Jackson Audio Golden Boy

A modern signature inspired by Bluesbreaker / King of Tone

Born from a collaboration with Joey Landreth, the Golden Boy captures the spirit of Bluesbreaker / King of Tone-type overdrives: an airy, lightly compressed saturation that "sits" in the mix without masking attack or tone. The original idea was clear: maintain this transparency while adding modern versatility (higher gain, clipping presets, independent boost, and MIDI control) within the philosophy of Jackson Audio overdrives.

For whom and for what: from enriched cleans to cutting solos

The Golden Boy is aimed at guitarists who want a pedal capable of staying always-on to thicken a clean sound, then becoming a true lead machine without changing pedals. It excels in blues, rock, pop, funk, indie, and anywhere a clear and nuanced overdrive is sought, both in studio and live. On a Strat or Tele through a Fender-style amp, you can easily find "John Mayer-like" tones: bite, clarity, and sustain without any veil effect.

Controls, modes, and remote control: designed for the modern pedalboard

Regarding controls, the overdrive section offers Volume, Gain, and a very effective active 3-band EQ (Bass, Middle, Treble) to adjust presence, warmth, and attack depending on the guitar and amp. On the floor, two footswitches activate the overdrive (Drive) and the boost (Boost), and provide access to advanced functions without bending down.

The Golden Boy stands out with its 4 memorized clipping options that change the feel and saturation texture: from a tighter, more compressed drive to a more open, "amp-like" response. The Gain Cycle divides the maximum gain into 4 steps (25/50/75/100%) to shift from an edge-of-breakup to a thicker drive mid-song. Finally, the MOSFET boost is independent and offers 4 EQ voicings (bright, mid, tailored, full range) to tailor the push according to the desired role: refine, refocus, balance, or simply raise the level.

For advanced rigs, the pedal offers full MIDI control (Drive/Boost activation, clipping selection, Gain Cycle, boost EQ), convenient for switchers/loopers or MIDI-controlled pedalboards. The MIDI input uses a TRS format, requiring an adapter cable from a standard MIDI connector (DIN-5) to TRS.

The sound

The Golden Boy is a harmonically rich overdrive with a transparent rendering and a very direct playing feel: it responds finely to picking dynamics, guitar volume, and pickup type. Its strength is offering a drive that remains clear in chords, retaining "wood" and definition, while going further in gain than many Bluesbreaker-inspired circuits. In stacking, the MOSFET boost can serve as a springboard to densify saturation or as a sculpted clean boost to stand out in the mix. Among identified users, Joey Landreth is associated with this signature pedal.

Technical specifications

Effects	Boost, Overdrive	Type	sector
Technology	Analog	Use	electric guitar
Format	Pedal	Color	Gold
EQ	3 channels

Effect type	transparent overdrive (inspired by the Bluesbreaker / King of Tone), independent MOSFET boost	Input	6.35 mm jack
Potentiometers	Volume, Boost, Gain, Bass, Middle, Treble	Output	6.35 mm jack
Footswitches	Drive, Boost	Input impedance	1M
Gain Cycle function	25/50/75/100% of the selected gain	Output impedance	100k
Overdrive equalization	active, 3-band	Dimensions	68 x 123 x 69 mm
Overdrive clipping	4 diode options	Documentation	included
MOSFET boost	4 selectable equalization options (voicings)	Power supply	not included
MIDI control	complete (Drive, Boost, clipping, Gain Cycle, boost EQ)	Required power supply	9V DC (center-negative)
MIDI input	6.35 mm TRS jack (TRS format)	Minimum required current	150 mA