Have you guys heard of these? They are basically chinese clones of boutique pedals offered at ridiculously low prices, for example this one sold under the name Harley Benton by Thomann is an OCD Fulltone clone. The OCD is priced at £130, this copy is... get this : £23

http://www.thomann.de/gb/harley_benton_ultimate_drive.htm?sid=f5e83f8e2096 45166bce2ccb2ec1338c

With FX pedals I'm more interested in what they do than what they cost. Especially when you consider that a lot of expensive boutique pedals are very similar to some very cheap and basic pedals from the 60's and 70's.

I'd be more than happy to try any of the Joyo pedals and if I liked what they did I would buy them. My only issue is that you have to buy before you try and rely on the Distance Selling Regulations if you don't like them. I imagine that some people will just buy them anyway and if they don't like them will shift them on ebay or just put them away in the back of the cupboard.

Andy

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When the going gets weird, the Weird turn Pro.

One thing I've noticed is that it's sometimes pretty tough to try pedals you're interested in out as no one local seems to have them.

I've probably wasted a good 50-60 pounds on postage there and back just to demo a pedal over the last couple of months.

Iv got one!!!! Best £30 iv spent! Iv got the vintage drive 'Ts808 clone', iv never had a real tube screamer... But sounds better than any boss pedal iv tried! Can sustain a note on my cheapest strat copy for enternity if you position yourself right! True bypass aswell, unlike the ibanez or boss pedals! Again sounds GREAT! Many reviews on the internet with people claiming they are REPLACING their Ts808, or buying two and layering them up using them alongside £150+ pedals.... I couldn't find a bad review within a month of searching! So I got one, only two complaints... Horrible colour, and modest click when amps at stage/rehearsal volumes!

Coda music sell them, mine was £29.90 with postage... I'd highly recommend it!!!

Hope you find what your looking for

Aaron G

Looking at your link... They arn't the same as the pedals i was looking at... Extremely similar, curiously similar.... But mine where labeled "joyo" as I said take a look at Coda music!

Aaron G

It seems people are selling them under their own brand names like Harley Benton in Thomann. Some unscrupulous wankers actually started repainting them and selling them for significantly more, a company called Freekish Blues apparently did that and put some gloop on the insides to hide the fact that the circuit boards were Joyo ones!

Quote Imran500:

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It seems people are selling them under their own brand names like Harley Benton in Thomann. Some unscrupulous wankers actually started repainting them and selling them for significantly more, a company called Freekish Blues apparently did that and put some gloop on the insides to hide the fact that the circuit boards were Joyo ones!

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That goes to show you how much of this is hype.

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www.descentintomadness.com

I collect pedals. Got around 200. I'll buy a couple and check em out. Then I'll take em apart.

I've noticed they're buffered bypass - good buffers are not cheap so I'd be looking at that as one of the shortcuts.

Thanks for the link - I haven't seen these but will check them out. I don't have 'brand blinkers' in any respect

As an aside, I've built a few of my own pedals and (whilst not all good) I've had some great results. Built some on vero board but there's a chap in the US who sells PCB's ready for you to mount your components. These boards worked out well under £10 delivered and were dead easy for the average solder jockey.

There is one company whose name I won't mention who do a mojo fuzz pedal. Because their waiting list and online buzz is compelling they have no shortage of people willing to give them £300. Many online folks have taken these apart and it apears that the circuit used is pretty much a plain old fashioned fuzz with a few values tweaked. As this is the case, the circuit is not patented (that's my understanding from the circuit board maker in the USA anyway - you can't patent this stuff as the boutique things are barely tweaked clones of classic non-patented design so no robbery is occurring).

