JHS Pedals Kilt 10: Expanding The Expandora
The Kilt 10 adds significant mods for the 10th Anniversary
JHS Pedals is celebrating the 10th year of The Kilt and has just announced the new 2025 Kilt 10. Now with improvements to the original design, and even more fun to use.
Brief Overview
- The Kilt is a versatile overdrive/distortion pedal, launched in 2015 in collaboration with guitarist Stu G.
- It was designed to cover a broad spectrum of gain tones for professional studio and touring applications.
Contents – JHS Pedals Kilt 10
JHS Pedals Kilt 10
JHS Pedals has refreshed the design of the new Kilt 10 and made some improvements to celebrate its 10 years in production.
The original Kilt pedal was launched in 2015, the result of a collaboration with Stu G (founding member of Delirious?). Stu G requested a highly versatile “dirt” pedal for studio and touring use.
Bixonic Expandora
Born from this request, the Kilt quickly became one of the company’s best-selling overdrive/distortion pedals. It is JHS’s take on the vintage Japanese-made Bixonic Expandora pedal (I own this original tuna-can-style pedal with hidden dip switches, and it covers a wide range of drive tones from overdrive to fuzz).
Billy Gibbons’ Secret Sauce?
A pedal used by many famous guitarists, most notably Billy Gibbons, who used them for quite some time, and who is often associated with the originals. Famously, Gibbons was rumoured to be seen stacking multiple units to achieve his ZZ Top tones.
Though I must admit I only ever saw Billy using Marshall JMP-1 preamp racks to get his live tones, so I can neither deny nor confirm these rumours.
Version History of The Kilt Pedal
The Kilt pedal has evolved through several iterations since its initial release.
The Kilt V1 featured a larger enclosure with two footswitches and an independent boost circuit on the right side. This first version was controlled using four knobs and four toggle switches, offering extensive tonal control.
The subsequent Kilt V2 introduced significant changes focused on compactness and integration. It utilised a smaller enclosure and streamlined the controls down to three knobs and three toggles. A key addition in this version was the proprietary Red Remote system, enhancing its functionality for users.
Now in 2025, it comes in a 10 Year Anniversary Special Edition Mod. This version is distinguished by its aesthetic, featuring a polished aluminum finish and unique Expandora-style knobs. It also received an updated Scottish flag-inspired icon to celebrate the milestone.
What’s New?
The latest version of The Kilt features several refinements for superior tone and usability:
Improved Gain Control: The gain knob now offers a much more usable range (0-25%), providing articulate, low-gain textures without previous “dead zones.” Expect smooth, musical breakup from minimal to full saturation.
Enhanced Clarity: The refined high-end frequency response helps the pedal cut through a dense mix with greater definition, improving clarity, especially in live settings.
Increased Headroom: More available output volume provides a more responsive tone and adds dimension when used with clean amps or stacked with other drive pedals.
Refined Toggle Switches: The gain toggles have been tweaked for more practical gain parameters while maintaining the pedal’s original feel. G1 and G2 now provide a more touch-sensitive playing feel, increased compression, more intense distortion, and a softer attack. The Low-Cut toggle is now more compatible with a broader range of amplifiers, including amp modelers.
New Diode Clipping: A new clipping circuit delivers a more touch-sensitive feel, greater nuance, and a smoother attack. This provides slightly more compression and distortion, offering a bigger sound than the Kilt V2 while retaining its core identity.
This all adds up to a significant update for an already well-thought-out drive pedal, and it certainly packs in many new features to make it worth considering, even for existing Kilt owners.
FAQ – JHS Pedals Kilt 10
What kind of pedal is The Kilt?
The Kilt is a highly versatile overdrive/distortion pedal, often called a “dirt” pedal, designed to cover a wide range of gain levels from clean boost to full saturation.
Who designed The Kilt?
It was designed in collaboration with legendary guitarist, writer, and producer Stu G (founding member of Delirious?), who required a versatile pedal for studio and touring use.
What are the main versions available?
The primary versions are the original Kilt V1 (larger enclosure, independent boost) and the current Kilt V2 (smaller enclosure, Red Remote system). There is now the Kilt 10 Anniversary Special Edition Mod.
What are the key improvements in the latest version?
Key improvements include a more usable Gain Control range (0-25%), Enhanced High-End Clarity for cutting through a mix, Increased Volume Headroom, and Refined Toggle Switches (especially the amp-friendly Low-Cut toggle).
Does it have a Low-Cut switch?
Yes. The Low-Cut toggle has been refined in the latest version to be more amp-friendly, working well with traditional amplifiers and amp modelers.
What type of clipping circuit does it use?
The latest versions feature a new clipping circuit with slightly more compression and a smoother attack, offering a more touch-sensitive feel and a bigger sound than the Kilt V2.
What is the Red Remote system?
The Red Remote system, added in the V2, allows for external switching control of specific functions, enhancing the pedal’s usability on a pedalboard.
Conclusion
This looks on paper like a significant update for this popular drive/distortion pedal, and if you are in the market for a versatile drive pedal for your guitar rig, then this one should certainly be on your radar. I like the update they chose for the special edition mod, and it all makes a lot of sense.
The original Expandora was a fun pedal, and I owned one for years. This new take on that classic adds some significant updates to the design, and so I think it should be a lot of fun to use live and in the studio. It’s also a lot more affordable than an old Expandora pedal.
Price and Availability
The new JHS Pedals The Kilt 10 is available to order from Thomann for $279 / £256 / €289. You can also order the Red Remote for $46/£42/€48.
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