The Jackson Audio hour-glass is a Jackson Audio compressor pedal, currently around $163.62. Close alternatives include the Demeter Compulator and the EarthQuaker Devices The Warden. It pairs well with the Marshall JTM45 45W Tube Guitar Amp Head and the EBS Magni 502 115.
Jackson Audio hour-glass
Jackson Audio · pedal
The Jackson Audio Hour Glass is a compact dual analog compressor built from two independent OTA circuits inspired by the legendary Ross compressor. Each side has its own Level, Sustain, and Blend controls plus selectable Fast, Medium, or Slow attack and a Flat, Medium, or High treble toggle to restore highs. The compression is warm, natural, and transparent, boosting sustain for singing leads while preserving the guitar's core tone. Players can dial one circuit for single coils and the other for humbuckers and switch instantly, or stack both for nearly endless sustain. It suits country, blues, worship, ambient, and lead playing where smooth sustain and tonal control matter, all in an unusually small enclosure.
- transparent
- natural
- sustain
- compression
- compressor
- smooth
- attack
- treble
Price updated Aug 27, 2026
Genres the Jackson Audio hour-glass is commonly used in
- Country
- Blues
- Ambient
- Country Pop
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Alternative
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Rock
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
Amps that pair well with the Jackson Audio hour-glass
Marshall JTM45 45W Tube Guitar Amp Head
amplifier
23% matchInto a transparent tone, Marshall JTM45 45W Tube Guitar Amp Head brings the mid-forward it's missing
EBS Magni 502 115
Ebs
17% matchJackson Audio hour-glass leans toward transparent, and that's a real, usable character to pair with
Synergy SL2 Module
Synergy
tonal matchThe transparent tone has headroom to spare — Synergy SL2 Module gives it high gain to fill it with
Friedman BE-Mini Head
Friedman
tonal matchInto a transparent tone, Friedman BE-Mini Head brings the high gain it's missing
Egnater Tweaker 88 Head
Egnater
tonal matchEgnater Tweaker 88 Head's low gain fills in what this transparent tone doesn't make on its own
Ceriatone 2202H
Ceriatone
tonal matchThe transparent tone has headroom to spare — Ceriatone 2202H gives it high gain to fill it with
Friedman Jose LTD
Friedman
tonal matchInto a transparent tone, Friedman Jose LTD brings the high gain it's missing
Hughes & Kettner Warp 7
Hughes & Kettner
tonal matchThe transparent tone has headroom to spare — Hughes & Kettner Warp 7 gives it high gain to fill it with
Pedals that stack with the Jackson Audio hour-glass
Beetronics Nectar
Beetronics
24% matchBeetronics Nectar's low gain fills in what this transparent tone doesn't make on its own
Walrus Audio Eons
Walrus Audio
24% matchInto a transparent tone, Walrus Audio Eons brings the low gain it's missing
Neunaber Wet Mono Reverb Pedal
pedal
11% matchRun Neunaber Wet Mono Reverb Pedal after Jackson Audio hour-glass in the signal chain, clear of Jackson Audio hour-glass's own gain stage — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Meris Polymoon
Meris
11% matchPut Meris Polymoon after Jackson Audio hour-glass in the signal chain, clear of Jackson Audio hour-glass's own gain stage — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
SolidGoldFX Commodore Breaker Overdrive
Solidgoldfx
8% matchJackson Audio hour-glass's own transparent character is the real reason this is worth trying
Tone City Dry Martini
Tone City
tonal matchInto Jackson Audio hour-glass, Tone City Dry Martini is right at home: it's built around a clean amp's front end
Fender Hammertone Overdrive
Fender
tonal matchFender Hammertone Overdrive is voiced for a clean amp's front end — Jackson Audio hour-glass gives it exactly that
Ashdown Geezer Butler Signature
Ashdown
tonal matchAshdown Geezer Butler Signature's own voicing points at a clean amp's front end, and Jackson Audio hour-glass delivers it
Cheaper alternatives
Keeley Compressor Mini
Keeley
73% similarityShared character: compressor, smooth, compression
J. Rockett Jrad Squeegee Compressor
J Rockett
73% similarityShared character: compressor, attack, smooth
Boss CS-3 Compression Sustainer
Boss
73% similarityShared character: compressor, attack, smooth
MXR Dyna Comp
MXR
73% similarityShared character: compressor, attack, treble
Electro-Harmonix Nano Tone Corset
Electro-Harmonix
73% similarityShared character: single_coils, compressor, attack
TC Electronic Forcefield Compressor Effetto Compressore A
TC Electronic
72% similarityShared character: compressor, attack, smooth
Boutique & premium upgrades
Similar charactersee all similar tone character →
Demeter Compulator
Demeter
77% similarityShared character: high_end, compressor, attack
EarthQuaker Devices The Warden
EarthQuaker Devices
74% similarityShared character: high_end, compressor, attack
Origin Effects Cali76 Compact
Origin Effects
74% similarityShared character: high_end, compressor, attack
Analog Man Comprossor
Analog Man
74% similarityShared character: single_coils, compressor, smooth
Jackson Audio Bloom MIDI V2
Jackson Audio
73% similarityShared character: compressor, treble, compression
AZOR AP-305 Compressor
Azor
72% similarityShared character: guitar, compressor, attack
See all alternatives to the Jackson Audio hour-glass (cheaper + boutique) →
Questions people ask
What are good alternatives to the Jackson Audio hour-glass?+
The closest matches in character are the Demeter Compulator, the EarthQuaker Devices The Warden, the Origin Effects Cali76 Compact. Budget picks: Keeley Compressor Mini, J. Rockett Jrad Squeegee Compressor, Boss CS-3 Compression Sustainer. Boutique upgrades: DryBell Module 4.
What pairs well with the Jackson Audio hour-glass?+
Strong matches from rig and tone-complementarity evidence: Marshall JTM45 45W Tube Guitar Amp Head, EBS Magni 502 115, Synergy SL2 Module — Into a transparent tone, Marshall JTM45 45W Tube Guitar Amp Head brings the mid-forward it's missing.
How much does the Jackson Audio hour-glass cost?+
Around $163.62 (live listing price, updated Aug 27, 2026).