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JSA Nightingale Overdrive Review – The Best BLUES Pedals!
Introduction
Yes, it’s time for another review of an amazing pedal from JSA Pedals! This time, we’re taking a closer look at their Nightingale pedal. The Nightingale is JSA Pedals’ unique take on the classic Blues Breaker circuit, featuring their own custom tweaks and modifications. This pedal combines JSA’s favorite elements from several iconic pedals into one versatile package.
One standout feature of JSA Pedals is the level of customizability they offer with every pedal they make. If the colors or design of the Nightingale don’t suit your style, don’t worry—you can customize it! When placing your order, simply mention your preferred colors and knobs, and they’ll tailor the pedal to your liking.
As always, we’ll begin by discussing the pedal’s features, construction, and design. After that, we’ll explore its sound and share our final thoughts. So, let’s dive right in and take a closer look at the Nightingale pedal by JSA Pedals!
JSA Nightingale Overdrive Pedal
So, what exactly is the Nightingale Overdrive pedal? If you’ve ever wondered, “What would happen if you combined the Boss Blues Driver with the Marshall Bluesbreaker?”, you’re in for a treat. These are two legendary and wildly successful pedals, both staples in the rigs of countless players. Renowned for their perfect low-gain overdrive tones, they’ve earned their spots in guitar history. But what happens when you merge them? You get the JSA Pedals Nightingale.
JSA Pedals has taken the iconic discrete Op-Amp circuit from the Boss Blues Driver and integrated it into the Marshall Bluesbreaker circuit. The goal? To allow the Bluesbreaker circuit to breathe and sing even more, resulting in enhanced dynamics and a more open tonal character. This isn’t just another “Bluesbreaker clone”—it’s a reimagining, a hybrid, and an improvement on two outstanding designs.
But that’s not all. JSA has also incorporated the input buffer from the Nobels ODR-1, ensuring the pedal interacts seamlessly with other effects in your chain. Additionally, the Nightingale includes a Presence control borrowed from the King of Tone. Unlike the internal trimpot on the King of Tone, JSA has made this control external for easier access, allowing you to shape the high end effortlessly. Turn it fully left for vintage Bluesbreaker-style tones or use it to add sparkle and clarity.
When I spoke with Simon from JSA Pedals about the Nightingale, he said, “The Nightingale Drive is to the Bluesbreaker what my Hot Toddy is to the Timmy.” If you’ve read our Hot Toddy review (check it out here), you’ll know I absolutely adore that pedal—it’s still on my board to this day!
Let’s Talk Controls
Now, let’s break down the controls on the JSA Nightingale:
- Level (Top Left): Adjusts the output level of the pedal.
- Gain (Top Right): Controls the amount of clipping and overdrive.
- Presence (Bottom Left): Adds “air” or high-end sparkle to the tone. As mentioned, this is inspired by the King of Tone’s presence control but is more accessible as an external knob.
- Tone (Bottom Right): Adjusts the overall tonal character and EQ of the pedal.
Below the controls, you’ll find the power LED and the footswitch, while the top of the pedal houses the input and output jacks as well as the standard 9V power input.
The Sounds
For the demo, we kept things simple by plugging the guitars straight into the JSA Nightingale. From there, we ran it into the IR-2, adding a touch of delay with the Boss SDE-3000D (check out our review here).
We explored a variety of tones, ranging from clean boosts to higher-gain overdrive sounds, to showcase how the Nightingale performs in different contexts. This pedal offers an impressive range of tones, demonstrating its versatility and how it can adapt to various playing styles.
For the sound test, we ran the guitar into the JSA Nightingale and then into the front end of the Revv D20 amp. We began with a fairly clean amp setting to highlight the pedal’s clarity and dynamics. Later, we switched to a dirtier amp tone to see how the Nightingale interacts with a more saturated sound.
Check out the video below to hear the JSA Nightingale in action!
What are my thoughts?
Design and Looks:
I absolutely love the look of this pedal! Of course, I had a hand in picking the colors and knobs, but seeing it in person, it just pops! The vivid pink housing paired with the cream knobs creates such a striking and cool combination. It’s a perfect balance of retro and modern styling.
As with all JSA Pedals, the top-loaded design is a huge plus, making cable management a breeze. The pedal’s housing and case size are also ideal—compact and pedalboard-friendly without feeling cramped.
One thing to note is that it’s hard to make sweeping statements about the look of a JSA pedal because every unit is customizable. You have the freedom to select your own color scheme and knob style when you order, so every pedal will look a little different. For mine, I chose pink because I thought it would be funny to go with the complete opposite of blue—a cheeky nod to the pedal’s Bluesbreaker circuit origins. Simon had made a pink version before, and I knew I had to have one for myself!
"The tone control is intuitive and versatile, while the presence knob allows you to dial in some sparkle and high-end clarity if needed."
Sounds:
The JSA Nightingale is a fantastic “extra sauce” pedal for refining your gain tone. When running it into the IR-2 on its crunch setting, the Nightingale thickens and tightens the sound beautifully—similar to how you’d use a Tube Screamer but without the pronounced mid hump. At the same time, it excels when used with a clean amp, delivering that warm, low-gain overdrive tone that’s beloved by so many players.
What sets the Nightingale apart is its Tone and Presence controls, which offer exceptional flexibility for sound shaping. The tone control is intuitive and versatile, while the presence knob allows you to dial in some sparkle and high-end clarity if needed.
For amps without a master volume, the Nightingale can also act as a great front-end push. It lets you achieve that sought-after edge-of-breakup sound at lower volumes, all while offering additional tone-shaping options.
I’ve found myself using the pedal with the Presence control all the way to the left (effectively off) to craft my tone first. Then, I gradually bring the presence up just enough to add sparkle or a bit of extra sizzle to the signal. It’s a subtle but powerful tool for dialing in your perfect sound.
Negatives:
While the Nightingale is a versatile overdrive pedal, it might not be the best choice if you’re chasing high-gain metal tones. That’s not to say it can’t handle higher gain, but if you’re looking for those heavy, saturated 5150-style sounds, this might not be the pedal for you.
That said, if you already have a high-gain amp—say, a Marshall—it’s an excellent choice for pushing the front end and tightening up your tone. It’s not trying to be a metal monster, but it’s a stellar tool for refining and enhancing your existing sound.
Conclusion
So, that wraps up our review of the JSA Nightingale Pedal—and what an absolutely killer pedal it is! I genuinely loved everything about it. If you’re lucky enough to own both the Nightingale and the Hot Toddy (review here), you’ll have all your gain needs covered. These two pedals complement each other perfectly, allowing you to stack them for even more tonal versatility. With these in your setup, you’re ready to tackle anything gain-related!
If you’re interested in purchasing one of JSA’s incredible hand-built pedals, reach out to Simon via Instagram. Not only do you get a pedal that sounds fantastic, but you also get the opportunity to customize it to suit your style and preferences.
A huge thank you to Simon from JSA Pedals for creating this masterpiece! Just to note, I purchased this pedal with my own money—I’m always thrilled to support JSA Pedals. Simon is incredibly helpful, knowledgeable, and passionate about his craft, which always shines through in his work.
If you’re a fan of our site, you probably know how much we love JSA Pedals. We’ve reviewed many of his creations, some of which are listed below. Feel free to check them out if you’re curious about what else JSA has to offer!
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