Jangleboxes?

[brusby]

Bruce, how do you like the Zoom H4N? Can you plug a 1/4" jack directly into it, or do you have to use the microphones? Can you overdub (sound-on-sound)? I know nothing about this gizmo, but it looks pretty handy if you want to record something really quickly...

I love the Zoom. It's small and ultra portable, yet powerful enough to make great sounding recordings that are of high enough quality that the individual tracks could be imported into a Protools or other professional session without having to make excuses for the sound quality.

It's got a pair of combo XLR-1/4" jacks. Use the XLR for mic level input, or use the 1/4" for DI input.

If I remember correctly the bass parts on these tracks were done with the bass plugged directly into the 1/4 ". The guitars were plugged into the Janglebox, which was in turn plugged into the 1/4' part of the combo input.

It's also got a pair of built in mics in an X-Y configuration that actually sound very good on acoustic guitar.

It has the ability to record and playback 4 individual tracks at a time. You can over write all or any part of each track. Or you can replace any existing track(s) with new tracks, while saving the previous track(s).

It won't replace Protools, and it's not nearly as powerful for editing, but it's much more convenient for quick, no fuss recordings, and particularly for things like preserving song writing ideas.

Bruce

[Steve Gunderson]

I have heard that JB has made a 'limited edition' box. Is this true and what would be the difference from a normal box?

[jimk]

I have heard that JB has made a 'limited edition' box. Is this true and what would be the difference from a normal box?

It's true. It's called the Jangle Box Byrds Limited Edition. Although I don't own one, it seems to have a few more bells and whistles than the JB II.
JimK

[Folkie]

Steve,

The specific difference from the JB2 is that the Limited Edition Byrds pedal sports a tone knob for the JangleBoost channel. The added knob does give the pedal extra versatility, although, if all you're looking for is a treble boost for solos, I wouldn't think it would be of much use. IIRC, the Byrds pedal is about $40 more expensive than the regular JB2.

Robert

[kiramdear]

Steve,

The specific difference from the JB2 is that the Limited Edition Byrds pedal sports a tone knob for the JangleBoost channel. The added knob does give the pedal extra versatility, although, if all you're looking for is a treble boost for solos, I wouldn't think it would be of much use. IIRC, the Byrds pedal is about $40 more expensive than the regular JB2.

Robert

That sums it up for me, too. My JB2 is awesome enough as is.

[Steve Gunderson]

Thanks for the info. Being mainly a rythym player I probably wouldn't need the Limited Edition. Is it truly a limited edition with only a certain number made? (should look it up on the website but too lazy).

[Folkie]

Steve,

I do believe that the Byrds pedal is a limited run. If I were you, I would go with a JB2. You won't be disappointed. Mine runs circles around every other compressor I've tried.

Robert

[jimk]

I'll pile on here. I have both the original black box Jangle Box and the JB2. One advantage the JB2 has is in its polarity. You can run it off the same power source as other pedals you may have manufactured by MXR, or Boss, etc.
JimK

[janglebox]

The JB2 Byrds LE basically expands the capabilities of the JangleBoost feature. It's a natural progression in our compressor pedal development.

The first JB2 (early 2009) was designed to add greater tonal control and make the JangleBox treble boost more accessible (via a foot switch rather than a toggle). The greatest concern customers expressed was that we not alter the tone of the treble boost, so we kept it a preset like the JangleBox.

But over the next couple of years, more customers inquired if there was any way they might be able to tweak the tone of the JangleBoost — maybe a littler brighter or a little less bright. I always just responded to simply adjust the tone control on their guitar.

Eventually, I felt there was enough consumer interest to add a variable tone on the JangleBoost side of the pedal. In addition, we added a thumbwheel control on the circuit so one could adjust the treble or bass midpoint on the center detent of the J-Boost Tone knob. That became the JB2 Byrds LE. So, while adding a variable tone feature to the JangleBoost side of the pedal might not seem like a radical update, given our customer's initial insistence that we not even touch the JangleBoost tone feature, it was pretty significant to us.

The original idea was to limit the JB2 Byrds LE to a one-year production run, but now it will probably be longer than that. Frankly, sales have just been too good. We'll likely decide on a timeline in June.

[Folkie]

I'll pile on here. I have both the original black box Jangle Box and the JB2. One advantage the JB2 has is in its polarity. You can run it off the same power source as other pedals you may have manufactured by MXR, or Boss, etc.
JimK

Yes, Jim is right about the standard pin-negative polarity of the JB2 (I'd almost forgotten that), which makes it compatible with a One Spot or just about any conventional adapter. I guess the JB1 takes a special (pin-positive) adapter.

[wordsonyou]

Hi all, my first post here, but I am a long time ricky fan and owner. Thought I'd chime in and say the JB with a 330 6 (non vp) on the treble boost setting into a normal channel of an ac30 = my favorite tone ever. What a magical comp this is with the 330...I honestly don't know how I lived without it!

[rickboy1689]

i have a 2-knob keeley currently...has anyone compared the two? obviously lots more bells & whistles on the jb...

[iamthebassman]

Anyone try a bass thru a JB? I'm gonna need a new compressor pedal and sounds like the JB is a quality piece.

[Folkie]

i have a 2-knob keeley currently...has anyone compared the two? obviously lots more bells & whistles on the jb...

The Keeleys are wonderful, well-made, great-sounding, very quiet, compressors. But if what you're looking for is a clean tone boost to nail the Byrds or Beatles sounds, they don't even come close to the Janglebox pedals, IMHO. There's also the issue of ease of use, as the two-knob Keeley has additional controls inside. I tried one out at Sam Ash, and found it a real pain to take the screws out and open the pedal to tweak the extra controls. That said, Keeley is a class act and makes great products. If your Keeley is working for you, there's no reason to change.

[r-gordon-7]

I bought the original Janglebox model a few years ago when they first came out. Recently upgraded to the Byrds Limited Edition. You really can nail "the sound" with either one of these better than with any other device I've tried... Unfortunately, youtube audio fidelity => laptop speakers really don't do enough justice to enable much critical listening...