I built one - I suffered from curiosity at 'what does a £300 fuzz sound like?'.... Including the board from the US, the enclosure and a decent switch it cost <£25. Of course, my curiosity at what the *real one* sounds like is not satisfied as without shelling out £300 I cannot compare but on paper this one is identical...... The good news is that it's a wonderful little box that I'm very happy with so whether it's a genuine clone or an 'almost ran' matters not. It makes my ears happy for very little cash and making a pedal keeps the other side of the brain going vs playing instruments

And this *isn't* me saying that the £300 real one isn't worth it - from my current standpoint it seems crazy money but I would never dismiss something I haven't tried and if someone is entirely happy with their purchase then no robbery has taken place IMO. My tight-arse gene is strong though so my name isn't going on the waiting list for a 'real' one

I bought an Ultimate Drive and a Dynamic Compressor this week and tried the Vintage drive

Well the Ultimate Drive is very very similar to the Fulltone OCD and the compressor is just as close to the MXR Dyna comp.
I was going to get the OCD but didnt bother - the Joyos are really very very good

There is a disclaimer - I use this for recording and a very few informal gigs
Serious gigging they would need to be tested - my main concern is that the switches and ins and outs on these are all connected directly to the PCB and could well break
Not a prob for me and certainly not at this price. I was quite prepared to pay the £100 plus prices for the OCD etc but didnt feel the need. And Iwould have paid the extra for say a 5% hike in performance.
Sound wise they are excellent and really quiet
Availability - Coda Music in Luton and Stevenage have all of the range and may well be the main importer of the Joyos
Oh the vintage drive - which I didnt need sounds almost exactly like a Tubescreamer

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Matt
www.krcollective.org

Edited by matt keen (20/05/12 09:33 AM)

Hi Guys,

I have the Joyo JF-09 tremolo pedal, and well I think it is really good taken in context. It is built really well (especially when compared to another manufacturer beginning with b who does cheap cheap pedals), it also isn't noisy. I haven't taken it apart (probably for the best) but it does sound robust. I needed a single tremolo pedal for a small board for certain gigs, and only use it on a couple of songs, and as such it is perfect as I didn't have a massive outlay and it sound/looks good. I did a quick video review (if you guys want to hear it and you can find that here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gtIh78zLlhc for those interested).

I am now tempted to look into a few of the other ones.

Thanks

Neil

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Neil S. Bruce - www.spencerbruce.com

I see they do amps as well-

http://www.joyochina.cn/en/product/fl_30.html

Wow!

Now I sung the praises of the pedals...but I am really not sure about that amp! I doesn't look great from that picture does it, and all digital. Think I might pass that one by!! Although I did just utter an expletive when I saw this

http://www.joyochina.cn/en/product/show_149.html

Have they no shame...at least the pedals look unique (ish!)

Now if they did a range of robust and cheap pedal boards (which don't weigh a ton and cost less than a pedaltrain)...i'd be well interested!!

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Neil S. Bruce - www.spencerbruce.com

I pulled the trigger on one of the 'Vintage Overdrive' pedals - apparently a TS clone. £29.99 from Amazon and (bless them) the Super Saver delivery took 24 hours to my door....

I haven't owned a TS before (I know, where have I been ) so have no ability to say how accurate it is from a copy point of view.

What I can say is that it's a decently put together pedal that sounds pretty impressive - the impressiveness goes up when you remember the price. I prefer it with the gain down fairly low and it then makes a wonderful 'almost clean' boost.

The knobs are butt-ugly but other than that the quality of finish on the one here is just fine.

The instructions have been fairly poorly translated from the Chinese - no idea why they wouldn't send them to a Brit to proof read prior to printing rather than just Babelfishing it and hoping for the best.... For example

LED will be in red light when the effect pedal in use. If no light or in the dim light, please change new battery

That is nitpicking, though..... It amazes me how someone in China can build this and stick it in a box to a re-seller over here who can sell to Amazon who can give Royal Mail a few bob to deliver it and everyone still makes money out of £30.... It just does not compute. Even has a battery in it.

