"Has JHS Pedals hinted at a significant product release through a cryptic riddle, sparking excitement among equipment enthusiasts who believe they've deciphered the clue?"
In an exciting turn of events, JHS Pedals has announced the release of their latest product, the 424 Gain Stage, scheduled for August 11. This preamp pedal is a historically accurate recreation of the classic Tascam Portastudio 424 cassette multi-track recorder, renowned for its lo-fi, retro-futuristic tones popularized by Mk.gee.
The riddle for the new product reads: "Forward or back, I am still the same. 5 knobs to command 3 layers of gain. Born in Japan. Built for your play. Am I a number, or am I a name?" The answer, of course, points towards the Tascam 424, given its Japanese origin and the five knobs on the original device.
JHS Pedals has been teasing their new product with cryptic clues on their Instagram account. One such clue was a grid of nine multi-track recorders, hinting at the Tascam 424, and a question about home-recorded albums. Another clue was a POV clip implying an XLR jack on the upcoming pedal, typical for DI-style preamps.
The 424 Gain Stage emulates the sonic characteristics of vintage cassette preamps with a simplified control layout suitable for pedal use. It aims to capture the unique sonic character of vintage tape machines integrated into a pedal format.
JHS Pedals' move into recreating classic studio gear tones follows in the footsteps of products like their Colour Box pedal, which was in part inspired by Spoon. The Colour Box preamp/EQ/overdrive/distortion/fuzz/DI box is based on a Neve studio console.
The Tascam Portastudio 424 gained popularity in recent years due to Mk.gee's use in forming his lo-fi, retro-futuristic guitar tones. Mk.gee's debut album was widely heralded as one of 2024's best records, and his work has made fans of musicians like Eric Clapton.
While some fans speculate that the new product could be an 808 overdrive pedal or a DOD clone, the evidence points towards the Tascam 424. The company Ibanez, based in Japan, could potentially support the 808 theory. However, Cor-Tek, the owner of DOD, is headquartered in South Korea, which contradicts the DOD theory.
The 424 Gain Stage represents JHS Pedals’ move into recreating classic studio gear tones, a step that is sure to excite guitarists seeking the unique sonic character of vintage tape machines integrated into a pedal format.
- The riddle for the new JHS Pedals product implies that the answer is the Tascam 424, given its Japanese origin and the five knobs on the original device.
- The 424 Gain Stage emulates the sonic characteristics of vintage cassette preamps, aiming to capture the unique sonic character of vintage tape machines integrated into a pedal format.
- JHS Pedals' new product, the 424 Gain Stage, is a historically accurate recreation of the classic Tascam Portastudio 424 cassette multi-track recorder.
- In an exciting turn of events, JHS Pedals has announced the release of their latest product, the 424 Gain Stage, scheduled for August 11.
- Another clue hinting towards the Tascam 424 was a POV clip implying an XLR jack on the upcoming pedal, typical for DI-style preamps.
- Mk.gee's debut album was widely heralded as one of 2024's best records, and his work with the Tascam Portastudio 424 has made him popular among guitarists and musicians like Eric Clapton.
