Jackson Audio has teamed up with Cory Wong (Vulfpeck, Fearless Flyers) to release The Optimist, a new signature overdrive/EQ pedal with three independent circuits. The Optimist delivers a full range of drive levels for punchy rhythm and soaring lead guitar lines.

OD1 is based on the most expensive, hard-to-find, mythical overdrive pedal ever created! Jackson reproduced this circuit down to the last detail to provide the stock tone that players seek from this legendary pedal. They then updated it with an active EQ (can be bypassed) to take this classic circuit into uncharted territory! Just like the original circuit, OD1 features difficult-to-find germanium diodes.

The OD2 circuit stands in stark contrast to the mid-focused tone of OD1. Designed to be perfectly flat across the full range of the guitar, OD2 is ideal for rhythm work and is a perfect harmonic enhancer for OD1 when you want to boost OD1 even further!

Last but not least, The Optimist’s EQ circuit takes the legendary Baxandall EQ found in countless studio EQs and tailors it for guitarists. Jackson spent countless hours dialing in this EQ so that it would hit all the frequencies that guitarists normally need to adjust, and then sweetened it by removing the ear-fatiguing highs and lows that can appear at extreme settings.

The Optimist also features MIDI control over all functions. OD1, OD2 and EQ can all be controlled via MIDI for an unlimited selection of tones.

Two (2) separate editions of The Optimist are being released: Classic and Warp. The Classic is Jackson’s standard production model. The Warp edition (designed by Cory) is limited to 1000 pieces worldwide.

PRICING (CAD) Retail/MAP:

THE-OPTIMIST                  $459.00
THE-OPTIMIST-WARP      $459.00

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS: 

  • Input Impedance: 1M
  • Output Impedance: 100k
  • Power Supply: DC
  • Voltage Input: 9V MAX
  • Polarity: Center Negative
  • Minimum Current Required: 150mA
  • Dimensions: 2.7” x 4.875”