The JHS Clover is a JHS Pedals preamp pedal. Close alternatives include the Electronic Audio Experiments Model feT V3.8 and the Boss FA-1 FET Amp. It pairs well with the EarthQuaker Devices Dirt Transmitter and the Greer Black Mountain.
JHS Clover
JHS Pedals · pedal
The JHS Clover is a FET preamp, EQ, and boost pedal inspired by the rare Boss FA-1 FET Preamp released in the mid-1980s. The Edge of U2 used the original FA-1 on the recording of The Unforgettable Fire and in subsequent touring rigs. The Clover recreates this pedal with Volume, Bass, Mid, and Treble controls, a three-way rotary switch (Full EQ, No Mid, No EQ), and a side-mounted Low Cut dip switch. Suited to boosting tube amplifiers and drive pedals with transparent FET character.
What stands out
“Suited to boosting tube amplifiers and drive pedals with transparent FET character”
— from the listing
“The three-way rotary switch fundamentally changes the pedal's character: Full EQ gives complete three-band shaping, , and”
— from the reviews
“a three-way rotary switch”
— from the listing
“Players use it as a clean boost into a tube amp, a transparent EQ before dirt pedals, or an always-on preamp that adds subtle harmonic richness”
— from the community notes
“and a side-mounted low cut dip switch”
— from the listing
- fet
- full
- rotary
- cut
- eq
- boost
- transparent
Good for
- Silent Recording
- Studio
Genres the JHS Clover is commonly used in
- Alternative
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Blues
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Indie Rock
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Country
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Electronic
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Rock
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
Pedals that stack with the JHS Clover
EarthQuaker Devices Dirt Transmitter
EarthQuaker Devices
23% matchclean platform takes the driveA clean, high-headroom stage takes on dirt it can't generate by itself. (transparent → fuzzy)
Run EarthQuaker Devices Dirt Transmitter into that transparent platform and it finally leans toward fuzzy
Comes earlier in the signal chain
Greer Black Mountain
Greer
22% matchclean platform takes the driveA clean, high-headroom stage takes on dirt it can't generate by itself. (transparent → fuzzy)
Greer Black Mountain leans this transparent tone toward fuzzy, which it doesn't make on its own
Comes earlier in the signal chain
Walrus Audio Monument CS
Walrus Audio
20% matchsits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.
Keep Walrus Audio Monument CS after JHS Clover in the signal chain, clear of JHS Clover's own gain stage
Comes earlier in the signal chain
SahBro? Audio Ross Kempressor
Sahbro Audio
17% matchfills a frequency gapFills in a frequency range the other side doesn't cover, instead of piling more onto what's already there. (bright → warm)
SahBro? Audio Ross Kempressor's own compressed character is the real reason this is worth trying
Comes earlier in the signal chain
T-Rex Junior Roomate
T Rex
12% matchsits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.
T-Rex Junior Roomate's warm voice goes after JHS Clover in the signal chain — it's not there to compete with JHS Clover's own full character — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Comes later in the signal chain
Alexander Pedals Now We Are Ghosts Reverb
Alexander Pedals
11% matchsits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.
Run Alexander Pedals Now We Are Ghosts Reverb after JHS Clover in the signal chain, clear of JHS Clover's own gain stage — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Comes later in the signal chain
Electro-Harmonix EH-1335/EH-3075 Hot Tubes
Electro-Harmonix
tonal matchComes earlier in the signal chain
Electro-Harmonix EH-1335/EH-3075 Hot Tubes's own voicing points at a clean amp's front end, and JHS Clover delivers it
Behringer SF300 Super Fuzz
Behringer
tonal matchComes earlier in the signal chain
Behringer SF300 Super Fuzz is voiced for a clean amp's front end — JHS Clover gives it exactly that
Alternativessee all similar tone character →
Electronic Audio Experiments Model feT V3.8
Electronic Audio Experiments
61% similarityShared character: treble, middle, bass
Boss FA-1 FET Amp
Boss
58% similarityShared character: edge, boost, subtle
Fender Engager Boost
Fender
57% similarityShared character: 60 watt all tube combo amplifier, boost, treble
Z.Vex Super Hard On
Zvex
56% similarityShared character: volume, boost, subtle
Benson Amps Chimera Preamp Pedal
Benson Amps
56% similarityShared character: volume, treble, boost
Benson Amps BA-Pre
Benson Amps
54% similarityShared character: volume, treble, boost
Jackson Audio Prism
Jackson Audio
54% similarityShared character: tone shaping, boost, treble
Xotic EP Booster
Xotic
54% similarityShared character: volume, boost, subtle
Chase Bliss Automatone Preamp MKII
Chase Bliss Audio
54% similarityShared character: boost, middle, transparent
Strymon Sunset Dual Overdrive
Strymon
53% similarityShared character: boost, transparent, bass
Crowther Double Hot Cake
Crowther
53% similarityShared character: boost, natural, transparent
Xotic BB Preamp V1.5
Xotic
53% similarityShared character: s flexibility, boost, treble
See all alternatives to the JHS Clover (cheaper + boutique) →
Questions people ask
What are good alternatives to the JHS Clover?+
The closest matches in character are the Electronic Audio Experiments Model feT V3.8, the Boss FA-1 FET Amp, the Fender Engager Boost.
What pairs well with the JHS Clover?+
Strong matches from rig and tone-complementarity evidence: EarthQuaker Devices Dirt Transmitter, Greer Black Mountain, Walrus Audio Monument CS — Run EarthQuaker Devices Dirt Transmitter into that transparent platform and it finally leans toward fuzzy.