JangleBox compressors’ most distinguishing characteristics are that they’re voiced a bit brighter than many conventional compressors, and all (except the JB3) have a treble boost feature which allows you to capture the bright, ringing chime and sustain of the Beatles, Byrds and other jangle pop, Americana, and roots-style artists that employ that distinctive sound. Our compressors also help guitarists avoid the dreaded “blanket-over-the-amp” dullness.

Below are descriptions of each pedal and a chart comparing their features.

The original, award-winning JangleBox and the Byrds 50 LE have identical circuits and functions, including pre-set Dark, Normal and Treble Boost (Bright) settings. These pedals set the standard, and the basic JangleBox sound derives from these circuits. They excel both on stage and in the studio. The only differences between the two are the colored enclosures and graphics.

The JB Nano gives you a JangleBox in a much smaller footprint, with foot-switch access to the Treble Boost (T-Boost) instead of the toggle switch. The Nano was conceived primarily as a live performance pedal, and is also ideal for guitarists who need a second and/or smaller pedal board. It doesn’t have the Dark setting of the JangleBox and Byrds 50th, but otherwise has all the power and punch of those pedals.

The JB3 is a two-sided compressor that features discrete EQ and Gain controls for both sides. The Attack is common to both sides. The practical purpose of the JB3 is to allow guitarists who use compression regularly to add a boost — of tone, volume, or both — when playing a guitar solo. It also has a signal chain mute switch and dual mono outputs if you want to go out to two amps. It does not have a dedicated Treble Boost, but can simulate one by rolling off the bass EQ control on either side.

The JBX is now our premier compressor — a significant reconfiguration of the JB3. We included the dedicated Treble Boost we have on our other compressors and removed the mute function. More importantly, we moved the EQ circuit post-compression for a quieter output and to eliminate the possibility of microphonic switch noise. It also allows you to tweak the pre-set Treble Boost on the “regular” side. Because the Gain and Attack functions are less interactive than on our other compressors, you can dial in a very low level of compression if you so desire, without affecting output volume.