JHS Pedals The Kilt 10 Overdrive Distortion

One of the most talked-about and now-rare pedals from the last decade has got to be the Kilt Overdrive from JHS Pedals. With two versions released so far, it has been the subject of lots of online chatter, gracing pedalboards all over the world. In honor of the first version being released a decade ago, JHS introduces the Kilt 10 Overdrive Distortion, a continuing collaboration with guitarist Stu G. Although it has the same basic layout as V2, this new model has some surprises, upgrades and more under the hood…let’s check it out!!

After ten years, the Kilt gets a refreshed voice and reimagined aesthetic. An updated clipping section delivers more headroom, smoother attack, and a richer more dynamically useful drive range than ever before. In 2015, JHS launched the ultimate dirt pedal with Stu G (legendary guitarist, writer, producer, and founding member of UK band Delirious?), and they never looked back. Stu wanted a pedal that could cover any ground he needed for his studio work and extensive touring gigs across the globe. From that request, the Kilt was born, and ever since, it has been one of JHS’ best-selling overdrive/distortion pedals year after year.

The original Kilt carved out its own space in a crowded field by focusing on clarity, versatility and musical responsiveness. But over the years, JHS kept hearing the same requests: more headroom for cleaner tones, more audible effect from the Flat/Cut toggle, and more control over the low-gain textures. The Kilt 10 addresses every one of these requests, while maintaining the DNA that made you fall in love with the Kilt in the first place. It’s what you love, but better…

The beauty of the Kilt 10 is that it functions exactly like the Kilt V2. With G1 down and G2 up, it acts like a higher gain stage boost — perfect for pushing your amp’s front end or stacking with fuzz. Flip both toggles up, and you get that massive wall of saturated British overdrive that made the original famous. The improved gain sweep also means you can dial in everything from edge-of-breakup rhythm tones to singing lead saturation, to all-out gated, spitting fuzz. The enhanced headroom and clarity make this version particularly suited for complex chord work, as well as intricate picking patterns that would get lost in lesser overdrives.

A new clipping circuit adds more touch-sensitive feel and nuance, without departing from the pedal’s core identity. It has slightly more compression, distortion on tap, and a smoother overall attack. Think Kilt V2, but bigger. From the first chord you play, you will love how it feels. The Gain knob now offers a far more usable range from 0-25%, unlocking articulate, low-gain textures that weren’t previously accessible. No more dead zones — just smooth, musical breakup from whisper-quiet to full saturation. More output on tap translates into a more responsive tone across your entire rig, adding dimension and feel whether you’re hitting a clean amp or stacking with other drives.

The Kilt 10 Overdrive Distortion isn’t about reinventing the wheel — it’s about perfecting it, taking a decade of player feedback, countless hours of refinement, and distilling it into the most complete version of this classic circuit ever made. I had a Kilt V1 back in the day, and it was awesome – one of those pedals I wish I hadn’t gotten rid of. Well, now it’s back, and better than ever, and I just love the versatility and the tonal range coming out of this shiny metal box. Always a pleasure to help our friends at JHS Pedals with a new release – be sure to visit their website for more info, and don’t miss our demo video on YouTube – cheers!!