JHS Double Dragon

In a world of perfect digital octaves, JHS looked backward.

The JHS Double Dragon Lo-Fi Octave Device is built on the shoulders of 40–50-year-old analog octave divider technology — the same technology that gave us the MXR Blue Box, DOD Octoplus, the Boss OC-2, Ibanez OT10, Electro Harmonix Micro-Synth, and other circuits that synth designers helped inspire.

Pre-DSP. Pre-precision. All analog warmth.

Play single notes and you have a riff machine. Play a chord and the circuit starts to stutter, jump, and fight itself, making something new. It's not trying to replicate you perfectly — it's trying to play along with you.

It's alive.

THE SOUND

The JHS Double Dragon is an all-analog monophonic octave-down and up effect. The lower octave is the foundation — thick, analog, with the characteristic behavior that made vintage octave circuits legendary. The upper octave is pure bonus: an octave-up distortion that lands somewhere between an Octavia and a Superfuzz. Gritty. Usable. With a mid-range sting that cuts through the mix.
Turn on the Double Dragon and you can't help but start playing riffs. Your guitar feels twice the size. You fill out the space that used to need a band.

A MILESTONE

In JHS’ entire history, this is their first octave device. They have done octave fuzz, but they never landed on a sub-octave circuit that felt at home in their brand — until now. Weird, wild, and lo-fi. They are glad they waited to get it right.

WHO’S IT FOR?

For riff lovers. For anyone who's ever listened to Led Zeppelin and wanted that synchronized guitar-and-bass weight under their fingers. For fans of The White Stripes, Hendrix, Rage Against The Machine, Muse, Royal Blood.
Also — for bass players who know what a vintage OC-2 can do to basslines. For creative players who want something more than digital precision and clinical accuracy. For people who want a collaborator, not just a tool.

CONTROLS

• VOLUME controls the master output level with extra boost available. Turn the octaves off, dry full on, and you have an amazing always-on preamp.
• DRY mixes in your clean signal to the octave effects — all the way up is where JHS suggest you start, all the way down goes fully wet for glitchy vintage synth textures.
• OCT− controls the lower sub-octave mix.
• OCT+ controls the upper octave and distortion (activated by right footswitch).
• The left footswitch is ON/OFF. The right footswitch engages the OCT+ circuit.
• The main effect must be on for OCT+ to function — it's the way it's designed — not a limitation. For octave-up only, engage and turn OCT− down.

PAIRS WELL WITH

Overdrive after (especially Tube Screamer–style mid-heavy types). Fuzz after for chaos. Pitch vibrato for a more synth-like texture. The Double Dragon's tracking quirks become even more alive and useful when layered with other effects.

Key Features:

• All-analog monophonic octave-down and octave-up effect 
• Built on 40–50-year-old octave divider technology inspired by classic vintage circuits
• Thick, lo-fi sub-octave with characteristic vintage tracking behaviour
• Gritty octave-up distortion voiced between an Octavia and a Superfuzz
• Interactive tracking that stutters and glitches naturally on chords
• Blendable dry signal for everything from tight reinforcement to fully wet synth textures
• Independent OCT− and switchable OCT+ controls
• Dual footswitch layout: main on/off and dedicated octave-up activation
• Functions as an always-on preamp when octaves are disengaged
• Designed to pair well with overdrive, fuzz, and modulation effects