gain and a volume boost. This allows for a great singing lead tone that is perfect for blues.
I use the Blue Note as a boost/tone enhancer. I put it first in my chain and have everything except gain at 12:30. I usually put the gain at about 9 o’clock. This pedal is a Nashville staple as are most pedals built by J. Rockett Audio Designs. Also, it’s built in a premium enclosure that feels like it would survive a war zone. I would definitely recommend trying this guy out.
