Jackson Audio PRISM PURPLE BOOST - Refurbished

A Tonal Control Center in the Jackson Audio Universe

The Jackson Audio Prism Violet is far more than a simple boost pedal. It brings together several major circuit families that have shaped more than fifty years of guitar effects: the vintage treble booster, the amp-like preamp, and the modern, high-transparency clean boost. The idea is not to copy a single classic, but to provide a genuine control center for shaping the signal right at the input of the pedalboard.

Within the Jackson Audio range, the Prism occupies a category of its own. While other pedals from the brand target one very specific type of saturation, it acts as a sonic foundation capable of unifying several guitars, amps, and pedals around a shared identity. It is exactly the kind of unit you can leave switched on permanently to stabilize and enrich your entire rig.

A Pedal Designed for the Demanding Guitarist, from the Studio to the Stage

The Prism is aimed equally at experienced musicians and enthusiasts who want to better understand how their gear responds. It is a formidable choice for blues, pop, rock, fusion, worship, indie, or studio sessions whenever you need to switch from one guitar to another without throwing off the entire pedalboard. Its active EQ makes it easy to quickly rebalance a bright single-coil, a denser humbucker, or a temperamental amp depending on the room.

Placed at the beginning of the chain, it reveals its full potential: the buffer preserves the signal, the "COLOR" mode responds more dynamically to the guitar's volume, and the EQ acts before the other pedals. It can serve as a clean boost to cut through a mix, an always-on preamp to add depth to a somewhat restrained amp, or a tone-shaping tool for driving an overdrive, fuzz, or delay with considerably more personality.

Smart Controls for Shaping Gain and Frequency Balance

The Prism is built around a clear yet exceptionally musical interface. The "TONE" and "BODY" controls form a powerful active EQ, each capable of adding or cutting up to 15 dB in its frequency range, with virtually no interaction between the two. In practice, this lets you brighten a dark amp without thinning out the low end, or, conversely, thicken an overly dry sound without unnecessarily darkening it.

The "BOOST" knob acts as a master volume, while the "PRE GAIN" selector offers three different response levels: "LOW" to retain maximum dynamic headroom, "MED" for a subtle breakup that works beautifully for rhythm playing, and "HIGH" for denser leads. The circuit selector then lets you choose between three clearly distinct voices: "COLOR" for vintage bite, "AMP" for an organic tube-amp-style push, and "TRANS" for a more neutral and broader boost.

In terms of operation, the pedal uses relay-based bypass controlled by a momentary footswitch, designed to provide silent switching and excellent reliability. Jackson Audio adds a high-current buffer at the end of the circuit to preserve signal integrity on large pedalboards or with long cable runs. A programming mode also lets you adjust the indicator brightness and choose the pedal's startup state.

The Sound

The Prism Violet shines through its ability to transform the sound without crushing it. In "TRANS" mode, it acts like a high-end magnifying glass: more level, more definition, more attack, while preserving the personality of the guitar and amp. The "AMP" mode adds natural compression, flattering mids, and that highly addictive sensation of an amp already on the verge of breakup. Finally, "COLOR" injects a lively, singing brightness, ideal for bringing a lead register to life or making a rhythm part stand out in a dense mix.

When played, the pedal proves particularly responsive to pick dynamics and the guitar's volume. This lively character is what appeals to guitarists looking for a genuine textural tool, rather than just a linear boost. It is also used by musicians such as Mateus Asato and Nigel Hendroff, confirming its affinity with modern approaches in which dynamics, precision, and placement in the mix matter just as much as gain itself.

Technical specifications

"TONE" control	active treble equalization, boost or cut of up to 15 dB	3-position circuit selector	"COLOR", "AMP", "TRANS"
"BODY" control	active bass equalization, boost or cut of up to 15 dB	Dimensions	approximately 63.5 x 123.8 mm
"BOOST" control	overall output level	Required power supply	9V DC, center-negative
3-position "PRE GAIN" selector	"LOW", "MED", "HIGH"	Minimum current draw	100 mA