The JHS Colour Box V2 10th Anniversary is a JHS Pedals preamp pedal, currently around $449. Close alternatives include the K Pedals Vintage Preamp and the J. Rockett Audio A.P.E. Analog Preamp Experiment. It pairs well with the Wren and Cuff Box of War Small Foot Fuzz and the JHS Smiley.
JHS Colour Box V2 10th Anniversary
JHS Pedals · pedal
The JHS Colour Box V2 10-Year Anniversary Edition is a limited-run colorway of the standard Colour Box V2, distinguished by a deep navy blue chassis as a nod to classic British studio gear, marking JHS Pedals' tenth anniversary. The underlying circuit is identical to the standard V2: dual gain stages with over 39dB of gain, wide-ranging Treble/Middle/Bass Shift EQ knobs, the Hi/Lo clean-headroom switch, and phantom power support for condenser microphones. The edition exists as a collectible finish rather than a functional or tonal upgrade.
What stands out
“Players and engineers choose it for the same reasons as the regular V2 — Neve-style harmonic richness, dual gain stages from warm clean to overdrive and fuzz, and phantom power capability for condenser microphones”
— from the community notes
“The underlying circuit is identical to the standard V2: dual gain stages with over 39dB of gain, wide-ranging Treble/Middle/Bass Shift EQ knobs, the Hi/Lo clean-headroom switch, and phantom power support for condenser microphones”
— from the listing
“As a guitar pedal, a studio preamp, or a direct recording DI, the 10th Anniversary Edition performs identically to the standard V2 — its distinction is purely in the custom finish and”
— from the reviews
“Lo mode provides pristine hi-fi clean tones with subtle analog coloring; Hi mode produces overdrive, distortion, and fuzz”
— from the reviews
“The JHS Colour Box V2 10-Year Anniversary Edition is a limited-run colorway of the standard Colour Box V2, distinguished by a deep navy blue chassis as a nod to classic British studio gear, marking JHS Pedals' tenth anniversary”
— from the listing
- stage
- gain
- studio
- fuzz
- coloring
- analog
- direct recording
Good for
- Silent Recording
- Studio
Price updated Oct 25, 2026
Genres the JHS Colour Box V2 10th Anniversary is commonly used in
- Alternative Rock
- Rock
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Blues
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Classic Rock
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Electronic
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Indie Rock
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
Pedals that stack with the JHS Colour Box V2 10th Anniversary
Wren and Cuff Box of War Small Foot Fuzz
Wren And Cuff
19% matchclean platform takes the driveA clean, high-headroom stage takes on dirt it can't generate by itself. (transparent → high gain)
Into a transparent tone, Wren and Cuff Box of War Small Foot Fuzz brings a pull toward high gain that's missing
Comes earlier in the signal chain
JHS Smiley
JHS Pedals
19% matchclean platform takes the driveA clean, high-headroom stage takes on dirt it can't generate by itself. (transparent → fuzzy)
Into a transparent tone, JHS Smiley brings a pull toward fuzzy that's missing
Comes earlier in the signal chain
MXR ZW90 Wylde Phase
MXR
16% matchsits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.
Put MXR ZW90 Wylde Phase after JHS Colour Box V2 10th Anniversary in the signal chain, clear of JHS Colour Box V2 10th Anniversary's own gain stage
Comes earlier in the signal chain
Dan Armstrong Orange Squeezer
pedal
11% matchshapes the dynamic responseShapes how the tone responds to picking dynamics rather than its frequency or gain.
Dan Armstrong Orange Squeezer's own dynamic character is the real reason this is worth trying
Comes earlier in the signal chain
Electro-Harmonix Memory Boy Analog Delay
Electro-Harmonix
9% matchsits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor. (fuzzy → modulated)
Electro-Harmonix Memory Boy Analog Delay's analog warmth voice goes after JHS Colour Box V2 10th Anniversary in the signal chain — it's not there to compete with JHS Colour Box V2 10th Anniversary's own fuzzy character — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Comes later in the signal chain
Eventide Modulated Delay
Eventide
8% 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 JHS Colour Box V2 10th Anniversary's fuzzy voice out front: Eventide Modulated Delay goes after JHS Colour Box V2 10th Anniversary in the signal chain so its modulated voice doesn't muddy it — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Comes later in the signal chain
Behringer SF300 Super Fuzz
Behringer
tonal matchComes earlier in the signal chain
Behringer SF300 Super Fuzz's own voicing points at a clean amp's front end, and JHS Colour Box V2 10th Anniversary delivers it
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 is voiced for a clean amp's front end — JHS Colour Box V2 10th Anniversary gives it exactly that
Cheaper alternatives
Benson Amps Portable Distortion 424 MKII
Benson Amps
56% similarityShared character: signal, treble, subtle
Matthews Effects The Engineer
Matthews Effects
56% similarityShared character: fuzz, gain, studio
DSM Silver Linings Drive Preamp Engine
Dsm Humboldt Electronics
56% similarityShared character: warm, gain, distortion
JHS 424 Gain Stage
JHS Pedals
53% similarityShared character: signal, gain, studio
One Control Bjfe in your hand series Shades
One Control
52% similarityShared character: studio
Electronic Audio Experiments Surveyor Instrument Voicing Preamp
Electronic Audio Experiments
51% similarityShared character: treble, subtle, warm
Boutique & premium upgrades
Similar charactersee all similar tone character →
K Pedals Vintage Preamp
K Pedals
52% similarityShared character: subtle, distortion, warm
J. Rockett Audio A.P.E. Analog Preamp Experiment
J Rockett
52% similarityShared character: analog, gain, overdrive
AlfaTone Paperback Heartbreaker #3
Alfatone
52% similaritySimilar role and voicing
Tech 21 PED PSA Preamp 30 TH ANN
Tech 21
51% similarityShared character: analog, clean, studio
Smokin' Amp Co. FX10 BiFet Preamp
Smokin Amp Co
49% similarityShared character: subtle, warm, gain
Friedman IR-J Jake E. Lee Preamp
Friedman
95% similaritysimilar tone character
See all alternatives to the JHS Colour Box V2 10th Anniversary (cheaper + boutique) →
Questions people ask
What are good alternatives to the JHS Colour Box V2 10th Anniversary?+
The closest matches in character are the K Pedals Vintage Preamp, the J. Rockett Audio A.P.E. Analog Preamp Experiment, the AlfaTone Paperback Heartbreaker #3. Budget picks: Benson Amps Portable Distortion 424 MKII, Matthews Effects The Engineer, DSM Silver Linings Drive Preamp Engine. Boutique upgrades: Chase Bliss Automatone Preamp MKII.
What pairs well with the JHS Colour Box V2 10th Anniversary?+
Strong matches from rig and tone-complementarity evidence: Wren and Cuff Box of War Small Foot Fuzz, JHS Smiley, MXR ZW90 Wylde Phase — Into a transparent tone, Wren and Cuff Box of War Small Foot Fuzz brings a pull toward high gain that's missing.
How much does the JHS Colour Box V2 10th Anniversary cost?+
Around $449 (live listing price, updated Oct 25, 2026).