Jackson Audio Broken Arrow Comprehensive Overdrive V2

The Jackson Audio BROKEN ARROW is a very flexible overdrive with 4 presets for clipping options, an innovative gain adjustment feature called GAIN CYCLE, and a 3 band active EQ for maximum tonal flexibility. To top it off, the designers added a boost circuit which is the same type of MOSFET boost circuit found on the company's top-selling PRISM Preamp pedal.

Boost Overview
The boost circuit is in its own true bypass loop which means it can be used independently of the DRIVE circuit. The boost circuit in the BROKEN ARROW is a MOSFET based boost much like the AMP MODE found in the best-selling PRISM Preamp pedal. To activate/deactivate the boost circuit simply press the BOOST footswitch.

One of the things that makes the boost in the BROKEN ARROW different from other boosts on the market is that it has 4 presets available. Each preset is EQ’d slightly differently to allow it to alter how it interacts with the overdrive circuit in the BROKEN ARROW or any other pedal you may have in your rig

Preset 1 – YELLOW LED: Bright Boost. Very useful for creating a thinner sound or when boosting a thick sounding overdrive.
Preset 2 – GREEN LED: Mid Boost. Not as thin as the yellow mode, the green mode allows more lows and takes on the character of a mid boost.

Preset 3 – AQUA LED: Tailored Boost. Most people will find this a perfect setting that will complement most any overdrive setting in the BROKEN ARROW.

Preset 4 – BLUE LED: Full Range. No tonal coloring here! Just your guitars natural tone!

To select a boost preset, press and hold the BOOST footswitch for more than 1 second and boost program mode will become active.

When in this mode, the BOOST led will flash to indicate that you are in program mode. A quick tap on the BOOST footswitch will cycle the boost presets and you’ll be able to hear these presets change as you cycle through them, assuming that the boost circuit was active when the boost program mode was entered. Once you arrive at a boost preset that you want to use, press and hold the BOOST footswitch for more than 1 second and boost program mode will exit.

Easter Egg
There is an easter egg in the boost circuit of the BROKEN ARROW! The boost circuit is based on a MOSFET transistor which is a very popular type of transistor to use for boost circuits because it has many “amp like” characteristics when it clips etc. There can be downsides to this circuit though.

Several very popular MOSFET boost circuits on the market have a very noticeable crackle when their boost knobs are rotated. The designers fixed this issue in the BROKEN ARROW and the boost is perfectly silent when the boost knob is rotated. The only downside to the remedy of this problem is that it loses about 5% of the gain at the highest rotation setting. To most people this would never be a problem as the boost on the BROKEN ARROW is crushingly loud as it it.

However if you are a purist, or you just want to hear the difference, I have good news for you. Jackson included an internal jumper that you can move to go back to stock MOSFET boost operation with 100% gain and all the crackle your heart could ever desire! Quiet or Crackle. The choice is yours!

STND BOOST – Jackson Audio's version of the MOSFET boost. Same tone, no noise.

ALT BOOST – Modified version of the MOSFET boost. Same tone, slightly more gain, crackles when you turn the knob.

Overdrive Overview
The overdrive circuit of the BROKEN ARROW is a soft clipping overdrive circuit designed in the same vein as the venerable TS-808. The distinction between the TS-808 and the BROKEN ARROW being that there is no set “mid-hump” in the BROKEN ARROW and the tone is relatively flat when all controls are set at 12:00. Given that the BROKEN ARROW features an active 3 band EQ, there was no need to force a mid bump unnecessarily as a mid bump is easily achieved by increasing