JHS SuperBolt V1 Prototype / Pre-Production “Injustice III” Hand-Painted 2013 – Rare Early JHS Build

While you may have come because you are a fan of Supro/Valco tone, hopefully you stayed to learn more about this piece of JHS and Pedal history.!

Listing this rare/collectible prototype/Pre-production “SuperBolt V1” interestingly labeled Injustice III. Please check out the photos showing its provenance—-pretty cool!

I purchased this from the original owner in 2019 who “received it directly from Josh“ noting “It’s unique since the toggle switch is on the back.”

Key provenance details:

• Early JHS SuperBolt V1 circuit board

• PCB labeled JHS Pedals / Super Bolt

• Internal handwritten date: 5-20-13

• Internal notation: JHS “SuperBolt”

• Handwritten name inside enclosure: Ricky McDonald

• Unique hand-painted “Injustice III” artwork not used on production SuperBolts

• Built during the early JHS hand-painted / hand-stamped period

Be sure to check out Josh’s video from 13 years ago after he made the CME promotion video for YT.

Description

For sale is a very rare early JHS SuperBolt V1 prototype / pre-production build, housed in a one-off hand-painted enclosure labeled “Injustice III.”

This is not a standard production SuperBolt shell. The exterior has unique hand-painted artwork, while the inside confirms the pedal as an early JHS SuperBolt build. The PCB is labeled JHS Pedals / Super Bolt, and the inside lid is hand-marked “JHS ‘SuperBolt’ NW 5-20-13.” The enclosure also includes the handwritten name Ricky McDonald inside the case.

This places the pedal squarely in the early SuperBolt era, when JHS was still producing hand-stamped, hand-painted, and small-batch units before the model became a standard production pedal.

The SuperBolt was JHS’s take on the exploding, touch-sensitive sound of vintage Supro / Valco-style amps—the kind of gritty, saggy, low-watt amp drive associated with early Jimmy Page tones. It is an all-analog, JFET-based amp-style overdrive/boost designed to behave more like a cranked small combo than a conventional overdrive pedal.

Why This One Is Special

This pedal appears to be an early JHS SuperBolt circuit in a one-off prototype or pre-production enclosure based on the original reverb listing and my research

Key provenance details:

• Early JHS SuperBolt V1 circuit board
• PCB labeled JHS Pedals / Super Bolt
• Internal handwritten date: 5-20-13
• Internal notation: JHS “SuperBolt”
• Handwritten name inside enclosure: Ricky McDonald
• Unique hand-painted “Injustice III” artwork not used on production SuperBolts
• Built during the early JHS hand-painted / hand-stamped period

JHS has publicly documented that early SuperBolts included unusual hand-stamped and hand-finished examples, including a 2012 SuperBolt in Josh Scott’s own rare pedal collection. JHS’s current archive also includes a sold-out SuperBolt Hand Paint, confirming that hand-painted early SuperBolts are part of the company’s history.

The PCB itself is factory-screened “JHS Pedals” and labeled “Super Bolt” with a serial number section, matching JHS’s production practices from that period.

The gray “Injustice III” enclosure with hand-painted art looks to be a repurposed or test box. Builders often recycled or painted “blank” boxes for experiments, early drafts, or demos. The “Injustice” artwork was almost certainly just a one-off cosmetic shell used before standard production graphics were finalized.

I just wish I had “the box”!

Design / Sound

The SuperBolt is one of JHS’s best-known amp-in-a-box circuits. The V1 version uses:

• Volume
• Tone
• Drive
• Hi/Lo toggle

It delivers everything from a strong clean-ish boost to gritty, compressed, sagging breakup. The circuit is known for its dynamic feel, big output, and amp-like response. It is especially good for players looking for vintage Supro, Valco, Silvertone, Harmony, Oahu, and early rock-style breakup tones.

Later, the SuperBolt evolved into the SuperBolt V2, which replaced the V1 Hi/Lo toggle with a Gain toggle and added compatibility with the JHS Red Remote system for footswitchable gain options. This pedal predates that evolution and represents the earlier V1 design period.

Shipping & Seller Info

• Shipping: Free within the U.S.

• Packaging: Ships carefully packed to protect the original package

• Includes: Original package

• Seller Reputation: I maintain a 100% positive rating and will work hard to keep it that way

Brand: JHS
Model: SuperBolt V1 Prototype / Pre-Production
Finish: Hand Painted / One-Off “Injustice III”
Year: 2013
Made In: USA
Categories: Overdrive, Boost, Boutique Pedals, Collectible Pedals