J Rocket Allan Holdsworth Overdrive/Boost Pedal

Developed in direct collaboration with the legendary Allan Holdsworth, this signature overdrive/boost pedal was engineered to solve a specific problem while delivering exceptional versatility.

The pedal features a subtle overdrive circuit paired with a highly configurable boost section that offers precise EQ shaping capabilities. When the boost drives the overdrive section, one can achieve the exact tonal fingerprint that defined Holdsworth’s distinctive sound.

The Story Behind the Design

Allan faced a practical challenge: he needed to replace his beloved TC Electronics 2240 rack unit—a parametric EQ that had been the cornerstone of his tone for over three decades. The TC 2240 was Holdsworth’s secret weapon, sculpting and boosting his signal before it reached the preamp to create that characteristic saxophone-like sustain and fluidity that made his lead playing so distinctive.

This pedal successfully recreates that legendary TC 2240 functionality in a compact, pedalboard-friendly format. It serves a similar tone-shaping role that Fredrik Thordendal from Meshuggah achieves with his Fortin “33” pedal—providing crucial signal conditioning before the amplifier.

Complete Tone Replication

Combined with two Yamaha Magic Stomp units (one programmed with Holdsworth’s signature 8-parallel delay algorithm and another running his DG stomp lead tone), this pedal unlocks a 100% faithful recreation of the complete, final evolution of Allan Holdsworth’s guitar sound as it existed at the time of his passing in April 2017.

Watch the video below to hear it demonstrated and explained by the Gnarly Geezer himself.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ Holdsworth’s actual settings available upon request.