From Portastudio to Pedalboard: JHS 424 Gain Stage Delivers Vintage-Inspired Tone
JHS Pedals is dipping into nostalgia with their latest pedal, the 424 Gain Stage. The pedal replicates the signal path of plugging directly into a TASCAM Portastudio 424 for “elastic, lo-fi” tone. Portastudios were made in the ’80s and ’90s as a recording device for home studios, though they ended up being used on albums by Bruce Springsteen, Spoon, and Wu-Tang Clan.
“In this historically accurate recreation, we perfectly replicated the original 424 MKI® circuit using the original UPC4570 and NJM4565 op-amps and all the original controls, which is crucial for recreating the unique character that makes the old units sound so good,” JHS writes. “The Portastudio’s® gain controls–trim, channel volume, & master volume–all work in tandem for dialing up your desired tone and can be further refined with the Low and High EQ settings. In addition, our unit offers a ¼” output alongside a balanced XLR output (DI out) for ultimate flexibility in any situation, live or studio.”
With the XLR, you can use the 424 Gain Stage as a DI or before your amp to give it more saturation. Janek Gwizdala got his hands on a 424 ahead of the release and offers his thoughts on the applications for bass.
The JHS Pedals 424 Gain Stage is available now for $249.
JHS Pedals 424 Gain Stage Features:
| Controls: | Volume, Gain 1, Gain 2, Bass, Treble |
| I/O: | ¼” Input, ¼” Output, XLR Output with Ground Lift |
| Power: | 9VDC |
In his time with No Treble, Kevin has met hundreds of amazing bassists and interviewed icons like Jack Casady, Victor Wooten, Les Claypool, Marcus Miller, and more. He's a gigging bassist performing jazz in Northern Virginia and bluegrass with The Plate Scrapers up and down the East Coast. Kevin appreciates all genres of music, from R&B to metal and everything in between. Connect with Kevin on Facebook and check his performance schedule on his website.
