Joyo Baatsin – The Swiss Army Knife of Overdrive

8-in-1: Overdrives greatest hits 

The Joyo R-Series has always impressed me. I’ve tried a few on the channel — from the Klon-inspired Tauren to the fire-breathing Uzi — and they’ve all punched well above their weight in terms of tone and build quality. So, when Joyo got in touch and asked if I wanted to try out the Baatsin, I jumped at the chance.

As a bonus, a few of you in the comments had already been recommending it, while others were asking when I’d be getting around to it — so this one was definitely for the fans (and a little bit for me too, I do love a good overdrive).

The big draw of the Baatsin is its 8-way rotary control, which lets you flick through eight different overdrive voices. It’s essentially a tour through some of the most iconic drive circuits ever made — from Tube Screamer and Timmy territory to heavier hitters like the Riot and OCD.

Rather than give a blow-by-blow on every mode, I’ll focus on a few highlights that really stood out.

8 Drives in One Box

T.OD – Timmy Territory
The T.OD mode is based on the Paul Cochrane Timmy, and although it lacks the original’s two-band EQ and toggle switch, it’s probably the most versatile mode on the pedal.

You can take it from a barely-there, gritty boost to a thick, saturated crunch that feels dynamic and touch responsive. The single tone control is voiced beautifully — it never gets mushy at the low end, nor does it stray into harsh, ice-pick territory when pushed. It’s just right.

B.Boost – Clean, Clear, and Pushing Hard

If you want to use the Baatsin purely as a clean boost, this is your mode. B.Boost strips back most of the clipping, giving you more headroom and a noticeable increase in volume.

It’s perfect for slamming the front of your favourite overdrive or amp — pushing a crunchy clean into that glorious edge-of-breakup zone without colouring your tone too much. You can also use it to push an already pretty cooking tone up to eleven. It’s a very usable and versatile boost.

Overdrive 1 – Classic Rock Energy

The Overdrive 1 mode has a gain structure that stands out from the rest. The user manual subtlety (ha!) hints at it's Boss origins and this one just has a different kind of vibe to the rest. The grit was a bit more raw and raucous, less of that typical overdrive mid-range character . For me, this one ended up being a personal favourite.

Rioter – Suhr Sound Without the Price

The Rioter mode, as the name suggests, draws from the Suhr Riot, and it does it surprisingly well. Many Riot clones tend to overdo the saturation and compression, which can make them great for sustaining lead tones but lacking the definition for any rhythm work.

The Baatsin’s take keeps enough aggression for singing leads but still retains the note clarity and definition needed to not get lost in a mix.

Not Just Another Bonsai Clone

When I first saw the Baatsin, I immediately thought of the JHS Bonsai — another multi-overdrive pedal that serves as a “greatest hits” collection of classic circuits.

To Joyo’s credit, they didn’t just lift the idea wholesale. They took the concept and went their own way with it, choosing a solid mix of mainstream favourites rather than diving into the more obscure options that the Bonsai features. That feels pretty on-brand for Joyo — reliable, accessible tones that don’t break the bank. Likewise, the Bonsai is very much aiming at those more niche tones that Josh Scott loves to share with us all. Kudos to Joyo for not just straight ripping off and kudos to JHS too, props where props are due.

Style, Substance, and Serious Value

Add in the sleek, Tron-like aesthetic of the R-series — complete with the soft-glow LED surround — and the Baatsin becomes a genuinely useful addition to almost any pedalboard. It’s like having a Swiss Army knife of tone under your foot, ready to cover everything from transparent boost to full-blown rock gain.

It might be green, but don’t be fooled — this isn’t just another Tube Screamer. The Baatsin is proof that Joyo knows exactly how to balance variety, tone, and affordability.

A Quiet, Unsung Hero You've Been After?

Safety in numbers 

The Mosky SOL918 is one of those pedals you pick up expecting a couple of quick tones, and then find yourself plugging into for the next three hours. It’s compact, affordable, and stacked with utility: five effects in one box, all dialed in to do a solid job without stealing the limelight. What makes it so interesting is that instead of trying to wow you with flashy gimmicks, it goes the other way—quiet confidence, classic voices, and surprising synergy between the effects. If you’ve ever wanted a reliable backup or an all-in-one travel rig, the SOL918 is absolutely worth a look.

Let’s break it down.

Distortion: Suhr Riot, But Less Riotous

The distortion circuit here is based on the Suhr Riot, a beloved, mid-heavy distortion that leans toward a hot-rodded Marshall tone. It’s thick, vocal, and perfect for leads or tight rhythm work. But where most Riot clones go full saturation at the upper end—often sacrificing clarity for sizzle—the Mosky version holds back a bit. That’s a smart move. It stays usable across the full gain range, meaning you can set it up for crunchy rhythm, searing leads, or mid-gain riffing without it turning to mush. It’s still aggressive, but more polite about it.

This tone forms the foundation of the drive section on this pedal. On its own, the distortion has enough character to be your main rhythm or lead tone. But when combined with the overdrive circuit (which we’ll get to), it becomes a real workhorse of a tone engine—flexible, articulate, and powerful without being overbearing.

