The Royal Jelly Limited Edition "Donatello" is one of the limited runs of Beetronics' Royal Jelly, a pedal that combines an overdrive and a fuzz in a single box. Beetronics describes it as "an overdrive/fuzz blender like no other pedal," running the two circuits in parallel so you can use either one on its own or blend them together in any proportion1. That parallel design is the pedal's core idea: instead of stacking fuzz into overdrive in series, both circuits process the same input and you mix the results.
The Donatello edition shares its circuit with the rest of the Royal Jelly family and differs in its finish, part of a long series of limited colorways and custom runs. It is sold out at the maker, and its listed price was £223.001.
An overdrive and fuzz blended in parallel
Most overdrive and fuzz pedals do one job. The Royal Jelly runs both at once. Beetronics says it "can cover any ground from overdrive to fuzz, running two circuits in parallel and giving you the possibility of blend"1. In practice that means a single knob sweep can move you from a warm drive into full fuzz, or settle anywhere between, with both characters present in the mix rather than one feeding the other.
Beetronics also claims a place in history for the design, saying the Royal Jelly "was the first of its kind, blending overdrive and fuzz in a way no pedal had done beefore"2.
The controls: blend, Queen and King presets, dry, EQ and Buzz
The control set is built around the blend idea, with a few extras for shaping the result.
| Control or switch | What it does |
|---|---|
| Blend | Sets the mix between the overdrive and fuzz circuits, which run in parallel1 |
| Queen and King | Two presets of the blend, giving two different sounds you can call up on the fly1 |
| DRY | Blends in your unprocessed signal; on guitar, Beetronics says it creates clean tones with a fuzzy background1 |
| EQ (HI and LO) | A two band EQ with 10 dB of cut or boost on each band1 |
| BUZZ | Adds the nasty high end usually found on vintage fuzz boxes to the fuzz circuit1 |
The Queen and King presets are the performance feature: rather than digital presets, they act as two customizable voicings of the overdrive/fuzz blend that you can switch between mid song3. The EQ is described as powerful, with the 10 dB cut/boost on high and low bands making it possible to shape the tone in many different ways1. The BUZZ switch is the vintage character control, bringing in the harsh top end associated with old fuzz boxes when you want it1.
Dry blend and bass use
The DRY control is what makes the pedal useful beyond guitar. Beetronics says it is "also possible to blend in your dry signal, a great feature for bass, drums and synths or any studio use"1. For bass players this matters most: a fuzz circuit alone can thin out the low end, and mixing dry signal back in keeps the fundamental intact while the fuzz sits on top. On guitar, the same control produces a different effect, with Beetronics describing it as a way to create unique clean tones with a fuzzy background1.
Power, size and weight
The Donatello runs on a 9V DC power supply with a center negative plug, and no power supply is included in the box1. That is the standard arrangement for most modern effect pedals, so a typical pedalboard power supply with center negative outputs will drive it.
The pedal measures 6-1/8" x 5-1/16" x 2-3/4" and weighs 2 lbs (1 kg); packaged, it is 7-1/2" x 6-1/4" x 3-1/4" and 2.5 lbs (1.25 kg)1. It is a mid sized enclosure, so plan pedalboard space accordingly.
No power supply is included with the Donatello. You need a 9V DC center negative supply of your own1.
The Royal Jelly limited editions
The Donatello sits in a long line of Royal Jelly limited editions, each the same circuit in a different finish. Beetronics has released these in small runs, some as few as five pieces, such as the "Wonka" edition4. Others in the range include the "Pomegranate", the Pink/Blue edition, the "Beeliever" color series, and the Valentine Royal Series5678.
All of them carry the same feature set: the parallel overdrive and fuzz circuits, the Queen and King blend presets, the dry blend and the two band EQ91011. The editions that have sold out include the Donatello, the Pomegranate, the Pink/Blue and the Valentine1568. Beyond the numbered limited editions, Beetronics also builds custom shop versions of the pedal, such as the Royal Jelly Fuzz/OD Blender custom shop model12.
Every Royal Jelly, including the Donatello, is hand made in California, as Beetronics states on each product page1.
Questions
Is the Beetronics Royal Jelly Donatello still available?
No. The Donatello is a limited edition and Beetronics' product page lists it as sold out. Other Royal Jelly limited editions, such as the Pomegranate and the Valentine Royal Series, are also shown as sold out, so this run appears to have ended. The standard Royal Jelly line is covered separately.
Does the Royal Jelly work on bass?
Yes. The pedal has a DRY control that blends your unprocessed signal back in, and Beetronics describes this as a great feature for bass, drums and synths or any studio use. Keeping some dry signal in the blend preserves low end that a fuzz circuit on its own can thin out.
What power supply does the Beetronics Royal Jelly need?
It requires a 9V DC power supply with a center negative plug, and no power supply is included with the pedal, so you need to supply your own. This is the common standard for guitar effect pedals and works with most isolated pedalboard power supplies.
How big and heavy is the Royal Jelly?
The pedal itself measures 6-1/8 by 5-1/16 by 2-3/4 inches and weighs 2 lbs (1 kg). In its packaging it is 7-1/2 by 6-1/4 by 3-1/4 inches and 2.5 lbs (1.25 kg). It is a medium sized enclosure, not a mini pedal.
Where are Beetronics pedals made?
Beetronics states that the Royal Jelly is hand made in California. The same claim appears across the Royal Jelly limited edition pages, so the Donatello is part of a hand built production line rather than an outsourced overseas build.
Sources (12)
- Royal Jelly Limited Edition "Donatello", Beetronics
- Royal Jelly Fuzz/OD Blender • Custom Shop • 420, Beetronics
- Royal Jelly Od/Fuzz • Custom Shop • Revenge of the Fuzz • RJ3257, Beetronics
- Royal Jelly Limited Edition "Wonka" (5pc), Beetronics
- Royal Jelly Limited Edition "Pomegranate", Beetronics
- Royal Jelly Limited Edition "Beeliever", Beetronics
- Royal Jelly Limited Edition, Beetronics
- Royal Jelly Valentine Limited Edition Royal Series, Beetronics
- Royal Jelly Limited Edition, Beetronics
- Royal Jelly Limited Edition Royal Series, Beetronics
- Royal Jelly Limited Edition, Beetronics
- Royal Jelly "Blue Squid" Custom, Beetronics
