Jhs Pedals VIOLET DISTORSION LARI BASILIO - Purple

A JHS Signature Serving Lari Basilio's Playing Style

The Violet was born from a collaboration between JHS Pedals (Josh Scott) and Brazilian guitarist Lari Basilio, with a simple idea: to offer a pedal that behaves like a new distortion/overdrive channel, but with a sculpting range rarely seen in this category. While many distortions settle for a global filter, the Violet relies on a more "amp-like" EQ architecture: part of the mids acts before the saturation to influence how the gain forms, then the bass and treble are adjusted after the distortion to refine the final balance. The result: a pedal that is not limited to a single tone and can shift from a transparent, snappy drive to a denser modern distortion, all while remaining easy to dial in.

For Which Guitarists, Styles, and Rigs?

The JHS Violet targets guitarists who want a "main" gain pedal or a backup solution capable of covering many grounds without multiplying pedals. Its approach suits both intermediate musicians seeking a versatile distortion and pros needing a reliable, reproducible drive for live use.

In terms of styles, it feels at home from blues rock to modern rock, including pop, fusion, and more saturated genres where articulation is crucial. On a pedalboard, it works very well in front of a clean amp but also stacked with other overdrives/distortions/fuzzes to create a more complex grain, thicker leads, or a targeted mid boost.

Controls and Design: The EQ That Changes the Way Saturation Works

The Violet offers a complete set of controls, designed to remain musical even when pushed. Volume adjusts the output level, handy for balancing volumes between rhythm and lead sounds. Gain sets the amount of saturation, ranging from a dynamic overdrive to a tighter, more modern distortion.

The EQ section is the heart of the concept: Middle adjusts the midrange level, while Mid Freq selects the frequency area affected (to scoop, thicken, emphasize attack, or better cut through the mix). A major feature: this midrange shaping happens before the distortion stage, allowing you to shape compression, bite, and granularity "at the source," much like with a preamp. Finally, Bass and Treble come after the distortion to adjust the foundation and openness without unbalancing how the gain builds.

The pedal features silent soft-touch switching and a buffered bypass, a smart choice to preserve highs and signal stability in crowded pedalboards. The jacks are top-mounted to save space.

Sound Character

The JHS The Violet stands out with a character that is both modern and organic: it can remain touch-sensitive at moderate gain settings (stronger attack = more grit, lighter playing = cleaner sound) and become more compact and assertive as saturation increases. The midrange work before distortion helps quickly find "the" sweet spot that makes the guitar speak: a lead that cuts through without being harsh, a more scooped rhythm part that remains clear, or conversely a mid push reminiscent of an amp pushing at just the right spot.

It is notably associated with Lari Basilio and has also been spotted in the rigs of artists/creators like R.J. Ronquillo. This dual perspective sums up the Violet well: refined enough for nuances and solid enough to hold a dense mix, with an EQ that encourages adapting the grain to the guitar, pickups, and amp rather than enduring a fixed coloration.

Technical specifications

Effects	Distortion, Overdrive	Type	sector
Format	Pedal	Use	electric guitar
EQ	3 channels	Color	Purple

Technology	analog	Chassis	metal
Volume	overall output volume	Dimensions	approximately 120 x 89 x 38 mm
Gain	amount of saturation	Weight	approximately 395 g
Bass	level of low frequencies (post-distortion)	Made in	USA
Middle	midrange level (pre-distortion)	Power supply	not included
Mid Freq	frequency range selection affected by Middle	Required power	9V DC, center negative
Treble	level of high frequencies (post-distortion)	Current draw	55 mA
Input	6.35mm Jack (top-mounted)	Power connector	2.1 x 5.5 mm
Output	6.35mm Jack (top-mounted)	Battery use	no
Footswitch	silent soft-touch