Overdrive: Understated, on Purpose

Next up is the overdrive, modelled on one side of the Analogman King of Tone. If you know the KOT, you’ll know each side can be a boost, drive, or distortion depending on internal dip switches. This Mosky version leans somewhere between the boost and overdrive settings—mild gain even when cranked. At first, that might seem underwhelming, but it becomes clearer once you start stacking.

Used as a solo boost, it adds warmth and edge. Push the volume and hold back the gain, and you get a lovely dynamic lift that works great for leads. But where it really shines is stacked with the distortion. Set the OD a bit hotter and stack it with the Distortion, and you get a thicker, more harmonically rich gain structure. It tightens up the low end a bit and adds a healthy dollop of drive without over-compressing or getting fizzy. It’s a classic two-stage drive setup and one that’s very satisfying to play through.

That’s a bit of a theme with the SOL918—it’s all about synergy. No one part of the pedal is jaw-droppingly special on its own, but the way they work together is what makes it valuable.

Delay: Simple, Bright, and Surprisingly Versatile

The delay section of the SOL918 is based on the Mad Professor Deep Blue Delay—a cult classic for good reason. It walks the line between vintage analogue warmth and crisp digital clarity, giving you the best of both without overcommitting to either. This makes it perfect for a variety of delay tasks: slap-back echo, subtle thickening, or even a short solo boost delay in the vein of 80s lead tones.

It’s not the most characterful delay you’ll find—there’s no swirling modulation or tape-style degradation—but it wasn’t built to be that. What it offers instead is utility. The repeats sit well in a mix, don’t overwhelm your dry tone, and feel right at home whether you’re doing country twang, rock lead work, or ambient padding.

For my money, it’s in the same ballpark as the Joyo Analog Delay, which I’ve used and loved as a go-to budget option. It fills that same role here: usable, good-sounding, and just enough of what you need without fluff.

Reverb: Best-in-Budget Spring

Now here’s a standout: the reverb section. It’s based on the Malekko Spring, which also happens to be the basis for Mosky’s own Spring Reverb pedal. And honestly? I think they just cloned it straight into this unit. And thank heavens they did.

I’ve used the standalone version of this circuit and was turned onto it by Simon at JSA Effects and Andrzej from Yet Another Guitar Channel, both of whom swore by it. They were right. It’s one of the most convincing spring reverbs at this price point. It offers a sense of space without drowning you in effect and has just enough splash and bounce to liven up your tone. The dwell and level controls are simple but effective—dial back for subtle depth or crank it for surfy chaos.

It’s not a reverb designed to explore vast ambient soundscapes or shimmer like cathedral presets. This is a classic, slightly gritty, vintage-style spring reverb, perfect for rock and blues but honestly can turn it's hand to most genres in a convincing way. In the context of the SOL918, it’s another example of the “safe but great” design philosophy.

FX Loop and Pedalboard Strategy

One feature that deserves a spotlight—though I didn’t cover it in the demo—is the FX loop. It sits between the drive section and the ambient effects. That placement is clever. It means you can insert your own favourite modulation, another drive pedal, or even a noise gate or EQ in the sweet spot of the chain. It makes this all-in-one box far more flexible, especially for people who want to tailor their rig without giving up the convenience of the SOL918.

You could even run a compressor before the input, add modulation like chorus or tremolo in the loop, and essentially build a mini pedalboard around this central unit.

But let’s be real for a second—is this a pedalboard replacement? Not quite. If you’re curating your tone and want very specific flavors of each effect, individual pedals still win. But that’s not a slight against the SOL918—it’s clearly not trying to be the centre point for your pedalboard . Instead, it’s a clever, efficient option for:

• A gig-bag emergency backup when your board goes down
• A travel-friendly setup if you’re a non-driving musician or flying to a show
• A home practice or recording tool that covers most sonic bases in one unit

Honestly, for the price they’re asking, it’s a total no-brainer to have one of these in your gig bag just in case. It’s solidly built, sounds better than most budget all-in-one units, and has enough flexibility to actually play through a full set if needed.

… At the end of the day

The Mosky SOL918 isn’t designed to blow minds with innovation—it’s designed to work. Each effect is based on something tried and tested. The distortion draws on the Suhr Riot, the overdrive nods to the Analogman KOT, the delay channels the Deep Blue, and the reverb lifts from the Malekko Spring. You could criticise it for not pushing new boundaries—but you’d be missing the point.

This pedal is practical, versatile, and perfect for players who value reliability, tone, and space-saving design. The tones are safe, yes—but that’s by design. It gives you the flexibility to fit into just about any genre or gig setup without sounding out of place. And when you consider how little it costs, it becomes even more impressive.

Would I build my main board around it? Probably not. But as a utility, a safety net, or even a fly-rig for pub gigs and jams, it’s an excellent option. A few extra features—like an order switch for OD and distortion, or a tap tempo—might have been nice, but they’d also increase the price and add complexity to a pedal designed to be your last line of defence.

And when it’s time to shine, it will. Quietly. Reliably. Without fuss.

That’s what the Mosky SOL918 does best.