Xploration • Curation • Recommendation
Funny Little Boxes' Treasure Chest Dual Boost / Overdrive embodies beautifully expressive JSA modified takes on the Klon and Tube Screamer
Key Points
Funny Little Boxes' Treasure Chest Dual Boost/Overdrive pairs JSA-modified Klon and Tube Screamer circuits in a box, engineered by SoundLad Marc at Matt Webster's request to JSA's Simon.
Each side has Gain, Tone, Volume, Footswitch. Voicings add harmonics, vibrancy and range versus stock Klon/Screamer, likened to Anasounds Sandman Klone‑Screamer. Presets: KLONE Gain noon, Tone 3 o'c, Volume 1 o'c; SCREAMER Gain 3, Tone 2, Volume 2; DUAL Gain noon, Tone 3 o'c, Volume noon.
As of 2026-07-13, the price was £99, awaiting next batch on Funny Little Boxes' webstore. For electrical safety or modifying the pedal, consult a qualified tech.
Not again you say - not another bloomin’ Screamer or Klone - nay - both says I! And rather terrific each of those two are - like a sort of special forces variant - think the SAS of Screamer and Klon - precisions honed and primed for every eventuality!
This pedal came about through Matt Webster of ’Let’s Play All’ fame, where JSA Effects Simon had made him two of his favourite ever boost / overdrive pedals - one a modified take on the Klone, and the other based on the Screamer. It was decided that these circuits would be well served by inhabiting a singular dual-channel edition. That would require a great deal of miniaturisation engineering to get all the parts to fit and work accordingly - and SoundLad Livepool’s Marc was the perfect engineer for that task.
Matt often suggests what pedals Andy at Funny Little Boxes should make, and Marc is usually a development engineering partner who typically designs the PCB, and makes sure it all works in the new format.
I’m always a little sniffy about Screamers - largely based on how many I’ve already got in my reference collection, and I typically go out of my way to avoid yet another variant - to join the hundreds if not thousands that are already out there in Pedaldom.
While the Treasure Chest hits differently - this is not your Dad’s or Grandaddy’s Tube Screamer, and this is certainly not your Dad’s Klon. This Treasure Chest is way beyond the usual rank and file!
I was particularly stuck by the extra harmonics and vibrancy from the Klon voicing, and a similar evolution to the former somewhat humble and slightly anaemic stock Tube Screamer. These two are the fire-breathing dragons of their respective genres - with a little more in the tank.
Controls - SCREAMER : Gain, Tone, Volume, Footswitch; KLONE : Gain, Tone, Volume, Footswitch.
You never really know what to expect from incoming pedals/ circuits - while I was really surprised by how good these sounded right from the start! They have an extra vibrancy and poke about them, more harmonics typically - and have plenty of range in reserve.
The similar but mid-size Anasounds Sandman Klone-Screamer is already a long-term favourite of mine, and this is like a slightly more streamlined, but equally expressive compact version of that. The Sandman had a really long innings on my board, and it's cool to kind of have it's mini-me in this Treasure Chest format - which sound near enough every bit as good, but with a few less controls.
I was very rapidly able to dial in 3 spectacular settings :
- KLONE - Gain @ Noon, Tone @ 3 o'c, Volume @ 1 o'c.
- SCREAMER - Gain @ 3 o'c, Tone @ 2 o'c, Volume @ 2 o'c.
- DUAL - Both sides with Gain at Noon, Tone @ 3 o'c, and Volume @ Noon.
The Treasure Chest Dual Channel Boost / Overdrive is just £99 when in stock, currently awaiting the next batch on the Funny Little Boxes Webstore.
I feel this one is well worth waiting for. I'm generally more about the Klon action than the Screamer - but this is a very fine pairing indeed. You might not need another Klone or Tube Screamer - but surely both in the same box is worthy of your consideration!
Demos