Well thats not true for everyone really
The people who work in the factory are the ones who are subsidising the prices

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Matt
www.krcollective.org

Quote matt keen:

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Well thats not true for everyone really
The people who work in the factory are the ones who are subsidising the prices

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More than likely

That would put me off, just as shopping at Primark .....

Thanks for providing this information here.

Quote matt keen:

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Well thats not true for everyone really
The people who work in the factory are the ones who are subsidising the prices

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Fair enough on your viewpoint - here is mine on this vast subject:-

1. Without going too deeply into economics, one reason why goods from China (and some parts of the Far East) are cheaper is due to a cheaper cost of living out there meaning cheaper labour. Yes, there are stories of terrible conditions but there are also stories of folks having employment in the technology industries and actually making a better life for themselves.... China now has more and more people entering a new 'middle class' due to its huge economic growth and prosperity. We are actually now starting to export meat to China as more and more people out there can actually afford it.

2. You are making your point using a PC / Mac or mobile device that will have components within it that have been made in a factory where the workers get paid far less than you or I. The words will be transmitted across the Internet using servers where more cheap Far Eastern technology is used.

3. Any UK built musical device that features electronic components will almost certainly have had some of its parts manufactured in China / Far East.

So my thoughts are 'how can you turn a blind eye to that but then get upset about one of these pedals?'

Quote Gary_W:

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Quote matt keen:

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Well thats not true for everyone really
The people who work in the factory are the ones who are subsidising the prices

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Fair enough on your viewpoint - here is mine on this vast subject:-

1. Without going too deeply into economics, one reason why goods from China (and some parts of the Far East) are cheaper is due to a cheaper cost of living out there meaning cheaper labour. Yes, there are stories of terrible conditions but there are also stories of folks having employment in the technology industries and actually making a better life for themselves.... China now has more and more people entering a new 'middle class' due to its huge economic growth and prosperity. We are actually now starting to export meat to China as more and more people out there can actually afford it.

2. You are making your point using a PC / Mac or mobile device that will have components within it that have been made in a factory where the workers get paid far less than you or I. The words will be transmitted across the Internet using servers where more cheap Far Eastern technology is used.

3. Any UK built musical device that features electronic components will almost certainly have had some of its parts manufactured in China / Far East.

So my thoughts are 'how can you turn a blind eye to that but then get upset about one of these pedals?'

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I bought their pedals
I am not upset about it but I dont kid myself about why they are so cheap, and I am not saying you are either
For many things I avoid this sort of exploitation - but obviously not on everything
I work selling Fairtrade products I fund raise for co-ops abroad. And sometimes I buy goods that I want that are cheap 'cos the people who make them are paid as little as possible - ok guilty, so shoot me.

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Matt
www.krcollective.org

Items being made on the cheap in foreign lands and sold over here at huge markups is a staple of the capitalist system. The only thing is with Joyo is that they forgot the huge markup part!

I bought a joyo delay pedal. It works, has no/low extra noise, provides an amount of adjustability adequate for what I wanted it for and has a 'true' bypass which means I can happily pull the plug on it without affecting the rest of the chain.

I only wanted a touch of delay for fattening up some sounds, not looking for a huge range. Really only planned to use it when I plug my board into something other than my amp, but it's quite useful.

Cons: the foot switch feels cheap and doesn't have a positive action to it, compared to my other pedals. Probably wouldn't use a joyo for something which required a lot of switching during songs, but if the switch is the only bad thing then I'm happy. Wouldn't be hard to swap it out presumably.

Quote narcoman:

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I collect pedals. Got around 200. I'll buy a couple and check em out. Then I'll take em apart.

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Show off!

Quote narcoman:

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I collect pedals. Got around 200. I'll buy a couple and check em out. Then I'll take em apart.

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Any favourites?

I've just heard a few of them online and I have to say they come across a little "thin" and they lose out with the roundness of the bass, plus the highs sound a little harsh. They seem to concentrate on the mid-range.

