“The name holds a clue – this pedal is ideal for blues players”: J Rockett Blue Note Select review

Guitar World Verdict

The name holds a clue: this is a pedal that may be ideal for blues players, but in more general terms it’s an excellent overdrive that may find its best use as the sole dirt pedal in front of an amp that’s starting to cook, or as a vital component in multiple-pedal gain staging.

Pros

+Solid build quality; compact size.

+Two gain modes.

+Practical EQ.

Cons

-We’d like it even more if it cost less…

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What is it?It’s probably fair to say that J Rockett’s Blue Note pedals haven’t had as high a profile as other drives, but maybe that will change with this third incarnation: the Blue Note Select.

Prior to this, there was the larger but similarly equipped Blue Note Pro, and then a smaller Tour Series version without the Hot switch.

Now, that Hot switch has been reinstated in another nicely compact offering that’s had a complete makeover, not just in looks with its electric blue colour scheme and silver knobs, but with the circuitry, now in V2 with “an enhanced low-end response”, in the company’s words.

What you’re getting here is a low-to-medium gain overdrive pedal with toggle-switched Standard and Fat modes, the obligatory volume and gain knobs, plus tonal adjustment via Tone and Fat knobs.

Specs

(Image credit: Future/Phil Barker)PRICE: $229/£239/€249ORIGIN: USATYPE: Overdrive pedalFEATURES: True bypassCONTROLS: Volume, Gain, Tone, Fat, Hot switch, Bypass footswitchCONNECTIONS: Standard input, standard outputPOWER: 9V battery or 9V DC adaptor (not supplied) 8mADIMENSIONS: 58 (w) x 103 (d) x 50mm (h) CONTACT: J Rockett Audio DesignsUsability and sounds

(Image credit: Future/Phil Barker)Starting off in Standard mode, the pedal’s remit is boost and low-gain drive. With the gain knob down, there’s a little bit of clean boost available beyond unity on the volume knob, but it’s using those two together that dials in just a little ‘hair’ or a touch of crunch to a clean sound.

Sonically, it’s pretty transparent so won’t radically alter your core tone, but there is enhancement to be had with the Tone knob tweaking the crucial top-end frequencies, while that Fat knob pushes your lower midrange and can add a lot of body to thicken your sound.

J Rockett’s recommendation is to set your guitar amp just past the minimum edge of break-up and let the pedal take it further – and, doing this, it gives a very natural extra push to our black-panel Fender and vintage Marshall JMP50.

As such, it’s a great ‘more’ pedal that feels very much like a natural extension of the amp. Hot mode doubles your options with a touch of extra gain and a perceived slight increase in presence, taking things a stage further into more medium-gain, raunchy territory.

VerdictVerdict: ★★★★½

Guitar World verdict: The name holds a clue: this is a pedal that may be ideal for blues players, but in more general terms it’s an excellent overdrive that may find its best use as the sole dirt pedal in front of an amp that’s starting to cook, or as a vital component in multiple-pedal gain staging.

Hands-on videosBuddy Blues

J. Rockett Audio Designs Blue Note SELECT – YouTube

Watch On
R.J. Ronquillo

J. Rockett Blue Note Select Overdrive Pedal – YouTube

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John Nathan Cordy

The FATTEST Drive Pedal I’ve EVER Played – J Rockett Blue Note Select – YouTube

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“Any clean tone would benefit from some Airchild tonal enrichment”: J Rockett Airchild 660 reviewThis article first appeared in Guitarist. Subscribe and save.

Trevor Curwen has played guitar for several decades – he’s also mimed it on the UK’s Top of the Pops. Much of his working life, though, has been spent behind the mixing desk, during which time he has built up a solid collection of the guitars, amps and pedals needed to cover just about any studio session. He writes pedal reviews for Guitarist and has contributed to Total Guitar, MusicRadar and Future Music among others.

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