Truetone Jekyll & Hyde V2

The Jekyll and Hyde has been around for a while, but this revision of it is fairly new. Since the overdrive is apparently a tubescreamer clone, I had to try it, being the TS fanatic that I am. The layout of the J&H is a bit more complex than your typical tubescreamer however, and in fact is two pedals in one. The first side is an overdrive with an optional bass boost in addition to your usual V/T/G knobs. The second side is a full on distortion with a sharp/blunt switch. There's also supposedly a noise gate built into the distortion side.

UTILIZATION

This is where the pedal signs. The knobs are rock solid and the switches are bulletproof. It feels very soild all around. It's a big footprint but when you consider that you're getting two pedals in one, it's not really an issue. It's an easy pedal to figure out after some initial trickery. No manual required really.

SOUND QUALITY

The overdrive side is well...it sounds like a TS9. Which is great. The bass boost is a nice function if you have a trebly amp or guitar. If my review was based on this side of the pedal alone, it would likely get a solid 10. The distortion side however, is another story. I'm not sure what they were going for here. No matter how you dial the knobs it sounds pretty brittle and fake. I honestly couldn't get a great sound out of it. For the record, it doesn't sound terrible, but compared to other overdrives and distortions, it falls flat.

OVERALL OPINION

I don't think I'll be keeping this pedal because one side of it is pretty much unusable for me. I know that Visual Sound makes another pedal with the left side of the J&H by itself. I'll probably get that one. I want to stress again that the distortion side is not terrible, and many people might like it. If so it’s a great value.

(Originally written by Dlz/translated from Audiofanzine FR)

Same features as the V1 except for the switchable noise gate and a knob to control the bass boost intensity.

UTILIZATION

The overall configuration is simple and intuitive.
The provided setting examples in the user's manual are very helpful (they also allow you to quickly understand the pedal limitations).

SOUND QUALITY

The overdrive is very good even though the mid boost is very obvious (much more than in a SD-1) so the effect isn't as honest regarding the frequency response.
I have a problem with the distortion channel (Hyde) of this pedal. While the overdrive has an excellent quality, the distortion channel has no real character, it is ordinary and it even sounds bad with extreme settings.
Considering the low quality of the distortion channel, the overdrive and distortion controls yield poor results especially because the distortion is placed before the overdrive in the signal path. So you end up with a distortion boosting an overdrive not an overdrive boosting a distortion. It's quite inventive but considering the result I yearn for a classic effect chain. I'd rather have the J&H in overdrive mode and then connect a distortion pedal to it.
Overdrive: 9
Distortion: 4

OVERALL OPINION

I've been using this pedal for one year and I use the overdrive channel almost exclusively.
I'm really disappointed about this pedal (which indeed has excellent reviews) because its distortion channel is nothing but average.
Compared to my MXR Double Shot, the MXR provides two very good and really different distortion sounds.
The price tag is quite high considering the weak distortion channel.
I would never choose this pedal again.

OD + 2 in a disto with many adjustment possibilities

UTILIZATION

the use of this pedal is not so simple that it seems, may be because of my mxr micro amp rated branch
the two effects independently of the other one is easy even if I use al found that the volume knobs are overly sensitive
the OD + the disto connected together require an adjustment to the equalization particularly minucieux volumes

SOUND QUALITY

I play a reissue sytat us 62 + vintage blues junior amp lamp and for my part I find that this pedal sounds too clean or clean
lover of vintage type sounds pretty grimey for disto I think this one has sound too modern, ca lacks charm mainly disto
probably a matter of taste, gd aillor set aside for such a big muff pedal that gives me more the sound I was Research

OVERALL OPINION

I've bought almost 2 years ago but I'll probably separate m is ca soon as six months than I would use more

Double pedal, Overdrive (Jekyll) and Disto (Hyde)
Same technology as the previous version, plus a bass booster in the Jekyll, which adds a little more blues and heavy side saddle.
For more information see file of version 1, c ditto ...

UTILIZATION

Setup could not be more simple, a switch for each "pedal", close enough to put the two together and make farting sound.
Drive a knob, 1 Tone and 1 Volume Jekyll side (plus bass boost)
1 Drive, 1 Tone, 1 EQ, 1 Volume and Hyde side (over the button Sharp/Blunt--> compression or not) Manuel ets short (one A4 double-sided, with some adjustments, but not really needed ..

SOUND QUALITY

Jekyll ---> Tube Screamer: almost the same circuit, its almost the same, very good hot and versatile overdrive.
Hyde ---> Very good distortion, which goes from blues to heavy fuzz passsant in the trash and metal ... very versatile too, his impeccable.
Both -> Save modulation crazy and amazing ..
VERSATILITY is the key word ...

OVERALL OPINION

I've had three months, and frankly, I do not regret at all, it is useful for almost any style, and it works great (even if it eats a lot in batteries as power supply not included. ..)