I bought the Ultimate Drive based on the Freekish Blues thing and had it modded by a friend. Stock it sounds great, heavier distortion and less midrange than a TS style pedal. The pot travel is not great and the gain probabaly reaches its max at about 12oclock.

The TS clone is really great. Could be slightly louder, but is quite responsive and has a nice warm burr that is pleasing. I actually gave this as a gift not long after purchase because I use a Jekyll and Hyde pedal. Compared to that, the Joyo is less '3D' with the J&H having more travel and flexibility at the pots, and of course the bass boost.

I use the Ultimate Drive as a more rocky sound compared to the rest of my rig. You don't need to use too much of it, and you shouldn't because it can become brittle.

I also bought the Octave Fuzz, but it's really bad. If you buy the Joyos you should stick to the proven models that have been rebranded by other comapnies such as the Ultimate Drive and Vintage Overdrive.

Quote Music Manic:

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I've just heard a few of them online and I have to say they come across a little "thin" and they lose out with the roundness of the bass, plus the highs sound a little harsh. They seem to concentrate on the mid-range.

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Thats the difficulty of listening online I guess

Too many variables

They dont sound thin IMO

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Matt
www.krcollective.org

Well yes, most online examples are YouTube vids recorded with phones or cameras, then listened to on computers/tablets.
Hardly ideal for comparison, everything will sound thin to a certain extent.

Quote Alfie Noakes:

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Well yes, most online examples are YouTube vids recorded with phones or cameras, then listened to on computers/tablets.
Hardly ideal for comparison, everything will sound thin to a certain extent.

---

Yes I am aware of listening online but I can hear through it.

Listen to this and tell me you can't hear a difference:

Suhr Riot Pedal

Bear in mind though that TS style pedals have a bass drop inherent in their design, along with loads of midrange.

Trust me when I say that these Joyos are not lacking in bottom end. They are the bargain of the year/decade/century/millenium/whatever is after that

gosh i need your advice then ! good tremolos?

I've just ordered a tremolo pedal, so hopefully I'll be able to report back this weekend

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I like people, it's my friends I can't stand - Larry David.
http://www.myspace.com/lodious

Quote Music Manic:

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Quote Alfie Noakes:

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Well yes, most online examples are YouTube vids recorded with phones or cameras, then listened to on computers/tablets.
Hardly ideal for comparison, everything will sound thin to a certain extent.

---

Yes I am aware of listening online but I can hear through it.

Listen to this and tell me you can't hear a difference:

Suhr Riot Pedal

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I small difference - I dont like something about the top end on the Suhr
Sorry

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Matt
www.krcollective.org

Quote matt keen:

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Quote Music Manic:

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Quote Alfie Noakes:

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Well yes, most online examples are YouTube vids recorded with phones or cameras, then listened to on computers/tablets.
Hardly ideal for comparison, everything will sound thin to a certain extent.

---

Yes I am aware of listening online but I can hear through it.

Listen to this and tell me you can't hear a difference:

Suhr Riot Pedal

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I small difference - I dont like something about the top end on the Suhr
Sorry

---

So you do hear a difference! To me, they're miles apart. The Suhr is much more rounded in the bass range and the chord section really shows that.

Is the Bias because of price?

BTW, why are you sorry?

I think it's hard to judge the merits of any overdrive pedal from another persons demo of it (especially a youtube effort)..... The guitar it's used with alongside the amp it's squirting into make a vast difference before you've even twiddled a knob or gone down the old chestnut route of every player sounding different And then we have everyone's ears having a preference and none of it is really 'wrong' - one persons 'wasp in a bottle' is another persons 'must have overdrive'.

For these reasons, it's really hard to tell what is going to make you smile until you've tried it with your own setup.

The beauty of the Joyo pedals for the consumer is that they are giving you a clone of a £150+ pedal for £30. The original or the Joyo may or may not work in your rig. With the Joyo, you've blown £30 and can eBay it for £20 / give it to a friend. Far less risk than the £150+ effort.

I want distortion that sounds like 100 babies inside a wooden barrel filled with wasps being rolled down a grassy hill, chased by a herd of buffalo ridden by monkeys holding surface-to-air missiles on a warm day in september.

And I want it now, for £29.99


Inc delivery.

A warm day in September? Are you taking the piss?

Quote Music Manic:

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Quote matt keen:

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Quote Music Manic:

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Quote Alfie Noakes:

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Well yes, most online examples are YouTube vids recorded with phones or cameras, then listened to on computers/tablets.
Hardly ideal for comparison, everything will sound thin to a certain extent.

---

Yes I am aware of listening online but I can hear through it.

Listen to this and tell me you can't hear a difference:

Suhr Riot Pedal

---

I small difference - I dont like something about the top end on the Suhr
Sorry

---

So you do hear a difference! To me, they're miles apart. The Suhr is much more rounded in the bass range and the chord section really shows that.

Is the Bias because of price?

BTW, why are you sorry?

---

I am just a polite sort of guy!
Nothing to do with the price

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Matt
www.krcollective.org

Quote Alfie Noakes:

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I want distortion that sounds like 100 babies inside a wooden barrel filled with wasps being rolled down a grassy hill, chased by a herd of buffalo ridden by monkeys holding surface-to-air missiles on a warm day in september.

And I want it now, for £29.99


Inc delivery.

---

No thanks. I'm waiting for the Guitar Rig version.

Quote Gary_W:

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The beauty of the Joyo pedals for the consumer is that they are giving you a clone of a £150+ pedal for £30. The original or the Joyo may or may not work in your rig. With the Joyo, you've blown £30 and can eBay it for £20 / give it to a friend. Far less risk than the £150+ effort.

---

Not only that, but TS style pedals are all the same circuit anyway apart from tweaks. The Joyo pedal I'm told is an exact replica so really to pay silly money in comparison when you can drop £30.00 and get what you get is fantastic.

As I said above, I gave mine to a friend as I thought it was so good, not that I didn't want it. If I hadn't bought my Jekyll and Hyde then it would still be on my board now and I wouldn't bat an eyelid. Even if you were a gear snob and didn't want to be seen with Joyo, there's nothing stopping you getting a custom paint jobby.

Just tried the Tremolo pedal, really impressed! I gives a slight gain boost when enabled and the intensity set to zero, so at normal settings there is no volume drop with the tremolo engaged. Can't really see how a tremolo pedal could be much better? For £29 I'm very pleased.

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I like people, it's my friends I can't stand - Larry David.
http://www.myspace.com/lodious

I ordered an Ultimate Drive today... it took me so long to decide what I wanted, most of them sound great. I think I'll give the Plexi one a wirl next if the Ultimate Drive impresses me!

Hi all - just ordered one of the Joyo AC Tone's, even though I have a Sansamp PSA 1.1 it seemed like it might offer a different flavour & for 25 quid why not.

Anyway was wondering if anybody, or specifically Narco has found the time to get hold of one & open it, just up to give us less au fait with such things a rundown of build & components etc.

In fact has anybody got any hints, tips, war stories for things to look out for. "Can it really be that good?" is I suppose the question.

Cheers..

I got the grey digital delay. It's fine. Quiet, does exactly what it's supposed to. I'm now selling my Echo Park because it's too complicated for a pedal board, it needs its own power supply and is annoyingly tall. So Joyo 1-0 Line 6 (AET).

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"Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge" Charles Darwin.

Finally getting round to reporting back about my 'ultimate drive' pedal.

Its nice. It has a sweet spot that when you find it is awesome but outside that sweet spot its nothing special. So a bit of a one trick pony for me, but it does that one trick REALLY well.

I think its the best value for money on any pedal Iv ever bought. Seriously good for the cash.